A Brief History of the Toilet
The toilette is a ritual of dressing and grooming that began with royal families and was then adopted by the upper classes. It became an important part of the social life for both men and women, as it reflected wealth and status. A toilette may include a bath, perfume, shaving, combs, and brush, as well as a toilet seat and lid. Toilets can be made of porcelain, concrete, steel, wood or glass and are often shaped to provide comfort to the user. Modern toilets are designed to be as efficient and comfortable as possible with features such as dual flushing, urinal screens and bidets. Some even have a seat warmer and air purifiers.
In the past, a toilette would have consisted of a cloth covering that hung to the floor and covered a dressing table. It could be adorned with lace and flowers. In the eighteenth century, the toilette was a symbol of femininity, and women adorned themselves in fine clothing before leaving the house. An elaborate toilette was usually worn for going to the theatre. A lace dress and a pretty hat were essential for the toilette, although some women wore a simple robe over a chiffon slip.
A toilette was also the place for a woman to apply her makeup. The art of applying make-up was an important skill for a woman, as it made her look beautiful for her husband or lovers. It was also important for women to keep their hair clean and combed. Many ladies spent a great deal of time doing their hair, including arranging it and braiding it. The toilette was also the place for women to adorn themselves with jewelry and perfume, and to show off their wealth by wearing expensive dresses.
Another important function of the toilette was to preserve a woman’s virginity before marriage. A tampon was a mass of cotton wrapped around a string, and it was believed that tampons prevented sperm from entering the hymen and fertilizing the egg. Women were advised to change their tampons frequently, as they would absorb more if they waited too long between changes.
Despite its obvious function, the toilette was also a place of sexual allure and power. It was a place where women could demonstrate their sexuality and eroticism, as is evident in Watteau’s painting of Celia. The bird motif in the painting suggests that the toilette is a symbol of sexual receptivity, and the cat is positioned between the woman’s legs, a traditional symbol of sexual receptivity.
Swift’s satire of the toilette highlights the way in which it was viewed as a feminine practice that was detrimental to true manhood. The article cites several articles that would have been customary to make up a toilette, and mocks how the act of making one’s toilette is indicative of an effeminate character. A true man, Thurston argues, should be hardy and unfeminine, not caught up in a sense of vanity that involves beautifying the body.