Your CartIt wasn’t until my Mom and and I moved to the states long ago that I met my first kleenex. I always had a freshly pressed handkerchief in my pocket {that I used for all sorts of things besides blowing my nose} – when I was little they were child sized, with pretty designs and my monogram embroidered on one small corner. My first American teacher kept a big box of kleenex on her desk for students. Perplexed, I tried one to wipe off my watery eye, and found it severely lacking! Here are six reasons why you should always carry a handkerchief with you. Trust me on this.
Since my first kleenex experience – it was a sticky mess because I got half a tissue stuck in my eyelashes! – I always have a clean, folded handkerchief in my purse or pocket every day. Do you?
{Albert Roosenboom-Public Domain}
History
The history of handkerchiefs is long, and {believe it or not!} hotly debated by scholars. You can read more about it here > Considered valuable enough to be listed in dowries, and bequeathed in wills. handkerchiefs through the ages have been a sign of wealth. Covered in expensive hand made lace in the 17th century and onward to show off wealth and status, the handkerchief became less of a status symbol as time went on.
Until Kleenex was invented in the 1920’s, handkerchiefs were something everyone had. Everyone. Not just for practical reasons, but also as a way to accessorize outfits in style. I for one have never lost sight of the charm of a beautiful handkerchief. There are so many reasons why you should always carry a handkerchief!
Why You Should Always Carry a Handkerchief
To Blow Your Nose
Not only does a soft handkerchief work better than a flimsy tissue, it’s much more gentle for your skin. The handkerchief won’t tear, it will help stifle sneezes in style.
Have a Good Cry
There is a reason many brides give their two moms handkerchiefs at the wedding. Whether you are crying tears of joy at a wedding, or a birth or baptism, or tears of sadness at a funeral, a real handkerchief is so much better than a tissue! I have at times offered a clean folded handkerchief to someone in church who was crying, telling them to keep it as my gift, and I can’t tell you how many new friends I’ve made like that! It’s a small gesture, with big rewards. {fact check – I’m keeping it real by telling you here that I’m not generous enough to give away a truly expensive antique hankie. sorry! I have a special selection of pretty but more practical handkerchiefs in my “give-away” pile!}
When You Get Hot
Sometimes, it’s just so hot! A real handkerchief is THE thing to delicately mop your brow in company. {I know, my mom’s upbringing to always act like a lady is showing!} If you have ever tried to wipe your sweaty self with a pack of tissue, you totally know what I’m talking about! A handkerchief works wonders when life, hot flashes or heat or all of them at once are forces to be reckoned with.
Clean Up
This may be icky, but honestly, I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve cleaned up my little people’s dirty little faces with a handkerchief! Hopefully water is around, but – don’t be disgusted – if not, a little spit works. {I know ewwww…but what is a Mom to do when little persons smear chocolate all over their face seconds before marching down the aisle as a bridesmaid?!!}
A handkerchief is a great help for lots of times when you need to clean something quickly. I try to remember to spritz a little cologne or lavender on my handkerchiefs because that really helps elevate my mood when I smell it!
Environmentally Friendly.
Probably the most important reason to carry a handkerchief. Not only does using real handkerchiefs help reduce the amount of paper, water and energy we waste as a society each year, it is very cost effective too! It’s a small thing, but small things all add up to big things.
Phone and Glasses Care
There are great products for cleaning your sunglasses, I know. The problem I have is that I don’t always have that with me. Other than having to clean my glasses with the inside of my shirt, {it happens!} a handkerchief is the perfect way to clean glasses without scratching the lenses. Same for your phone. I don’t know about you, but my phone gets make-up on it during the day sometimes. A good wipe down once in awhile with a clean handkerchief works wonders to clear up the screen when I can’t find my little special cloth thing.
Charming Style.
I know, I know, it’s totally old school! But isn’t there something charming and elegant about using a beautiful, well made handkerchief from your purse? As a little girl, I was always so enamored with my grandmama’s handkerchiefs, she always looked so stylish. Not matter where she was, if it was needed, she could pull a gorgeous handkerchief out of her French bag and offer it to me, or blow my nose, or cry into it softly. {her, not me, at that age I did not have crying softly in my vocabulary.}
When my Mom passed away and I went through her things, I kept every single one of her handkerchiefs, and the ones she inherited from grandmama, too. I use them, and each time I do, I get that little flutter of joy in my heart knowing they loved me, I loved them, and we were so blessed to do so. So I collect and use colorful vintage handkerchiefs, and pull them out of my own purse from time to time, hoping that my own girls and little people will find that a sweet memory of me, too!
There are so many reasons why you should carry a handkerchief! If I haven’t convinced you, there is a whole other reason to buy and cherish the antique and vintage handkerchiefs! They make for a beautiful collection! There are so many styles to choose from, and price points. From the extravagant hand embroidered wedding handkerchiefs that make a perfect gift for a new grandchild or a bride, to the colorful handkerchiefs covered in flowers from the 1940’s, each one is a gem!
