Everyone knows a simple monogram can elevate your handbag into a truly special and one-of-a-kind piece. Try it out with Tory’s personalized Alastair collection. Just call the concierge at 855-889-8679 to customize your handbag with two or three hand-applied gold letters of your choice — and, voilà, an exclusive style made to order, just for you. But how much do you know about monograms themselves? Here, some fun facts…

1. The earliest known monograms date back to the Greek and Roman era when coins featured the initials of rulers.

2. In the Middle Ages, monograms helped ID a family’s laundry, which was done village-wide.

3. The Victorian era was a high point for the art’s popularity; around 1860, the hobby of collecting monograms in scrapbooks began.

4. In the beloved sitcom Laverne & Shirley, title character Laverne DeFazio — played by Penny Marshall — wears sweaters and shirts all with a trademark cursive “L” monogram. It was Marshall’s idea, who thought it would help the audience remember her character’s name.

5. Elvis Presley’s monogram of choice wasn’t EAP for Elvis Aaron Presley but TCB, which stood for “Taking Care of Business.” He often paired those initials with a lightening bolt symbol. In other words, taking care of business… in a flash.

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