A Very Victorian Valentine's Day Card

A poor card choice for Rhett.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Whether single or attached, we hope your day is a wonderful one filled with the people you love. In the spirit of the holiday, we're bringing you a look at Valentine cards of the Gone with the Wind era. So we hope this post will answer that burning, age-old question that haunts every Gone with the Wind fan: what kind of Valentine card could Rhett Butler have sent Scarlett O'Hara? 

The answer? Well, you'll be pleased to know that Rhett would have had any number of card selections at his disposal. So he could have selected a Valentine to precisely align with his current sentiments towards Scarlett, whether they be sentimental, bawdy, nostalgic, or combative. You see, by the 1850s Valentine cards were a booming business in the United States--more popular and plentiful than Christmas cards, in fact--and eager publishers printed cards for every possible market demographic. 

There were frothy, sweet cards for young lovers to exchange. There were sedate cards embossed with benign messages like 'friendship' and 'constancy' to bestow on acquaintances or family members. And then there were cards that appealed to a more earthy clientele, cards featuring comic scenes, bizarre creatures, or vulgar puns. Through it all, though, one thing was certain: then, like today, Valentine cards were an important part of commemorating Valentine's Day.

This 1869 article from Godey's Lady's Book nicely captures of the phenomenon of the Valentine card during the period:

"The great event of this month among lovers is St. Valentine' s Day. It is a day of pleasant and innocent excitement in the way of sending Valentines through the post. The ring of the door-bell on that day causes a great flutter among the ladies of the household. All is laughter and gayety, and if anybody is disappointed, she should put the best face on the matter possible. Already the store windows are profusely decorated with masses of highly-colored pictures representing cupids, nymphs, nuptials, verses, beautiful damsels, hideous deformities, and, indeed, every species of creature which the fastidious mind of the artist has conceived. All tastes can be gratified. There must be, we imagine, a large sale for this kind of goods, as every year brings forth an increased quantity."

--excerpted from Godey's Lady's Book, February 1869

As we end our look at the Valentine cards of the Gone with the Wind era, we'd like to leave you with a slideshow of twenty beautiful Valentine cards circa 1850s-1870s--any of which could have very well been Rhett's choice for Scarlett (provided he didn't choose to go the mocking or vulgar route, of course). Happy Valentine's Day!

Still haven't had enough Victorian Valentines? Check out the galleries on The Scrap Album for a great selection of both sweet and not-so-sweet Valentines.

Doppelganger Dresses, Part 23: Melanie's Twelve Oaks Dress

To me at least, one of the very best visual moments in Gone with the Wind comes when Scarlett first encounters Melanie Hamilton at the Twelve Oaks barbecue. For the two women serve as such a study in contrasts. Scarlett is daringly dressed in her inappropriate green sprigged dress, while Melanie tranquilly glides onto the scene in a modest, ruffled gray frock. The two leading ladies' costumes serve as a perfect symbol to demonstrate their divergent personalities, a clever bit of characterization by Margaret Mitchell and one that Walter Plunkett effortlessly translates onto the silver screen. 

And today we're pleased to bring you Melanie's Twelve Oaks barbecue dress in our latest installment of Doppelganger Dresses. Both Mitchell and Plunkett deserve kudos for the historical accuracy of Melanie's dress. Fashion plates of the era are filled with gray or steel blue dresses with ruffled trims. After the jump, you'll find two period fashion plates that we thought were especially representative of Melanie's costume. Check them out and let us know what you think!

Poster of the Week

This week, China brings us its version of the most famous GWTW poster image of all time. Enjoy!

Image from movieposterdb.com.

Heroine Love!

Do you guys remember Erin Blakemore, whose book The Heroine's Bookshelf came out  a few months ago? Her book in general and her chapter on Scarlett in particular made quite an impression on us back then, and now Erin is back with an awesome event at her blog! Through the first weeks of February, she's celebrating Heroine Love by inviting bloggers to write about heroines they love. Head out there to check out our post today, the suit of great contributions so far and the prizes you can win! Oh, and alternatively, keep in touch with the event and The Heroine's Bookshelf road to bestsellersdom here, on Erin's Facebook page.

http://theheroinesbookshelf.com/

Rue de la Paix

This week's collage gives us a modern update of Scarlett's iconic barbecue dress. Enjoy!

Gone with the wind by raluca7794 featuring bootie heels

Doppelganger Dresses, Part 22: Maybelle Merriwether's Green Bazaar Dress (Book Version)

"Maybelle Merriwether went toward the next booth on the arm of the Zouave, in an apple-green tarlatan so wide that it reduced her waist to nothingness. It was showered and flounced with cream-colored Chantilly lace that had come from Charleston on the last blockader, and Maybelle was flaunting it as saucily as if she and not the famous Captain Butler had run the blockade.

"How sweet I'd look in that dress," thought Scarlett, a savage envy in her heart.  "Her waist is as big as a cow's.  That green is just my color and it would make my eyes look--  Why will blondes try to wear that color?  Her skin looks as green as an old cheese.  And to think I'll never wear that color again, not even when I do get out of mourning.  No, not even if I do manage to get married again.  Then I'll have to wear tacky old grays and tans and lilacs."

For a brief moment she considered the unfairness of it all.  How short was the time for fun, for pretty clothes, for dancing, for coquetting!  Only a few, too few years!"

--Gone with the Wind, Chapter IX

Today the Doppelganger Dresses series brings you the apple-green dress that Maybelle Merriwether wears to the Atlanta Bazaar--and that Scarlett O'Hara yearns to be wearing  in her place. Tellingly, MM's depiction of this dress, along with the fashion plate we uncovered, recalls Scarlett's own apple-green ballgown, the one she never dons for Twelve Oaks ball due to the outbreak of war. Against this background, Maybelle's dress serves as a great visual cue for MM to demonstrate the impact of Scarlett's changed life and her deep frustration. For Scarlett knew, from experience, that a dress such as Maybelle's would set off her figure quite charmingly. And Maybelle's belledom, in dress very much like one she wore in her own belle days, only serves to rubs salt in the wound. 

Well, enough analysis. The dress is waiting for you after the jump. As always, be sure to check it out and let us know what you think! 

Poster of the Week

We northward from Italy and on to Belgium for this week's poster, which features the well-used image of a swooning Scarlett in Rhett's arms. Owning to the country's dual cultural tradition, this circa 1940s-50s poster comes in both Dutch and French language versions. 

Image from movieposterdb.com.