Monograms: Not Just Letters on Grams Towels

Monograms, those personalized motifs of intertwined letters, have a rich history dating back to ancient Greek and Roman times. Initially used on coins for the barter system, monograms evolved into a symbol of status and personalization.

Fast forward to the present, and here we are, your humble hosts of the Southern Exposure podcast, sharing and discussing the fascinating realm and rich historical significance of monograms.

Monograms have been around since ancient civilizations have had a written form of communication. The currency of Greeks and Romans had monograms and images of Emporers and rulers from long ago.  Below you can see some examples we found as we researched.

As an artist, Christine is a graphic designer and I was an Art Educator for 15 years, we both found it most interesting when we discovered the use of Monograms by well-known Renaissance artists. Albrecht Durer, a German painter, and printmaker as well as Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, usually simply known as Rembrandt, were both well-known artists who designed their special monogram to sign their work. It made it customized to a level that no one doubted whose work it was. What a strong sense of individuality these two had, right?

Many kings and queens adopted the practice of monogramming as a way to show their status and place in the world. Marie Antoinette, of France and King George VI of England both used monograms as a means of leaving their mark. Pictured below you can see a wooden palace door with Marie Antoinnette’s unique monogram. Also, there is a photo of some gates to a palace somewhere in England signifying the grandeur of King George VI’s royal environment.

From ancient and royal grandeur trickling its way down into turn-of-the-century homes, when monograms became a way of achieving status amongst regular people. With silver serving platters and customized silverware, people all overused this fancy tradition to celebrate their hard work and in celebration of high status in society indeed. 

As we researched and chatted we discovered that our experience with monograms wasn’t as different as we thought it would be. Christine grew up in the Midwest and I come from a background in the coastal south, usually, our experience is different but on this, we both agree that we didn’t see much monogramming as children. At least, not much farther than the letters on our grandmother's towels. My grandma called them the fancy towels and you couldn’t wipe your hands on them, “they were for show” only! My theory is that our families were blue-collar hardworking families who didn’t have enough money to worry about monogramming anything.

This tradition has come back into vogue with a vengeance since our childhood experience. We reminisced in the podcast episode about the utilitarian aspect of monograms, I shared my experience of using my initials on a very fancy backpack once I entered high school. “I went to a private Christian high school, it was a very southern place. Everyone had an L.L. Bean backpack. Back then, more than 20 years ago, they had limited colors, therefore many of us had back packs of the same color” Many parents solved this problem by, you guessed it, getting the bookbags monogrammed. “I remember begging my mom and dad to get me this expensive monogrammed backpack for Christmas. I was so excited when I got it and finally fit in with the rich kids. We were not wealthy but somehow I got that backpack.” The cult-like following of these backpacks and monogramming is similar to the following that the Vera Bradley brand has in the modern South today. 

We see monograms all over and we don’t even realize it. Especially in business logos like Chanel's iconic double C, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Cline, Electronic Arts, and General Electric. Designers of these logos hailed back to the days of emperors and kings using that idea of status to give their brands a boost among the consumers of the world. 

Our research and discussion took a delightful turn as we recounted personal experiences of seeing monograms everywhere here in the south, in everyday items like mugs, tumblers, hair bows, t-shirts, and jewelry. Almost, every wedding in the South has some sort of monogrammed element to it, the cake, the napkins, the silverware, the plates, and even the dance floor. I went to a wedding once with a monogrammed dance floor. It was weird, I felt disrespectful stepping on the names of the bride and groom.

Did you know there are rules for monogramming? The rules emphasize the traditional three-initial structure. When it is a couple's monogram, like for a wedding, the new last name is in the middle, and the largest, while the first initial of the first name of the groom is on the left, and the first initial of the first name of the bride goes on the right. Only in the South will you find such stringent etiquette about letters on items like cups. 

We wrapped up the discussion by reflecting on where we draw the line with monograms, showcasing a blend of appreciation and discernment.

Christine asked confidently, “Jessica, as a born and raised Southerner where is your line? I ask cause I have a line. I think someone has crossed the line when the back windshield of their car has a monogram that stretches almost to the top, bottom, and sides of the windshield. It's just too much. That's my line.”  The extensive use of monograms in the South led me to express that my Southern Card should be revoked because I am not a super huge fan of monograms. In the episode, I said, “I mean I like them alright. If I get a gift from them I usually like it. A good friend of mine gave me some coasters as a housewarming gift a few years back, and I love them. They are one of my favorite things in my house. I also have a Tumbler with my initial on it so,...I guess I keep my southern card because if you got a tumbler with a monogram you're from the south!” 

Honestly, we could do an entire episode on just Tumblers in the South. Let us know if you are interested in that topic. As we ended the discussion and podcast episode Christine decided that monogrammed jewelry done right would be something she would wear. I quip, “Do I want a three-foot by four-foot monogram on the windshield of my car…no! But do I think monograms have a place in the world sure! As an artist, I enjoy hand lettering, which is in the same vein as monograms. I have seen some really beautiful lettering and imagery out there so….yeah, I can support some monogramming some of the time.”

Whew! It was quite a fun Episode to create. I enjoyed reminiscing about book bags and weddings. For any of you lovely people from above the Mason-Dixon line, we hope the next time you see a monogram somewhere you remember that a monogram is so much more than just letters on your grandma's towels.