Forgive me for being presumptuous and starting this thread before a staff member; I'm reading this book on Paris fashion and it has a lot of great information about our period so I wanted to share it!

Couturiers (such as Worth) would use actresses and other such mannequins to display their new designs. Worth himself would use his own wife as a model and make her wear his newest designs at the racetracks.

Actresses were considered public figures and would be interviewed by gentlemen's magazines and mingle in society. They just wouldn't be invited to any "respectable" balls. In any case, in spite of their Working Class position in life, they'd still be able to go out and about and mingle in society!

It wasn't important for debutantes to be well dressed in order to attract a husband, but rather for her mother to do so. That was because debutantes themselves wouldn't really talk with their prospective suitors. Her mother served, in a way, as a promise as to what her daughter could become. Basically, the cooler your mother was, the better your marriage prospects.

^ which I realize can't really happen on here, otherwise, debs would be super boring and would only thread with their friends and mom xD

Riding habits were made by tailors rather than dressmakers, seeing that the design of that dress was more masculine than that of a regular dress.

The book is called Paris Fashion; A Cultural History by Valerie Steele!

The following 5 users Like Seneca Lestrange's post:5 users Like Seneca Lestrange's post
   Ambrosia Shinnick, Cassius Lestrange, Chrysanta Ruskin {Ocean}, Declan Wood, Elsie Kirke

Worth's difference from other couturiers was that he made his clients chose from a series of models which were then created according to the measurements of his clients. Up until now, couturiers would mostly strive to create what their customers had in mind.

  

Because of the popularity of mustaches, in 1870, a specialized cup was invented by a British potter named Harvey Adams. This lasted until 1900 when the fad of big mustaches began to die out. These cups came in various shapes and sizes, depending on what amount of liquid you needed.

The following 3 users Like Jonathan St. Claire's post:3 users Like Jonathan St. Claire's post
   Elsie Kirke, Monty Morales, Rufina Mulciber

---

Owls are considered very magical animals due to their ability to track down the recipient of a letter no matter whether or not there's an address attached to their name. On the other hand, pigs are considered very non-magical because of how difficult they are to charm. A fear/disliking of pigs has traditionally been seen as a sign of pureblood heritage!

It makes me giggle, because muggleborn @"Dionisia Tweedy" is very self-conscious about her non-magical heritage has a piglet patronus

  

---

— MJ is MAGICAL —

I was reading Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management, because this is obviously what I should be doing at 3:30 am, and I stumbled across some cool information that I may have needed for whatever reason

"In civil cases, a wife may now give evidence on behalf of her husband in criminal cases she can neither be a witness for or against her husband. The case of assault by him upon her forms an exception to this rule."

"The law does not at this day admit the ancient principle of allowing moderate correction by a husband upon the person of his wife. Although this is said to have been anciently limited to the use of “a stick not bigger than the thumb,” this barbarity is now altogether exploded."

" All men over twenty-one years of age, and of sound mind, and all unmarried women of like age and sanity, may by will bequeath their property to whom they please. Infants, that is, all persons under twenty-one years of age, and married women, except where they have an estate to their “own separate use,” are incapacitated, without the concurrence of the husband; the law taking the disposal of any property they die possessed of."

"A person convicted of felony cannot make a will, unless subsequently pardoned; neither can persons outlawed; but the wife of a felon transported for life may make a will, and act in all respects as if she were unmarried. A suicide may bequeath real estate, but personal property is forfeited to the crown."

"In leaving a legacy to a married woman, if no trustees are appointed over it, and no specific directions given, “that it is for her sole and separate use, free from the control, debts, and incumbrances of her husband,” the husband will be entitled to the legacy. In the same manner a legacy to an unmarried woman will vest in her husband after marriage, unless a settlement of it is made on her before marriage."

There's also a bunch of stuff about babies and I'm shook:

"We must strenuously warn all mothers on no account to allow the nurse to sleep with the baby, never herself to lay down with it by her side for a night’s rest, never to let it sleep in the parents’ bed, and on no account keep it, longer than absolutely necessary, confined in on atmosphere loaded with the breath of many adults."

"Nursemaids would do well to repeat to the parents faithfully and truly the defects they observe in the dispositions of very young children. If properly checked in time, evil propensities may be eradicated; but this should not extend to anything but serious defects; otherwise, the intuitive perceptions which all children possess will construe the act into “spying” and “informing,” which should never be resorted to in the case of children, nor, indeed, in any case."

  

---

— MJ is MAGICAL —

This article has officially murdered me.

