The Regency Era Marriage Season | 18th Century Debutantes, Georgian London and Partying at Vauxhall 

I watch all of your videos, big virtual hug from Argentina 🇦🇷

side note I love your top

Just a note, I think your subtitles don't quite match up with what you're saying, a lot of the time.

Thank you for such engaging videos for those of us who love all forms of history, as well as the occasional touch of Austen romance 💛. New Coloradoan subscriber here, who just moved back to Florida, but secretly plans to get my future retirement cottage in the rolling hills of the UK or Ireland someday (been to Ireland but not UK yet). As much as I love history, I was shocked I wasn’t already a subscriber. Quick question for you about the change in the time of year these seasons occurred…..do you know why the season for this changed so drastically? If the weather didn’t change, what would have prompted them to have the season throughout the colder and wetter winter? Thank you again for such great videos, and FYI, I’ve never seen Bridgerton either.

Where did you get the top from? Its so cute im obsessed

😂😂😂 This 💯 true

They wouldn't exactly have been sharing their opinions loudly. Excluding others from their confidences was the whole point. However, they wouldn't be paying full attention to the performance and the contestant buzz of conversation would have been distracting for a performer. They would also wonder in and out at random points throughout the performance. I do agree that it would be an introvert's nightmare. You can see why Mr. Bennet hates the whole concept.

Opera singer here: opera as background music was pretty common until mid-century, and even later. You can talk through Mozart and Rossini but not Verdi and Wagner!

Also, even with all this chit-chat going on, some opera songs became very popular hits on their time. It's amazing that composers at the time were able to create real earworm songs, that even distracted people found catchy.

@@gasparinhaNow I am just imaging Wagner composing Ride of the Valkyries to spite the chatty opera goers. Try talking through THIS, muahahaha!

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Heh! I kept thinking of having to be pleasant and welcoming (but not too welcoming!) to a Robert Ferrars or the fellow from Northanger Abbey who's all 'my horses are the best' and 'I do it better than anyone else'. Eck!

Right?! I'll need some sherry for my poor, delicate nerves, too. 😁

Did they or is that just what you see in movies? I don't read many primary sources suggesting fainting was a common phenomenon among women.

So literally, I was listening to Ellie talk about a single evening and I got so tired I got back into bed 😂😴

Or much longer if it's Wagner lol

😂😂😂😂

Thank you for making me giggle out loud! (talking about animals, I sounded like a pidgeon)

Went from "Humans are _Social_ animals" to "Humans are social _Animals_ "

It's one of those sentences, depends where you put the emphasis....

Be fun

you should look into visiting Vienna during ball season!

Yas please. And no one person should have to spend immense fees so the more people attending, the cheaper the ticket to attend, and the venue and all the amazing food and music could be covered! (Although that in itself could be expensive)

Dude I would love to party from March to June as well! Just go to balls, plays, opera and walk around gardens. Sounds like heaven!

it's definitely possible among rich people, peasants like me don't have the money nor the time lol

Thats such a nice story omg

What was this tall dark dragon queen wearing?

WHAT HAHAHA

This is great

🖤

Yes. You do Have friends! We are right here. 🤙🏼🙏🏻

Historical romance books recommendations please 🙏🏾?

and no one has to marry who they don't want and no one has to go to balls or give cards to butlers.

Poking back in the early Facebook days was the equivalent of leaving calling cards

My thoughts exactly

Or did he just say that because she said "social networking" a few times?

It would be really hard!

I was thinking the same thing! Imagine trying to go see the same play 3 nights in a week and still never getting to follow the story T_T

This exact scene happens in Fanny Burney's Evelina and it is EXACTLY like when you're desperately trying to watch a movie and your housemates are having a loud argument behind you over whose turn it is to take the trash out

@@scarlettblythe I was meaning to read Burney for a while, but now you've got me really curious.

@@giovana4121 Evelina is really good! I've not read Cecilia or Camilla yet. I've heard Camilla isn't as good and her later stuff isn't her best, but I'm very keen for Cecilia.

