Summer with the Selvedge Archives: Keeping Cool
Shaded and sheltered, women in the 19th century steered clear of sun worship.
Written by Sarah Jane Downing for Selvedge Issue 01, Political
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These days, as we swelter in the sun, we strip down to our bare essentials or find the nearest air conditioned building. But in previous centuries, formality and modesty meant the only real options for keeping cool were fans and parasols. The first fans were probably large leaves, or reeds woven into a leaf-like shape. As status symbols, they were originally the prerogative of kings, popes and rich men. Tutankhamun and Montezuma would have had fans made of exotic feathers set in gold and mounted on a pole for ceremonial use.
The 16th century saw fans arrive in Europe, along with other exotic articles from the east. Women claimed the fixed feather creations and wore them suspended from the belt. New styles followed, and coupled with the popularity of portraiture, by the 18th century a brisé, or folding, fan was the must have accessory for any noble woman of style.
Imagine a night dancing swathed in petticoats, corset and wig, bathed in the light and heat of hundreds of candles; a fan would be essential to keep cool, but it had more risqué uses. Fans were a communication tool; ladies and gentlemen declared their love or arranged their infidelities with a discreet language of the fan. ‘Conversation fans’ were made for those who wanted to spell out more explicit messages by opening sections to reveal letters of the alphabet...
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Further Information:
Selvedge Issue 01, Political, is available in print or as a digital download.
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Image Credits:
All images courtesy of The Fan Museum, Greenwich.