The Carnival Balls.

Summary

A description of the activities, including costumes, at the carnival in Paris by an Englishman. "The men are all Pierrots, the ladies Débardeurs . . . . an hour at the ball is enough to prove this general assumption of male attire a mistake. . . .  It deprives the assembly of half its grace; for seen at a distance the mass is all mannish or boyish, or something indefinably disagreeable, which may be set down to the absence of the 'robes loosely floating' of which Ben Jonson sings, and he had a good eye for a masque." If the male costumes were well made would be one thing: "Satin and gold will carry off a good deal; but to see women thrust themselves into trousers and a dirty shirt and go to a ball in them!"

Full Title

10 Mar 1848. The Carnival Balls. Times p. 6 c. A,B.

Publication

Full Record

Date

10 March 1848

Locations

ParisView on map

Primary source topic

Dressed as a man; Masquerade

Item format

News report

Attire

Male garb; Masquerade garb

Source

An Englishman in Paris

Sexuality

Heterosexuality

Racialization

Unmarked

Report Scope

Central

Report Size

Long

Notable Statement

"Satin and gold will carry off a good deal; but to see women thrust themselves into trousers and a dirty shirt and go to a ball in them!"

Column(s)

A; B

Page Numbers

6