Golden Era Corsages

[Mervinwaves]

https://67.media.tumblr.com/5db058aee53c5223f2fc3c9ae04ff9b5/tumblr_o5wuz83o4M1sy81muo1_500.jpg

I've noticed women in the 1920s-1950s often wore a gardenia or orchid corsage in special occasions. Sadly I don't see this as often anymore. Does anyone know how they were obtained, if they used real flowers or not, and how to make them?

http://66.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7wyxyO3F71r48siso1_500.jpg

 

[emigran]

Corsages were de rigueur... birthdays, Easter, Proms Mothers day... My mom would always wear a giant carnation in fall colors to the Thanksgiving Day football game . Most were fastened with either long "pearl-handled" pins or some other clip pin. Also wrist corsages for the younger gals( usually had a wrist elastic). They were always real flowers: orchids roses you name it... any florist would make one and they'd be delivered in a box which often had a clear plastic cover. Kept in the "ice box" if the event was the next day (and afterwards as well to try to preserve the blossoms).
Certainly a bygone phenom... a veritable expression of gentility... Ahhh the romance...