SO APPARENTLY in the latter half of the 19th century, there was this thing called "fern fever" or "Pteridomania", which basically was where all the young ladies had an obsession with collecting ferns and putting them in decorative boxes?? It became so popular that there was the euphemism of "maidenhair fern" which was ... pubic hair?

This is what really kills me:

Fern-hunting parties became popular, allowing young women to get outside in a seemingly innocuous pursuit with less rigid oversight and chaperoning than they saw in parlors and drawing rooms. They may have even had the occasional romantic meetup with a similarly fern-impassioned beau.

/brb hosting a fern-hunting party

The following 4 users Like Bella Scrimgeour's post:4 users Like Bella Scrimgeour's post
   Aldous Crouch, Declan Wood, Elsie Kirke, Marmaduke Warbeck

---

— MJ is MAGICAL —

I'm sure you people already knew this BUT SOME MIGHT NOT and I think it should be utilized more IC

The Language of the Flowers was a popular method to express feelings where words might be improper, but did you know other means of doing so? Some ladies used their parasols, as well as their fans, gloves, and hankies to flirt with a gentleman (or alternatively, tell them to shove it!).

The following 2 users Like Edric Umbridge's post:2 users Like Edric Umbridge's post
   Cassius Lestrange, February Umbridge

---

— set by MJ! —

Obviously 4am is the perfect time for searching for VE fast facts:

Did you know? Despite the lax hygiene practices at the time, women in the Victorian Era were still obsessed with removing unwanted body hair due to the beauty standards portrayed in statues and paintings. Unfortunately, many of the practices were fare more dangerous than today—depilatories made from arsenic, carbonic-acid-soaked needles, and early forms of electrolysis were society favorites!

Did you know? Marrying a "reformed rake" was seen as a desirable option for many young potential brides after it was popularized by novels of the time. Reformed rakes were seen to be more passionate partners and better-focused on business matters (as their days at the brothels had long-passed). Many experts, however, advised against such matches, claiming there was no way to tell if a rake was really reformed!

Did you know? Despite the reputation damage that could come as a result of a broken engagement, it was seen as a more responsible choice to end an unwanted engagement than subject oneself to a miserable marriage! Both sexes were advised to break engagements through letters, but with different approaches: women were advised not to state their reasons, while men were expected to state their reasoning clearly.

Did you know? The reason women were advised to take no gifts other than flowers and books from their beaus was to prevent embarrassing gift give-backs in the event that an engagement was broken. In the event that a relationship did meet a tragic end, men were expected to return all correspondence to ensure they could not publicly reveal the contents for revenge.

Did you know? By the end of the century, men were encouraged to bathe regularly in lieu of dousing themselves in "effeminate" perfumes. If they had to, they were encouraged to lightly dab perfume on only their handkerchiefs.

The following 1 user Likes Edric Umbridge's post:1 user Likes Edric Umbridge's post
   Marmaduke Warbeck

---

— set by MJ! —

while looking up how the lighter currently is in this era, I discovered this tidbit I didn't know before:

Did you know that the lighter was invented before the match? The lighter was invented in 1823 while the first, actual match was not invented until 1826!

The following 1 user Likes Timothy Ainsworth's post:1 user Likes Timothy Ainsworth's post
   Aldous Crouch

Guys, don't ask why I look these things up, I just do. I know we have #magic, but

1888. The first commercially available disposable menstrual pads appear, known as Lister’s Towels and developed by Johnson & Johnson. Around the same time, nurses began using wood pulp bandages they found in the hospital as disposable pads. Because it was a highly absorbent material normally used to bandage wounds, and was cheap and disposable, it worked well to soak up menstrual blood flow. This same material was later used for the first Kotex pads.

The following 1 user Likes February Umbridge's post:1 user Likes February Umbridge's post
   Edric Umbridge

---

This is more of a "you should know" rather than "did you know" but I couldn't find an appropriate place >.>

I was scrolling around through a book catalog and came across Perfect Behavior by Donald Ogden Stewart from the 1920s(?), and I realized pretty quickly that it's a satirical etiquette handbook. I just wanted to share a number of quotes that I thought were HILARIOUS and thought y'all might enjoy:

Some of the commoner flowers and their meaning in courtship are as follows:

Fringed Gentian—"I am going out to get a shave. Back at 3:30."
Poppy—"I would be proud to be the father of your children."
Golden-rod—"I hear that you have hay-fever."
Tuberose—"Meet me Saturday at the Fourteenth Street subway station."
Blood-root—"Aunt Kitty murdered Uncle Fred Thursday."
Dutchman's Breeches—"That case of Holland gin and Old Tailor has arrived. Come on over."
Iris—"Could you learn to love an optician?"
Aster—"Who was that stout Jewish-looking party I saw you with in the hotel lobby Friday?"
Deadly Nightshade—"Pull down those blinds, quick!"
Passion Flower—"Phone Main 1249—ask for Eddie."
Raspberry—"I am announcing my engagement to Charlie O'Keefe Tuesday."
Wild Thyme—"I have seats for the Hippodrome Saturday afternoon."

