Students who have a hard time remembering people’s name are in luck.
Monogramming is all the rage, and from first initials to full names, fashionable people have put their initials on everything from purses to shirts to linens.
Monogramming always has been a nice personal touch. But recently the traditional style has become trendy.
Even Madonna has a rhinestone M on her derriere in her recent Gap commercials.
Monograms come in all sizes from giant “Laverne and Shirley” style first initials on shirts to smaller, three letter monograms on book bags.
Shoppers have taken just about anything to monogram shops around the country and Baton Rouge, getting their initials emblazoned on an array of products.
Tina Zeller, one of the owners of the local monogram shop EmbroidMe, has helped those trying to get in on the trend.
“The bikini was definitely the strangest thing we monogrammed,” Zellers said.
With prices ranging from $5 to $7, customers can have their initials embroidered on anything, adding that personal touch.
Monogramming comes in two major styles, three letter or one letter.
Paper ‘n Things specializes in monogrammed stationery but also has jumped into the monogramming business in other facets.
Paper ‘n Things owner Stacey Miremont said the traditional three letter initial monogram for women is first initial on the left, last initial in the middle larger than the other letters, and middle or maiden initial on the right.
For men the initials are printed straight across, all the same size – it is considered improper for the last initial to be in the middle.
Traditionally all one letter monograms are last name initials.
But the new trend does not neccessarily follow all the rules.
Most one letter initial monogrammed clothes and bags often are first letter initials. And women also have been using the straight across monogram.
Paper ‘n Things does most of their monogramming to order, but it does carry a few types of stationery with pre-printed one initials or first names.
And plenty of stores have been clamoring to provide shoppers with an array of initials on shirts to combat the do-it-yourself attitude of monogramming.
Rather than lose revenue to monogram shops, clothing companies are churning out clothes pre-embroidered for customers.
Frock Candy has stocked up on plenty of pre-printed merchandise. Pins, shirts, luggage tags, sweaters, necklaces and rings all have sold well there.
“It’s more exciting to come in and see your initial on something. It’s kind of personal, like ‘Oh, wow they have an A,” said store manager Ashley Lund.
Lund said she credits the monogram trend to the return of ’50s fashion and the ties monogramming has to the preppy days of the ’80s.
Fashion merchandising junior Erin Wereskla said she has worn monogrammed clothes since she was born.
“It is an easy way to make stylish but classy and classic. It can make a bold statement depending on what style and color you choose,” Wereskla said.
Wereskla said she does not think monogramming will ever go completely out of style, though she thinks most of the trendier pieces such as bracelets and purses will go out of style.
Monogramming might last for a while simply because it is such an easy trend.
Jen Borner, English sophomore said it simply, “It is fashion for the unfashionable. You can take any ugly shirt and suddenly if its got a letter monogrammed on it, then it’s cute.”