A Guide To Stylish Monogrammed Clothing

Monogramming, in simple terms, is an art that combines two or more letters in a decorative way, to form a symbol. This symbol is used to represent an organization or an individual’s property. It is, generally, embroidered on fabric, usually with initials of any person or organization, to make it personal. 

Making monograms on clothing and accessories has become the latest fashion fad to make the owner stand out among the crowd. Back in the 70s and 80s, many used to monogram handkerchiefs with their or loved ones’ initials and present them as a gift. In addition, those embroideries used to be handmade, so no two handkerchiefs were the same. Gone are those days when you had to sketch, trace perfect lines on the fabric, learn the use of stitches and decide which one to use, and finally sew them. 

With the advent of technology, embroidery machines do the job quickly, easily, and with a bunch of beautiful designs applying different stitches. So if you have your turtlenecks, plain-colored t-shirts, bags, shoes, rain jacket, and any other apparel and accessories that need a little decorative flair, personalized them with monograms, or you can take help from professionals with your choices. Here are some tips to help you get started.

1. Select Items

Select what you want to monogram. It can be any item from clothing, jewelry, shoes to bags, watches, even your water bottles. Though not everyone is a fan of wearing matching tops and bottoms, these days it has become a stylish feature. You can match the monogram on your shirt with pants, a watch, bandanas, and shoes. 

2. Choose Your Initials

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Monograms are generally made with two or more letters, however, it may prove to be complicated if your initials have three letters or more. Typically, with three letters, your first initial is placed first, then your second initial, while your middle name initial, is placed third. The third initial is often composed a little larger than the other two to make an interesting design.

3. Decide on a Format & Placement

There are various ways to personalize, though it can become confusing. For men and boys, you can opt for a traditional font, that is using all letters of the same size and order. This format can also be used for monogramming baby clothes, and it looks best when embroidered in a small space, such as on the pocket of a t-shirt, the corners of your spring outfits, or the edge of a baby bib. 

The popular and the most contemporary format would be the one mentioned above; where your middle initial is placed third and is slightly larger. This would look good in the center of an item with a circular or a diamond-designed font. 

Another type of format is the stacked block monogram where your first and second initials are placed on top and bottom of each other and the third initial is designed larger and placed on the side. This is usually made in a square-shaped font and is quite unique from other monograms. It can be used anywhere and on anything, you can also try different font styles for this format. The other style of fonts includes vine, octagon, oval, script, and so on. You have the option to choose whichever font style you like. 

4. Select Embroidery Thread Colors

After selecting the initials, fonts and format of the monogram, it is time to choose the color of the embroidery that’ll be stitched up on your clothing. You can contrast the colors, like, for a blue t-shirt, you can use pink embroidery for the monogram. There are over 20 color options to choose from, so before selecting one, make sure it complements and contrasts with the object you want to be monogrammed. It should also match with the initialed accessories you want to use with that particular monogrammed outfit. 

Some Monogram Etiquette Tips

• Always provide your full name to the professionals when you want to monogram your initials, to avoid any confusion. Monogramming three or more initials can be tricky, so leave the details to the experts and watch them perfecting it for you.
• If you have 4 names, typically, the middle initial is represented by one letter. The same goes for hyphenated names.
• Be careful of letters J’s and I’s. When in doubt, ask the experts for a mockup ahead of time to get an idea of the finished product.
• When matching outfits, try different combinations, such as a monogrammed scarf and belt with a summer dress. Experiment with which combination looks good and also complements your features.

Monogramming has now become a trend, where everyone wants to personalize their clothes and accessories with their own initials. It is also widely used during weddings where the couples join their own initials and carve out one they like best on table cloths, hand towels, table centerpieces, and many more. You can use it to design handkerchiefs and put them inside invitations to impress your guests. 

If you want to take it up a notch, another fun way is monogramming your wax seal. You can use that for envelopes of your wedding invitations card. If you run a small business, you can add thank-you notes in small envelopes and stamp it with your monogrammed seal to make it look classy and stylish.

Personalization of products has become a number one priority nowadays for everyone. With increasing demand, monogrammed products with personal initials have now become the hottest trend among fashionistas. All you need to do is follow the steps of selecting your initials, fonts, and color and see the magic unfold on your ensemble that’ll make you stand out from the crowd.