Stationery,
Correspondence & The Gift of Letters > Stationery
For Women
Letter Sheets
Letter sheets are the formal paper in a woman’s
stationery. They are ecru or white and usually have a
fold along the left-hand side. The letter sheet folds
again from top to bottom to fit inside an envelope that
is approximately half its size.
Blank letter sheets are used to reply to formal invitations
and for letters of condolence. Simplicity and elegance
are the key here, so letter sheets are suitable for any
type of correspondence.
Letter sheets may be engraved, or blind embossed coat
of arms or monogram, and may be addressed to serve as
a house stationery.
Writing is limited to pages 1, 3, and 2 of a letter sheet,
in that order; the back page of a letter sheet is never
used.
Monogrammed Notes
Monogrammed notes are used to write thank-you notes,
to extend formal invitations, and to send short messages
to friends and acquaintances. The monogram style should
reflect your individual taste and personality. If you
choose to have your notes engraved, you will need to
purchase an engraving die Your engraving die can be used
again and again, so you should choose a lettering style
that has lasting appeal. The correct initials for married
women to use are those representing her first name, maiden
name, and married name. When all of the letters in the
monograms are the same size, the initials appear in order.
Many monogram styles have a larger center initial In
these styles, the initial representing the woman’s
married name appears in the middle, flanked by the initials
of her given and maiden names. Single women and married
women who retain their maiden name use the initials representing
their first, middle, and last names
Notes start on page 1 and continues to page 3.
Half Sheets
Half sheets were originally called half sheets
because they were half the size of formal letter sheets.
Half
sheets are single sheets of paper that fold in half to
fit their envelopes. They may be embellished with a monogram,
a name, an address, a name and address, or a coat of
arms. Half sheets and monogrammed notes can be ordered
to match. Only the front of the half sheet is written
on, never the back When more space is needed, an unembellished
second sheet is used.
Monarch Sheets
Although not used veryoften by a woman, a monarch
sheet can be used for long letters or personal business
letters.
A monarch sheet measures 7 1⁄4” x 10 1⁄2” and
folds twice to fit its envelope. The name, address, or
name and address appear at the top of the sheet. Although
not incorrect, a monogram is not generally used on a
monarch sheet.
House Stationery
House stationery may properly be used by any resident
of the house or by any guest staying at that address.
Many people order house stationery for their country
homes so that engraved stationery is always available
for their
guests. House stationery may show the name of the house
or estate, or simply the address.
Envelopes
The return address should always appear on the flap of
an envelope used with social stationery. The use of the
name with the address is proper, but it is more elegant
to show just the address. When the address is in an apartment
building, the name or the apartment number should appear
with the address (The nine-digit Zip Code, customarily
used in business, may also be used on personal stationery).
