astroziggy asked: I have a silly question about these dresses: Many of them are... yellowish/gold/beige. Why is that? Were they originally that color, or were they originally white?

To tell you the truth, I’m not entirely sure. I know this Dior gown has naturally aged over time (even though it’s from a much later date than Victorian gowns) and isn’t able to be reconditioned, so that can be an example. I know for a fact that many silks become so brittle over time that they can’t be retouched without damaging the integrity of the garment. While white became à la mode following Queen Victoria’s choice of a white wedding gown in 1840 and many fashionable and wealthy brides picked this color after that date, the vast majority of brides simply wore a shade that could be easily reused after their wedding - they wore their “best dress” or had a best dress made that could be worn to evening parties and balls following their big day. Because of this, gold or beige would be an extremely practical and elegant shade!

I’d say most of the posted dresses were originally gold or beige; however, some like this have probably aged to their current shade. But the short answer is that it could go either way, and I don’t fully feel confident giving a definite answer!