1930s Photos.  Wedding Pictures of Real People Fashion History 1930s

UK Wedding Photos 1931

In this wedding photograph of 1931 the bride's bouquet was made from locally grown fresh orchids provided by the bride's father who grew them in his greenhouse.  All the guests also wear orchids, including the young boy Henry. The bridesmaids all wear dresses which probably have bias cut skirts judging by the flare and sway of them.  All the dresses were made by the bride's family and the drop waist suggest that 1920's fashion styles are still holding strongly with this group. By 1930 the waist had generally risen to its normal position and the bride followed this.

This bridal party photograph had a sad message on the back, stating the wedding picture was taken in 1931, but that the bride died in 1934 and one can surmise that this was probably in childbirth and before the time of antibiotics.  The bride's headdress is an extravagant almost Tudor affair and shows it developing volume after 20 years of close mob cap veiling styles popular from c1913. See another 1931 photo here.

The guests in the second old photo are interesting.  Both women are fashion conscious in a mature way and both wear furs.  The foxtails are quite obvious on the right hand side woman.  The hats though have more of a 1920s fashion feel to them, but that can be expected at the beginning of a decade.  Some fashions from the previous decade always linger on for about 5 years or so. You can see some 1920's photos of weddings here.

The boy Henry wears short trousers and some of you may not be aware that until about 1970 young boys often wore short trousers until the age of about 11. They usually adopted long trousers at about age 12 as they entered adolescence.  But it was not thought unusual to see boys of around 9 to 13 in in short or long trousers.  Boys younger than 9 only ever wore short trousers. 

Two Contrasting Wedding Photograph from UK 1935

The wedding photograph on the left shows how fashions in clothes had become softer in the mid 1930s creating a major contrast to the angular boyish lines of a decade earlier. The bride's dress is unusual in that it is patterned.

The hats in both pictures are fashionable for the era.  Mrs. Morgan's hat is close fitting and very chic for the era.  Her three quarter coat has a fall ruffle collar which has been cut from a circle and made with contrast fabric. the skirt has box pleats.  Pleats were a highly fashionable feature of mid thirties dresses and the links show you some line drawings of typical dress styles.

Two Wedding Photographs of 1937

Above we have photos of two contrasting 1930s weddings.

On the left Arthur and Helen of USA in quite formal occasion dress and on the right Charles and Gwen of UK, in smart formal day suits of the era and who also married in 1937.  I recall Gwen with great affection and she lived to the grand age of 90.

 Three Old Photos of Everyday 1930s Dress

1931

1933

1937

On the far left Gwen wear a wrap coat in 1931. This coat style was a very popular fashion after 1928 and she wears a quite close fitting cloche.  Her hairstyle is soft and in keeping with the softer waved styles of late 20s early 30s.

Lucy wears fox tails with her dress to literally dress it up. The hat is very typical of 1933 and was probably bought that year.  You can see more 1930's hats here.

The photo of Helen and Arthur has been taken later in the thirties c1937 when boleros were popular.  Arthur's appearance is very typical of male grooming of the mid thirties.