Part 12 (2/2)
Informal occasions, however, give very short notice, and it is well to use the word ”informal” in the invitation, that guests may not put themselves to inconvenience as regards dress. It must be remembered that this term is too often misleading in its nature, and many a sensitive guest has been seriously annoyed by finding herself, after a too literal interpretation of the ”informal” character of the entertainment, in a crowd of gay b.u.t.terflies, a misuse of the word that should be seriously protested against.
Invitations to evening parties and private b.a.l.l.s are less elaborate than formerly; the word ”party” or ”ball” is never used unless on the occasion of some public affair, such as a charity ball, but any especial feature of the evening may be mentioned in the invitation.
To an evening party where dancing may, or may not, be a feature of the entertainment, the following, either engraved or written on a small sheet of note paper, is a very good form:
[Ill.u.s.tration:
_Mrs. Stuyvesant Wentworth_
_Requests the pleasure of the company of_
_Mr. and Mrs. Mark Cowden,_
_On Wednesday evening, July 4th,_
_At nine o' clock._
_Informal._]
All invitations are to be considered as ”formal” unless the word ”informal” appears on the card. If the card states that the entertainment is to be ”informal,” the invited guest is fully justified in considering it so, and dressing accordingly. Neither host, hostess, nor other guests can take any exception if the invitation is treated just as it reads.
If dancing is the feature of the evening, the same form may be used with the word ”Dancing” added in the lower left hand corner. Or:
[Ill.u.s.tration:
_Mrs. John Burrows,_
_At Home,_
_Thursday evening, October first,_
_At nine o'clock._
_1080 LeFrance Avenue._
_Quadrilles at ten._]
If the ball is at a public place, as at Delmonico's, in New York, the following form is appropriate, always making use, in case of so public an entertainment, of the host's name in connection with that of the hostess:
[Ill.u.s.tration:
_Mr. and Mrs. George Douglas_
_Request the pleasure of your company,_
_Thursday evening, December twelfth,_
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