When ladies used bright red lipstick on fancy parties, the risk was high that the lipstick smeared the fine damask napkins. So the lipstick hanky was created. It was placed beside the dinner napkin and the lady wiped her lips on it before using the napkin. In the powder room there were lipstick handkerchiefs beside the guest towels. Less concern for the laundry later!
The designs on handkerchiefs were changing. Fashion images of various kinds and texts as Pour vous madame were common. All had bright red base color.
Today, in the US a lipstick handkerchief from the 50s costs 10-20 dollars.
Examples of lipstick handkerchiefs:
A real lipstick hanky
Lipstick hanky with a fashion girl
Lipstick hanky
A sweet hanky '''pour le rouge'''
Pour le rouge?
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Showing 1 of 1 comments.
Rose
2022-11-16 12:54:10Love fashion history this is the best story of them all!!