Tea at Trianon: Cotillion Class

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Saturday, March 18, 2023

Cotillion Class

Yes, I used to teach such classes in my home. From Southern Living:

For many who grow up in the South, cotillion classes are a rite of passage. Parents see them as a way for their children to learn social graces, while the children likely see them as a torturous excuse for wearing Sunday clothes on a weekday.

While different cotillion programs school their students in different things (some blend ballroom dance instruction with lessons in table etiquette, while others focus on dance), the overarching principle of cotillion classes is the same: Students are taught how to be respectful, polite members of their communities. It's about looking someone in the eye when you speak to them, holding the door for the person walking in behind you, and asking someone who's standing alone at a party to dance.

From who attends to social lessons learned along the way, here's the etiquette you can expect to learn at cotillion class.
What Is Cotillion?

It's this dedication to good manners and common courtesy, perhaps, that's made cotillion such a mainstay of Southern culture, where commitment to gracious behavior reigns supreme. For children, cotillion is another place where the manners and etiquette that parents teach at home can be publicly practiced and reinforced.

Who Attends and What Should You Wear?

From fourth through seventh grades, fall through spring, I spent my Wednesday evenings in a historic society hall downtown, clad in a tea-length dress, white gloves, and cream tights (going bare-legged was not allowed). Nowadays, dress codes are similar, though those tights may be optional. Boys wear long pants, collared shirts, a coat, and a tie. (Read more.)