Crowning Glory!

Last weekend I was at a wedding, and the bride wore a lovely tiara, or jeweled ornamental crown. It was quite lovely, and made me think how great it would be to have one, and where it somewhere special. Every girl wants to be royalty for at least one day.

The word "Tiara" comes from the Latin and Ancient Greek. They are usually for formal occasions, particularly for a White Tie event.

In the late 18th century, with the Neoclassicism in vogue, tiaras came back into fashion for women. Taking inspiration from Ancient Greece and Rome, jewelers made wreathes of gold, studded with precious gemstones. Josephine de Beauharnais, wife of Napoleon (below left), is credited with popularizing these lovely jeweled crowns along with Empire style dress. Napoleon wanted the French court to be the very grandest, and supposedly gave his wife many fabulous "parures" or matching sets of jewelry which included earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces and tiaras all designed around a theme with matching gemstones. In the 18th Century, many of the tiaras featured themes of nature, with highly rendered leaves and flowers, with diamonds certainly a favorite stone to include.

By the way, the nuptial, or wedding, crown has been worn by many in European cultures, but most common today in Eastern Orthodox weddings.