If you are ready to begin a collection of hankies to enliven your every day style, help the environment, and so much more, we have a few fantastic handkerchiefs for you – antique and vintage, fancy and just plain fun!
Using Antique and Vintage {or even new} handkerchiefs, YES or NO??! I’d love to hear what you think!
A BIENTOT
Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and above all uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com
For those who don’t own or use handkerchiefs you are missing a great opportunity to share your love with others. Whenever I send a card for birthdays, get well wishes, sympathy or just a cheer you up message I always include some type of handkerchief in the card. You would be amazed at the happiness these little squares bring. My mother had a large collection of round ones which I would search out for her. When she passed, I thought the way to honor her would be to share her hankies. I still have many of hers and have kept the very special ones in my own collection. The colors, flowers, birds, lace always remind me of her. Start a collection. They can be very inexpensive or terribly expensive but your heart will lead you to the best ones for you and to share.
Rhea, what a wonderful idea. An idea that anyone can adopt, and one I’m certainly going to. It’s such an unexpected surprise, isn’t it, to find a special handkerchief in a sweet card. Brilliant!
Beautiful post, I have all of my mothers and my grandmothers handkerchiefs and I love them!
I love hearing that, Theresa! They are special, aren’t they, especially since handkerchiefs are so personal, often with the owner’s initial, or with colors or flowers she loved.
Hello Lidy,I love reading your posts and look forward to each one!
My dear aunt always carried a handkerchief and had the most beautiful collection which I inherited. I also have a few that she gifted me when I was growing up. I wholeheartedly agree that it is such an elegant practice and exceedingly practical. Sometimes when I am nostalgic, I will go through my linen drawer which has dresser scarves, doilies and handkerchiefs, admiring each one for its uniqueness and attention to detail. You have inspired me to adopt the practice of carrying a handkerchief; a perfect way to bring some beauty and refinement in a world where these lovely things are nearly forgotten.
If you haven’t already, I would love to see a post about dresser scarves and runners.
Hello Barbara, thank you so very much, that is so sweet of you to say. I’m so happy that you are inspired to carry a handkerchief, they are so handy!
My Mother and grandmothers also used handkerchiefs. They always had one in their purse or pocket. I did too for many years.
My husband depends on his. He has a lot of allergies. I dutifully ironed them for many years. One year his work sent him to work across country for 6 months. I did not go with him but visited him a few times. One day I asked where his iron and ironing board were so I could iron his handkerchiefs. He said “oh I’ve just been folding them right out of the dryer.” I haven’t ironed a handkerchief since.?
🙂 I love your story. I’ll admit, I don’t iron my every day handkerchiefs. My husband’s Dutch mother always always always ironed everything {she ironed my underwear when I first visited her as a young bride!!} but I just fold them right out of the dryer. The special ones, though, those I iron. Thank you for sharing. xo
I love this post, Lidy! I confess, I’m by and large a Kleenex kind of girl (simply because with some of the issues I have, a hankie wouldn’t suffice! But you are making me rethink NOT having one handy, especially for little spills (ever try dabbing a teeny spill with a kleenex or paper napkin? It doesn’t work!) and you make a great point about the glasses. Yours are so pretty. I have some lovely ones from my mom, grandma and aunt and they deserve to have better use than in my “special” box! (By the way, a naturalist friend once told me that spit works more effectively than many other options in cleaning up a potential stain — I tried it when my tinted chapstick melted and fell onto a yellow blouse leaving a pinkish stain. He was right!)
Jeanie, I hope you get out your pretty inherited hankies and use them! They will bring you such joy, because you will be thinking of the women you love.
Love hankies, I have a small collection. To display them I purchased a handmade spoon rack with a sweet little drawer to house the extras, I gently display 1 hankie in each spoon slot to show off their beauty, so feminine and beautiful to look at. Fun post to learn a little history on hankies!
Denise, another brilliant idea for displaying hankies! What a smart idea, plus it shows each one off for a while, and you can rotate the display.
My first ironing chore was to iron my fathers hankies. To this very day I iron my husbands hankies so that when he pulls one out of his pickets they are sparkling clean and well pressed. Many times he has come to my rescue with that hankie that I washed and ironed. My mother always had a pretty handkerchief in her purse with a dab of perfume on it. After she passed we found the last one she used in her purse smelling like her Youth Dew perfume. My husbands Aunt Isabelle who lived to be 98 had many hankies that I inherited. So dainty and with the effort to wash and iron.
Mine was too! My grandmother and mom probably would die to know that I only iron the special ones now, not the “everyday” hankies. I love that you inherited your husband’s Aunt Isabelle’s hankies!
I am a fan of dresser scarves and doilies. Have so many and, also, lovely guest towels. Really add a bit of charm.
