All forms of Socializing, whether formal or informal, were occasions that required a complex set of rules to "govern behaviour". Below is a list of instructions for giving a formal afternoon tea in 1904 --- and this just scratches the surface of expectations and norm for this period in history;
1/cards must be issued as invitations three weeks in advance.
2/men should wear a long frock coat with single or double-breasted waistcoat to match; grey trousers; white linen; light tie; silk hat; gray gloves; patent leather shoes.
3/awnings and carpet should be provided from curb to house.
4/ a footman must meet guests as they arrive at the curb to open their carriage doors, and another should open the front door --- "the moment a guest appears at the top step."
5/ guests should leave their cards in the tray in the hall before entering the drawing room. The butler then announces them as they enter. Those who cannot attend should send their cards by mail or messenger to the hostess, timed to arrive during the afternoon tea.
6/on entering, women precede the men.
7/the hostess should be just within the drawing room door to receive the guests; if she has daughters who have "come out" in society, they should receive the guests, then mingle with them "to help to make the function a success."
8/the hours are from 4 to 7pm. Guests should not come at the opening hour, nor stay until the last moment.
Even in casual or unplanned moments, even with friends and family, it was important to keep oneself under control. The British are famously described as having a "stiff upper lip", showing no inappropriate bursts of affection or anger. It was never seen = to pat some-one's shoulder, offer a hug, clink glasses, or even say "I love you", no matter how natural it would seem. Controlled politeness had to govern every word and expression.
Downton Abbey is an excellent way to "see" the manners of the Edwardian Era and how these were closely observed.
The footmen were like the peacocks of an Edwardian country house, impressive to look at and always on display, whether greeting guests at the doorstep or serving them in the dining room. Nearly always well-dressed young men, the footmen represented crisp formality and quiet grandeur on behalf of the entire estate. A tall or particularly good-looking footman would even earn a higher salary than the other members of the household staff.
However, the footmen and other servants were never thanked, no matter how much they were needed. This was more a matter of practicality because as the servants did everything --- open a door/lace a corset/bring a cup of tea --- if they were thanked once, they'd be thanked over sixty times a day. As the English would say; "that would be tiresome."
Etiquette wasn't just reserved between servant and master. A hierarchy within the servant class itself was governed by a unique set of rules. The butler and housekeeper were at the head of this group in terms of dignity, authority and earnings. Then came the cook, valets, Lady's maids and footmen; last of all were the parlour maids, laundry maids, kitchen maids, dishwashers and stable grooms. Even among one group of servants there were minor differences. For example, the first footman served the meat, the choicest course; while the second footman served a minor sauce or side. The assistant cook was considered an apprentice to the chef/cook, while the kitchen maids were only assistants. Even the order in which servants sat at their own downstairs dining room table reflected this class system.
Edward VII's reign was brief but it was a decade marked by peace and prosperity at the height of the British Empire. The Edwardian period was indeed a "Gilded Age" in England.
Social relationships were strictly defined, and interactions among and between the classes were governed by a series of complex and rigid rules --- what we call "manners". The Etiquette of the Edwardian Era was second nature to the people who lived during this period, but to us this is interesting behaviour in a unique time of English history.
Edwardian's never shook hands. Women never removed their gloves in public. Men removed their hats in the presence of a superior, but not for a member of the lower classes. An Edwardian hostess carefully predetermined every aspect of a dinner party --- not only the menu and seating arrangements, but even topics of conversation during the meal. Edwardian Etiquette reigned in every corner of daily life.
Ladies' Edwardian fashion was greatly influenced by the designer Paul Poiret, known as the creator of modern clothing shapes and designs. His clothing designs were inspired by art including classicism, Orientalism, and Art Nouveau. Poiret's comfortable styles freed women from the constriction of corsets and relied on draping for effect.
In 1908, he introduced the straight tube sheath dress. Women abandoned the S corset for longer, straighter corsets and bras. His Oriental style became popular after the Ballet Russes performed Scheherazade in Paris in 1910. Fashion concepts included exotic designs based on harem wear in bright colours with beaded embellishment. The lampshade tunic came into vogue toward the end of the Edwardian Era as did the Directoire style in 1912 which featured a high waist that accentuated a long, slim figure.
Turbans and jewelled slippers were a feature of Orientalism and a new exotic style of dress for Edwardian women.
But, the First World War put an end to extravagant trends as the world turned to a war economy with shortages of fabric and leather, and the more austere fashions usually dictated by the privations of war.
(Information from Bellatory)
