Ms. CoCoVanDerChic

Proper use of a handkerchief (affectionately known as a ‘hanky’) is a serious matter. A hanky is a decorative way to discretely disguise allergic achoo’s and dry unwanted drops of perspiration.  Do not distress, excess dewiness need not get you down this summer, once you learn the art of hanky etiquette.

A green gal does not use paper tissues more commonly by their brand name Kleenex and she does not purchase hankies from a fancy department store. She is resourceful and creative.

Be Resourceful … she looks at oxfords, cotton and linen shirts hanging idle in her closet and old cloth napkins. She reaches for a pair of scissors to cut these unused shirts and napkins into squares. Ideally a hankie is 12 inches by 12 inches in size. Fear not, all the cloth need not come from one shirt or napkin.  Buying scraps of organic fabric is permissible for stylistic purposes, of course.

Get creative … think patchwork and borders. The possibilities grow with your ingenuity.  Use your favorite color threads and yarns to embroider patterns, create unique edges or stitch an empowering phrase on your hankie. Do not have time to be creative… get real … a true lady has a hobby … be it knitting, needlework, drawing or crosswords. Now that the cloth is cut make hankies as you ride the subway, travel to your weekend getaway or sit pool side.

A hanky can be as rigid and refined or as ruthlessly rugged as you like. A green girl loosens the rules on hanky etiquette a bit. A green girl stops using endless reams of paper tissues, recycles fabrics and finds joy in being green. When you create something beautiful and useful you feel gorgeously green and accomplished.  

Ms. CoCoVanDerChic suggests thinking of floral designs, embroidery, fleur de lis and calligraphy for inspiration. Hanky colors are typically pastel and nothing too dark. Goth style and hankies do not mix. Otherwise feel free to explore.

Once your hanky is complete, you will need to care for it. Ideally, I recommend having one hanky for each day of the week because you can only wash hankies by hand.  Yes, Nana did teach me to hand wash, but not for reasons of preventing the spread of germs alone. She emphasized the importance of maintaining a good completion which harsh detergents can irritate.

Nana recommends using ivory soap as it is gentle. For true green girls, I recommend baking soda. Wash your hankies in warm water.  If water is too hot, a hanky will shrink and become misshapen. If water is too cold, the hanky will get rough and irritate your skin. Tumble dry, but only briefly and with other clothes you launder. You do not want to waste electricity. Remove damp hankies and place on a clothes line to dry (preferably in fresh air … l’air frais…). Truly proper hanky etiquette requires pressing with an iron. However, a green gal may wish to skip this step and embrace her hankies’ shabby chic-ness in the name of saving energy.

So blot, sneeze and enjoy your hanky this summer.