The above flowers can also be combined to make different meanings, as, for example, a bouquet composed of three tuberoses and some Virginia creeper generally signifies the following, "The reason I didn't call for you yesterday was that I had three inner tube punctures, besides a lot of engine trouble in that old car I bought in Virginia last year. Gosh, I'm sorry!"

AS soon as the engagement has been announced it is the duty of the prospective bride to select a maid-of-honor and eight or ten bridesmaids, while the groom must choose his best man and ushers. In making these selections it should be carefully borne in mind that no wedding party is complete without the following:

1 bridesmaid who danced twice with the Prince of Wales.
2 Bridesmaids who never danced more than once with anybody.
1 bridesmaid who doesn't "Pet."
1 bridesmaid who was expelled from Miss Spence's.
1 bridesmaid who talks "Southern."
1 bridesmaid who met Douglas Fairbanks once.
1 bridesmaid who rowed on the crew at Wellesley.
1 usher who doesn't drink anything.
9 ushers who drink anything.

On pedestrian etiquette while traveling:

A bachelor, accompanied by a young unmarried woman, when stepping accidentally into an open coal or sewer hole in the sidewalk, removes his hat and gloves as inconspicuously as possible.

It is never correct for young people of either "sex" to push older ladies in front of swiftly approaching motor vehicles or street cars.

A young man, if run over by an automobile driven by a strange lady, should lie perfectly still (unless dead) until an introduction can be arranged; the person driving the car usually speaks first.

An unmarried woman, if run into and knocked down by a taxicab driven by someone in her own "set," usually says "Why the hell don't you look where you're going?" to which the taxi driver, removing his hat, replies "Why the hell don't YOU?"

"Drinking" has, of course, always been a popular sport among the members of the better classes of society, but never has the enthusiasm for this pastime been so great in America as since the advent of "prohibition." Gentlemen and ladies who never before cared much for "drinking" have now given up almost all other amusements in favor of this fascinating sport; young men and debutantes have become, in the last few years, fully as expert in the game as their parents. In many cities "drinking" has become more popular than "bridge" or dancing and it is predicted that, with a few more years of "prohibition," "drinking" will supersede golf and baseball as the great American pastime.

Eating is an extremely old custom and has been practiced by the better classes of society almost without interruption from earliest times.

The following 3 users Like Edric Umbridge's post:3 users Like Edric Umbridge's post
   Elias Grimstone, Marmaduke Warbeck, Prudence Browne

---

— set by MJ! —

Baby formula was invented in 1867 by chemist Justus von Liebig Read More here

The following 1 user Likes Avril Lukeson's post:1 user Likes Avril Lukeson's post
   Ophelia Devine

---

MJ made Avril's set!

It was considered fashionable to have one's teeth removed in one's teens or twenties and replaced with dentures. This saved the time and money required to maintain them and avoided the potential for toothaches.

The following 1 user Likes Ophelia Devine's post:1 user Likes Ophelia Devine's post
   Edric Umbridge

---

Get Featured in Witch Weekly!

Regnal names are names that are taken on by a monarch when they are to be crowned. More often than not, the soon-to-be monarch will choose to keep their name given at birth. In the circumstance of Queen Victoria, she chose to change her given name of Alexandrina Victoria to simply "Victoria". Had she not, the basis of our humble abode might have been called the Alexandrinian (or perhaps "Alexandrian") Era!

In contrast, Victoria's son Albert Edward of Wales went against her wishes and went by King Edward, as to not diminish the name of his father.

  

---

Welcome to The Iron Fang Inn.

Courtesy of a tumbler blogger. You're welcome.

The following 1 user Likes Acacia Darlington's post:1 user Likes Acacia Darlington's post
   Melody Crouch

---

Magic by Elaine!

I REALLY wanted to find the video on this my co-worker showed me but couldn't D< Instead, have some articles about the VE's answer to Tinder: flirtation cards!

https://gizmodo.com/young-people-used-th...1751387386
https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-history...l-the-rage
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/6382...w-you-home
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rendez...bacd5063ed

The following 1 user Likes Allegra Clearwater's post:1 user Likes Allegra Clearwater's post
   Amelia Evans

---

— graphics by mj ❤ —