Guest Blogger: Fancy Friday

Fancy Friday (Ashley Brooke Style) by Janine

For my final post this week, I first want to thank Ashley for so graciously asking me to be a guest blogger all those months ago and then being patient with me as I delt with life. I have enjoyed writing these posts especially for this blog, and I hope that you have enjoyed reading them. If you choose to delve into my blog, you’ll find that I don’t ever mean to sound pretentious or snotty, I’m just a gal, learning along with the rest of you. My mother and grandmother taught me that manners and etiquette are important in order to make others feel more comfortable around you. Thank you all for being patient with me as attempted to fill Ashley’s shoes this week.

On to what I call Fancy Friday on my blog. This is a special day where I talk about something that isn’t customary in today’s society or that isn’t widely known or understood. Today I’ll briefly introduce beach huts to you. I know, we’re all picturing some straw-roofed structure that has stilts in the water in the tropics...but these are a bit different.

Although brightly colored beach huts have existed in Port Philip, Australia as far back as the mid nineteenth century, they are part of an essentially British landscape. Formerly, Victorian morals dictated that “bathing machines” were towed a little way into the sea to protect the modesty of nervous bathers. In the Edwardian era it became acceptable for both sexes to be seen in bathing costumes and many of the machines were left on the beaches with their wheels removed. Councils frowned upon those who changed under cover of a voluminous Mackintosh coat and thus provided further huts and deck chairs, often decorated with stripes, which is why those are still a cliche´ today.

Thank you again for reading my posts this week, I look forward to making new friends and I couldn't be more pleased with Ashley and her designs. Should you choose to find me, my blog is called The Pink Teapot.

~ Janine