Lol love the pro tips, yep will keep that in mind for next time I failed to find my husband this season

Seems like a ripe market for in-town highwaymen, or i suppose that’s just regular robbery

Some great Downton episodes there. 👍

Yeah thats Darcy

What has Jesus Christ got to with it. He is my Lord and God not a cheap exclamation

I was just thinking omg my favourite part would be sleeping!

@@sandysox if it helps I don't think it was meant casually... I'd be invoking God's name if I were an introvert forced into these dreadful parties too, and I'd be dead serious in doing it!

@@sandysox He’s my Lord and God too! ^^ It’s chill

100% true!

Right?! I would have HATED it. But, I still loved learning about this

Yeah but according to Elizabeth Bennet you can practice yourself out of your original personality :-)

I would be in tears. AND you feel robbed of the great art.

@Monica Spoor She didn’t say you would practice yourself out of your original personality, just learn enough not to come across as rude. Some people do use being introvert as a personality and don’t try to be considerate towards other people. I doubt she would have bend pushing Mr Darcy to attend these events.

Aw! Thank you! Also, I have great confidence in your Viscount catching skills. ✨👍🏻

Don't sell yourself short. Aim for that duke.

There is a book out there, how to marry an English Lord - but the main condition was: Be a rich American heiress ...

@@EllieDashwood if it's ok to ask... do you sometimes share your opinion in regard to the historical accuracy of certain period films thanks

@@franhunne8929 maybe just maybe there’s hope for us peasants 😂 What if the Duke/Viscount/Lord etc. want to get away from that life

Yes, I can't imagine how many outfits these girls had to have.

@@anitabasso2965 dresses were often subtly changed, new flounces added, ribbons changed, etc. to fool people into thinking they were completely new.

I couldn’t handle it either!!! 😂 I’m not sure how they survived. Lol. Also, thank you so much!

You could go to one of the smaller towns for 'The Season'. Less frantic, more opportunities to socialise more calmly with actual friends, less expensive. When you next time-travel, try out Bath, Weymouth, Harrogate, Buxton or Tunbridge Wells or somesuch.

You didn’t have to go to London. The girls in P&P never went, Emma never went (she hated London), many rich young ladies got married within their own county or one or two beyond.

I wouldn't enjoy it now, but 18 year old me would have LOVED it. That's possibly one reason Mrs Dashwood was happy to let Mrs Jennings take two of her daughters to the London season. Her girls could have the benefits of the partying without the need for her to keep up an exhausting social schedule.

You could ignore these things and find social sets locally too. These were more for people who were either social or ambitious. Or with parents who were those things lol .

Why are so many people born in November?

@@tubby6007 Look at which date is 9 months before early november, and you'll find valentines day.

@@maritk983 that's just one day

Lol *Your mom walks into your bedroom* Your mom. “Rara what are you wearing for your sister’s party” You. “Something casual.” Mom. “No wear something nice I invited some men” You. “What, mother! No you, this is like the fifth this month, you said you wouldn’t invite any to her birthday, she’s six for gods sakes” Mom, “perfect it’ll show your good with children, I expect you to play with your sister but politely don’t stain your dress” You face palming. “Really mother, where do you even meet these people were fighting wars on two continents surely we’re running out of men by now” Mom, “the French are terrible shots dear, now get dressed”

@@edanridge3023 Absolutely loved it, did you ever written any books?

Came here to say this 🙃

Same🥰🥰🥰

Could you give the title, please? Can it be found online? 🙂

That is so cool where do you even find these books?

May I ask what is the title?

Would they not have stood before the Queen before the Victorian time? I have been trying to research this element and have come up short :)

Food makes everything better!!!

Right? Those would for sure be the highlight of the night since you weren't allowed to focus on the stage at the theatre anyway lol

Yes, Bath was a very important social centre. The heirs of baronets could thus certainly be found in Bath, but it was also normal for baronets and their families to attend high society events in London as well.

If you think she hasn't read Jane Austen you're obviously very, VERY new here.

