May Reader Questions Roundup - Monograms, Wedgewood's Nantucket Basket, Men's Shoes for Scotland, and RTP

Putting the mono in monogram

Dear Muffy,
I love monogramming, but I've always been upset by the fact that I do not have a middle name. How am I supposed to monogram things? I'm barely 18, so I have a while before I get married and can use my last name as the middle initial. I usually (embarrassingly) have things monogrammed with my mom's name and say that she gave it to me, but I'd really love my own monogrammed items. How can I solve the issue? Thanks.


Dear Muffy,
I am hopeful that you will be able to help me as I want to do this right. I'm in a quandary as to the best way (if there is one) to appropriately monogram say a lady's sweater or tote when she has four (4) names. Does one simply chose the most favored three or is there a correct way of managing this situation? Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

When choosing names for our son, we deliberately gave him middle names which began with the same letter, so one could be dropped if desired.

I take some liberties when it comes to monograms.   Sometimes I use my real name, sometimes my nickname.  I might choose my maiden name or my middle name.  If I had just two initials, I would be comfortable doubling up on the last initial if a monogram style required three.  If I needed to drop an initial I might either drop the letter of the name I liked the least or the one that looked the worst.  I feel totally free to use any item with any family member's initials on it.  In fact, sometimes I prefer it - as long as it all stays in the family.

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First of all, thank you so much for your blog!  It's so refreshing to find a woman blogger who gets it.  Second, a question.  What's your favorite "casual china" pattern? I love our formal pattern but I want something nice for casual use.

Some of my Nantucket Basket china.

I have so many favorites including Portmeirion's Botanic Garden and Pomona and Spode's Gloucester,  but if I had to choose just one it would be Nantucket Basket by Wedgewood.  I have been the grateful recipient of a good deal of it spanning many Mother's Days and birthdays.  It's bone china so it is strong; it's white so it goes with everything and is dishwasher proof; and I never tire of the basket weave pattern.

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Hi Muffy, I'm attending the University of St Andrews next year in Scotland. I also attended a private high school with a dress code, and, as such, I spent most days wearing dress shoes. I never quite knew what shoes to wear during the winter but didn't have much of a problem because it wasn't a daily concern. I have a few pairs of boat shoes and desert boots, but they're really just not enough now that I don't need to wear dress shoes during the week. Now that I'm attending St Andrews, on a cliff overlooking the North Sea, I'm not sure what to wear. Any advice?

It sounds as though durable shoes are in order and, my family has always turned to Gokey and Russell, both handmade in the USA.  Red Wing boots, also US made, are popular although I personally don't care for them.  But I do like the more pedestrian Merrell Moab Ventilator (in Walnut).  Given that, I am hoping others will have recommendations.

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Mrs. Aldrich, I see that you have a connection to the Chewonki Foundation and read that you spent a lot of time birding when you were younger.  Did you ever cross paths with Roger Tory Peterson?  Just wondering. 

My father's Peterson guide from the 1940s on the left and mine from the late 1970s on the right.

Peterson dedicated his bird guides to Chewonki founder Clarence Allen, as RTP worked there as a young man.

Absolutely!  In fact, one of our most treasured items is a Roger Tory Peterson puffin print which he signed and personalized for us.

Any Chewonki alumnus (and now alumna) would recognize this.