Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Hat, Glove, and Corsage Etiquette

It's that time of year--time to show off your new spring hat, some prissy gloves, and a beautiful corsage!


While sipping a cup of White Vanilla Grapefruit Tea (available at Harney Teas), I browsed through one of my favorite books published by the former Victoria Magazine editor, entitled The Romance of Hats. This book is full of delightful pictures of all different styles of hats and tips on how to wear them. Hats are a beautiful accessory and certainly popular to wear on Easter Sunday. You may keep your hat on while indoors, but should remove it at dusk. Gentlemen should remove their hats when entering a building. Hat pins are lovely adornments to a hat and should be pinned on the right side of a lady's hat and on the left side of a gentleman's hat.

Make it Southern...A lot of Southern gentlemen still tip their hat to a lady (some men were just raised right)!

The Romance of Hats...A pretty book, loaded with beautiful pictures!
Oh-so pretty and romantic...



All y'all know by now that you may start wearing your white shoes and carrying your white pocketbooks on Easter Sunday...Here's Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy with Young John Fitzgerald, Jr. on Easter Sunday 1963...
There is also etiquette to be followed when wearing gloves and corsages. Proper etiquette dictates that gloves are removed when entering a building, whether it is a tearoom or a church. It is not considered proper to shake hands while wearing gloves (only the Queen of England can get away with this) or to eat or drink while wearing gloves. Remove your gloves in a lady like fashion, one finger at a time. Always hold your pocketbook and gloves in your left hand so that you will be ready to shake hands at any time.

Remember, only the Queen of England may wear gloves while shaking hands!


Corsages are a tradition in the South and may be worn on Easter Sunday. Corsages are pinned to the clothing on the left shoulder.

The Palins, wearing their corsages (and boutineer) on the left hand shoulder.

Corsages may also be worn as a "wristlet," attached to a ribbon and tied around the wrist.



Whether you are attending Church, an Afternoon Tea, a wedding, or any other fancy event, remember to practice proper Hat, Glove, and Corsage Etiquette.

Thank you for stopping by today!

29 comments:

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

What a beautiful post.
hugs ~lynne~

PoshMomma said...

This post was just lovely. I'm so glad I stopped by before my Twincesses woke up this morning. I am drinking my tea & just loved your post. The picture of Jacqueline Kennedy is stunning. She was the original "Posh Momma". Thank you for starting my day off in a delightful way!

Jewel Sauls said...

Just in time for Easter! I love wearing my Easter bonnet to church. What a lovely book. :D Jewel

Southern Savvy said...

Miss Janice, thank you for the insightful post! Though I was raised in the South, my family has more redneck tendencies than not. But, they're wonderful people who would do anything for any stranger! LOL. Anyway, what I know about Southern manners was learned on my own by reading and observing true Southern ladies. I want to raise my own daughter to be a Southern lady. Do you have any books you might suggest that I reference? Thank you and that tea sounds delicious!

^..^Corgidogmama said...

There really IS something about the South, and all the genteel ways to live. Amazing! We're pigs UP here, aren't we?

Bo said...

Hi Miss Janice...Call me old fashioned, but I do wish our society would once again favor hats & gloves...I can remember when a proper lady would 'dress'
to go to town... ;-) Bo Bo

Sandra said...

I so remember getting to wear cosages on Easter and Mother's Day! That was such a treat as a little girl in the South! Do you remember wearing a red corsage on Mother's Day if your mother is still living - or white if she has passed away???? I don't see this much anymore. xoox

Broady said...

Does anybody wear gloves anymore (besides to the occasional formal event)? I love the ladylike look of it, but just have not seen anyone wear a pair of gloves in years. Even then, it was the little old ladies at church. Would love to know if anyone still observes the custom or has seen it in practicein their neck of the woods?

Miss Janice said...

Southern Savvy, just looking on the books near my desk, there are two books by Deborah Ford: "Puttin' on the Grits" and "The Grits Guide to Life," and both are great. "Barefoot to High Heels" by Jane Jenkins Herlong is cute, as well as "The Gentle Art of Hospitality," by Alda Ellis. Any books by the Emily Post Institute or by Letitia Baldridge are nice as well. Oh, I almost forgot ANY BOOK by Ronda Rich, especially "What Southern Women Know"--that's a great book for Southern ladies!

Anonymous said...

This is truly a lovely post Miss Janice, and we always need a refresher on our fashion etiquette. (Have you been reading about the Queen/Obama 'etiquette breach'?!)
tp

Miss Janice said...

Susan, I cannot believe they (Queen Elisabeth and Mrs. Obama) hugged...cannot believe it! I need photos of that and I don't think I'm gonna get them:) What can I say?

Lucy said...

|Miss Janice, thank you for another most interesting post. I can't wait to wear my hat on Easter Sunday!

PAT said...

Wonderful post, Miss Janice!

I love hats. When we visited Charleton, we saw ladies wearing hats everywhere we went. I bought a hat, handmade in Charleston. Hats are not worn often, in Missouri. I wish it was tradition here, as it is in the south.

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

I love to wear a hat. I wish I didn't always feel so out of place in one. That book looks so pretty. Thank you for sharing these lovely pictures. laurie

Nanette said...

This was a fun post. I have not worn a hat for years. They are a fun accessory. Cowboy hats are interesting in that they have their own rules. Folks in Texas don't consider a baseball cap a hat either, it is a cap, so it can stay on when men are seated inside. I love your blog!
Valerie

Kara said...

