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The information gathered on this Padlet showcases what it was like to be a woman let alone a Southern Belle in America. The Antebellum period was an interesting time for women, this was when they just started to gain independence from the ruling of men. That was of course only happening in the North though. Women in the South were put in to a cookie cutter form on how to be and act like just to maintain the southern societal practices. Women in the south were stuck being the pawns of their husbands or their families name. They almost had no free will on what they may like since they had to be the perfect and slightly educated lady of the south. Southern Belles were almost like an elitist type of charm bracelet. The more money you have the prettier the clothes will be and the better the education. They would then show them off at parties and events to showcase their elevation and placement in society. These women are much different than Fuller and what we read in class. My first post was about Fuller and how women were beginning to stand up for rights and freedom in the north, but in the south,  they accepted it as a way of life and culture.

I thought it was interesting reading about something that was not brought about in the classroom. Being able to see how some lived compared to those of the North that we here about in great lengths. Learning the culture of a society right before its downfall and just seeing the things they preoccupied their time with is an interesting new perspective for me to see. It makes you realize just how different the North and the South really were in terms of the times and moving forward and progressing their way of life. Not only that but also seeing the things that they found important to keep up with instead of looking at the possible infrastructure that may need a little tweaking in terms of being able to create things themselves and not have to import it all. It now made me realize that the people in the South wanted to maintain the way things were and never give up on the culture that they made for themselves. They were stuck in this tunnel vision society that everything was great, and they had everything they wanted, but they did not realize that their idea of great was old and dated.

To just quickly sum up the points I think it is interesting that the south tried to maintain these arbitrary practices for as long as they did. Even looking at the path that South took, through something anyone would think as unrelated, you can actually make connections to the real world events. It is almost like they kept covering up the fact that their livelihood may be affected by the progression of the North. By using the fancy imports and fashion as a way to hide behind this perfect utopia like façade. I also found it quite puzzling that even the women were enjoying and partaking in the slave trade and work. They were greedy for the power it made them feel and the freedom it gave them. Its almost seems like the Southern Belles themselves actually disliked their reality in which they lived in. To the
point that they actually used other lives to better themselves and have that taste of being in control since they still were highly inferior to the men. So inferior that the only difference between slaves and women was their race and color of skin. They were stuck in the devastatingly small world much like a bird cage only able to fly within the cage and nowhere else. Their lives were limited and they accepted what they had as the way liffe should be in the eyes of society and church.

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It is obvious that women in the the south had a lack of control and power over others and their own life at the time. But what does this have to do with slavery?

Well since the women had absolutely nothing to grasp as their own. So, they leaned on to slavery to gain the power they craved. This was such a big reason why the women were advocates to slavery was in fact due to the power they found in it.

Though these women were only a step higher up on the scale of social hierarchy. This was also because the men were the ones to that were the figure heads and leaders of the society anything else was below them. The only reason why these Southern Belles were not lower than slavery is because of their race alone.

Not only was this a power move for these women it also was a way to escape from their own wifely duties. This would then remove all their cleaning, etc. duties as a wife and she can spend more time with her husband and children (or whoever else). This then transformed them in to a Mistress and not so much a housewife.

They even thought their actions with slavery were justified because they are able to learn the westernized ideals . As well as stop them from turning back in to the savages they were before. It was also morally justifiable too to preserve the Southern society.

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When thinking of a Southern Belle what first comes to mind is how they are told to act.  They are usually reserved but also flirtatious with the gentleman of the high society South.

These girls were used by their families to create connections with others either it be through marriage or on their attractiveness so that they can attend certain events. At most Southern Belles were used by their families to showcase the amount of wealth that they have and to promote their status in societal situations.

Not only were they a symbol for the family but also for the man or potential suitor for the Belle. If he chooses a good bride it will not only make him look more favorable for having married the Belle. This also helps elevate his status more as well.

What I am trying to say about these girls is that they were being promoted like they are objects to buy at a store. Less so of the individual and what they are as a person but how they present themselves in society and through societal norms.

I retrieved this information from the same site I have been using and compiled all the information I learned about the way in which they attribute to society.

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Education was relatively new for women at this time. Female colleges were just opening up and higher education for women was slowly being accepted. For the south this was a bit different, since they already have a lack of factories to manufacture things everything had to be imported. This then made it so their education was also imported in to the south.

They took on certain aspects of this education they imported and implemented and tweaked it with the ways of the southern life. This was also for just those like Southern Belles, that are high in society and have the money to afford it and to use it in public settings.

The secondary school became a symbol of how classy they were and high up in society they were. It was those who received the second education that were perceived to be more eligible and wanted as a wife. It would also determine how good of a wife she would be if her education was good. Though this did not help them not be inferior to men, but only increase the amount of how attractive they are for marriage.

The information I used is from:
http://projects.leadr.msu.edu

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A southern belle is a girl that is to form a lady of the society. They were suppose to be captivating to the men, but also untouchable to them as well. Almost like dolls on the shelf that people can see them but not touch.
Fashion is important like in my last post. They had to stay up to date with their look in order to maintain their status. Though sometimes keeping up with fashion trends is looked down upon. Some families don’t think that a southern lady should concern herself with such trivial things. And what they should be concerned with their husband and having a family only.
They believed that this is the way a lady should act in the eyes of church. They thought that what their life was like is the true way of living as a woman.

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The south was a mostly well to do society. They used their clothes to accentuate their wealth and status, it was definitely important at this time for the women to  showcase themselves in grand dress. This was all to represent their family to others in society.

Most of our ideas of a southern belle style from this time period is not actually their day outfits, but their evening outfits that they would wear out and amongst their peers. The most interesting thing to not about evening wear is that it was the only time a woman could show skin. This would of course be the chest, neck, and shoulders this way of dress was forbidden at an earlier time of day.

I received this information from: http://projects.leadr.msu.edu/uniontodisunion/exhibits/show/the-history-of-the-southern-be/southern-belle-fashion

They cover a lot on the reason and how to tell status of a particular belle. I believe I will go more in depth with southern belle history on this page, as it seems interesting to note the ideas of their wealth and power of the south through the women.

In this scene in Gone with the Wind you can see how the day wear of a southern belle may look. White with high neck:
https://youtu.be/3jWMPvv-AJM

In this scene you can see Scarlet wearing a evening gown. She flaunts her wealth with the big pattern on her dress as well as the silk details:
https://youtu.be/NTW3WzHGQMU

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Women have not always been as lucky as they are now. Not saying things are great now, but during the 1830s-1860s women were just starting to be strong and stand up for themselves. Fuller took on the idea to tackle what it means to be human and a women at that time. My favorite thing that came out of the essay she wrote was that, women if they can stand on their own and be more educated can possibly make men like them even more. I thought that was such a witty remark on Fullers behalf. She basically makes a jab at men that women can be more than a blank canvas, and that if they are they could surprise men and keep up with them and maybe excite them more than normally. She pioneered and made way for the beginning of women’s rights movement. She was The first upfront feminist that strove for all women to be able to become who they want to be.

This is just an introduction to this padlet for now, soon I want to dive in to social life, fashion, outlooks somemore, and overall treatment of women.

As Fuller inteoduced women’s rights I am introducing the Women’s Antebellum period through her as well.