Long before emojis, ghosting, and sending a “u up?” text at 2am, people were still trying to get it on — they just had way fancier methods. According to a recent BBC article, folks in the 1800s had secret codes of courtship. We’re talking hand fan signals, handkerchief drops, and flower arrangements that basically said, “I like you, let’s make out behind the stable.”

Yep, flirting used to be a full-on performance art. You had to learn how to hold a fan just right to mean “follow me” instead of “leave me alone, you human wallpaper.” One misplaced flutter and boom — you’re getting married to the wrong cousin. High stakes.

Here are some of our favorite throwback dating “languages” and what they’d look like today:

Victorian Flower Code

• Then: “I’m giving you a yellow carnation to say I’m disappointed in you.”

• Now: “I left you on read.”

Fan Language

• Then: Covering your left cheek with your fan = “I’m interested.”

• Now: Sending an accidental Instagram like from 43 weeks back = “I’ve cyber-stalked you and I’m down.”

Handkerchief Signals

• Then: Dropping a hankie near a guy = “Please pick this up so we can flirt and possibly elope.”

• Now: Dropping a thirst trap on your story and hoping they swipe up with a fire emoji.

Honestly, it’s kind of sweet. People went to incredible lengths to flirt without getting kicked out of church or publicly shamed by Aunt Mildred. And let’s be real — dating hasn’t gotten less complicated. We just swapped out fans and flowers for DMs and disappearing snaps.

So what’s the takeaway?
Whether it’s hiding a message in a bouquet or decoding a triple-like on your profile, humans will always find weird, creative ways to say “I like you.” Some are subtle, some are steamy, and some are… TikTok dances?

Whatever your style — old-school romantic or modern-day emoji poet — just remember: communication is sexy. And you don’t need a floral codebook to shoot your shot.

Now go forth and drop that metaphorical handkerchief. Or, y’know, just send a flirty message on OBC. No fan required.