Lots of good points in this thread!
I read somewhere, years ago, that sometimes parents would delay one daughter a year or so (if they were close in age) and bring out another a little early in order to consolidate to fewer "Seasons" because it cost SO MUCH.
Another factor in the marriagable age debate is menarche used to usually not come until girls were 13, 14 or even 15. It's another reason why having Lydia Bennet "out" at 15 was so shocking. She really wasn't far out of girlhood.
I read somewhere, years ago, that sometimes parents would delay one daughter a year or so (if they were close in age) and bring out another a little early in order to consolidate to fewer "Seasons" because it cost SO MUCH.
Another factor in the marriagable age debate is menarche used to usually not come until girls were 13, 14 or even 15. It's another reason why having Lydia Bennet "out" at 15 was so shocking. She really wasn't far out of girlhood.