Whether their fortunes were old or new, members of Gilded Age society reveled in hosting and attending teas, cotillions, lawn parties, luncheons, and formal dinners—all of which had their own codes of dress and manners. Even picnics were served on fine china. Food historian Francine Segan highlights the variety of foods, elaborate etiquette, and entertainments enjoyed by the period’s upper crust.
Uncover the favored toasts of that era and discern the etiquette surrounding glove removal and hat tipping. Delve into the intriguing advice from 19th-century lady's magazines, such as the recommendation to bring a bundle of sticks to a party. Explore the nuanced 19th-century symbolism behind presenting a lady with a tulip instead of a rose. Decode the calling card equivalent of unfriending someone and why the nutmeg grater was the must-have accessory of the 1890s. And enjoy a trivia contest on the uses for dozens of unique but now-obsolete objects from the era, as well as period recipes to recreate at home.
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