Dressing With Etiquette (Part VII)

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Continuing this style review, we'll look at proper ball wear, circa 1918:

Ball costume is conventionally gay and elaborate, the lightest of materials being used, especially by those who intend to take part in the dancing, and a dainty effect being sought.  Any costly, rich-looking materials are used, and a wide range of fashion is permitted. The gown is cut short-sleeved and decollete, and the dancing shoes are of satin or very fine kid. Jewels are worn but sparingly by young women in their first season in society. The costume of a debutante at her first ball is usually white.

Sunday School: Dressing With Etiquette Part VI

http://www.corralitoshistory.com/families.html

Back in 1918, there were even etiquette rules for the proper attire when going to church:

For church wear, a quiet, rather simple street dress, which does not proclaim that either money or time has been spent upon it to any notable extent, is by far the most appropriate.  The suit should be becoming but inconspicuous.

From: The Etiquette of To-day, Edith Ordway (1918)

Saturday Scrub-Up: Caring for Clothes

Continuing with the theme of dress, today's post focuses on laundering tips (note that these are not actual tips for use, but for amusement. I don't suggest trying them :) ).

When Starching and Wringing Clothes: Instead of burning your hands wringing clothes out of hart starch, put them in one of the tubs, pour the starch over them and run them through the wringer.  When the clothes are dry on the line turn the fine spray of the hose quickly and gently over the ones you want dampened for ironing, roll them up as you take them down and they are all ready for you. 

To Make Gloves Go On Easily: So that doeskin gloves may be put on easily after washing, place a clothespin in each finger and thumb when you hang the gloves to dry.

To Prevent Color From Running: To set the color of a sweater or middy blouses with red collar and cuffs wash carefully and rinse in clear water.  Rinse the garment in a pail of water containing a cupful of white vinegar, hang up carefully and do not fold.  Dampen with a sponge when ironing.  Leaves the color only where it belongs.

Sew Missing Buttons On While Ironing: Keep a needle, thread, and some buttons at the end of your board when you iron. It is so much quicker to sew a missing button on right away than to let heaps of mending stack up. 

Washing Fringed Articles: In washing anything with fringe on, always shake fringe out well before hanging up to dry and you'll find you need not comb it out. 

Bleaching Clothes With Eggshells: Save your eggshells and, when washing your clothes, put eggshells in a white cloth bag and drop into your boiler. This will make and excellent bleach for your clothes.

From: Household Hints Published By The Chicago Daily News, 1930

Dressing with Etiquette (Part V): Ladies Who Lunch

http://towandahistory.org/searchtopicresults.cfm?select=Leisure

Today's 5th installment in the series of Dressing With Etiquette, 1918 looks at the appropriate attire for an afternoon tea:

As hostess at an afternoon reception or luncheon one may wear an elaborate gown of the richest materials, with either long sleeves and high neck, or elbow sleeves and slightly low neck. As guest one may wear a walking suit, with pretty blouse, white gloves, and decorative hat. 

The usual dress for a formal breakfast is much the same as for a luncheon,- a pretty afternoon street costume, with a dainty blouse, gloves, and "picture" hat, which is not removed.  In summer, a gown of light material, such as organdie, muslin, or other soft goods, dainty and somewhat elaborate, is in good taste.  Hat and gloves are invariably worn with this gown if the affair is ceremonious.

From: The Etiquette of To-day, Edith Ordway (1918).

Dressing with Etiquette (Part IV): Evening Gowns

http://dameboudicca.blogspot.com/2008/04/fashion-of-week-evening-dress-1910.html

Now that we've covered the basics, we'll move on to specific costumes for specific periods of day (in 1918).  Our first focus is on evening dress:

Full evening dress demands one's most elaborate gown, made of silk, satin, velvet, lace, or crepe-de-chine, as costly as one's purse permits, with decollete effects, gained by either actual cut or the use of lace and chiffon.  One should wear delicate shoes, white or light-colored gloves, and appropriate jewels, of which it is not good taste to have too lavish a display.

