Guide to change of address cards
In Britain there has long been a specific code of stationery etiquette that the well heeled adhere to. An Englishman’s stationery is sophisticated and elegant. Subtle variations in printing styles, paper thickness and ink are chosen to charm and impress. These fine details do not go unnoticed; they have been developed and cherished throughout our social history.
English stationers like CLD Stationery in London have years of experience supplying top end stationery to discerning customers. They understand that there needs to be just the right balance of form and function and (when appropriate some element of surprise) in the design for the stationery to pass their clients’ high expectations.
Stationery in the United Kingdom tends to be understated and definitely not flashy. Correspondence (of any kind) is not considered an opportunity to boast about financial prowess. Rather it is an opportunity to show your understanding of the importance of following traditions and respecting the social codes of society. It speaks of respect, quality, breeding and good manners.
For example with a simple change of address card, the sender needs just to add the details of the new address and possibly a moving date. The card is often headed with the text “Change of Address” in case there could be any doubt of its purpose. Sending a photo or an illustration is considered inappropriate. Why? Once again it’s because it would be seen as boastful “Look at our flash new house!”.
In the USA, there are not so many strict codes in terms of stationery etiquette - other than those which have been picked up from the British. As a generalisation, Americans tend to be much more gregarious in life, everything is bigger, bolder and brighter! Wealth often holds more weight than ancestry in the United States, so the concerns about inadvertently flexing your financial prowess are less frowned upon.
It’s interesting to note how this affects the stationery the Americans choose. Looking again at the simple change of address card, many Americans would be happy to share a photograph of their new property with their change of address card, because they see success as something to be celebrated and discussion of money is much less of a taboo. This is also becoming much more common in the UK, with people feeling that strict etiquette rules should be challenged and flexed to chime in with a modern classless society.
The American luxury stationery market is much more free with its designs than ours here in the United Kingdom. Designs are often fun and light hearted. In the UK we are seeing this influence more and more, especially with the rise of the handmade and do it yourself market where stationery etiquette is really being pushed outside the metaphorical envelope. The digital revolution is also allowing for people to correspond much more freely - to the extent that Debretts now has a ‘netiquette guide’ published.
Katherine Brown, Managing Director of CLD Stationery says “We believe there is a place for formality still, at CLD Stationery we feel that following codes of etiquette needn’t make your stationery dull and that you can retain the traditions and customs many of us still cherish and still find a way to stand out. It’s all about balance, combining classic elements with a few contemporary details and a subtle tweaks to the design to create unique stationery that is perfect pitch for you, your family or your business.”
The key thing to remember when moving house is to let people know! Sounds simple but moving house is a very chaotic time and it is a simple detail that can easily be overlooked that is why a printed card can be so helpful.
Sending a printer card just makes life easier as the recipient can quickly slip it into the correct page of their address book as soon as it comes through the door. Emails can appear a little impersonal, especially as you will most likely send a bulk email to all your contacts, this could also be tagged as spam by over zealous email filters. If you have to send address updates by email, make them personal, or separate the groups into family, friends and work colleagues.
You will want to include key information such as your names, your new address, the landline and also up to date mobile numbers and email addresses for the family members. And then choose a design that feels right to you – if you are a traditionalist then a plain A6 cream card with black writing is perfect. For those wanting a little more personality then consider adding a colour border or little motif. And for those want to make a real statement then there are plenty of options online for you too!
