March 20th Today, I am...

...this floral vintage hand fan!

I was used plenty in the old days, not so much today (except for special styles, like modern gothic or steampunk, etc.). I am an implement used to induce an airflow for the purpose of cooling or refreshing oneself. Any broad, flat surface waved back-and-forth will create a small airflow and therefore can be considered a rudimentary fan. But generally, purpose-made hand-held fans are shaped like a sector of a circle and made of a thin material (such as paper or feathers) mounted on slats which revolve around a pivot so that it can be closed when not in use. Since my invention many centuries ago, the folding fan became objet de désir, indispensable accessory, work of art, sign of distinction. Archaeological ruins and ancient texts show that the hand fan was already used in ancient Egypt and Greece. Christian Europe's earliest fan was the flabellum (or ceremonial fan), which dates to the 6th century. This was used during services to drive insects away from the consecrated bread and wine. Its use died out in western Europe, but continues in the Eastern Orthodox and Ethiopian Churches. Hand fans were absent in Europe during the High Middle Ages until they were reintroduced in the 13th and 14th centuries. Fans from the Middle East were brought back by Crusaders. Portuguese traders brought them back from China and Japan in the 16th century, and fans became generally popular. The fan is still especially popular in Spain, where flamenco dancers used the fan and extended its use to the nobility.


Here is a sample of how the fan was used to convey messages:

• If a woman hid her eyes behind an open fan she meant –– I love you
• If she shut a fully open fan slowly she meant –– I promise to marry you
• If she placed her fan behind her head she meant –– do not forget me
• If she dropped her fan she meant –– we will be friends
• If she twirled her fan in her left hand she meant –– we are being watched

other fans pictures:

interesting fan facts:

* inspiration for the earliest fans came from leaves or bird feathers
* fans were made out of silk, paper, sandalwood, tortoise shell and mother of pearl
* fans for men are smaller and more plain than the regular ones
* in former times the manufacture of hand fans was completely artisan; today also industrial processes are use
* a feather fan was included in the gifts given by Christopher Columbus to the Catholic Queen Elisabeth after his first trip to America

(facts found at Teacher Plus and All Handfans)

March 5th Today, I am...

...Queen Maud of Norway's dress!

Queen Maude of Wales was born in 1869. She became Queen of Norway in 1905. She was a daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom. Maud of Wales was the first queen of Norway since 1380 who was not also queen of Denmark or Sweden. As for the dress, I am a gorgeous example of Art Nouveau Fashion of late 19th and early 20th century. A square silhouette (broad, padded shoulders and straight body) was typical. New inventions like the zipper (for shoes) and rayon (for hosiery) found their way into fashion. Women's clothing softened, sleeves became more modest, and a soft, triangular silhouette developed. Later the triangular skirt became cylindrical, producing a narrow, rectangular silhouette. Bodices and skirts were more commonly combined into one-piece dresses, and lighter construction was used. Tailored looks became more popular. Top fashion designers such as Paul Poiret experimented with unusual silhouettes. Soft fabrics like crepe, charmeuse, chiffon, and batiste were popular for tea dresses and evening gowns. Dresses made of lace, or embroidered cotton combined with lace, were fashionable for warm weather. Firmer fabrics such as wool and cotton duck were used for tailored wear.
The House of Worth (a French house of high fashion) sold these designs throughout Europe.

other Queen Maude's dresses:

interesting Art Nouveau fashion facts:

* this was a period of immense social upheaval, particularly for women
* after the war (WW1), there was an explosion of exhuberance in style, as a youthful generation took center stage amid a decade of prosperity
* the excitement of Jazz Age life, prohibition, and the idealization of college men and coeds in the US gave a youthful emphasis to fashion
* knits, leather, and rayon for the first time became important fashion materials
* during the depression years of the 1930's fashion was driven by the fantasies of Hollywood, and by a desire to return to a more traditionally feminine image for women
*  in the late Art Nouveau period movie stars like Marlene Dietrich and Katherine Hepburn made it acceptable for women to wear trousers in public
* the war (WW2) provided an opportunity for American designers to establish themselves; previously fashion ideas had emanated mainly from Paris

(all facts found at: Art, Design and Visual Thinking)