From:  The Etiquette of To-Day, Edith Ordway (1918)

Dressing with Etiquette (Part III): The Housewife

http://www.digitaldeliftp.com/DigitalDeliToo/dd2jb-Electric-Theater.html

Our third look at dressing with etiquette (circa 1918) focuses on the counter-part to the women who work hard at business-- the women who work hard at home:

 The housewife needs, in her choice of morning garments, the same effectiveness as the business woman, for she must also work with real efficiency; but, in addition, she needs to give the impression of home-like abandon, as well as beauty and grace, which shall appear restful.

Dressing with Etiquette (Part II): The Businesswoman's Attire

7http://www.thebespokenfor.net/ronsfashionlife/2009/05/index.html

In the second installment of our review of proper fashion (at least from 1918), we'll see what a business woman should strive to wear:

[T]he business woman, in business hours, dresses with that same effort after efficiency and economy of time and strength that she has put into her business to make it successful.  She is, therefore, besides being scrupulously neat, perfectly plainly and yet durably and comfortably dressed...She permits no fussing with her garments, therefore they have to be in perfect working order, as fussing takes time, and time is money.  Her hair is done neatly, and as becomingly as possible, but securely for the day. 

If, on the other hand, the business woman be a milliner, whose own artistic personality must be her best advertisement, she takes pains to dress artistically even though she wear less serviceable and more elaborate costumes.

From: The Etiquette of To-Day, Edith Ordway (1918).

Dressing with Etiquette (Part I)

http://kitchenretro.wordpress.com/2008/05/01/pictorial-review-fashions-summer-1918/

A proper lady does not only act correctly, but dress correctly (according to an etiquette guide from 1918.  However, dressing correctly is not as easy as it may seem.  This week, we shall review how to dress correctly (1918 style):

Dress is...essential.  By this is not meant a rigid adherence to fashion, -the stamp of a weak mind, -or even good taste, but an eye to the appropriate and fitting.  First of all, dress should be subordinated to character, that is, it should be no  more costly than the wearer can afford, and no more striking than modesty and good taste allow. 

Good taste in dress means plain and simple styles, but material as elegant, serviceable, and pleasing as one's purse permits.   It means also a few things well chosen and kept in good order, rather than many things more or less untidy; that one's wardrobe will be harmonious, - not a cheap, shabby garment to-day, and an expensive, showy one to-morrow...

One should not mix one's wardrobe.  A coat of one suit and the skirt of another should not be worn together.  A carriage parasol should not be used on a sunny promenade, nor an umbrella in a carriage, or open automobile.

It is necessary to wear a dress appropriate to the occasion in order to be well dressed.  No matter how excellent one's costume may be, if it does not suit the time and place it is absurd and incongruous.  Some of the major rules for appropriate dress are as follows.....

 From: The Etiquette of To-Day, Edith Ordway (1918)

Sunday School

1940's political cartoon of Stalin going to church

The following is an excerpt from "A Christian Manifesto" by Francis B. Sayre (written in response to The Communist Manifesto):

Who does not want to find the way toward a richer and more emancipated life? Look searchingly into the faces of your friends or of the crowds traveling beside you in the subway or suburban train or plane....

Alas, self-seeking and acquisitiveness are hardening almost all of us and sapping our lives of the precious values we once hoped for...Where is safety, where is shelter, where in such a world is there any impregnable stronghold?...

No unprejudiced thinker can believe that our ordered world is the product of pure chance. Order does not emerge out of chaos nor higher forms emerge from lower by pure chance....Unless God exists, nothing around us makes sense....

Underlying everything was Christ's unswerving and rock-foundationed sureness that this world is God's world...From it flow four fundamentals which seem to sum up the very heard of Christ's thought and teaching. 

First, Absolute and serene knowledge that so long as we follow God the future cannot harm us...

Second, The impregnability of moral law...

Third, The absolute supremacy  of the power of love and goodness...

Fourth, the brotherhood of all men.

 From The Reader's Digest, July 1948

Saturday Scrub-Up

http://artdecoblog.blogspot.com/2007_09_02_archive.html

It's that time again- Saturday Scrub-Up, where we examine household hints from bygone eras (once again, if you decide to try these methods yourself, you do so at your own risk- these are fun peeks at the past, not suggestions for current use :) ).

Today we'll focus on cleaning in the, *ahem* powder room.