I didn't think any season could top, "THE DUKE" but I loved season 2. So, much tension.

Me too as a fellow Georgette Heyer fan! And I saw that same display at the Museum of London, which is a super fabulous museum by the way. Even my kids (ages 7, 9, 11, and 13) loved that musuem.

I just bought my first Heyer book today. 😊

Which was your favorite Heyer novel? I loved Arabella! I stumbled on it in middle school and adored it

I can answer some of these but not all. (I'm also procrastinating today so trying to not research dive though I want to so this is all from ontop of my head) In what contemporary novels I've read and what I have studied on the era making over dresses and having over dresses was considered normal. Some would only own a few very fancy dresses and then do them over with new lace edgings, ribbons, appliques and sleeves same could be done with bonnets and hats. (you see this talked about a lot in Jane Austen novels Lydia and Kitty want to buy new lace or ribbons to do over their bonnets and dresses). In the some era's bodices could also be switched out so the same skirt could function both as a day skirt and an evening skirt you just switched out the bodice. Regency gowns though were one piece and not something you could just replace top or bottom part, however wearing a spencer jacket over a previously worn dress would be done, different styling combo's to make an outfit look new. There are examples of gowns being done over with new ribbons as decoration giving the appearance of a new gown. There are thin sheer overdresses that could go over a plainer dress to make it more fancy and the overdress would be replaced but the dress underneath could be used multiple times. If you google regency overdress or doing over you see also pictures of detachable sheer sleeves that would just go over short sleeves etc. Very important though was to have a dress for all occasions, you had to own at least a day dress and a visiting dress, a theatre gown, an opera gown, a ball gown etc. These would have different cuts, a ball gown would be most suitable for dancing in and such. That being said it very much also depended on your status and how much money you had. The aristocracy had to appear rich even if they were short of money, the newly rich had to present their money tastefully etc. I'm not 100% on regency and sources disagree about who would wear caps and when. Often after debuting but before marriage young women could opt out of wearing caps. Married women would be expected to start covering their hair more on a day to day basis while in the home which young unmarried women were not. But yeah sources don't always agree on this practice. Some hairstyles and colours were deemed for married women only but this all changed very quickly. I suspect also that this had to do with status and money and such, married women were allowed more liberty with some stuff but they were also "safe" and not on the marriage market, so I guess they could experiment more freely especially if socially and financially secure but this is just a personal speculation. Now here after I might be crossing over here with the Victorian era but in a lot of recency novels there is talk of the small or little season where some families would spend time in town and prepare for the main season and attend the theatre and such. Some modiste's would be more exclusive than others and those were usually with French fashion influence, but then you also just went to a mantua maker etc. It was expected that you would have almost an entirely new wardrobe for the season if you could afford it especially if its your first season. Debutante dresses if they were having their own ball would often be a keepsake if they could afford to but sometimes they would get done over with new lace or used again with a new bodice etc. You could mix and match your wardrobe to a point. But yeah to five a definite answer to the debutante dress question, it depended on status and finances. If you were rich and sentimental yes keep that dress and never use it again, if not redo it with new applique or ribbons etc and reuse it.

Girls still in the Schoolroom wore their hair down and skirts shorter than floor length. When they were getting ready to be launched into Society, they pinned their hair up and let their skirts down. Caps were worn by married women. Mokomis gives a good summation below on clothing.

I'm impressed by the "acceptance" of certain colors, materials, feathers and accessories being reserved for only certain ranks of people, and what times of year, ages, and marital status they were allowed. Who decided and how was the word spread?

Unmarried young women would wear very light colours. Married women would wear more intense, but still discret colours. Really flashy colours, like a vibrant red, were déclassé, showed lack of taste and were more used by the demi-monde.

​@@evelynhillier2877unmarried women 'of a certain age ' would also be expected to wear a cap. Iirc Jane Austen started to wear them at about 29.

