The Victorian Ladies Language of Fans - By: Luanne Reilly Oda

Hand fans are known to be in existence for thousands of years, many being depicted in ancient hieroglyphics and ancient art. Did you know that there were gold fans found in the tomb of the famous King Tutankhamun? Fans were not only used for the obvious practical uses of cooling or driving insects away, but also for ceremonial and even religious purposes.

There became time when no fashionable ladies wardrobe would be complete without a hand fan. It was during the Victorian era that these utilitarian objects became a part of “high” fashion. Fans of iniquity may have been made from palm branches, ostrich feathers, or even woven grasses. Now Victorian ladies would have been able to find fans in a wide variety of styles and prices. From everyday inexpensive paper souvenir fans to the much more elaborate fans, the choices were widely varied. Some of the more expensive fans were literally small pieces of art, some even being inlaid with 14K gold and real jewels.

The ladies of this era began to compose a detailed "unspoken" language of the fan. It was important for the gentlemen of the time to understand this language so as not to interpret the ladies meaning incorrectly. It could be quite embarrassing to interpret a young ladies indication of I hate you, for I love you, or vise versa!

Here are a few examples of this mysterious language of Victorian Fans:


If a young lady held her fan to her lips, it begged a kiss

Carrying in right hand in front of face meant follow me
Carrying in left hand meant desiring an acquaintance

Dropping it meant friendship only

Drawing it across her eyes meant an apology

The fan placed near the heart signaled You have won my love

Did she hide the eyes behind an open fan ~ I love you

Opening and closing the fan several times ~ You are cruel

Drawing through her hand ~ I hate you

Drawing across the eyes ~ I am sorry

Letting the fan rest on the left cheek signaled no
Letting the fan rest on the right cheek signaled yes

Fan opened wide meant wait for me

Fanning slowly meant I am married

Fanning quickly meant I am engaged

Twirling the fan in left hand ~ I wish to get rid of you
Twirling in right hand ~ I love another

Drawing across the forehead
~ You are being watched ~

Now that you know a little bit of the language of the fan, pick up a ladies hand fan and silently speak. Have fun!

Did you know that in Victorian times the ladies had an "unspoken" langugae of fans? A way to communicate without ever saying a word!

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