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Apr 21, 2020 · It was believed that bad smells caused disease. For the Victorians it was obvious; in poor districts, the air was foul and the death rate high and in the prosperous suburbs, no smells – therefore no disease. This belief was shared by renowned Victorian nurse Florence Nightingale (1820-1910).
Oct 13, 2016 · By the 18th century, a new category of decorative deodorizers arrived in the form of small vases called tussie-mussies, which could be pinned to one’s clothing or held in the hand, so that one’s nostrils were never far from a fragrant bouquet of sweet-smelling posies.
May 22, 2024 · Whether tussie-mussie was thought of as a sacred, profane or practical phrase, it was not a typical term used by Victorians for these floral arrangements. Instead they are referred to as...
- Danielle Herring
Jun 15, 2021 · Victorians could send their heartfelt, coded messages in “Tussie Mussies”, small, fragrant nosegays of carefully chosen flowers and herbs, tied with lace, ribbon, or wrapped in doilies.
- They Have Medieval Roots. A “tussie” is a nosegay, a Middle English word for a small group of flowers held together in a little bouquet and that was held at nose level; “mussie” refers to the moss that was moistened and put around the stems of the flowers to keep them from wilting.
- They Were Popularized by Queen Victoria. The term tussie-mussie (also tussy-mussy) dates back to the reign of trend-setter Queen Victoria (1837-1901), who was fond of carrying these little floral bouquets wherever she went.
- They Went Hand in Hand with Floriography. Tussie-mussies also became important vehicles for floriography (language of flowers), one of the Victorians’ favorite preoccupations that they elevated to an art form.
- They Were a Popular Gift for Courtship. It was common practice at the beginning of a relationship for the gentleman to give the lady a tussie-mussie, and she had to be careful about how she wore the flowers on her dress: If she pinned it to the “cleavage of bosom,” that would be bad news for him, since that signified friendship; tussie-mussies held pointing downward were also a sign of rejection.
Oct 25, 2021 · Originally called talking bouquets and word posies, tussie-mussies are sweet smelling and symbolic flower arrangements that Victorians exchanged in lieu of written greetings. Today Geraldine Laufer, a floral poet, revives the art of tussie-mussies and shows how to make them in this full color celebration of craft, lore, and language.
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Jun 4, 2018 · The tussie-mussie was a small cone-shaped ladies accessory that would hold sweet smelling flowers and herbs wrapped in dampened moss. The word “tussie” is a Middle English expression referring to a small bouquet of flowers, while the “mussie” part nods to the moss wrapped around the stems to keep the flowers fresh.
