*gasp* Jeeves was WRONG!

[violetjimjams.livejournal.com]

According to Miss Manners, handkerchiefs for gentlemen really SHOULD be monogrammed with 2, preferably 3, initials.

The only possible conclusions are that Jeeves let personal preference interfere with propriety, he made a fashion faux pas, or really, REALLY doesn't want any young ladies to have an excuse to see Bertie or think fondly on him more often that absolutely necessary.

Comments

[radondoran.livejournal.com]

I like the third conclusion. If there's one thing we've learned from literature, it's that monogrammed handkerchiefs cause nothing but trouble.

[hazeltea.livejournal.com]

It could be that Jeeves is just old fashioned. Monogrammed hankies came into mainstream fashion in the early 20th century, and since Bertie thinks them snazzy and Jeeves considers them a novelty, it could be that they were new and he just sees them as faddish.

[chikkiboo.livejournal.com]

This. Monogrammed anything is described as ludicrous and gauche in the late 19th century etiquette manuals I own, and while that's well before Bertie & Jeeves' time, Jeeves is very much of an Old Guard that holds to that sort of thing over the new trendy ideas.

[hazeltea.livejournal.com]

I always have to do some mental adjustment with character's views, too, since Plum was very much a late Victorian man and all the 1914-1945 era gets filtered through that perspective when he writes, even if Bertie and Jeeves were younger than he was. So Jeeves would have certainly thought it was just a little tacky :)

[kahvi.livejournal.com]

Seconding (thirding?) this; Jeeves's opinions on clothes and image is just as much about personal taste as it is fashion, and he has conservative tastes. Jeeves doesn't really care about fashion; Bertie cares about fashion.

[coffee-n-retcon.livejournal.com]

Yes, but really, what does Miss Manners know anyway? It's all opinion and I would go with Jeeves' opinions over her's any day. And certainly any lady worthy of the young master's acquaintance should be able to remember who had given her a handkerchief at any time. Knowing more than one "B" or "W" indeed! What is next? The embroidering of full name and address on each and every handkerchief to better accomodate ladies of a forgetful nature? Perhaps a map as well?

[trista-zevkia.livejournal.com]

Now knock that off! The map to Bertie is giving me ideas and my schedule won't allow it! ;)

[pantropia.livejournal.com]

It's rather middle-class. A gentleman wouldn't expect something as inconsequential as a hanky to be returned.

[electricwitch.livejournal.com]

lol no. Miss Manners is middle class, in the upper classes monogramming anything is a really enormous mistake.

You can put your coat of arms on a few things, and if you have a title you should put a coronet or whatever over your correspondence, and from that it should be clear who you are, but feeling the need to put your name on things like you have to send it to a laundrette is unspeakably vulgar.

[mxdp.livejournal.com]

Careful!

The last person who said Jeeves was wrong had her face printed on milkbottles :s

[ogam.livejournal.com]

Please do keep in mind that Miss Manners is a middle-class American.

[lady529.livejournal.com]

This. A rather important point, that.

The Lady 529

[umpteenth-gail.livejournal.com]

I used to read that dukes had strawberry leaves in the corner of their hankies as a matter of course in Regency times, but didn't find out why. Nor did I find out if lesser ranks had their signature or if it was only dukes. Don't know how long that practice endured.

[lady529.livejournal.com]

Aw, bless them! Strawberries, how manly is that! <3

The Lady 529

[umpteenth-gail.livejournal.com]

LOL! I never thought of that! I suppose though, it was a little less unmanly at that time, considering how the rich and upperclass men used to dress not very long beforehand. They outshone some of today's women in their colourful splendour. ;)

[lady529.livejournal.com]

Very true X D

I still find it utterly adorable that they wore strawberry-prettified hankies though <3

The Lady 529