Pink Hen Party L Plate With Feathers

Product Information

At Last Night of Freedom, we know how important it is that everyone around you knows that you are celebrating a hen do – and having the time of your lives. We have been in the stag and hen do game since 1999, so we know a thing or two about accessorising for the special occasion and hen party badges are a staple. Our range of hen do badges will ensure you won’t awkwardly forget anyone’s name on the big weekend. From classy floral numbers to wearing willies with pride, we have hen night badges appropriate for any bride tribe. Bags of badges. The hen party as we know it, has only been called a hen party since around the 1960s. Before that, there were a variety of workplace rituals, called a variety of names, (depending on where you lived in the UK), such as ‘ribbon girl’, ‘pay off’, ‘taking out’, ‘jumping the chanty’, and the ‘bride’s ritual’. It is uncertain when these rituals arose, but they have been in existence in the factories and offices of Great Britain for at least a century. The term ‘hen party’ is first heard of in America in the late 19thcentury, and originally had nothing to do with weddings. Hen parties were the main social event of the week for middle and upper class women, who would meet in each other’s homes, play a game of cards, and have afternoon tea (and occasionally a glass or two of Champagne). This craze found its way to Britain in the early 20th century, gradually waning around the time of the Second World War. The War saw the beginning of massive social change for women in Britain. They had, after all, kept the country running while the men were away fighting – running farms, working in munitions factories, and generally doing jobs normally associated with men. Having experienced a degree of freedom and equality during the war years many women had no desire to return to the traditional roles they had had before the war. Times had changed and British society was gradually becoming more equal. The days of hen parties in the afternoon were over. The name, however, remained but it became used simply to describe any all-female get together. What's in a Name?

When you take part in your hen party, with the help of Last Night of Freedom, you are continuing an age old tradition of celebrating your final days or weeks as a single person with your closest friends and family. The switch from single to married may not seem such a big deal these days but in the past it certainly was, especially for a woman. Until the advent of reliable contraception in the 1960s there was a ‘marriage bar’ in the UK, which meant that there was a restriction on employing married women - the expectation being that they would soon fall pregnant. Women, then, were expected to give up work the day before their wedding and from that moment on, their lives would revolve around doing the housework and caring for their husband and children. Name and Shame – We don’t want you forgetting anyone’s names on the hen weekend. The Horny Devil and Little Angel Name Tags are a fun way to subtly get everyone to write down their names. How are you supposed to know what the bride-to-be’s second cousin twice removed is called anyway? Once you and all the girls are all familiar, now the bride-to-be can start to call you out on your actions. The Saucy Girls Night Out Badges lets everyone know who’s the naughty one, who is often dizzy after one to many and who is an undeniable flirt. The Set of Hen Night Badges will unite all the girls and let the lads know who’s on the prowl and who’s a bit of a diva… The final day at work was a day of fun – though usually not for the bride! It was customary for the bride-to-be to be dressed up by her work colleagues as a ‘bride’ – in a bridal gown and veil made from an old net curtain, or an old coat decorated with paper flowers. Her colleagues would write rude messages – usually related to sex – and pin them to her dress or coat. She would then have to read them out, much to the hilarity of her workmates. (Incidentally, the L-plate is a relatively new addition – they weren’t introduced to the UK until 1935 – and were worn by the bride to symbolise the fact that she was about to ‘learn’ about sex.) She would then be marched around her place of work, where her colleagues could make fun of her. After that, she would be taken outside and either tied to a lamppost or she would be paraded round her town or village, often ending up in a pub, where she might be forced to kiss strangers (men, of course), sometimes in exchange for money. Times have not changed in that regard – the hen party is still regarded as a chance to move the bride out of her comfort zone. Sisters are doin' it for themselves Evolution of the Hen Party By the 1980s the hen party had become a rather boring affair. It was simply a night at the pub with a few girlfriends. There would usually be a few gifts of (what was then) considered to be a risqué nature – such as condoms. But generally that was it. There was very little dressing up and if there was it was bride only. The days of the team T-shirt were not yet upon us. By the 1990s the hen party looked in danger of fading away into oblivion. It had long since lost its relevance, and for a tradition to continue it has to remain relevant, or fun, or preferably both. One of the principal reasons it was losing its relevance was that it was no longer truly a Last Night of Freedom for most women, as by this time many couples were living together before marriage. Fortunately, the days of the women staying at home preparing supper while the men went to the pub had gone. At Last Night of Freedom, we want the bride-to-be’s to look incredible on their hen night. This is a once in a lifetime occasion (we hope), so it’s important to incorporate all the essential hen do accessories. We’ve been in the stag and hen do game since 1999, so we know a thing or two about how to look your best at a hen party. L plates are a timeless tradition which can’t be ignored. Our range of pink and pretty motoring accessories will make it impossible not to incorporate these into your hen weekend. Watch out – there’s a learner on the roads! Mirror, signal, party manoeuvre.