Wednesday, January 07, 2015

The Southern Belle Primer or Why Princess Margaret Will Never Be A Kappa Kappa Gamma





This is a very short little book but chock full of absolutely hilarious "rules" required to follow to be a Southern Belle.  A surprising list of those who make it and those who don't -- Lynda Johnson, where WERE your white kid gloves?

While this comes across as being a satirical work, and I suppose it is, any girl (we are always girls, you know) from the south, especially growing up in the 50's, 60's and prior, will recognize many of the traditions listed in this book.  Anybody from the North reading this will think it is a joke but it isn't. 

While the book focuses on the "elite" class of places like San Antonio, Dallas and Mobile, most of the traditions laughed at discussed were part of our everyday life.  I still won't wear white shoes before Easter and would never think of wearing them after Labor Day.  We all dressed up with gloves and hats and I still never feel "dressed" without stockings.  The "wash and wear hair" doesn't do much for me either -- how DO we live without AquaNet?  I think the funniest part of the book was the concept of "tacky".  We STILL judge things by their tackiness -- it is just part of who we are.  Now, in regards to wanting to be buried facing Nieman-Marcus -- hmm... that would have to be in my backyard because we just live down the street from NM. 

I really enjoyed this book -- read it in one sitting -- it is that entertaining and that short -- and all it made me want to do was make a casserole and a gelatin salad -- with a dollop of Hellmann's. 

Read it -- you won't regret it.


7 comments:

Frugally challenged said...

I knew you would educate me – I know when Easter is(!) but Labor Day I had to check and Nieman-Marcus had me totally floored. Good to know that other nations have their own inexplicable ideas of propriety and you don’t leave insanity to us Brits!

Boyett-Brinkley said...

Oh Mary! No, we have our quirks for sure! I failed to mention the deviled egg plate. Deviled eggs are a mainstay of almost any social event -- and chicken salad! I will admit -- I have a deviled egg plate! It was a hilarious read even though it pokes fun at us Southern Belles!

Frugally challenged said...

OK then, educate me further - what is a devilled egg!!!!!

Boyett-Brinkley said...

I am sure you have an equivalent in the UK but just by another name. You hard boil a bunch of eggs and let them cool. Peel the shell and cut them in half lengthwise. You remove all the yolks without messing up the whites because you are going to keep those. Put the yokes in a bowl and mash them up. To the mashed egg yolks you add some mayonnaise, some mustard which gives them the spicy taste, some chopped dill pickle and maybe a little onion power. You mix that all up and then put it back in the egg whites using a small spoon. You refrigeration, for sure, and then serve as an appetizer. I haven't made them in ages but now that I think about it, maybe I will make some this weekend. If I do I will take pics and post them. Now, the chicken salad you take cooked white meat chicken and chop it up. Traditionally you add chopped egg and mayonnaise and that is it -- you use it on white bread with the crusts cut off. I make my chicken salad a little different -- I use the chicken and then add grapes or golden raisins, celery, some nuts if nobody eating it is allergic and mayonnaise. We sometimes stuff tomatoes with it or make sandwiches with it or just serve it on a lettuce leaf. This is all very summery fare.

Boyett-Brinkley said...

I forgot -- a deviled egg plate is a serving plate with little indentations that are egg shaped and the eggs fit right in them and then they are sliding all slippery all over a regular plate.

Frugally challenged said...

Coo, a special plate just for eggs! Tuppence to talk to you!

Boyett-Brinkley said...

You know, it sounds so silly when explained. They look very colorful though! My husband doesn't like eggs like that though. I guess he isn't truly a Southern Gentleman -- can't call him Rhett!

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