I actually recall reading a mid 19th century ettiquette manual which specifically states that when paying a formal call you don't take your bonnet off unless sincerely pressed to do so by your host/ess as it's essentially a sign that you are planning on staying for a while (and formal calls were supposed to be no more than 15-20 minutes). I've used the analogy of taking your shoes off in a modern context which would be interpreted as 'making yourself at home'. A bonnet is not something you whip on and off every time you move from inside to outside.
Elizabeth On Sat, Nov 19, 2011 at 9:36 AM, Sharon Collier <sha...@collierfam.com> wrote: > Interesting. I wear a bonnet at the Dickens Christmas Fair and I often do > not tie my bonnet under the chin, but rather lower down. I do this purely > for practical reasons---it makes the bonnet so much easier to get on and > off. We have to be going from "inside" to "outside", depending on where we > are at the fair and just being able to pop it on without struggling with the > ribbons is so much easier. I will add that mine is balanced so that I do not > "need" the ribbons or a hatpin to keep it on. > Sharon C. > > -----Original Message----- > From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On > Behalf Of Linda Walton > Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 11:40 PM > To: Historical Costume > Subject: Re: [h-cost] Not tying your bonnet strings ? > > Thank you for sending this information, it's very enlightening! > Now that I can see it as 'vain' rather than 'proud', it makes a lot more > sense. (I'll write to my sister at once, so she can add the idea to her > family history record.) > > -Linda > > > On 13/11/2011 22:29, Carol Kocian wrote: >> >> Interesting - in 18thC reenactment, I heard that you did not tie >> anything under your chin unless you had a chin to hide. I don't know >> if it came from an 18thC source, because various "folksy" things are >> shared in reenactment. >> >> -Carol >> >> >> On Nov 13, 2011, at 5:04 PM, Linda Walton wrote: >> >>> As the list is so quiet, I'll take this opportunity to raise a point >>> that has always puzzled me, and hope that it will not be off topic. >>> >>> My great-grandmother lived in the North of England, (north >>> Lancashire), at the end of the Victorian era, and I know very little >>> about her, except that she was considered a very proud woman because >>> she wouldn't tie her bonnet strings. >>> >>> It's bothered me all my life, and of course I should have asked my >>> older relatives, but I've left it too late now, and they are all gone. >>> >>> So: can anyone explain what that was about? >>> >>> Awaiting all suggestions with interest, Linda Walton, (in High >>> Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, U.K.). > > > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > -- ------------------------------------------ Elizabeth Walpole http://magpiecostumer.wordpress.com/ http://magpiecostumer.110mb.com/ _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
