Classic History
Wedding dresses have been around for as long as weddings themselves. In the olden days, long sleeved dresses were the only option that women had when it came to choosing a dressing style for their weddings. Modesty was given top priority in medieval times which mandated women to cover their arms completely. Some sleeves were even long enough to cover the fingers. Since these styles were popular in the olden times, they were considered more of a fashion statement rather than being looked upon as being overly conservative. Materials such as velvet and damask were used to show off a person's wealth. Trimmings of silk and satin were added to make the dress look grander. Some dresses even had their sleeves touching the floor. So in one way, it was more to do with fashion rather than looking modest.
Modern Elegance
A contemporary long sleeved wedding dress need not resemble medieval attire however. In fact, long sleeved dresses today can look trendy and at the same time project a modest and ladylike image of the bride wearing them. These dresses can truly bring out a form of elegance that short-sleeved dresses rarely can.
Basic Purpose
One of the basic strategies of good clothing design is to draw attention away from those parts of the body that are not quite in shape and to redirect them to other areas that one is more proud of. For instance, if a person's hips are too bulky or too thin, they can wear long sleeved dresses to draw attention away from those problem areas to the arms and upper body instead. These dresses are also an ideal solution for women with bigger arms or square shoulders.
Modern Modesty
Some brides would like to give top priority to modesty and prefer to choose long sleeved dresses. But such dresses need not look old fashioned. Instead, to add a very modern look to the dress, the sleeves can be made of a much lighter mesh material than the other parts of the dress. The neckline can also be altered according to the bride's preference to make it look trendier.
For All Seasons
If the wedding is in winter, one might prefer to use the same material for the bodice as well as the sleeves to feel warm. But that does not mean that long sleeved dresses are only appropriate for winter. They can be worn in summer as well, but probably the sleeves can be shortened to a 3/4 length. Lighter materials like organza or chiffon can be used when the wedding is scheduled during warmer weather.