I wonder if the origin of this one lies with the word 'scarlet' rather than 'red'? Or, alternately, with kermes and cochineal, rather than madder?
Generally speaking, cross-culture and cross-era, a bride is going to wear her fanciest dress, so it seems quite reasonable that luxury fabrics or expensive dyes would become associated with wedding gowns. After all, we tend to think about silk satin and delicate lace and so forth, don't we? -E House On Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 4:32 AM, otsisto <otsi...@socket.net> wrote: > The only time I have heard that brides in Medieval times wore red (in a > vague broad brush way) was a Dear Abby letter that said the fashion > designer > Edith Head had told the person who wrote the letter to Abby. There was > something about in Classical Roman times the bride wore orange/red veils > that covered the head and body, prior to the medieval statement. > > > De > > -----Original Message----- > I just read the comment that "medieval brides wore red" in a book that does > not attribute any source for the statement but has a bibliography and > index. > The book makes me itchy because it is such a hybrid of fact and fiction. > > Anyway, my question is this: is that statement based on fact? If so, what > are the sources for this? Was it true for all cultures? Only Italy or ... > ? > > It's an intriguing thing to say, and I would love, please, to learn more > about bride colors in the Middle Ages, or, rather, specifically for me the > late eleventh and twelfth centuries in southern Italy, if there is such > specific information. > > Thanks, all. > > Nancy > > > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
