I recently read the most wonderful book by Bergdorf-Goodman’s original and first personal shopper, the classy and always interesting Betty Halbreich, who passed away in August 2024, at the age of 96. Until her death, she continued going to the office every weekday and working an eight-hour shift, like she had done for over 48 years! She’s been a remarkable inspiration to me for years.
I mention this because in her latest book, “No One Has Seen it All,” released this month, Betty extols the virtues of the more intimate, handwritten note as compared to the modern-day email. I can tell you this is a wonderful book: Small in size, short in chapter length and full of reasons to keep beauty alive. In the section entitled, “On Manners,” there is a chapter called, “Handwritten Notes Never Go Out of Style.” Imagine my delight!
Betty writes about the joy of shopping for good stationery. She even talks about how she worked with a stationer to design her own stationery, placing a doodle drawn by a close friend above her name, and how using personalized stationery elevates your notes and makes them more personal.
I agree with her assertion that feelings come through the writers pen and with her insistence that each letter be saved in bundles, held together with ribbon or by rubber bands. Like so many of us, Betty learned the importance and art of the #Heartspoken note from her own mother.
One of the things I admire so much about Betty, which I’ve learned from reading her three books, is that she was raised during a time where manners mattered, men and women got dressed before going out, and how she was taught proper decorum and etiquette in all things by the example and insistence of her parents. Even up until the time she died, she set an elegant tablescape for one and insisted on eating dinner (which she shopped for and prepared herself) each night in her dining room, convinced that eating on a tray in front of the TV would be almost barbaric!
Most of all, she valued communication and connection with others above all else. Ladies and gentlemen, we are in great company!
I’m so glad to know about this book and the author’s inclusion of handwritten notes. I ordered a Kindle sample but it was so short it didn’t even get into the body of the book, so I’ll go on and order the whole book. Thanks for the tip!
What a remarkable woman and I wholeheartedly agree with her good manners take, especially when it comes to a thank you note. If someone bought you something, took you out to dinner or took the time to do something for you, a “THX” in a text doesn’t cut it.
I’m so glad to know about this book and the author’s inclusion of handwritten notes. I ordered a Kindle sample but it was so short it didn’t even get into the body of the book, so I’ll go on and order the whole book. Thanks for the tip!
What a remarkable woman and I wholeheartedly agree with her good manners take, especially when it comes to a thank you note. If someone bought you something, took you out to dinner or took the time to do something for you, a “THX” in a text doesn’t cut it.