With their beauty and versatility, it’s no wonder that many stylish brides have chosen to wear dress clips on their wedding days. In this post we’re looking at two stylish brides of the '30’s and ‘40’s who incorporated dress clips into their wedding looks.
Wallis, Duchess of Windsor
The first lady on our list is Wallis Warfield, controversial bride of the Duke of Windsor.
Photo Credit: Cecil Beaton; Source
This was the third wedding for Wallis and the first for the Duke, who abdicated the throne of England to marry her. Amidst the drama, it was appropriate that their wedding was a simple affair away from British soil.
The ceremony took place on June 3, 1937 at the Château de Candé in France. The groom wore a morning coat while the bride was elegantly attired in a Mainbocher gown. The dress was dyed a subtle shade dubbed ‘Wallis Blue’ and she accessorized with two bracelets and a diamond and sapphire dress clip affixed to her neckline.
The clip was by Van Cleef & Arpels and dates to 1935. Because of its shape, it was known as the Eventail Clip (eventail means handheld fan in French). While the photos are in black and white, we imagine the sapphires shone beautifully against the soft blue gown.
Here’s a closer look.
Photo Credit: Van Cleef & Arpels
Despite the controversy surrounding the wedding, we can’t find fault with either the gown or jewels. They are simply gorgeous (let's not discuss the bridal hat, however – eek!).
Kathleen 'Kick' Kennedy
Next up is Kathleen ‘Kick’ Kennedy. Often referred to as John F. Kennedy Junior’s favorite sister, she was known for the sense of humor and infectious zest for life that earned her the nickname ‘Kick’.
In 1938, patriarch Joe Kennedy was named US Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the Kennedy family decamped to London. Kick took part in the social whirl along with her fellow debutantes and met William “Billy” Cavendish, heir to the Duke of Devonshire.
Before long, Kick was head over heels for Billy and they married after a long on-and-off courtship in 1944. Since WWII was underway and there were some objections to the match - she was Catholic, he was Protestant- it was decided that Kick and Billy would have a short civil ceremony. The marriage took place on the morning of May 6, 1944. Her brother Joe Junior was her only family member in attendance.
Kick arrived for the ceremony with a fur coat slung over her shoulders and a petite bouquet in hand. Her simple crepe wedding dress hit just below the knee and was a soft shade reporters called ‘delphinium pink’ instead of the traditional white. In lieu of a veil, Kick chose a hat featuring veil-like netting and, naturally, the piece de resistance was the two diamond clips fastened to the front of her neckline as a sort of diamond collar.
We can all take a style tip from Kick here – while the pair of clips were similar in shape and size, they weren’t identical. Instead of looking ‘off’, the fact that they are mismatched just adds to their beauty.
With the wedding, Kick became Marchioness of Hartingon and the couple had a few weeks together before Billy returned to the front with the Coldstream Guards.
Sadly, within a few short years, both Billy and Kick had passed away under tragic circumstances. Kick’s final resting place is Chatsworth, the ancestral estate of the Cavendish family. As President of the United States, JFK made a private visit to pay his respects. He was moved to see that Kick’s in-laws had inscribed her gravestone with ‘joy she gave – joy she has found’.
While her friends and family were most important to Kick, thanks to the memoirs of a friend, we know that she also really loved her dress clips. During the blitz in London, the two friends endured a night of bombing by chatting into the wee hours. Both were clutching their most precious possessions and for Kick that was her diamond clips.
Since they are such perfect bridal accessories, Jubilee Jones clips are all carefully designed with brides (and bridesmaids!) in mind. Just sayin.'
If you like, have a look for yourself in our shop >
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