"The Bals des Victimes, or victims' balls, were balls that were said to have been put on by dancing societies after the Reign of Terror. Those who attended the orgiastic balls reportedly wore mourning clothes or elaborate costumes with crepe armbands signifying mourning. The style of dress at such a ball was known by some as the "costume à la victime." Women, and by some accounts men too, wore a red ribbon or string around their necks at the point of a guillotine blade's impact. Both men and women attending the balls were said to have worn or cut their hair in a fashion that bared their necks in a manner reflecting the haircut given the victim by the executioner. The Victim's Ball music reflects those times in a slightly tongue and cheek mood