Museum Exhibition: Panniers, Stays and Jabots

I was lucky enough to be in Brussels this weekend, and even luckier still that their costume museum happened to be holding an exhibition on 18th-century clothing called, Panniers, Stays, and Jabots.  I was even luckier still when they told me I could take pictures (without flash, of course).  This naturally meant I went crazy taking as many pictures as I could for your viewing pleasure.  The quality isn't amazing but the clothing and their condition certainly is!

Just check out that gorgeous bow on the back!

Sparkly-edge sleeves

A purse, a familiar face, and a fan

The detail on some of the gentleman's clothing was fantastic

Polonaise

I had to wonder if the edging was original because of its pristine condition

Late 18th C shoes

Embroidered flower detail on the heel

These would slip on a delicate pair of heels to avoid muddying them

Perhaps my favorite garment in the show

A calash bonnet- a rare sight!

Ivory fan

I would buy a blouse like this now!

The back of said favorite dress

These fans needed labels so badly! A fan made entirely of feathers

Ostrich feather fan- again I need a date of origin so badly!

A Cheat-Sheet for the Theatre

One of the best places for celebrity spotting in eighteenth-century London was the theatre, where one could see royalty, peers, and famous actors all together in one room.  But how did one know which box a scandalous duchess or naughty count that were frequently talked about in the press would be sitting in?  The papers would publish diagrams of the box subscribers so you could pick out who was sitting where.

One amazing article from the V&A's collection shows that people took this plan one step further.  On one side of this fan is your usual fan decoration.  But on the other side is a theatre layout with a list of subscribers.  That way the owner of the fan could attend the theatre and do their usual people-watching with a cheat sheet of just who they were spying on- in case they forgot.  What a handy tool for gossiping!

As Seen in the Papers

Lady Salisbury graced the Opera on Saturday evening, though an envious fan, which however is certainly not without its use, almost secluded her from the view of the audience.

True Briton, May 6, 1793

Show Stoppers

Sometimes a night at the opera theatre was not as relaxing as one would have hoped.  Just ask Joseph Addison.  He was trying to get some culture one night at a showing of Macbeth when the worst thing that could happen, happened.  He discovered he had chosen a seat near an annoying audience member.

Some Years ago, I was at the Tragedy of Mackbeth, and unfortunately placed my self under a Woman of Quality that is since Dead; who, as I found by the Noise she made, was newly returned from France.  A little before the rising of the Curtain, she broke out into a loud Soliloquy.  When will the dear Witches enter? and immediately upon their first Appearance. asked a Lady that sate three Boxes from her, on her Right hand, if those Witches were not charming Creatures.  A little after, as Betteron was in one of the finest Speeches of the Play, she shook her Fan at another Lady, who sate as far on her Left Hand, and told her with a Whisper, that might be heard all over the Pit, We must not expect to see a Balloon to night.  Not long after, calling out to a young Baronet by his Name, who sate thtree Seats before me, she asked him whether Mackbeth's Wife was still alive; and before he could give an Answer, fell a talking of the Ghost of Banquo.  She had by this time formed a little Audience to her self, and fixed the Attention of all about her.  But as I had a mind to hear the Play, I got out of the Sphere of her Impertinence, and planted my self in one of the remotest Corners of the Pit."

Horrible Fan Histories

While participating in the fan giveaway, Rebecca pointed out not one, but two Horrible History videos that have escaped under my radar.  Both regard fan language in the delightful way we expect to be educated by Horrible Histories.  Check them out!

The Gossip Guides' 3rd Blogiversary Celebration!

Psssst PSSST! *Touches finger to tip of fan* Did you hear? *raises fans*  It's The Gossip Guides' blogiversary!

The colors may have stayed the same
but the blog certainly hasn't

Three years ago Lauren and I began our blogs.  Were any of you reading when they looked like this?  Yikes! Look at that moldy oldy!  Since that time, so much has happened with this little internet project and I've met so many wonderful people thanks to all this 18th century gossip.  Thank you so much, all of you!


*Snaps fan* But enough of this sentimental hoo-ha! How have you all been doing with your fan challenge?  Have you been practicing your fan language?  Yes, no? Well, perhaps there's a good reason for that....and perhaps Lauren and I could help you in your fan culture *Snaps for champagne* No one should attend a party without a fan, especially our blogiversary celebration so Lauren and I want to do our part by having a fan giveaway to our fans!

The Prizes

Participating in Georgiana's Gossip Guide 3rd Blogiversary Giveaway qualifies you to win one of five fans!  Four of the fans are sandalwood; perfect for snapping at rakes or making into a mildly harmful weapon when smacking those attempting to put their hands on your cocktail.  One lucky reader will win a white silk fan which comes with this cute Too Face Marie Antoinette cosmetic bag, but in order for that lucky reader to win they mustn't be a stranger to this blog (ie: I will recognize their name from their history in leaving comments- Yes, I pay attention!).

