When Is it Appropriate to Wear a Corsage?
A girl or woman wears a corsage to show that she is a significant part of a special celebration. A corsage, or tiny bouquet, is a single bloom often embellished with tiny foliage, smaller flowers like baby's breath, ribbon and lace. It is traditionally pinned just below the left collarbone, close to the heart. Corsages can also be worn on the left wrist, dress waistline, neck, ankle, handbag or hair.
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Weddings and Anniversaries
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Corsages can be worn to weddings, receptions and other affairs celebrating nuptials. The bride selects corsages for mothers of the bride and groom, the bridal party and relatives to include sisters, cousins and aunts, which distinguishes them from the other guests. The sizes, colors and styles may vary. For example, a corsage for the mother of the groom may be larger and of a different color than that of a distant relative. The rules that apply to weddings also apply for wedding anniversaries.
Formal Dances
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Corsages can be worn to balls, proms and other formal dances. Some dances are considered rites of passage, and the corsage is a gift to honor the occasion.
A debutante ball, for example, introduces a young lady into polite society. Prom is a springtime ritual for high school students. Traditionally, the boy gives his date a corsage that matches her dress or gown. However, anyone attending a formal dance can wear a corsage, such as alumni, chaperones and teachers. Some popular choices are roses, orchids, carnations and lilies. -
Birthdays, Quincenearas and Bat Mitzvahs
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Guests of honor can wear corsages to birthday parties and quincenearas and bat mitzvahs. A teen's parents or grandparents can give her a corsage to recognize her transition from childhood to adulthood. Teens often wear corsages to their 16th birthday party or, in some cultures, a quinceanera, which honors her 15th birthday or a bat mitzvah, held during the 12th or 13th year of a Jewish girl's life.
Bridal and Baby Showers
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A bridal shower is a perfect occasion for the bride-to-be to wear a corsage, given to her by the bridal party or shower hostess. It makes a perfect wedding keepsake. A baby shower also is an appropriate occasion for the mother-to-be to wear a corsage. The ribbon embellishment could be pink for a baby girl, blue for a baby boy or yellow if the hostess does not know if the baby will be a boy or a girl.
Holidays
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It is appropriate for a child to give his or her mother a corsage to wear on Mother's Day. Roses or carnations are popular choices. Christmastime and Easter are significant holidays. A woman can commemorate those events by wearing a corsage to a religious service, poinsettias and lilies are popular choices.
Graduations
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It is appropriate for graduates to wear a corsage to the ceremony. According to Emily Post, the corsage can be a gift from a guest, family member or friend. The single bloom and the ribbon can be the school's colors. It lets the graduate know you are thinking of them and you recognize the importance of her education.
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References
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