polite as fuck

Members of the Russian Imperial court in 17th-century dress at the Winter Palace costume ball of 1903

The 1903 ball in the Winter Palace was a luxurious ball during the reign of the Emperor Nicholas II of Russia. It was held in the Winter Palace, Saint Petersburg, in two stages, on February 11 and 13. All the visitors were in bejeweled 17th-century style costumes, made from designs by the artist Sergey Solomko, in collaboration with historical experts.

Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovitch recalled the occasion as “the last spectacular ball in the history of the empire … [but] a new and hostile Russia glared through the large windows of the palace … while we danced, the workers were striking and the clouds in the Far East were hanging dangerously low.”

1. Grand Duchess Elizaveta Fyodorovna 2. Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna Romanova 3. Grand Duke Andrei Valdimirovich 4. Countess Woronzow-Daschkow, nee Orlow, as a Cossack woman 5.  Baroness Emma Freederiksz 6.  Konstantin Gorchakov 7.  Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

“Unf dude” - My Girlfriend after seeing these photos.

I agree.