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Setting
May 22, 2011 20:43:05 GMT -5
Post by LEAH on May 22, 2011 20:43:05 GMT -5
HISTORICALLY
Paris, France, 1903—a much different world then the one we’re used to living in and our version even more so. And since jeans and t-shirts just wouldn’t look right in the 1900s is information on different aspects of French life in that era so your character can seem like a true French citizen, of the Black Rain variety of course.
Overview: With the rise of a president the country was no longer a country of peasants, the French Revolution getting rid of the costly monarchy in favor of a president who eliminated the crushing poverty of before. Because of the loss of the monarchy any kind of royal nobility was also abolished. Almost all of France could read and write in their own language by the start of the 1900s and education was on the rise even for both girls and boys.
Dress:
Woman--Dress was still, for the most part, stuck in the 1800s. Woman still wore corsets and long skits as a matter of propriety. Sturdy leather boots were the footwear for every day, the quality of which was determined by your social class and slippers were worn for more special occasions. A woman showing her ankles was considered extremely improper so most skirts were only an inch or two from the pavement. As for the dress itself bustles were phasing out of popularity and a mature silhouette was ideal—a large bust and curvy hips achieved through a ‘health corset’, a corset that put less pressure on the abdomen. Shirtwaists as well as more tailored clothing were popular for woman’s day wear and traveling. Wool or tweed suites were popular with fashionable woman coupled with ankle length skirts and matching jackets and fox furs for woman who could afford them.
Men – Men’s fashion as well as stuck in the 1800s. The lounge coat replaced the long frock coats but it was still paired to make a three piece suite for most informal and semi-formal occasions. Trousers were shorter than before and included cuffs and vests her high buttoned and single-breasted most times. Blazers were worn for recreational activities and the Norfolk coat was popular for hunting. For more formal occasions the lounge coat was set aside in favor of the morning coat or dinner jacket and for the most formal a tail coat was worn. Around the house men normally didn’t bother with a jacket save for the dinner table when the dinner jacket was worn. Most formal dress shirts were very stiff with high necks and ascots were popular for formal occasions. Shoes were the same for woman in every day—over the ankle lace up boots in brown, black or grey with white uppers on the sides and buttons instead of laces for formal occasions.
Children—Girls fashion largely imitated older woman’s for the time period—knee length dresses with lace or embroidery trimming. Hair was generally worn with some sort of ribbons. For play bloomers and jerseys were acceptable. For boys it was a miniature version of what a grown man would wear with the exception of the jacket.
Recreation and Transportation: As the radio or television had not yet been invented the phonograph was used as a means of entertainment. Men often turned to hunting as a form of recreation while woman rode bikes, did needlework or simply walked to pass the time. Parties were often thrown, public and private, by the wealthier set and were often a weekly event. The wealthy set might travel to a friend’s estate for a visit, a trip that could take a very long time and because of this a visit was often over a longer period of time: a week instead of an afternoon. Automobiles were also available to those with money and young boys were often taught to drive. For longer distances one could take a train on the Paris Metro line, though by this time trains lines hadn’t yet reached the suburbs.
Jobs: What career a person undertook largely depended on what class they were. Upper class people had no need to work on a daily basis because they were supported by the families money. Upper middle class was in mostly the same position: they had to work but the wealthy their job afforded them meant it wasn't a rigorous or every day duty. These types of people often had large amounts of time for leisure and recreation. The middle and lower class had to work every day and even then your class determined how rigorous your job. Both men and woman of any class could also teach up to the college level. For a list of available in character jobs see here.
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