With prom and wedding season upon us, you’ll probably hear a lot about corsages right now. These flowers that are worn on the wrist are usually given to prom dates (or dance dates) as a tradition before going to the big dance. The guy will usually make the extra effort to go out of his way to get a corsage that matches his date’s dress or flower preference and then present it to her once he picks her up for the prom. Families make a big deal of it, often photographing the moment he places it on her wrist before he whisks her off to their final high school dance (that is if they’re seniors). But a corsage can also be pinned to a dress, yet many prefer to wear it on the wrist so that it doesn’t ruin the outfit. It’s really a magical moment for all and an amazing tradition for prom and other special affairs like graduations, weddings and even milestone birthdays. But have you ever wondered where the tradition first stared and why it first began? Probably not because it’s become one of those traditions we all just follow and not ask questions about. To help you better understand the tradition, we’ve compiled some cool and interesting facts about the corsage! What does “corsage” mean? The word “corsage” is actually a French word and refers to the bodice of a woman’s dress. The term first originated since it was first pinned to the bodice of their dresses. These pinned flowers were considered to be “bouquet de corsage,” and as time went on it was simply shortened to just the term “corsage.” Where the idea for pinned flowers came from Back in ancient times, flowers were used to ward off evil spirits, especially when people would go to special events. These special herbs and flowers they used on their clothing were supposed to be effective at keeping evil away, especially during special occasions like weddings, birthdays and more. And those apart of the celebration wore flowers on themselves to keep themselves safe from evil. But it wasn’t just women who wore these pinned flowers, but men, too, because the thought of evil spirits scared everyone. During the 16th and 17th centuries, these corsages were often worn daily, but over time, it just became a tradition reserved for special occasions. The romance of a corsage Once more effective ways of handling illnesses were discovered, less people would use corsages to ward off evil spirits. Then it became more of a luxury item to wear during courting. A gentleman would get his date a corsage as a gift for a dance or other special event as a sign of respect for her and her family. The guy would pin the flowers to his date’s dress and they’d be off for a memorable night! So now the corsage symbolized an attachment to another person and were given to show affection and love on special occasions. They were also given to women on other days like Easter, Mother’s Day and birthdays as a symbol of love. In modern times, a corsage has kept its romantic notions and has evolved from being worn on the bodice of a dress to being worn around the wrist. Corsages are also pressed and preserved after the special occasions to serve as beautiful mementos. Enchanted Florist in Scottsdale, AZ offers a variety of corsage styles for a number of special events, so give us a call for all of your corsage needs at 480-994.1758. You can also order online at https://www.enchantedfloristaz.com