The little red hankie

I've unintentionally amassed a large hankie collection over my years of vintage shopping. They always seem to be so abundant, inexpensive, and just plain cute that you can't help but pick them up. It always makes me smile when I purchase a vintage bag and a hankie tucked inside comes as a bonus. I love the sentiment of a hankie - one fragranced with your perfume that you give to your beloved, or an embroidered "sweetheart" hankie that wipes away tears and waves goodbye. The red hankie has always intrigued me as it's so eye-catching compared to the delicate and lacy varieties.

The history of the little red hankie starts with none other than Joan Crawford. Rumor has it that while attending a glitzy awards show, she went to dab her lips and soiled her hankie with red lipstick - a bit of an etiquette faux pas! Hopefully she knew to use the folded underside of her hankie to hid her excess lipstick from the public. Nevertheless, soon after she asked her seamstress to whip her up a red handkerchief so she could dab at her lips without worry... and the red hankie was born! The audience took notice and soon all young women followed suit with their own red hankies at the ready.

Lipstick tissues did exist at the time, however these were more intended for blotting lipstick in between applications. Using a tissue after eating would have left little bits of paper all over one's pout. A red handkerchief is also just so much more stylish and would perhaps catch the attention of an admirer. Revealing a coordinating red hankie to dab at your perfectly reddened lips... talk about glamour!

You may wonder why many of these hankies are adorned with embroidery often featuring scottie dogs. Well, the scottie was the "it" dog of the era. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's own scottie, Fala, became world famous. The scottie dog became a symbol of feistiness and determination. As a result, the breed became the go-to in the 30s and 40s for spirited and fashionable ladies.

— TYG