The Best Long-Sleeved Wedding Dresses, Inspired By Kate Middleton And Meghan Markle

Long-sleeved wedding dresses have serious history. Take Princess Diana's iconic long-sleeved wedding dress. Designed by the Emanuels, featuring puffy sleeves and a voluminous skirt, her dress certainly inspired future generations of brides to come.

In recent times, we've seen many royal brides follow in her footsteps; Kate Middleton and Megan Markle, who both wowed in floor-sweeping gowns with long sleeves. We also can't forget the A-listers. From Paris Hilton to Kim Kardashian, long-sleeved wedding dresses have certainly had their fair share of love.

A long-sleeved dress is an elegant choice for several reasons. It adds sophistication (just look at the roster above) and can be particularly appealing for traditional weddings. Beyond aesthetics, long sleeves provide additional coverage, making it a suitable option for weddings held in cooler seasons. The style also allows the bride to showcase intricate lacework, beaded embellishments or even a statement sleeve.

The great thing is that there are plenty of affordable high street wedding dresses with long sleeves, so if this is something you're leaning towards, you've come to the right place. Whether you're going for a tea-length wedding dress or something a bit more formal we have the perfect wedding dress inspiration for you - and don't forget the veil, too.

Shop: The Best Long-Sleeved Wedding Dress

Why do royal brides wear long sleeves?

Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and Princess Eugenie, who all tied the knot in recent history, decided to wear long-sleeved wedding dresses to walk down the aisle. But why? My guess would be that because they all said their vows in a church - the former bride at Westminster Abbey, the latter two at St George's Chapel, Windsor - long sleeves were deemed the appropriate choice. So for long-sleeved wedding dress inspiration, you couldn't do better than to follow the example set by these royal brides...

Kate Middleton's wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton, who, at the time, was creative director of Alexander McQueen. Inspired by the long-sleeved wedding dress worn by Grace Kelly, yet another royal bride, it featured a high collar, a sweetheart bodice and a skirt that swelled into a giant train.

Meghan Markle opted for a simple wedding dress with an elegant boat neckline designed by Clare Waight Keller, then creative director of Givenchy, on her big day. The sleeves contributed to the no bells and whistles style of her gown, which was simple but stunning.

Nicky Hilton also chose to wear a long-sleeve lace wedding dress, with a chic high-necked silhouette, that was designed by Valentino. Like Kate Middleton's gown, Hilton's had the kind of cinch-waisted, full-skirted cut that looks particularly good with a sleeve that stretches all the way to the wrist. (As you can see from many of the dresses above, a lot of long-sleeved wedding gowns come with a variation on sheer or lace sleeves, which lighten both the silhouette and provide a point of difference from the rest of your dress.)

Following in her sister's footsteps was Paris Hilton, whose gown, a long-sleeved design with floral embroidery by Oscar de la Renta, took the same inspiration as Kate Middleton's: Grace Kelly.

What months can you wear a long-sleeved wedding dress?

A long-sleeved wedding dress obviously lends itself to autumn or winter nuptials, but that's not to say that you can't choose the silhouette for spring or summer. It totally depends on what you feel comfortable wearing - some people bask in warm temperatures while others prefer to feel cool at all times - and also whether your wedding reception has air conditioning or not. If you're going to be outside in the midday sun for your ceremony or your wedding breakfast, long sleeves could make you hot under the proverbial collar, but you could always balance out the coverage on top with a shorter hemline.

Renee Washington, Grazia's Digital Fashion and Beauty Assistant, lives online. With a penchant for wispy lashes and streetwear, she writes about the worlds of fashion and beauty from the viewpoint of the modern fashion girlie.