Powder room Finishing School

I really did go to finishing school - the last one in the UK. We didn't learn deportment or anything like that (because we all knew how to get out of a porsche !) - we learnt floristry, cordon bleu cookery, childcare, needlework, wine tasting and basically how to be the perfect wife.

I backed up all this knowledge by working in a 5 star hotel as a manager for 8 years !

Did anyone see Ladette To Lady when it was on? The premise was placing modern day women, who were basically ladettes, into 1950's finishing school.

Finishing School

The idea for an online finishing school is great! However, what time period do you want to study? Times change and so does etiquette, table setting, etc.

Folly said:

Did anyone see Ladette To Lady when it was on? The premise was placing modern day women, who were basically ladettes, into 1950's finishing school.

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Yes I did, and I have to say, none of them cut the mustard - though the girl who was an electrical engineer, or whatever it was that she did, scrubbed up pretty well.

Having said that, some of the antics that went on at my finishing school (which was residential) would make interesting viewing. Young deb "Ladies" swear, drink and (ahem) bedhop just as much as the "ladettes", it's just that we look that bit more sophisticated when we do it

Nora Loy said:

The idea for an online finishing school is great! However, what time period do you want to study? Times change and so does etiquette, table setting, etc.

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Well since the focus of the Fedora Lounge is the Golden Era of the 20's -50's, that would primarily be the focus, rather then a historical recap of all different eras.

I -am- still working on this, but since it is in my spare time, its taking a bit longer then expected to get things going.

As always, if you have ideas for content, etc. or want to help out, please PM me..

Bother, I'm not allowed to PM you. You may sign me up if you need any help with the project.

I love the sound of this. I've been reading the Emily Post ebook, and am far more interested than I thought I'd be.

fibi said:

I really did go to finishing school - the last one in the UK. We didn't learn deportment or anything like that (because we all knew how to get out of a porsche !) - we learnt floristry, cordon bleu cookery, childcare, needlework, wine tasting and basically how to be the perfect wife.

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I had a friend at college who went to finishing school quite recently. She'd be about 30 now. The only thing she told me was that one of the rules was they had to wear stockings because pantyhose/tights were unhealthy. Very strange. I mean, nothing wrong with stockings, but strange for your school to be checking...

Ha

My husband and I watched Ladette to Lady and he reckoned that it would take a miracle rather than a finishing school to sort me out! He came round after I punched him (only kidding!).

I love the sound of this. I've been reading the Emily Post ebook, and am far more interested than I thought I'd be.

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Me too! At first I thought it would be rather boring and dull, but it's really quite fascinating!

I never watched Ladette to Lady, but I remember noting it because I had never heard the word "Ladette" before.

A month or so ago they had the International Debutante Ball in New York. There was a Bush girl (she got in the papers because the papers all want pictures of the "Texas curtsey.") and I think the Mayor's daughter and a bunch of Southern girls and then a small pack of foreign girls with titles. It was kind of odd ... my mom's friend chairs an annual ball at a particular palace to raise money to restore the palace gardens (in a wonderful turn of events, the ball does extensive damage to the gardens because of all the stiletto shoes) and she said that they usually pay a bunch of titled Europeans to come. That way the Americans feel like aristocrats and don't mind paying tens of thousands of dollars to attend.

Watching the comments at the deb ball, I think the same sort of thing was going on. One Greek princess was like "What am I doing? Who am I being presented to? I don't understand. I don't think we do this at home..." and one UK girl's escort got a little trashed and started ranting to one of the journalists "We used to do this, like a hundred years ago or something. Only peasants do this stuff now. This is so lame..." then the one he was escorting punched him in the ribs and told him not to be rude. (Or so the NY Post narrated to me. ^_^ Ack. I can't believe I just admitted to reading the Post.)

Honestly, what is it about journalists that all drunk people want to tell us everything? (I mean, it's good for the journalists, but you would think people would know who not to rant to if they don't want to wind up in print.)

Finishing School

Gals,

This is a great idea. Sorry for bustin' in here, but I am an archivist with access to period 20s, 30s and 40s ladie's "eddyket" (I'm joking) books and publications. As Nora pointed out, things change over the decades: what was accetable in one decade was not accetable in the next. Pick a decade and and go for that. My 2 cents worth.

Hi,girls.Well, a few years ago I was looking for a finishing school to attend.I found this website and thought that it applied to our current discussion.
http://www.ivpworld.com
It is a finishing school in Switzerland.Miss Neecerie,you may want to take a peek because they have things broken down into classes and you may be able to get some ideas as to how to get this B-17 off of the ground.What do you think of my run-on sentence?Of course we really should use vintage materials and methods,but I think that this may provide us with some ideas.I was really looking for this to see how they had things organized,but then I realized that I had over-looked quite a few things.For instance: did any of you think of laudry?I know that I didn't,but it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to include clothing care(how to brush hats,wash/care for vintage clothing,etc.).So,if you're interested take a look.Oh,one last thing (I promise) we could perhaps get a copy of the Emily Post videos that have been know to be floating around Ebay.I'm sorry to ramble!!!!Miss Neecerie-if you need any help just let me know!