I use, for my everyday silverware, a silver plate pattern by Oneida, “Grosvenor”. Silver plate today is not very expensive and collecting all the various serving pieces can be fun. Of course, it needs to be polished, but that can be fun, too. Looks so beautiful when freshly polished!
Oh …. I have many sweet hankies, too.
Mary Anna, you love all the things used for gracious living! Antique guest towels are so charming, aren’t they? Just like handkerchiefs, they carry so many memories of the past.
This is a wonderful post. I grew up carrying hankies. One of my favorite movies, modern day classic, is You’ve Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. I love the scene where Kathleen Kelly offers little Annabelle a hankie when she hears her sneeze. Annabelle has no idea what it is, so Kathleen explains its use and the sentimental value of the embroidered daisy. Kathleen is quite perplexed that kids don’t know what a handkerchief is any more!
Your post is lovely and educational for an inquiring mind. Thank you!
Sherry, I love that movie too, for many reasons! Hankies are a little square of magic, as far as I’m concerned.
Lidy, I loved reading this post! I carry a hanky and so does my husband. I’ll add another reason to your list. Since COVID arrived, I have reached for my hanky whenI didn’t want to touch a door or such with my hands. Then, of course, it goes into a little ziplock to be laundered. ?
Oh, and I have many vintage hankies from my mom and grandmother. I like to use the pretty embroidered ones as cocktail and luncheon napkins. They are also perfect for a bread basket liner.
Sarah, what a great idea to use pretty small ones as cocktail napkins, that is really thinking outside the box, just what I adore!!
A lovely post that brought back many wonderful memories of my grandmother, mom, and aunts who carried lovely handkerchiefs. Thanks you, Lidy!
Sharon, I love that a little post about handkerchiefs or an actual handkerchief can bring back joy to our hearts and memories, don’t you?
YES! I’ve inherited the handkerchiefs of my Grandma Meme, my Grandpa Henry, my darling daddy, my mother and aunts. I treasure them. The one of my grandpa’s is still in it’s box with his initials on it. My Meme purchased it as a gift to him for their wedding. It was made in Ireland. I never got to meet this wonderful man so I treasure it and look at it as he would have, admiring it and smiling. I plan to use several of my collection to make small quilted throws for my 2 granddaughters with the names of the women they belonged to embroidered on the edges. They’re at the top of my “project list”. Along with 3 other quilts I have to do! Yikes! Thanks for the wonderful post Lidy!
Blessings always, Edie Marie
Edie Marie, oh, how I love this!! And especially since you are planning to make a quilt for your granddaughters with them, that is such a brilliant idea!
So sweet. Finding children’s vintage hankies is an especially sweet treasure, so hard to find. I have a brother-in-law who, very thoughtfully, gave each of my six sisters and me a purple (my mother’s favorite color) hankie at my mother’s funeral, and a couple weeks ago at [another of] my brother-in-law’s funeral, he gave one to each of my sister, her daughters, granddaughters and dil. It was such a thoughtful gesture.
Rita, what a sweet thoughtful idea! Your brother-in-law wins the best BIL prize! That is such a great idea, thank you so much for sharing that. I love children’s handkerchiefs, they are super rare to find, I agree! Mostly because….well, children. I found a box of antique silk child size hankies a few years ago, and sold all but one. Obviously not for real use, nanny probably just used her own larger ones!
I love every one of my many handkerchiefs! Some are from my childhood, some have crocheted edges made by both grandmothers, some from my mother and others I’ve purchased overseas or were gifts. They are such a little bit of elegance to have in one’s purse!
How special your collection is! And I agree, it IS a bit of elegance to have in one’s purse. love it.
How fortunate you are to have them! I agree, they are a little bit of elegance in one’s purse!
I have a collection of hankies which I have framed. They are so lovely. I was fortunate enough to have a friend gift them to me after her mother-in- law passed. I had been good friends with her when I was just starting a family. So they are special to me.
What a special collection, Darlene. I know you cherish them!
Received many (and I do mean many) of Nanny’s hankies after she passed. My sisters were not interested and only took a few.
I now have 3 zip lock bags in (Nanny’s ) cedar chest full of her charming handkerchief’s for my girls when I’m gone.
Sent a new one in cards; Birthday, thank you, sympathy and
In notes to out of state friends, as young bride and
Before computers!
Loved them as a child and still reminisce going to the “Five and Dime store” with my mom, she let me browse the counter filled with… oh, so many beautiful hankies.
Darlene, such a great idea to send hankies in cards! I still send cards, do you? A text on my birthday just does not do it for me. Such wonderful memories you have, I am sure many of us share them.
My dad used handkerchiefs everyday of his life but not until his memorial service did I realize it wasn’t gross. 😉 And at his service a long time family friend gave me his (obviously to help with tears) and I have cherished it ever since. After this charming post I plan to carry it with me. Thank you for brining up sweet memories.
My first exposure to a handkerchief funny enough was the Canadian military.
I was issued 4 green ones.
I have since released and enjoy them now everyday. Every gentleman should have one.