STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Tara · Dooney & Bourke

Use of Mrs. in a professional business setting...

Mandy · Kate Spade

I always use Ms., but since you know that she is married, I think either would be acceptable. When I was married I would refer to myself as Ms. but Mrs. didn't offend me.

ILoveChoo · Hermes

since you know shes married and uses his name, I'd use Mrs.

NCshopper · Hermes

I always use Ms. But I think that if a woman goes by her married last name the chances are probably next to nothing that you'd offend her by using Mrs.

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

i'm w/ you tara, i think ms. is more appropriate than mrs. we don't know for sure if she goes by mrs. and w/ ms. you can't go wrong. i also think its pretty petty of your coworker to have made that change to your letter in the first place.

Karina · Chanel

I always use Ms.

blubirde · Chanel

Can't go wrong with Ms. I always think it's a bit presumptious (even if they do go by Mrs.) for someone to refer to people in letters as Mrs. Especially in a work situation.

erin · Chanel

personally, i would be really annoyed if someone referred to me as mrs. in a work environment...

Drew · Gucci

Oh, wow! I had no idea about this etiquette. No idea, but I have always wondered how to handle it when you don't know, or aren't sure, so I naturally just used Ms. I am so glad to know there is a rule, and I'm doing it right. Thanks!

Eurodaisy · Dooney & Bourke

blubirde wrote:

Can't go wrong with Ms. I always think it's a bit presumptious (even if they do go by Mrs.) for someone to refer to people in letters as Mrs. Especially in a work situation.

I agree with this. Few married women who take their husbands last name would be bothered by the title Mrs. (if they even noticed), but Ms. is universally accepted and inoffensive. I use Ms. in all my correspondence, work related or not.

rosey · Dooney & Bourke

Eurodaisy wrote:

blubirde wrote:
Can't go wrong with Ms. I always think it's a bit presumptious (even if they do go by Mrs.) for someone to refer to people in letters as Mrs. Especially in a work situation.

I agree with this. Few married women who take their husbands last name would be bothered by the title Mrs. (if they even noticed), but Ms. is universally accepted and inoffensive. I use Ms. in all my correspondence, work related or not.

Ditto. Ms. is the safest bet.

Dizzy · Marc Jacobs

You live in the south, don't you? I would stick with Ms. to be inoffensive, and stay away from the coworker - it almost sounds like she's just trying to be catty to you.