My first guess is a "fancy-dress" (costume) or themed ball. LuAnn
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: [email protected] > Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2008 11:03:35 -0800 > Subject: [h-cost] 1867 Washington DC Fashion question > > My brother sent me a question about fashion in 1867 - specifically regarding > a ball in Washington DC. Do any of you have any idea why an 1867 woman > would powder her hair or wear a blue ribbon around her neck? > > Here is the original quote. It's taken from the letters of John Hay. He was > Abraham Lincoln's private secretary all during the Lincoln administration > and then got sent to France as a diplomatic attache during the Johnson > administration. He wrote about the ball in DC in February 1867 when he'd > just returned from Paris. > > begin quote: > "February 11. Mrs. Sprague gave a beautiful ball. The ladies who > danced the Cotillon, and many who did not, had their hair powdered a > la marquise. I have never seen so beautiful and picturesque a > roomful. Some of the most striking were the Hostess herself (with > whom I danced), the Hoyts, Miss Romain Goddard, Miss Haggerty, and > Mrs. Banks, who was very correctly dressed, even to the extend of the > blue ribbon around the neck, a little refinement in which she was > alone -- Miss Kinzie, a fresh Western beauty and a superb danseuse. > Mrs. Sumner and Miss Hooper, though not powdered, were beautifully > dressed." > :end quote > > I have my theories but I don't want to influence any of your answers as they > are just theories. > > Thanks, > Agnes > > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
