I'm normally not very fond of reality TV, but I happened to catch Ladette to Lady the other day and I think I may have to watch it again. For anyone who hasn't seen it, basically a bunch of 'ladettes' go to Finishing School to learn manners and etiquette and how to walk in a dress and dress a lobster and that sort of thing. As is usual in these things, one is voted off every week.
This show flat-out astonished me. I really can't believe that a grown woman claims to be unable to eat vegetables. They went for a gourmet meal and one of the ladettes barely took a bite from anything, complained all the way through about how the food was weird and unfamiliar, and then got into a big hissy fit because an actual lady present at the meal was cross that she wouldn't eat anything. I know they deliberately pick people for these things who are extreme examples, but I was really shocked at their behaviour. [/snob]
Anyway, watching it got me thinking a bit. When I was younger I read a lot of old-fashioned books, and I was convinced that I would be going to Finishing School like the girls in the Chalet School books and learn all that kind of stuff. Of course, I realise now that probably isn't going to happen, but I still think it would be nice once in a while to play at being a lady and dress for dinner and have garden parties and things. Maybe this is just me, but I don't think there are enough opportunities these days to wear pretty dresses. I do think it's great that women these days can wear pretty much whatever they like. We're lucky not to be restricted the way women have been in the past, but sometimes I feel that if I wear something more than jeans and a top I'm overdressed, and just occasionally I would love to wear a huge ballgown, just around the house.
Somebody should open a sort of alternative nightclub, one where you could only get in wearing some kind of nice, old-fashioned dress, and everyone would have to waltz and that sort of thing. Wouldn't that be nice?