It’s a party in the 19th Century
- Sep 9, 2015
- 3 min read
Have you ever thought about how people threw parties in the 19th century?
Well, they had balls that took place in Dance Rooms; some of them were small and were large but they were a party. Balls were held to give people the opportunity to meet new people and to catch a future spouse. The Master of Ceremonies has to know the background of the young men and women present; this was to introduce them so they could dance because introducing yourself was not proper manners. The balls held in the country side were similar to those held in the city, such as London, but at a smaller scale, organized by the local people and consisted of dancing and dining.
I’ve got the Moves like Almack’s
Well it was really different because back then, according to Janet Todd’s Jane Austen in Context, the ladies and gentlemen had to stand opposite of each other in a line or circle. The dance partners would have a chance to chat a little to get to know each other during these dances; however it was considered improper etiquette for a woman to have more than two dances with the same partner. You had to be really careful about this because the reputation and honor of the family was important. If there were a lot of people then you had to wait for your turn to have the opportunity to flirt with someone.
Ladies Dresses
The ladies had to wear a proper dress. Unlike in today’s world, where women can wear pants if they wanted to, the 19th century women were expected to wear the right dress by choosing one that considered their age, her marital status, the simplicity of their attire, the design and the right colors. The gown for the married and unmarried lady was easily recognizable; the silk dresses were as a rule for the married women, like white silk trimmed with tulle and flowers. Another important thing to complement the dresses worn by the ladies were the jewelries, flowers and/or feathers. Young unmarried ladies wore light materials, the lighter the better. In the selection of colors, ladies had to consider their figure and complexion to create a perfect harmony of colors. The common accessories for the evening were gloves that were appropriate for ballrooms, flowers and fans.
Gentlemen outfit
Now, let’s talking about the men. Men had to follow a strict dress code; for example black dress-coat, well-fitting pants, and a black or white vest; waistcoat, black or white tie, cravat or stock and the necktie a washing texture (not silk). Men had to wear a pair of leather boots with low heels and their hair had to be perfect. For accessories they wore a watch and gold solitaire sleeve-links.
Gentlemen Behaviors
Men today are completely different from the men in past. Gentlemen had to bow when they were introduced to lady and the ladies curtsied in return. When a lady was passing through a door, the gentleman held it open for her even if he’s never seen her before. It wasn’t polite to smoke in the presence of a lady and a gentleman had to remove his hat when there were ladies in a room. There were many things that men had to do as proper etiquette in the presence of a lady but the main thing is that they set an example for women today when we see these kinds of manners in movies. Many women today want a little something of the past, waiting for romance to return.
This article can be found in the September 2015 issue of Jone Loves Magazine:
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