Yay! I’m so glad they’ve helped! 😃😃😃

Hi. Mr Bennet disliked London and so hardly ever went there. But as he had an annual income of £2,000 (a very large sum of money at a time when most families lived on less than £50 per annum) he would have been able to afford accommodation in London. Moreover, the journey would have been short for his estate was only about 25 miles from the city. We know, for instance that Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility also had £2,000 a year and spent time in London even though his estate in Dorset was at least 100 miles from the city. Finally, some of the gentry with lower incomes than the Bennets and Colonel Brandon, or who lived further afield, had their own social centres. For instance, the City of Durham in the north of England was a place where gentry families in the region had their own version of the London season.

In pride and prejudice, they went to local balls and found husbands.

Local was a choice, Bath or Brighton equally popular as cheaper, chiller alternatives. I think Austen (I've only read the draft once) specifically states Sanditon is supposed to be a slightly less-hectic alternative to Brighton for the Season.

In Sense and Sensibility, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood were invited to the London Season by Mrs. Jennings ... So I'd imagine that did happen occasionally! But Mr Bennett just hated London, so the Bennett family didn't go. Mr. Bennett allowed Lydia to go to Brighton just because he didn't want to deal with hearing her whine about not going - and it was more or less a cheap trip. He literally thought that no one would bother to court her because she had such a small dowry. He really didn't think about the future, unless it pertained to his own comfort.

If you are not quite fancy and rich enough for London, you can have a go at a slightly less fancy place like Bath. Bath was where those who were not quite as fashionable went. Or those even further down the pecking order went to Scarborough.

Yay! I’m so glad it helps. And it is a really hard topic to find information on because it’s no where nearly as well documented as the Victorian season. And that’s so cool about your book!

Girl, a debut season is crammed with subtext and subtle class markers. You should start with The Year, the American debut season in the old cities. Surprisingly little has changed.

The Writer's Guide to Everyday life in Victorian and Regency England by Kirstie Hughes was helpful for me.

I really liked a series of romance books, not because it followed the women around, but the bachelors! The theme was that a group of retired military officers, starting after the Napoleonic wars, had to get married. They were basically terrified of the London season....LOL The series is called the Bastion Club.

If you want to read novels set in the Regency period, and a lot of it in London, read Georgette Heyer's books. She dealt with the business of young ladies and their hopes of happiness by finding the right husband. More fun to read than it sounds, and a great window into history. I refuse to watch Bridgerton because there is very little accuracy in it and I'd end up yelling at the tv.

What I love about Bridgerton is that it isn't even pretending that it invited historical accuracy over for tea, unlike certain other shows which shall remain nameless [cough]TheTudors[/cough]. I love my faithful Austen adaptations et al, but Bridgerton is one giant Twinkie. One giant, Regency-flavoured Twinkie. And damn it, sometimes a girl just wants to stare at Rege-Jean Page with his shirt off.

@@simplystreeptacular agreed. It’s fantastic entertainment not meant to be historically accurate by any means. I Loved it! Super idealized world that wouldn’t be terrifying to jump through time to “go back” to!

P

Loved every second of that anachronistic nightmare

I wasn't its biggest fan, but I did appreciate some of the things they attempted, such as their classical reinterpretations of contemporary hits. Some of the classical composers of the time were seen as really popular figures, almost rockstars -- their music was fresh. It is difficult to convey the same feeling and create a similar atmosphere with old classical pieces nowadays for a young audience. By rielaborating hit songs in a similar style, I think the impression they left on the audience may have been closer to that of the time than if they'd used historically accurate pieces.

Yay! I’m so glad you’re done with your exam! Party time 🎉🎊 And thank you!

The point was marriage, so your whole comparison falls flat from the beginning

@@radhiadeedou8286 The point of the debut season is, while mostly unspoken, still marriage. Finding love and security is naturally the secret wish in the hearts of so many participants even though the attitudes around the debut have changed quite a lot over the past 20/30 years. The young men and women are, for the most part, concerned about building a career before they marry, yet, the deb party/ball scene still flourishes in New Orleans. Participating in the debut season provides increased social and career connections and the potential of meeting a future spouse. Finding love is, and will always be, on the minds of young adults and it will always be part of the debut.

