A couple of centuries ago, when one did not have technology aiding one’s rather desperate attempts at flirtation, “picking up” girls was a rather tedious job; people had to resort to other means, such as, say, handwritten notes. Now, American men of the 19th century had some other rather ingenious, if not extremely cheesy tricks up their fashionable sleeves. Allow us to introduce you to the once famous, and, we are led to believe, somewhat successful means of picking up a lady you absolutely adore: “escort cards”, or, more elegantly, an “invitation card”. Once all the rage in 19th-century America, these cards – not exactly the preference of members in higher ranks of society – were used by “the less formal male” looking for a casual encounter, to invite the “less formal female” to accompany him home.

Alan Mays, collector of such cards and other historical oddities, says that these cards were used as a means of introduction and were never taken too seriously; they usually had pick-up lines that will leave you in splits, but also leave you slightly impressed!

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