• in the beginning
• inspirato
• style
• process
• modern art of etiquette

“Good manners have much to do with the emotions. To make them ring true, one must feel them, not merely exhibit them.” – Amy Vanderbilt (1908-1974)

In our whirlwind world of e-mails and instant everything, sending a handwritten, heartfelt note on a beautifully crafted card is even more gracious, more meaningful than ever. The tactile thrill of tearing into a birthday card envelope fresh from the mailbox beats clicking a mouse button for an e-greeting any day. The scrawl of a lover’s handwriting gives more weight to his words. And, yes, a lady (and she’s someone who makes up her own definition of “lady”, thank you very much) always sends a proper thank-you note, even for everyday kindnesses. It’s the love notes and I-miss-you cards that are lovingly stowed away for rainy-day nostalgia. They mean the most, and they always will.

Etiquette isn’t a claustrophobic set of rules reserved for the social register and prim-and-proper types, it’s simply treating people (your best friend, the cashier at the supermarket, your cocktail party guests, whomever) with respect and kindness. Courtesy and charm never go out of fashion. Sending a thoughtful note is always in style. Celebrating special days and extraordinary people is as old as the hills, but doing it with a little grace and poise, a little pomp and circumstance, is an art form worth preserving.