During the war, England had a system of rationing in

Wedding Dress Tradition And Queen Elizabeth's Love

Wedding dresses are more often than naught, the center piece to most weddings. With that being the case, can you imagine if that wedding was a royal one? We often think of beautiful gowns made from the finest of materials. That hasn't always been the case. Sometimes it's the love affair that overshadows the dress. That was evident in the love between Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

Queen Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, were distant cousins that met each other when the Queen was just a 13-year old princess. It was known that Elizabeth was completely smitten with Philip and therefore, not only were they cousins, but also became good friends as evidenced from their letters to each other. Although they had a very long courtship, the couple finally decided to get engaged in 1946, but chose to keep it a secret.

Throughout their courtship, Queen Elizabeth and Philip had a number of things pulling at their relationship. Often royalty married other royalty, whether they were related or not. However, a couple of strikes against Philip was that he was not a wealthy man, as well as he was Greek Orthodox.

Regardless, the thing that brought the most hardship to the couple was that Elizabeth's mother did not want her to marry Philip. The reason she was so against their impending marriage, was that back in 1946 England had just come out of World War II and even though Philip was not German himself, he did spend some of his school years in Germany. In addition, the word was that Philip's three sisters had married German Noblemen, in which led others to believe he had some Nazi ties.

Despite her mother's disapproval, their engagement was announced publicly on July 9, 1947. The wedding took place just four months later on November 20, 1947. Although the war was over, it still caused some problems for the wedding. Elizabeth was eventually allowed to marry Philip; however his German relatives were not allowed to attend the ceremony.

During the war, England had a system of rationing in place. So even though she was royalty, Elizabeth still had to save up her rations for fabric so that she would be able to purchase her wedding dress. Fortunately she was able to get enough rations set aside; otherwise it would not have been a true royal wedding without a spectacular wedding dress.

Her dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, who started to work on the dress three months before the wedding so that it would be done in time. Hartnell started his design with a great understanding for what kind of a dress he had to make. After all, this was for the royal wedding and with that he knew everyone would be watching, so he wanted it to be perfect for Queen Elizabeth's special day.

After receiving the payment for the dress, Hartnell said he "searched the London art galleries for a classic inspiration and found a Botticelli figure in ivory silk with a trail of smilax, jasmine, syringa and some white rose like flowers." Finding the right materials for the dress was hard due to the aftermath of the war, so in the end the designer ended up having to order 20,000 pearls from the United States.

The gown's fabric for the train was satin from a mill at Lullington Castle in England, which he did not want to use at first, but Elizabeth's mother insisted that it be from there. The body of the wedding dress was a soft Chinese silk from a Scottish firm called Winterthur, which caused a little controversy because they were saying it was made by enemy silk worms from Japan. However, Hartnell was able to prove that the silk was from China. The dress was embroidered with orange blossoms, syringa, white rose and jasmine. Wheat was also included in the design, which represented fertility.

The embroidery also included sparkling crystals and pearls that outlined the neckline, hem, sleeves and the 15-foot train. The dress also included a silk tulle veil, with a small diamond tiara and a simple yet beautiful pearl necklace to wear around her neck. The beautiful bride walked down the aisle of the famous Westminster Abby with her father King George VI.

Elizabeth had a very sweet bouquet that was made of white orchids with some sprigs of myrtle, which had come from the bush that Queen Victoria had planted and grown from her own wedding bouquet. After the wedding the bride placed her sweet bouquet at the grave of the Unknown Soldier which is a tradition in England's royal weddings.

Be Both Comfortable And Stylish In Your New Prom Dress

Prom dresses are gorgeous and glamorous, but they can also be very uncomfortable. However gorgeous the eveningwear might appear, your comfort level means the most to you. That's why you should consider not only the style and beauty of your eveningwear, but also the comfort level. Beauty should not become a cause of distress. Fashion doesn't have to ruin the most magical night of your high school life. Use the guide below to look elegant and feel great on your prom night. For superior service, style, and comfort visit Quince Dresses in Houston TX.

While purchasing prom dreses from an online store or a traditional dress shop choose the best quality material for the specific areas of your body. Prom dresses made of stretchy material in certain areas allow you to be comfortable and flexible while still keeping in fashion.

Consider asking the following questions while choosing a Prom Dress.

A comfortable prom dress should give you the freedom of moving your arms freely while you dine?

When you sit to dine and need to backless wedding dresses move your arms freely, will the prom dress be comfortable?

Is the material breathable so that it doesn't make you jovani evening dresses feel hot during prom or while dinning?

If you purchase your prom dress from an online store you need to enquire whether the material breathes well so that you are extremely comfortable. Remember to request your prom dress well in advance so you can replace it if it is not in tune with your requirements. Visit Quinceanera Dresses in Houston for the best in value and selection.

Consider the following types of material for your prom dress. Stretchy fabrics for prom dresses are great for those moveable areas of the body while dancing and dining. They're also great for the tummy area for easier breathing. Search for prom dresses that are lined with stretch satin, lace or mesh. These materials will give and stretch as you move without taking away from the design of the dress. Other popular materials are ultrasuede, velvet, and silk or silk blends.

Stay away from those decorative materials that can cause itching or make you feel hot or have the probablity of splitting. You'll need a durable prom dress that can withstand all the movements while dancing. You should also stay away from jazzy long wedding dresses items that can cause you a lot of bodily discomfort including sequins, lace and beads. It is advisable to go for only those prom dresses that use averagely embellished items, as excessive ornamentation will give you much discomfort.

If you are looking to buy a skin-hugging prom dress, you should ensure that it gives you adequate comfort while walking, sitting and dancing! You'll come across an array of lengthy, graceful dresses which are just made to look stunning and give you walking comfort. A multitude of eveningwear gowns are manufactured this way, but prom night requires more freedom as compared to other special events or functions. So, choose a prom dress that allows you to move, even if it is tight fitting.

Never compromise on the comfortability of a prom dress. Visit an online store to buy a prom dress that can turn your dream night into the time of your life!