New Uses For Soap: Remove the wrapper from toilet soap and place the soap between your linens. This will enable the soap to dry out and make it last longer when it is ready for use.  At the same time it will perfume your linens, and when your sheets, pillowcases, towels, etc. are ready for use they will have a delightful odor. 

Use For Scrap Soap: Use all scraps of soap. Boil one pint with four quarts of water. This make a soft jellied soap for all cleaning purposes.  

Tub Cleaner From Soap Scraps: Make a small cheesecloth bag 4 by 6 inches.  In it place all pieces of hand soap too small to use, and hang in bathtub.  Good for cleaning the tub. 

To Avoid Medicine Cabinet Shelf Spots: Much hard work and many ugly spots may be prevented by using blotting paper on the shelves of the medicine cabinet.

Kerosene Shines Faucets: When the faucets in your bathroom need polishing take a soft cloth wet in kerosene and it will brighten them instantly without injury. 

Baby Crib Pad For Bath Mat: For bath mat use pad as used for babies' cribs, 18x36 inches.  Bind edges and decorate with appliqued flowers of odds and ends of plain gingham. 

 To Make Washcloths Last: Washcloths last much longer and edges will not fray if they are turned back and stitched on machine when cloth is new.

 From: Household Hints, Published by The Chicago Daily News (1933)

How to accept a plaque 1950's style

http://www.southwalesswitchgearmemorylane.com/photographs-album-1.html

Are you receiving a major award sometime in the near future?  Don't know what to say?  Have no fear- there is an etiquette book for that!  Here is a suggested acceptance speech:

Thank you for this magnificent plaque.  It touches me to be so honored.  I shall include this beautiful plaque in my valuable possessions as a common handed to me by representatives of this great fraternal organization.  I have really done nothing more than in my own humble way to serve this fine fraternity as best I could.  I shall continue to serve as long as I am able.

From: What to Say and How to Say It, 1955

Try Everything Once

http://www.surfresearch.com.au/1940_Racing16.html

Though not strictly etiquette, the following is an excerpt from an advice article originally from The Rotarian (The Rotary Club's Magazine) and reprinted in Readers Digest in 1939.  

"The happiest people are those who touch life at the greatest number of points.  People who suffer are those who have only one interest of which fate robs them"....

With too many of us, growing up is a matter of narrowing down interests. Children are at first interested in everything.  As the ability to concentrate develops they begin to eliminate those parts of the world which do not serve their immediate purpose....If a person has narrowed his world constantly from childhood, the only way he can retrieve his lost liberty of living is to adopt and follow persistently the precept:  try everything once -- everything, that is, which adapts itself reasonably to human use......

People complain that they haven't money to see the pyramids, or time to study music or spend the winter in Florida. What they fail to realize is that one person's routine is another's high adventure...

Here are some of the things I recently suggested to a housewife for her first experiment: try skating with your children; try needlepoint -- stores give free lessons; try reading Dickens; try listening to good music -- buy some new records;  try meeting your husband in town every Friday night and seeing a show -- I've heard him suggest that; try creating a new dish each week, without a recipe.  I suggested ten things to try; she liked seven of the new experiences so much that she is keeping on with them.

From: Reader's Digest, April 1939

Visiting.

http://cheddarbay.com/0000Tea/callingcards/callingcards.html

One would think that internet technology would have made escaping unwanted former acquaintances harder than previous eras.  Apparently not:

 According to the strict rules of etiquette, one call during the year, or a card left at the door in person or in an envelope, continues the acquaintance; although there is no apparent cause for this seeming remissness, society must ask no questions.  We can never know what prompts a lady to give up her visiting for a season, it may be a sudden calamity, or need of economy, or domestic duties, and she should not be questioned, for no doubt her reasons are purely personal.  

There should be uniformity in visiting. No lady is pleased to receive a card from Mrs. Allen and then meet her, making a personal visit (perhaps) to her next door neighbor. If a lady cannot personally visit all her formal acquaintances, she should visit none; for it is not proper to show favors, and the lady receiving the card would certainly feel the slight.

