The Elegant Origins of “Bon Ton” — A Journey Through Language, Style, and Society
At BON TON goods, elegance is not just an aesthetic—it is a legacy. The name bon ton carries with it centuries of cultural resonance, woven into the fabric of European aristocracy, New World refinement, and timeless style. But what does bon ton really mean, and where does it come from?
To understand its meaning is to trace the very idea of good taste, civility, and social grace across time and continents.
Bon Ton: From the French Court
The phrase bon ton originates from the French language, where it literally translates as “good tone.” In the context of 17th- and 18th-century French society, le bon ton referred to impeccable manners, refined dress, and a polished sense of decorum. It was an intangible quality possessed by those who moved with ease and poise through the most rarefied circles—most often at the court of Versailles.
To be du bon ton was to embody the unspoken codes of elite society. It was not only about fashion or wealth, but about comportment—the way one carried oneself, conversed, and participated in polite society. It was effortless, yet exacting. Natural, yet acquired.
The English Regency: Bon Ton Goes Abroad
During the Regency era in England (1811–1820), French culture held tremendous influence over the aristocracy and fashionable elite. The term bon ton was adopted into English parlance, where it came to describe the upper echelons of society—the glittering world of dukes and debutantes, soirées and salons. Jane Austen herself references “the ton” in her letters and novels, denoting those individuals who were considered à la mode—the trendsetters of society.
The Regency ton (shortened from bon ton) was a semi-exclusive class of nobility and wealth, governed not just by titles and fortunes, but by taste. To belong to the ton meant adhering to a strict (and often unwritten) code of social behavior—just the right dressmaker, just the right club, just the right carriage at just the right hour. One could not simply buy one’s way in.
Here, bon ton transformed from a phrase into an institution of style.
Bon Ton in Creole Society: Freedom Belonging and Grace
The influence of bon ton extended far beyond Europe. In colonial New Orleans and other centers of Francophone Creole culture, the term found new life. Among the gens de couleur libres—the free people of color—and the French-speaking elite of the Americas, bon ton described an educated, graceful, and socially adept individual. Whether attending a masked ball or hosting an elegant supper, to display bon ton was to demonstrate cultural fluency, sophistication, and refinement.
In these contexts, bon ton was more than fashion. It became a tool of social mobility and cultural identity, signaling one’s belonging in a refined and cosmopolitan world, regardless of origin.
A Legacy Reimagined: BON TON goods
At BON TON goods, we embrace this rich and layered history. Our name is a tribute to centuries of cultivated beauty, unspoken elegance, and artisanal excellence. Just as bon ton once defined the style and spirit of the most discerning circles in Paris, London, and New Orleans, so too does it define our approach to curation today.
We offer pieces that reflect the same ideals: a perfect balance of tradition and taste, artistry and intention. From hand-crafted ceramics by Danish master Erik Bendtsen to the rarefied scents of Astier de Villatte and Trudon, everything at BON TON goods is chosen with care—and always with an eye toward that elusive, enduring quality: bon ton.
Because good taste never goes out of style. It only evolves—and lives on.