I swear I must get this question in email about once a week, regarding the proper way to do a four letter monogram. So for that reason, I'm going to throw out a reader request and answer it in case anyone else is searching for this info.
Brandi writes:
Please help me! My daughter’s name is Reese Avery Elizabeth Loya. What is the proper way to monogram when you have 4 initials?
In today's world, pretty much anything goes in terms of monogramming, although I tend to stick to the old-fashioned rules. In this case, you have a few options. Below are the options I sent to another reader who had the same request. Obviously, you would substitute the correct initals for the ones below.
1) Monogram with the initials in the correct order, all the same size: MANB
2) Do the last initial flaked by a dot on each side (centered on the initial though): •B•
3) If by chance, Miller Ann is hyphenated, then you would monogram: M-ABN
4) If by chance, Noble Bryerly is hypehnated, then you would monogram: MN-BA
5) Some people actually drop one of the middle names for monogramming. For instance, if you (or she) prefers Elizabeth as her middle name over Avery (or vice versa), then use that initial to create a traditional three letter monogram such as this: RLE
6) Or, you could do a more modern monogram that has been gaining popularity such as doing a small M, then UNDER that, an A, then UNDER that, an N, then to the RIGHT in LARGE, a B: see included example
If all else fails, then check with your monogrammer. See if she can help you create a beautiful and unique four letter monogram that you will want to stick with and use. Unfortunatley there are no real "rules" for a four letter monogram so in this case, you should do what you like the best.
P.S. Check back later for a few new preppy finds and sales!
21 February, 2007
Reader Requests: Four Letter Monogramming
Posted by Monogram Momma at 8:08 AM
Labels: Monogramming, Reader Requests
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10 Comments:
I kept my kids names to 3 letter monograms for this very reason. It's too confusing & I monogram everything!
I had four initials as a child and I hated it! I am enjoying having only 3!
My name is Chloe Anne Ella Marie Minyon and I drop both the Ella and Marie for monogramming. So I'm cMa (which I love because it's like the country music awards!)
One of my sisters has two middle names. When it came to monogramming she usually just used the first of the middle names. When it comes to signing her name though if she used just initials she did use the two middle name initials. Now that I think about it she did have one sweater with both middle name initials, but usually it was just the first.
I love the example in #6...after I got married, I kept my maiden name as a second middle name. I've never been quite sure how to monogram with 4 initials, so I usually just do first-maiden-last. But now I'm going to have to try this one!
Thanks! I had this question today when I was getting aprons monogrammed for bridesmaids. I just chose the first example--that's the only way I could think would work. (and in Snow Hill, NC they haven't heard anything about having 4 names! haha!) Now I can rest assure with my choice!
This was such a hard one when I used to work in stationery. I never knew so many people had so many middle names (or none at all!). Sometimes people would "drop" names, or we would find beautiful (or handsome) single-initial styles. However, I generally tried (and I hope this is not anathema to you, MM, as "monogram" is part of your "name"!) to steer them away from monograms if they had not already made a decision of which names to cut to get it down to 3. I mean, are you going to cut the middle name that's Grandma's maiden name? or the weird (but endearing) middle name that's after your great-aunt who did that wacky but famous thing? These are choices that are too emotional to be made on a shop floor, frankly. I would encourage these people to go with text of some kind, which is an option on stationery. Not on tote bags or oxford shirts, however.
If I may, let me refer to the end of "The Politics of Monogramming", TOPH p. 124 - "One of the most trying sartorial problems for Preppies is that of too many initials. What if you have four names? Or more? And what if one of your names has a complicated initial, like DeW? Sadly, no compromise will do. If it isn't possible (because of space limitations or uncooperative tradespeople) to use the correct complete monogram, the Preppy does without. If your own initials are enough, it's probably enough that only you know what they are." Although TOPH is a humor book, this is all too true.
Yes Meg, I agree with TOPH as well. I also didn't mention that there's no reason someone couldn't just do a first and last initial either.
Yes, my name is Lauren Alexandra Fay Miller. I love example 6!
another way to do it is, if you like to use the cursive/curly letters, intertwine the first two (or second two) on one side. my name is sarah kathryn rainey mclaurin, so i put the s and k on one side, and the r on another. it worked great! i just made the s k smaller than the r.
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