Hand Fans

Ever since I was a little girl I've been intrigued by folding fans! The little sticks that open up to display beautiful hidden pieces of art, even they way they are articulated holds a certain charm! I like to carry them on a hot day, or even to busy clubs to keep stylishly cool. Of course there's more to the hand fan than just a cool breeze!

The folding fan originated in Japan and reached Europe around the 16th century, where , it became an indispensable piece of a woman's wardrobe for centuries.

The fan was all about display, it had it's own language which a lady could use to communicate silently across a ball room, the way she carried and moved her fan made a lady appear graceful and poised., even the gentlemen got in on the action in the early days !

Today sadly fans have sunk to a position of mere novelty, and quality fans are hard to come by , perhaps it's time we brought these beauties back!?

Holding the fan

The fan was a tool of personal display, it you weren't using it to talk you'd use it to show how elegant and refined you were. Information is hard to come by on this subject, but here are a few tips I've picked up!

• Carrying when not in use: It seems there were many different ways to carry a fan elegantly when not in use, between the thumb and forefinger, or between the 1st and 2nd finger like in the plate opposite were the most common. The large plate below shows several women at an assembly in natural poses with their fans. Later fashion plates like this give a wonderful idea of how a fan was handled!
• Make it Look Easy : Try to hold the fan lightly, back in the day even the most difficult action was supposed to look effortless!
• Quietness was a Virtue: Keep your fan quiet! Too much playing or fluttering would have looked affected. If you're feeling a bit dandy however that might be just what you need! If you want your fan to say refinement however, try keeping movement slow and deliberate if at all.

The fan has always been about expressing yourself, back in the day every one wanted to be a "perfect lady" today maybe not so much. Your fan can be as loud or quiet as you want it to be!

The fan can also tell people things subconsciously too! I know all to well how a fan can tell every one how nervous I felt at a certain time, or over excited, without even thinking about it the twirls and flutters shouted my frame of mind across a large room, so watch out for those unwilling to betray themselves this way!

Games With the Fan

The fan was so ubiquitous that it spawned not only it's own language, but also it's own games!

One activity was to create small poems where the first letter of each line spelled out "Eventail" the French word for fan, such as..

Every pretty coquette should know
Various flutters and codes of the fan
Every twist and every point
Not to be trusted to every beau
To any young fella who's eyes meet her own
Amorous fan you move for one heart
Indeed let him see what your lips fear to tell
Love tonight conquered by this fan alone

There was also a method of fortune telling! Ladies would out their closed fans into a pile, the person whose fortune was to be read pulled out a fan at random and opened it up. Their fortune would be told based on the number of blades and image on the leaf.

This was recorded in "the Satirical Journal" printed in Russia in 1790, I'm still trying to find out more, so if any one has any leads let me know!

Where can I use my fan today?

Every where!! A simple fan is a nice acompanyment on a hot summer day. A low key design won't make jeans and T-shirt look drab, and will keep you feeling comfortable in Hot weather.

Going out to a party? Ramp it up! Look for fans with sticks as stunning as the leaf. At club nights a dazzling fan will set your outfit apart from the rest. At a more elegant evening party, match your fan to your dress, and treat it as a lady would back in the old days. A fan here can look elegant, and keep you cool. Think of your fan as a fashion accessory, and match it up the way you would your shoes!

I've taken mine with me every where from the punk clubs of England, to an evening at the Ritz. They are great for Lolita meets as well! beyond re-enactment the fan can be as vital today as it ever was!

I love to make my own fans! Here are some fans I've made, you can click on the images for a better look and more information! (also keep an eye on Candy Violet for any possible fan sales)