🐈‍⬛ says 👋! Also, it’s all about the food ✨🍗

😂😂😂 Why is that the plot every time?! I spend so much time when watching shows telling random characters to just communicate. Of course them having a simple 5 minute conversation would probably prevent 95% of what happens in the show so, I guess that would just make everything harder for the writers. 😂

@@EllieDashwood I don't even normally read or watch romance, but so many people were going nuts over Bridgerton that I read 4 of the books & watched the show. Yes, I can confirm... 95+% of all the plot would be superfluous if the characters actually communicated! Oh well, we watch stuff like that for the fluffy entertainment (& for the number of times Duke Sexy appears shirtless *every* episode), right? 🤣 Thank you for doing these videos!

@@EllieDashwood Me as well.... I find them a great way to learn what NOT to do when dating.... :)

@@kerriemckinstry-jett8625 I actually read a lot of Regency romance (I like the clean ones actually), and I read the Bridgerton books ages ago. I have always hated the “ I am not going to actually communicate my real thoughts to anyone” storylines. They drive me crazy!!! Bridgerton’s first two episodes were okay, beyond the gorgeous but inaccurate costumes, but I had to stop watching because of the communication thing and the graphic sex. Anytime it gets too much like a soap opera with a never ending plotline I am out, lol. I have to confess, that is why I had to stop watching Downton after a season.

I loathed Bridgerton..

Hope you like it! 😃😃😃 And thank you!!! ✨

Yes, you're not the only one! I reached out to YT support yesterday and they're working to fix this. Sorry for inconvenience! 🙈

That's what maiden aunts are for!

They'd often take country breaks; shooting/hunting during that season, and often they'd go home for Christmas and have house parties. If you managed to get an invitation to a leading member of Society's Christmas house parties, your social success would be assured.

Yay! Thank you!

Balls sound so exciting! And Pleasure Gardens definitely sound different than what they were. 😂

@@EllieDashwood Maybe you could make a video about the dances at a ball. I think the pavanes were already out for decades before the Regency, but you had the country dances, which are accessible and fun. You also had the fancy ones needing a dance master (young people spent *years* learning dances before appearing in society). And of course, there was the scandalous waltz (no waltzes at Almack’s). Dances in Regency movies are often good as it’s not difficult to find a group who knows their stuff.

But at least we “peasants” can semi afford food 😂 like sugar

Where do you live that marriage markets/seasons are still a thing?? I'd happily trade Tinder for some balls and theater!

@@notmanymore1521 South of Brazil lol but it's not really used as a marriage season anymore (debutants are all 15/16). it's more of a status thing because it's very expensive, there`s lotsss of parties to attend (with a different expensive dress for each) and "philanthropic" things to do (big monetary donations from your family for each of them).

Wow sounds like a migraine headache. I hope that you have a great future planned for yourself and don't let anyone make you step away from it.

Yes, if I had the money for tickets and a babysitter, I would go that often too.

I hold a seasonal pass for the cheapest seats, which are full of music students and tourists and I love guessing which they are, which sometimes can be more interesting than the performance itself!

Awwww! Hi kitties!!!

It varied from male to male. Are you the sole heir or a second/third son? If you are a “spare” son, can your family afford to give you an inheritance and/or lesser title, or will you be seeking an heiress to make your way in the world? You could be a widower, seeking a second wife to beget heirs because your first died in childbirth. TL;DR, men has more flexibility in when they joined the marriage mart, depending on their circumstances and/or personal desires.

Part of the job of a good hostess at the time was to get as many eligible men to these parties as possible and to make sure you have a good balance for dinner and dancing. You also have card rooms and men trying to socialize with each other about politics and estate/social business.

If the richest would but want to attend, it’s not like there would have been a want of more lower income men looking to make a good match and spend time in parties making connections. They might not afford to attend many events but would try as well.

Just read it. Fantastic.