Clubs and Salons of the Golden Age

The culture of the early Golden Age gave rise to many unique and interesting social practices. One of the most enduring was the formation of clubs and salons among the elite of high society. Traditionally(and exclusively for at least the first 3 centuries) clubs were strictly for men and salons for women.

Salons

The salons were all informal and rarely had names. They came in two forms. The first acted as a sort of finishing school for young ladies of means. A well-respected older woman would gather together a cadre of teenage girls and instruct them in the ways of womanhood and high society. This often included exclusive tutoring and gave rise to some of the finest minds of the era.

The second was even less formal and were made up of loose associations of like-minded women. They usually met at a specific house(usually one which hosted a younger salon) and gathered for social activities. Sport