10 Pick-Up Lines From History That Wouldn't Work Today
8. "Look At Me Pressing This Fan Against My Face"
In Victorian fan language, there were over 50 ways to secretly communicate with other people in a room. Using your fan to move your hair away from your forehead, for example, meant, 'Dont forget me. In many ways, it seems quite an appealing idea. You could talk to your secret lover without your family or friends ever finding out. However, any absent-minded movements could accidentally accept a proposal of marriage, or inform the unpleasant gentleman across the room that you fancied a smooch. The woman in this picture is holding the fan wide open over her face, which means she might be saying, 'Go away', 'Wait for me' or, 'You're ugly'. It's all very confusing and perhaps a little too subtle for modern society. But then they might have said the same about our emoticon etiquette and the subtext behind how many kisses we leave in Facebook message.
