We already talked about one essential item that all men should carry in their pockets: the pocketknife. But there’s another manly item that we should be toting around, too. A good clean hanky can come in handy when you have to dab your forehead, you’ve got snot running out your nose, or when a gal starts tearing up.
Why Carry a Handkerchief?
Handkerchiefs are, well, pretty handy. While women carry a purse stocked with things like tissue packs (and enough supplies to survive on a desert island for several days), most men do not. And yet our noses run just as often as our female counterparts. When you carry a hankie, you don’t have to go scrounging around for a tissue to deal with your dripping shnoz or wipe your nose on your sleeve. And you can mop your brow with it when you’re sitting on the front porch drinking mint juleps. This what I mainly use handkerchiefs for. I started the habit when I lived in Mexico and walked the hot, dusty streets of Tijuana. It’s nice to have something to wipe off the sweat and dirt off your face.
But the best reason to carry a handkerchief has nothing to do with you. It’s the chance to lend it to others that’s commends this practice the most. Be sure to put one in your pocket when you go see a tear-jerker movie with your girlfriend or accompany your wife to a funeral. When women are feeling vulnerable, they’ll really appreciate your offer of a soft hankie. It’s a gallant and chivalrous gesture; there’s just something comforting about it.
And as a bonus, they’re less wasteful. Think of all the tissues you could keep from throwing away. The handkerchief is to the tissue as the reusable diaper is to Pampers.
Getting Over the Ick Factor
There is an inverse relationship between the handkerchief’s popularity and the rise of our germa-phobe culture. A society that sprays the air with disinfectant to rid it of those pesky bacterium and totes hand sanitizer on key chains looks eschew at the reusable tissue. I think hankie ignorance is partly to blame. Having not grown up around handkerchief-carrying men, it seems some people are under the impression that a hankie is used over and over again, all week long. But a man should take a clean handkerchief each day, and launder them weekly. It should go without saying that when offering a lady your handkerchief, it should always be an unused, clean one. You should probably tell her that when you hand it over, as to allay any fears she might have about what’s lurking in its folds.
Even so, there are probably still those who think the handkerchief is too dirty even for daily use. To those people I say, “If it’s your hankie, why are you afraid of your own germs?” Handkerchiefs are pretty big and provide ample space in which to blow one’s nose multiple times without the snot ever overlapping.
Finally, grow up. You’re a man, and there’s nothing wrong with a little sweat or snot.
How to Carry a Handkerchief
First of all, don’t confuse the pocket square with a handkerchief. Pocket squares are pieces of cloth that should be visibly sticking out of the breast pocket of your suit. They’re not appropriate for hankie use because they’re expensive; you don’t want to be soaking a nice piece of silk with your sweat. Of course they could do in a real pinch. But typically a hankie is carried in your pants pocket, out of sight.
Handkerchiefs don’t have to be fancy. Just a plain white one will do. But there’s nothing wrong with going for ones with a little style. I have my initial embroidered on mine to add a touch of class. They generally come pretty cheap, so you won’t have to worry about giving them out to other people. And a gentleman never asks for his handkerchief back.
What do yout all think? Is the hankie due a comeback or should it be left as a relic in the past?
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I have carried a handkerchief since I was 9 years old, and as a 24-year old, I’ve taken my fair share of criticism and ridicule. However, in those circumstances where allergies take their toll, or when a female counterpart is in need of a tissue, they do come in handy. I must say that I have to deal with the ick factor (from other people, course; I couldn’t care less). Living in a culture where the handkerchief is no longer the norm, people just assume that you use the same hanky day-in, day-out without washing them. My father carries a handkerchief, as did both of my grandfathers and I’m sure all the men before that. One thing I never understood growing up… Why was it that it was ok for you to blow your nose in your father’s handkerchief after he had used it, but when you tried to give it back, the response was “Why don’t you just hold on to that?”
I’m sure it has been previously said, but I have always carried a handkerchief and a pocket knife. You never know when you may be obliged to perform emergency surgery to remove a splinter from your own or someone else’s finger; so a clean, sharp pocket knife is de rigueur. The same is true for the necessity of having on hand a hankie to wipe away any excess serosanguineous fluids.