How to Enter

Leave a comment on this post explaining a situation where you have needed a fan (or leave a picture, how cool would that be!). 

Example: Have you found yourself grabbing for a magazine in order to whisper something to a friend?  Perhaps a playful swat at your guy-friend turned out more violent then planned and a closed fan would have been a safer bet?

Five comments will be chosen at random a week from now (Friday the 13th, yikes!) and announced.  If you are chosen you have 5 days to write back to me with your address before you forfeit your rights to your fan.  Good luck!

Fan Challenge

The language of the fan is something that still enchants us today.  It is also an effective means of communications in a crowded area.  One can only hope the eighteenth century male understood rejection at the hands of a fan better than the twenty-first century male missing body-language queues from the floundering girl at the bar.  Here are some basics for you to practice with.

Touching closed fan to chin- "Your flattery annoys me"
Fanning away from face- "I am not in love with you"
Tapping left cheek- "No"
Tapping right cheek- "Yes"
Twirling in left hand- "We are being watched"
Open wide- "Wait for me"
Open and shut- "You are cruel"
Placing handle on lips- "Kiss me"
Finger on tip of fan- "I wish to speak with you"
In right hand in front of face- "Follow me"


And ladies you must be aware of a fan touching your girlfriend's left ear. That means "I want to be rid of you!" aka "Girls, get me out of here!"

That brings me to the challenge.  This past New Years Eve while I was out celebrating with the masses my eyes fell upon a woman on the dance floor - with a fan! It wasn't even me!  I immediately consulted with Lauren and we agreed, 2011 should be the year we bring the fan back.  We propose that you follow the mysterious NYE lady's good example and start carrying a fan around to all social events; let's start the trend, or rather, bring it back!

Fan Guilds
Souvenirs of Spain has affordable fans in many colors, so you can color coordinate.
WheeWare has fun quirky fans such as this adorable word bubble fan which tells others to "read my fan!"

Are you up to the challenge?

Fan Updates

Last September I had a post on the fan-making business which kept the ivory handed ladies of court supplied with a social essential.  In the comments, the topic of fan-language was brought up and Fabultastic peaked some curiosity by mentioning a book he read quite a while ago.  While joy of joys, he wrote today to tell me he found the book and I am now mourning the fact that I don't speak Portuguese!  Here is the report:

Remember the book I once spoke you about that talk about all the «fan codes»? I finally found it. It is called «O Amor em Portugal no Século XVIII» (Love in Portugal in the 18th Century) by Júlio Dantas. The book was written in 1916 so probably has more of a Romantic view on the subject than actually a real historical document. Nevertheless, much of it is now corroborated by Historians.

The book also talks of a particular type of Portuguese lover than was in fashion at the time: the «freirático» (the nun's lover). In a über catholic country, there were so many nuns that they became the image of the ideal lover. Disguised under a cover of Platonism, a trend was born amongst the royals to have a nun as lover. Even the King, D. João V, had a thing for nuns and soon become known as the «Odivelas' Rooster» (Odivelas had one of the biggest convents). This when to such a degree that, at a certain point, the King had to make an edit recognizing his several illegitimate sons: this was known as the «Meninos de Palhavã» (the Palhavã boys). There are still today, some traditional songs that sing about the «virtues» of those nuns...

I enclose a picture of the book's first edition and you can go to http://ia700402.us.archive.org/11/items/oamoremportugaln00dant/oamoremportugaln00dant.pdf and see all the book and illustrations. Unfortunately, I think that there is not an English version.

Scandalous!  It brings to mind how brothels were often referred to as nunneries.  Thank you for the fabulous history lesson, Fabultastic!  Taking a quick look through the ebook makes me think it is something I would thoroughly enjoy reading.

Tomorrow I will post a crash course in eighteenth century fan language, stay tuned!

A Social Essential

It's a known fact that the fan was an essential accessory for the eighteenth century woman.   How else was one to gossip without attracting much notice, not to mention, survive the stifling heat of a room crowded with the creme de la creme of society.

The fan business was booming in the eighteenth century, so much so that there were specialized fan makers, and consequently, fan maker guilds across Europe.  The folding fan had originally arrived from China a century beforehand and was now the gold standard. Fans would either be made of paper or silk and painted by artists with cheerful rococo scenes.  Paper designs would be painted or printed for mass production.  Hand-painted silk fans were more one-of-a-kind, and therefore more in demand. If you were willing to drop some major money you could purchase a  fan complete with spangles or intricate carvings on mother of pearl, tortoise shell, or ivory slats.  So you could say fans were kind of like the eighteenth century version of bling.  The more money you spent the more blinged out you and your fan-language was.  Considering a fan could be the first thing a person notices on you, it might just be worth your while to go beyond your means in the effort to make a stunning first impression!