Come On In, The Wine Is fine (Pageant October 1956)

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Pageant magazine seemed to capitalize on teaching people how to appear like they know what they are talking about when they don't.  True to form, how to appear as if you know something about wine (when you don't):

Obviously, what we need is a foolproof method of identifying the various wines. Herewith, Pageant offers you just that.  Read on and you'll never again have to pretend you've broken your glasses when a waiter hands you a wine list.  You can impress your palate and your friends with your knowledge of table wines.  --- wines you drink with your meal....

Acquiring a working knowledge of table wines is no different from learning about any other subject-- there are basic facts and distinctions which must be made clear.

 Now, although you may never have bought a bottle of wine you certainly have purchased a phonograph record at one time or another and you know that: Basically, there are two kinds of records: Popular and Classical.  Likewise, there are two kinds of table wine: Red and White. 

 There are also different types of popular and classical records: Vocal, Orchestral, Operas, Symphonies, Concertos.  And there are also different types of red and white wines: Claret, Burgundy, Rhine, Chablis, Sauterne....So far, so good....

From: Pageant magazine, October 1956
 

Duty of an Escort(in 1891)

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Some things never change.  Today, men try to impress women by showing off their cars and motorcycles. 100 years ago, impressing women with the transportation of the day was still key:

 Duty of an Escort.  
 When a gentleman has made an engagement to go riding with a lady he should not keep her waiting clad in her riding costume, and should be very careful in selecting the horse she is to ride, and if possible secure one easily managed.  He should leave nothing to the stable men, but personally examine the saddle and bridle to see that everything is secure and in its place.
Before he mounts, he must see that the lady is comfortably seated in her saddle.  He should take his position on the right of the lady, open all gates, and be constantly on the alert that nothing frightens the horse the lady is riding; every attention possible should be given her.

From: Polite Life and Etiquette, 1891

Sunday School

http://enchanted-tails.com/ACatsPrayer.htm

Religious Training:
Every good habit, pure sentiment and noble aspiration has its origin and support in religion. It is the duty of parents to be religious.  Your example will not be worth much unless you constantly impress upon your family their responsibility to God.  After all, there is nothing half so cultivating as to gather your family daily around the altar and give thanks to a kind Father who has given you all the blessings you enjoy.  The Spirit of Jesus Christ will save your home and your children when nothing else will.  How many young men have been made strong in the hour of temptation by the remembrance of a mother's prayers!

Do not be content to be religious yourself. Bring your children up "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."  Show them by your example that religion is something real -- that it is a constant source of joy and solace.  Be religious in your family as well as at church.  If you, as a father or mother, have  a real and consistent life, your children will be likely to imitate you.

From: Polite Life and Etiquette, 1891

Saturday Scrub-Up

http://www.poodlehistory.org/PFILMST.HTM

Looking for new and exciting ways to clean your flooring? Look no further!  Here are some tips from 1933 (please note, I take no responsibility if you actually try them :) ):

•  Kneeling Pads: To prevent the knees from becoming sore and bruised when dusting or washing floors cut a sponge kneeling pad into two pieces about 4 or 5 inches, place on knees with inch wide elastic garters and you can do the work in half the time.

• Carpet Ink Stains: For ink stains on the carpet cover the spot at once with salt, remove it when it turns black and apply another layer. Repeat until the salt no longer changes color.

• To Freshen Carpets: Before sweeping scatter dry salt over the carpet.  It brightens the colors and checks the ravages of moths.

• Attic Floors: When cleaning attic floors all dust will be removed from crevices between boards if a  vacuum cleaner is used.

• Washing Linoleum: If linoleum is washed with starch water to which a little pure soap is added it will look as if it were waxed and keep clean much longer.  Do this on wash-day, using leftover starch.

•  Old Worn Brussels Carpet: An old worn Brussels carpet may be saved for use on the porch by giving the carpet two coats of paint and a coat of waterproof varnish on the wrong side.  A band of black or other color may be painted around the outside to form a contrasting border for the rug.  Occasional revarnishing  preserves the rug indefinitely

• Keeping Rugs Bright: Rugs can be kept bright and new looking by wiping them once a month with a cloth dampened with ammonia water. Two tablespoons ammonia to gallon water will suffice.

