Nicole Scott Designs Inc.

Sunday I put together an IKEA recliner chair for a client and commented on how old fashioned it was that they include arm covers and a little doily to rest your head on in the packaging.

Of course, my clients are all very wise… (I mean, they hired me after all:) and she knowingly responded with the proper name for this little piece of cloth and filled me in on the origin of these protective patches.

You can see from the definition above that they originated in Victorian and Edwardian England when it was fashionable for men to use Macassar oil as a hair conditioner or to groom and style the hair.  You can still find them in high end hotels and passenger trains..and I can confirm IKEA still uses them too:)

Man, that doily is really hanging on for the ride!  I’m going on the record now as being anti antimacassar.