Bias

Contributors

My son is about to go off to secondary school – life is changing at a faster pace than I would ideally wish, while he is relishing the adventure. As I prepare him for his big day, I have dutifully stitched Cash name labels onto every item of uniform. You may be sur-

prised given the field I’m in: but as a working mother this is almost the only time I pick up a needle and thread. At one time all women were responsible for their household linen and even the wealthiest, who employed others to weave and make up their linens, retained the task of monogramming. The value of the linens necessitated its labelling to prevent confusions during laundry. Embroiderer Victoria Bain examines the importance of a name in her article on the survival of monograms, pg 54.

I recently enjoyed the Chanel Four series AllintheBestPossibleTastein which artist Grayson Perry examined what remains of the British class structure. While most people would not wish to go back to the rigidity of the past, great comfort and security can be gained from established rituals and codes of conduct. It is surprising how much manners still mean to most of us in a world of ever-decreasing formality. This informality takes many forms. One only has to look around the arrivals hall in an international airport to see casual dress taken to an extreme. Just fifty years ago flying was considered something to dress up for, and Deirdre McSharry reminisces on the value of respectable dress codes, pg 48 and Beth Smith, pg 75 mourns their demise. In parts of the world traditional dress is still worn, at least on special occasions, and when it is as beautiful as the Korean Hanbok it’s no surprise. Photographer Kim Kyung Soo captures the grace of this costume in his Full moon Story, pg 23.

France, often considered to be more formal in its forms of address than the rest of the world, has a rich textile heritage as described by Genevieve Woods in Southern Charm, pg 44. She also takes an indepth look at the innovations and industries that gave rise to that heritage in Lyon, pg 40.

You will note that after six successful fairs at St Augustine's Church Hall, it is time to move on. Although we loved the atmosphere of the old church hall, we have struggled to accommodate visitor numbers. So we would like to formally invite you to our next fair on Saturday November 10th at Chelsea Old Town Hall, King's Road, London: a stylish and spacious venue with good visitor facilities and excellent transport links. Practical considerations aside we won’t be pursuing change for the sake of change – you can expect the same high quality exhibitors, a friendly atmosphere and good company. Our Winter Fair, pg 6, will be a place to mix with like-minded people, make new friends and get together with old ones. I hope we will see you there and, since we’re on the subject of good manners and etiquette this issue, I’d like to thank you for supporting Selvedge.

Polly Leonard Founder Selvedge magazine

We asked our contributors what etiquette they observe...

JESSICA HEMMINGS , pg 90

I've recently moved to Dublin and I've been pleasantly surprised by how many people are willing to stop and help if you need directions. It has made me realise how infrequently we are willing to slow down to help someone in the UK – even if they are holding a map upside down!

VICTORIA BAIN, pg 36

RINNE ALLEN, pg 32

To receive a handwritten thank you letter or beautiful card means so much to me. Too often an email or text is considered enough. But when thought and effort has been given to say, a dinner party or birthday present, I feel these hasty new media often fall short of old fashioned mediums.

Receiving a handwritten thank you note in the mail is a special treat. In this technical age, the thought that goes into putting pen to paper, stamping and posting a letter sends a broader message than just the 'thank you' found within. When one desires to express true gratitude, only a thank you note will do.

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