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ella1673
Influential Member of the Ton Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 202 Location: In front of my computer, England probaby London. and Indeed, only probably England.	Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 2:16 pm    Post subject: Coming out   Well, my main question is: what age can a girl come out? But then I got thinking, i actually don't know that much about a coming out ball (and wikipedia didn't help me...)soooo, if anyone could help me get an idea of the structure, or give me any good links, I would love that. What I want is, what actually is a coming out ball???? I understood coming out to be ceremony before the Queen with lots of other girls, so were the balls a collective thing, or personal. Or have I got my information completely wrong?? was the Court presentation a personal thing, with a sort of celebration ball afterwards???? Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! _________________
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KalenHughes
Viscountess of the Manor Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 1100	Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 10:37 am    Post subject:   There's no one answer. It depended entirely on your family. Not every girl is eligible to be presented at court, and not every family that was eligible was willing to foot the bill for the necessary court gown. You did not have to be presented at court to "come out" into society (though if you couldn't get a voucher to Almack's, you were bound to have a very hard time of it). And there was no official age. 16-19 seems to have normal, but girls both younger and older can be found. Whether or not your family gave a ball in your honor was also down to circumstances and ability (not everyone had a large enough house to do so). And the ball needn't be directly after court. In fact, it would quite a mess if everyone tried to cram all those balls into one evening, LOL! _________________ -Kalen w/a Isobel Carr Ripe for Pleasure, May 2011 Book 1: The League of Second Sons www.isobelcarr.com
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ella1673
Influential Member of the Ton Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 202 Location: In front of my computer, England probaby London. and Indeed, only probably England.	Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:47 pm    Post subject:   Hmmm, so if you weren't presented to the Queen, would you just have calling cards, and get your friends to try and push you onto the invite lists on balls, parties, routs etc.??????? Otherwise, WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This site is going on my favorites. _________________
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ella1673
Influential Member of the Ton Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 202 Location: In front of my computer, England probaby London. and Indeed, only probably England.	Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:52 pm    Post subject:   Ooooh, I've just thought, how embarrasing would it be if you tripped over your train?????? How expensive would those gowns have been??? probably thousands in modern money terms..... _________________
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KalenHughes
Viscountess of the Manor Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 1100	Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:54 pm    Post subject:   Your family could throw some kind of party for you (a ball or something smaller), your family's friends would invite you to their parties, you would make new acquaintances, who would then invite you to their parties. You could pay calls on people, your mother or whoever was bringing you out would apply for vouchers to Almack's. Just how far you got and how fast you got there would depend on your station and fortune. Being presented to the queen, while nice, didn't really get you anything except the prestige of saying you'd done it. _________________ -Kalen w/a Isobel Carr Ripe for Pleasure, May 2011 Book 1: The League of Second Sons www.isobelcarr.com
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ella1673
Influential Member of the Ton Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 202 Location: In front of my computer, England probaby London. and Indeed, only probably England.	Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:55 pm    Post subject:   Apply for vouchers????? What, to get in?????? Or to dance a waltz in the ballroom? _________________
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KalenHughes
Viscountess of the Manor Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 1100	Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:57 pm    Post subject:   ella1673 wrote: Ooooh, I've just thought, how embarrasing would it be if you tripped over your train?????? How expensive would those gowns have been??? probably thousands in modern money terms..... The gown would have been VERY expensive, and the requirements for it to have hoops (until 1821 when George IV changed the rules) would have made it unsuitable to any other use or occasion. And tripping would have made you a laughingstock. Young women took lessons specifically in how to walk backwards with a train for this event. _________________ -Kalen w/a Isobel Carr Ripe for Pleasure, May 2011 Book 1: The League of Second Sons www.isobelcarr.com
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Candice
Queen of the Board Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 2731 Location: Minneapolis, MN	Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:14 pm    Post subject:   Tripping one one's train was definitely something to be avoided at all cost. Read more about court dress here on my website. _________________
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KalenHughes
Viscountess of the Manor Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 1100	Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:09 am    Post subject:   ella1673 wrote: Apply for vouchers????? What, to get in?????? Or to dance a waltz in the ballroom? You had to apply to the hostesses for a voucher which gave you permission to buy tickets (which were quite expensive). Once you were there, you had to wait for permission from a hostess to waltz. _________________ -Kalen w/a Isobel Carr Ripe for Pleasure, May 2011 Book 1: The League of Second Sons www.isobelcarr.com
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ella1673
Influential Member of the Ton Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Posts: 202 Location: In front of my computer, England probaby London. and Indeed, only probably England.	Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:15 am    Post subject:   KalenHughes wrote: ella1673 wrote: Apply for vouchers????? What, to get in?????? Or to dance a waltz in the ballroom? You had to apply to the hostesses for a voucher which gave you permission to buy tickets (which were quite expensive). Once you were there, you had to wait for permission from a hostess to waltz. Wow, so very exclusive. No wonder so many people wanted to get in... What if you were ill on your Presentation day???? Could you reschedule, or would you just have to sit in misery. Indeed, would you just go anyway and hope for the best? how important was a presentation? _________________
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KalenHughes
Viscountess of the Manor Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 1100	Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:21 pm    Post subject:   No, you could not reschedule. You had no control over the schedule in the first place, the queen held the even when she felt like it, and if you missed it, you missed it. As I said earlier, presentation was not required in order to have a season in London. It was a cherry on top, a way of showing you REALLY had $$$ and connections. If you're really interested in this topic, I'd recommend tracking down a copy of Gilded Butterflies by Philippa Pullar. _________________ -Kalen w/a Isobel Carr Ripe for Pleasure, May 2011 Book 1: The League of Second Sons www.isobelcarr.com
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