What a darling vignette! I am off to the Alabama First Lady's Tea and will be wearing hat, gloves and practicing my proper etiguette taught to me by you.....
I'll miss ya
Miss Kara

Kathie Truitt said...

Those of us who are either involved in politics or are married to someone involved, are required to live by a strict code of etiquette. To be on the safe side I not only keep the updated versions of Emily Post's rules in my library, but I take a refresher course as well.

The rule for hats in the past has been to remove them no later than 6:00 pm.

*However, within the past 10 years, that rule has changed. It is now appropriate to wear hats in the evening, as long as it is an evening hat and not a daytime hat. For instance, if you are wearing a red evening gown, it is perfectly appropriate to wear a red evening hat, or a hat that is specifically made for the gown.

Okay, that's not something I would do, but I do see several dignitary wives doing this...

One woman, a very popular hostess in town who entertains everyone from Presidents to royalty is never seen without a hat(she is a Southerner). Even at night, she wears a beautiful hat that is always evening appropriate. The public and press love her and love her hats and she is very often photographed in every paper and magazine imaginable.

As far as Mrs. Obama 'touching' the queen? Shame on her administration!! Every First Lady has a social secretary that makes sure something like this doesn't happen, and keeps her abreast of what is appropriate.

This particular breech of etiquette, I'm sure, didn't hurt US/British relations, as Queen Elizabeth has been on the throne long enough to see every breech imaginable and has a very wicked sense of humor.

However,in some countries in which we don't have good relationships she could really offend/insult someone.

It is very hard to remember what to call someone (Ambassadors, Kings, Prime Ministers, etc) which is why I always have my trusty book on the shelf to freshen up. If Mrs. Obama makes another mistake like this, trust me, other countries won't find it as 'charming' as England did.

QueenBeeSwain said...

thank you so much for this refresher post- you are such a gem to remind us of what are no longer common niceties. I had just been thinking about the do's and don'ts of what is considered to wear after Easter- would you mind doing a more extensive post or a list about what is okay from Easter-Memorial Day please?

also- a HUGE merci beaucoup to you for the kind words about my mini meltdown. it takes a lot for the QueenBee to get down in the dumps and did I ever need your happy thoughts :)

happy friday Miss Janice!

kHm

Pug1 said...

Hi Miss Janice! Stopping by to say hello! I just recently moved so I'll be posting soon!!!! Have a fabulous weekend!!!!! CHEERS! Michele

~CC Catherine said...

Hey Miss Janice! I loved the tips for Easter Sunday! Love em., and I wish I could wear a hat...my Grandma used to every Sunday. I did as a child...but I'm not as good to stand out in a crowd, call it pride I guess. Oh well...I learned to wear my hair off my forehead in my 40's and not care what people thought...maybe I can learn to wear a hat and not care what people think! ;) Be blessed! ~CC Catherine from "Catherine de th`e Cups"

Anonymous said...

Oh, Miss Janice, you are truly the most knowing one of everything! ;) As a little girl, I always had my Easter frock, little hat and gloves and of course patent leather shoes for church! I really do appreciate you sharing your manners with us. You are the Emily Post of the Land of Blog! :)
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Rue said...

Good morning Miss Janice :)

This post was absolutely lovely and such a wonderful reminder.

I wanted to say thank you on behalf of my grandfather (Papa) for running in the 5k for Alzheimers. I'm so sorry your friend and her family are going through it.

rue

Anonymous said...

Good afternoon Miss. Janice.
I recently came across your blog via my dear friend Hopsy. I absolutely love it.

My Grandmother would wear a corsage every Easter Sunday. I remeber we all wore hat and gloves as well. My children, ages 12 and 15, still wear a hat on Easter Sunday, but sadly the gloves are a distant memory...

Thank you for your wonderful blog.

the voice of melody said...

Hats are such a beautiful way to complement an outfit! I have a few but hardly ever think of wearing them. Thank you for the inspiration today. :)

Unknown said...

I love hats and gloves and still wear them frequently. However, I disagree with Miss Janice about glove etiquette. I am European (descended from a Bavarian/Austro-Hungarian noble family)and went to finishing school in Switzerland where we were taught that a lady always keeps her gloves on except to eat and drink. My great-grandmother (born in 1884) was a lady-in-waiting at the Habsburg court in Vienna during the empire's last decade, and I have photographs of her wearing gloves while in church. My mother and grandmother do the same thing.

kardempsey said...

I would like to agree with Katherina with regard to glove etiquette. European etiquette dictates that a lady's gloves should be worn at all times (including while shaking hands in a reception line/dancing formally), and should only be removed to eat/drink. They are worn in Church as a mark of respect, along with a mantilla, if desired.

Kathleen J. said...

I do believe you are mistaken about the left shoulder being the correct place for a corsage. I was raised and still live in the south. When dancing you put your left hand over your husband's shoulder- the better to show off your rings! If your corsage was on your left shoulder it would be crushed.

Your corsage is correctly placed on your right shoulder and your husband's boutonnière is pinned on his left.

Miss Janice said...

Kathleen J,
I stand by my statement "corsages should be worn on the left shoulder."

Unknown said...

Miss Janice is correct. The corsage is worn on the left-over one's heart.