Comments on: Every Man Should Carry a Handkerchief

By: Roberto_G

Roberto_G — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:26:59 +0000

Always carried two handkerchiefs; one in the back pocket of my trousers and another one in my shirt pocket. I have also carried a pocket knife for as long as I can remember. There’s a reason why certain types of pocket knives [ye olde switchblades] have been known as “Mexican Express Cards.” We never leave home without ‘em.

By: Will

Will — Wed, 01 May 2013 07:04:13 +0000

After reading these posts, I like the idea of carrying a hanky, but I still have 2 reservations:
1) I don’t want to become a slave to it (ie: turn it into another item/task I have to think about taking with me all the time, like cell phone)
2) I’m not sure if I would like re-using it after using it with nose-blowing. Even washing it afterwards doesn’t help.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 06:40:02 +0000

I’m not a man, but I discovered how useful handkerchiefs were when I went to Japan, where they were used by virtually everyone and were an absolute necessity because of the summer heat. Since then, I try to make a habit of carrying them, particularly when it’s hot. I should point out that Japanese people are obsessive about cleanliness, so that kind of helped me get over the worry about germs.

By: Mat

Mat — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 04:26:44 +0000

I have carried a bandana as a handkerchief for a few years and get teased about it at work because I use it often due to my allergies. But I always have it, change it out every day for a fresh one, and it holds up a lot better than a soggy tissue in my pocket

By: Gail

Gail — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:43:24 +0000

As a woman, I always appreciate any gentlemanly act. My father used handkerchiefs, and I remember him using the thin, white ones with the textured stripes running across the length. He would fold them into squares, and have them at the ready in his pants pocket. Aside from the obvious tradition aspect, carries “hankies” is a classic example of men being prepared. A well-planned day of personal hygiene is always in fashion, and any lady will take note of a man who is capable of wiping his brow of sweat, his mouth of food, or his hands of filth. Nothing says, “I’m a gentleman,” like the proffering of a useful item — whether to a woman or a man. The gesture speaks of decency and civility, which are seemingly lost arts in the American culture now. It just makes sense in all aspects to carry an item which will render untold and uncalculated usefulness. Thank you, gentlemen, for being gentlemen.

By: Nicholas

Nicholas — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:29:26 +0000

Can someone please say (year or decade) when did the people stopped using hankies?

By: Rollins

Rollins — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:19:58 +0000

Yep! I carry 2 with me all time one for me and one for whatever,whomever or whenever. I think it’s cool,on time, hot, in style it’s “BAD”.

By: Luis

Luis — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:52:37 +0000

As Dave before, my dad told me to carry two handkerchief, one for your personal use and the other one for all the “manly” things you can do with it. Good point, not very gallant to offer a dirty and used handkie to a woman…that is why you offer her the second one, lol. And in extreme cases both (even the dirty one) can accomplish important things together, such as an emergency bandage or such. And by the way, funny word, handkerchief, wonder where it came from.

By: jaydub

jaydub — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:05:49 +0000

The key to hankies is 1) having several, so you always have a clean one, and 2) proper folding, so it fits neatly in your pocket and opens easily for ready use. Besides my day-to-day use, I’ve used my hankies to aid my wife in Feminine Emergencies, lash my son’s leg to his snowboard binding when he lost a strap at the top of the mountain, carried Precious Things from a trip afield, cleaned glasses, staunched bleeding, wiped sweat, dried tears, cooled foreheads, and I keep an extra to cover a rarely-used computer monitor. A Man carries a pocketknife and a handkerchief.

By: MJ

MJ — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 18:09:17 +0000

Every time I pull out a hanky at work, some clown feels the need to make a snarky little comment about it. When I’m in the men’s room, and the paper hand towels are all gone, I am having the last laugh.