Royal wedding dress is fit for a future queen

After weeks of speculation that at times verged on the absurd, Catherine Middleton emerged Friday for her wedding in a gown by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The gown is classic-looking, in silk gazar with long intricate lace sleeves, and it will probably be a force of pop culture for years to come, influencing fashion trends and reinforcing the sociological significance of the white wedding gown.

"We knew she would wear something classic, but having Sarah Burton as the designer added something modern," said Darcy Miller, editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. "And that's really been the running thread with this couple — that they bring modernity to the royal family but are respectful of tradition."

Catherine chose the British brand "for its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing," according to a statement on the official wedding website. Apparently, the bride worked closely with Burton in creating the dress, which pays homage to the Arts and Crafts movement. (The timing of Catherine's choice was auspicious. A retrospective exhibition of work by McQueen, who committed suicide last year, is set to open Wednesday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Burton was named as his successor in May 2010.)