The Changing of the Guard

Michelle Obama is just sparkling in a yellow Isabel Toledo coat and dress this morning for the inauguration. This is not the first time Obama has worn Cuban-born designer Toledo. Previously she wore the designer for a Vogue/Calvin Klein fund-raiser in June and has purchased many of her designs at Chicago store Ikram. The outfit will most likely be knocked off by ABS Schwartz by midday and be in Macy’s by tomorrow morning.

The Obamas arrive at the White House.

The Obamas arrived at the White House a short time ago to be greeted by the Bushes. Michelle’s best accessory was the gift she brought, the gracious person that she is.

The Gift

Tags: Ikram, Inauguration, Isabel Toledo, Michelle Obama.

Dear Reader,

An email can say a thousand words. Not literally - no one wants to read a thousand-word long email, but the closing line has become a stylish way to make a mark and set a tone by choosing the perfect one or two words. The sociology behind this everyday etiquette is quite interesting; one wants to sound unique without trying too hard and often will spend too much time thinking, deleting and rewriting. The puritanical days of “Sincerely” are over and have since been replaced by a multitude of phrases vying for the sign-off spot. “Best” has certainly received top rank. However, no one is ever quite sure what saying “Best” really means (we probably wouldn’t give the best of anything to half the people we write to), but it’s short, non-committal and popular. In turn, “Best” has become overused and formulaic, trotting out to the closing post when one is too tired to think of a smarter option.

The gratingly annoying one is “Cheers” - the informal slang that is slung too often when any other closing is just too formal and no closing is just empty. I used “Cheers” once and I felt sick afterwards - it felt fake, unmeaningful and no one was passing drinks around. I am not sure how this closing ever made it into email form. People who use it think they sound upbeat and are spreading good will. Please abandon “Cheers” unless you are British. It is not unique and will only piss people off.

The fashion crowd uses a much more intimate goodbye in correspondance - the “xo.” Like kissing on the cheek as a greeting, the “xo” steps out for those times when “Best” or “Thanks” is not intimate enough. Sometimes it appears as if the person’s keyboard became jammed, as in “xoxoxxoooxxoooo.” Messy, sure. But if you have known the person for more than five minutes, this is the way to go (you know who you are).

Closings can put a smile on your recipient’s face or confuse the hell out of them. Always use one. And if you’re in need of a new ending, using the trusty “Sincerely” is a throwback that will have people taking a second look as they are probably wondering if what they’re reading is a typo.

Sincerely Yours,

Joyce

The Longest List of Closings

The Six Worst Email Etiquette Mistakes

Tags: Best, British, Cheers, closing, email, Etiquette, goodbye, Sincerely, sociology, Thanks.