With green energy and a healthy environment being in fashion, I think the handkerchief is ready for a big comeback. Like the reusable glass milk bottle, the cotton handkerchief is a superior alternative to those “landfilling” disposal products.
I’ve been carrying a handkerchief since I was old enough to have pants with adult-sized pockets. This included the entirety of high-school and a period briefly proceeding it. It was a habit I adopted from my father a lifelong forest-products worker. His primary use for handkerciefs on the job was the removal of wood glues from his hands (which yellows and stains work pants horribly).
The number of times carrying a handkerchief has come in handy is more than I can count. The only downside is that the cheapest and most readily-available handkerchiefs are the colored variety with a paisley pattern. Unfortunately these are of course a common insignia of gang affiliation and certain colors can get you into trouble in certain rough neighborhoods. Black with a white paisley pattern has served me the best so far (esp. with jeans and casual wear) but I’m considering moving to solid colors.
I started carrying handkerchiefs back in 2004 when I bought a pack to take with me to a field training event at Fort Lewis, Washington. The Army sells standard brown cotton hankies that I affectionately call “tactical hankies”. I originally bought a single pack of four to accompany me during my four weeks in the field, but soon realized that they were an indispensable part of my everyday life, useful for all kinds of things! Now, I feel naked if I forget to stick one in my pocket before leaving the house for the day. And to further reinforce my belief in the handkerchief, upon graduating from college the following year, my octogenarian grandmother gave me a pack of white cotton hankies as a graduation gift, telling me that “A gentleman should always carry a handkerchief.”
My father used a hanky and I’ve always used a one. I agree all men should carry one, I’ve been in more than several situations in whish a female has needed one and I’ve been prepared, the usual reaction from the female is surprise, mostly because they have never known a man to carry one, because of this I have been asked out on dates because the female was impressed by my maniless. This has happened 3 times so far
Just found this website and am please to see that I must be a manly man. I always carry a pocket knife, I shave with a vintage safety razor, and I’ve been carrying a monogrammed hankerchief for years. The hanky is definitely back.
Recently I started carrying Handkerchief, its also useful to clean your hands after a hand wash!
I’ve been using hankies for almost as long as I can remember, because when I was a little kid I would suffer nose bleeds all the time. But I didn’t get into carrying then until just before Highschool. Everybody thought it was gross, but none of the other students seemed to realize how useful they are! On top of that, I’m only just turning 20 soon!
Mom swears I started by imitating my grandpa, but who can blame me?! Grampas are just so darn manly.
Miss Manners says: “Use a hankie when sneezing, not your sleeve.” Clever article in Sunday’s Houston Chronicle affirms your “manly” post.
I started carrying a handkerchief last week after reading this article. I kept it in my back pocket and only used it a couple of times, to wipe my nose. I like the idea of carrying two of them, one for personal use and the other to offer people. Right now I only have a couple of handkerchiefs that I found, but I will buy more.
Like Rajesh, I’ve carried two handkerchiefs for about the last twenty years.
The one in my left pocket is for my own nose, hands, and so forth. The one in my right pocket is for polishing my glasses, or for the use of others.
Each evening the the left one goes in the laundry basket. If I’ve only cleaned my glasses on the right-hand one, or not used it at all, I’ll move that to the left the next day and put a fresh one on the right. But if they’ve both been used for other things, they both get replaced the next morning.
The more often you carry one (or two!) the more uses you’ll find for it… Wet hands because the dryer in the men’s room is useless? Don’t wipe your hands on your pants and walk around with a wet rump – use your hanky. Feel like you’re going to cough in public? Grab that hanky and save everyone from your germs! Never be stuck for something considerate (and comforting) to do the next time you encounter a distressed member of the fairer sex.
Manly, useful, elegant – never leave home without it.
Nice to see you gentlemen using handkerchiefs! I grew up in a family where everyone used them. If you’re looking for colorful alternatives, check out my website — hankies are my #1 seller. http://Colorchiefs.com
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