From: Household Hints Published by The Chicago Daily News, 1933

Shall We Move To France?

http://www.victoriana.com/library/doors/whisper.html

Though I think the writer is a bit of a Francofile and prone to exaggeration, she does make Victorian France sound like a lovely place:

A husband in France moves out an easy-chair for his wife, and sets a footstool for every lady. He hands her the morning paper, he brings a shawl if there is danger of a draught, he kisses her hand when he comes in, and he tries to make himself agreeable in the matter of these little civilities.  It has the most charming effect upon all domestic life, and we find a curious allusion to the politeness observed by French sons towards their fathers in one of Moliere's comedies, where a prodigal son observes to his father, who comes to denounce him, "Pray, sir, take a chair," says the Son; "you could scold me so much more at your ease if you were seated." 

If this was a piece of discretional civility which had in it a bit of sarcasm, we can readily see that civility lends great strength to satire, and take a hint from it in our treatment of rude people.

From: Polite Life and Etiquette, 1891

How To Scoff at Psychic Phenomena Intelligently

                                          http://vintagedisneyalice.blogspot.com/2008_12_01_archive.html

Different eras call for different life skills.  In the 1950's, apparently it was important to know how to at least sound as if you knew something about the object of your ridicule. The title of this post is actually the title of the original article from which the following is an excerpt (brackets are my own thoughts...it's probably terribly rude to 'interrupt', but I just couldn't help it):

Do you believe in ghosts, communicating with the dead, or seeing into the dim future? It's the fashion for sensible, logical people to laugh at such ideas.  The idea of talking to people thousands of miles away was once scoffed at, too. [Yes, I can see how belief in ghosts, channeling, and psychic powers and belief in telephones are nearly identical] Intelligence, not superstition, will provide the true answer...

 If you're an uncritical scoffer you have plenty of company... 

....you'll say spooks are contrary to the laws of nature and anyone who  says he's had dealings with them must be kidding himself. That's unscientific, however, and, according to Dr. Curt J. Ducasse, retired chairman of the philosophy department of Brown University, you're "only displaying the inverted credulity which assumes that there are no limits whatever to the possibilities of deception." In other words [good- an interpretation... because I have NO idea what Dr. Ducasse just said] you can be too incredulous, which is about as unintelligent and unscientific as the kind of hook-line-and-sinker credulity that swallows every scrap of supernormal manifestation as established truth.

To sum up the rest of the article: When you're preparing to "scoff" at something, make sure you've learned enough about it to sound like you know something about it and actually considered belief in it at one time or another.  Then your scoffing has achieved the status of critical, intelligent scoffing.  To aid with intelligent scoffing at "psychic phenomena", the magazine also includes about 10 pages explaining the science of psychic studies, presumably for the scoffers-in-training to study.

From: Pageant Magazine, October 1956 

Discretional Civilities Defined

http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/03-Victorian_Early,Mid.htm

The discretional civilities of life, when closely observed, must add to one's pleasure and happiness a something almost indispensable -- To such as are harmless and graceful we shall give a cursory glance, but to those which are doubtful and perhaps harmful, we shall urge you to shun; however, these so-called discretional civilities must in  a large degree be left to the common sense of the reader.

From Polite Life and Etiquette, 1891

It Gives Me Much Pleasure To Make Your Acquaintance

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Salutations! And welcome to our first trip back to the delicate eras of the past.  As this is our first encounter, it's only right that we look at a rule regarding introductions to new acquaintances.

Necessity of Introducing.

 A Woman in her own home can, in America, do pretty much as she pleases, but there is at least one exception-- she must not introduce two ladies who reside in the same town.  This is many times an awkward and embarrassing restriction particularly as the other -- the English rule -- renders it easy enough, that the "roof is an introduction" and that visitors can converse without further notice.

So awkward, however, are Americans about this, that even in very good houses one lady has spoken to another, possibly to a young girl, and has received no reply "because she has not been introduced.".... 

Let every lady remember, whether she is from the country or from the most fashionable city house, that no such casual conversation can hurt her. It does not involve a further acquaintance of these two persons: They may cease to know each other when they leave the house; and it would be kinder if they would both relieve the hostess of their joint entertainment by joining in conversation.

From Polite Life and Etiquette, 1891