Written by Lissa. The Southern Belle, another brief fact file.

Origins and definitions.

Definition: The Southern belle (derived from the French word belle, 'beautiful') is an archetype for a young woman of the American Deep South's upper class.Origins:The origins of the Southern Belle ideal lie in the antebellum period of American history, it was based on the upper-class plantation owning, young and unmarried women of Southern American society. These Southern belles were acutely aware of popular fashion of the time, etiquette and manners, and the eloquent art of communication, these where usually combined in the pursuit of a suitable gentleman caller who would hopefully become a suitable and stable husband. As Southern belles were expected to marry respectable young men, and become ladies of society dedicated to the family and their community.A Southern belle typically wore a hoop skirt, a corset, pantalets, a wide-brimmed straw hat, and gloves. They also frequently carried parasol umbrellas and hand fans. As was fashion at the time, these young women shielded themselves carefully from the sun, as a sign of tanning was considered working-class and unfashionable.From where (geographically) does this archetype originate and thrive? In the deep south of America hence the term Southern belle. Typically in states such as Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

Values of an original Southern Belle.[footnoteRef:1] [1: Information taken from http://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/2259 ]

A southern belle was a girl who was expected to grow up into a lady. She was supposed to be fragile and flirtatious while also sexually innocent. She was beautiful but risky to touch, like porcelain. Every southern belle was expected to be up-to-date on the latest fashions, which often proved tricky and expensive because fashion was constantly changing throughout the nineteenth century. A true lady embodied the ideals of the South, and was thus hospitable and graceful. Newspapers often took it upon themselves to update their lady readers on the newest fashion trends.

Values of a Southern Belle today.[footnoteRef:2] [2: Taken from http://ashlandbelle.com/Belles.html ]

Never wear white shoes before Easter or after Labour Day except is if it is a bride. -Thank you notes are a necessary component of being gracious and appreciative. -Never chew gum or smoke on the street. -Never show anger in public. Smile and act like a lady. -Act helpless and confused when it's to your advantage; never let them know how clever and capable you really are... -Charm, Charm, Charm. -Be elegant and graceful

An extract from an article published by the Deep South Magazine written by modern southern belle; Kate Spears.[footnoteRef:3] [3: Full article can be found at: http://deepsouthmag.com/2011/06/anatomy-of-a-southern-belle/ ]

Behind all the pearls (real or faux), the core of a true Southern belle is grace. Whether hosting a few friends for book club or planning her daughters wedding for 500, this grace allows a belle to make her guests feel at ease. A Southern belles house is truly a home, regardless of square footage. Her kitchen table might not be Chippendale, but it always has room for one more, and everyone walks away with bellies and hearts full of love.Southern belles are mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, aunts and nieces. We have impeccable manners, but dont employ them to make others feel less important or beneath us. The belle I strive to be is one with a calm confidence, able to receive compliments as easily as give them. Being loyal to family and friends and knowing what to hold dear are other characteristics of a Southern belle, as are remembering the loved ones who came before us and telling their stories so they wont be forgotten.Southern belles dont fit the same mould. We are tall, short, skinny, plump, natural brunettes and bottle blonds. We are scattered far and wide, from the Big Apple to the West Coast, from London to New Zealand. The common thread that runs through all of us is our connection to the South, a wonderful, magical place where eccentricity is celebrated. As long as the South is rich with history and every home has a devilled egg plate, there will never be a shortage of Southern belles.Classic image of a Southern Belle.

Instructions and mannerisms of the ideal Southern Belle.[footnoteRef:4] [4: Taken from; http://www.ehow.com/info_8122642_southern-belle-characteristics.html ]

SpeechSouthern belles speak with a slight southern drawl. Their grammar is impeccable and refined, with a trademark "sir" and "ma'am" for everyone they meet. Respectful in conversation, southern belles wait patiently for their turn to talk. These women often use terms of endearment such as "honey," "darling" or "sugar" for most people they interact with. Men of interest are typically referred to as "gentlemen callers," not "dates" or "boyfriends."AppearanceProper care and maintenance of hair, both wanted and unwanted, is a must for a true Southern belle. Hair should be curled and styled at all times and makeup always worn in public. Many Southern belles keep up their physical appearance in the privacy of their homes as well. Weight maintenance and stylish clothing are also imperative. Additionally, a strictly kept fashion rule by belles is no wearing of white before Easter or after Labour Day.Social HabitsThrowing memorable, elegant soirees is an inherent role of a Southern belle. True belles are light, sweet and sociable without being overbearing when out for the evening. A certain amount of mystery must be maintained by a belle, even with her most intimate of friends. Cooking for others is often seen as a characteristic of a bonafide belle.

Extract from an article named: Any true Southern belle knows the unwritten rules of the South. By Sally Lynch.

There are rules in the South. I dont mean the simple rules like all iced tea should be sugar-shocked. I am talking about the rules any good Southern belle knows. These are the rules that separate those who move to the South from those who come from the South.These rules, like many in life, are not written. A Southern girl learns them by watching and listening to her doting mother, aunt or grandmother. The real Southern traditions are passed down from generation to generation.For those of you hoping to pick up a few tips about how to be a Southern belle, remember this: a belle is born, not made. To be a southern belle is to live life with subtle nuances of tradition and good manners that never go out of style. Its not the soft Southern drawl that makes a girl a belle; its the quality of her traditions. In the South, it is not so much what you do, but rather how you do it.

Plantations of the Deep South. A true news story form 1862 Louisiana.New Orleans, Louisiana, July 1, 1862: Our current Civil War took a turn for the worse, Monday, for Eugenia Levy Phillips, 42, tart tongued Southern Belle socialite and wife of former Washington DC attorney and former Alabama legislator, Phillip Phillips, as she was hauled away to prison until the War is over, confined to the desolate sandbar off the Mississippi coast called Ship Island.Her crime? She laughed at a funeral procession of a Union officer that was passing in front of her home here in New Orleans over the weekend.She was banished to the sandy treeless island 11 miles off the Mississippi coast by the commanding officer of the Union occupying forces here, Major General Benjamin F. Butler. General Butler has been in absolute, total control of New Orleans and its 170,000 citizens since April when the city surrendered to the Union forces.The ordeal began for Levy Phillips, yesterday, when she was escorted from her home to the Hall of Justice by a soldier and her husband. When she arrived, she was told by Union officers in the foyer that she must see General Butler by herself. She rolled her eyes in icy contempt and told them emphatically, None but physical force can make me go alone in that room; so I advise some of you valiant men to get a rope, attach it to my neck, and pull me in.During the proceedings that followed, she showed no fear or remorse whatsoever as she stood defiantly before the General and patiently told him and all the blue coats around him how ridiculous the charges against her were. Her arrogant attitude made the General even more furious. Levy Phillips looked General Butler straight in his eyes and virtually spewed her defence, saying her laughter that day had sprung from her gaiety during one of her nine childrens party taking place in her home. With the acidity that can only be ascribed to an arch-secessionist speaking to northern vermin, she condescendingly raised her eyebrows, flicked her wrist in the air and told the General, I was simply in good spirits the day of the funeral. This enraged the General even more, but he wrote out her sentence in a seething slow scrawl, hoping she would think about it and beg him not to send her away. She never blinked. Her sentenced was carried out post-haste.Not allowed to go home, Levy Phillips was whisked away by train and, then, by boat to the dreaded Ship Island. For inexplicable reasons, General Butler did allow her maid servant, Phebe, a faithful Irish woman, to accompany her into incarceration. Much of New Orleans is shocked and saddened by this harsh sentence on such a delicate Southern lady. Eugenia Phillips:

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