Elrond, Bilbo, and the red silk handkerchief
In this essay I will explore the idea of handkerchiefs among Elves and Peredhel and the colour red being associated with Elrond. (This post is only like 76% serious, since it was originally going to be an ‘in this essay I will’ joke post.)
Does Elrond has handkerchiefs because elves felt the need to develop handkerchiefs? Most historians agree that kerchiefs were developed as a way to shield people from the sun and prevent sunburn. However handkerchiefs were popularised by a better understanding of hygiene and were used to wipe one's nose and eyes or sweat and were distinguished from kerchiefs by the addition of 'hand' to signify they were carried in the pocket and then held by the hand rather than tied around one's head like a kerchief would be.
The red silk handkerchief ‘lent’ by Elrond to Bilbo was used by Bilbo to wipe his sweat away, which means Bilbo is using it as a handkerchief, however, we only have Bilbo's unreliable narration to go on that it was originally a handkerchief in Elrond's possession but such a small detail would not be much to lie about. If this is the case, then elves, or at least half-elves, have a need of handkerchiefs to wipe away sweat, tears, and snot*. (Elrond, of course, has a lot to cry about.)
Since pocket handkerchiefs were derived from the original head kerchiefs it's also reasonable to assume that elves will need protection from the hot sun, or that Elrond himself adapted the tradition from his ties to mortals? In the first case, it's not unreasonable to assume that elves can suffer sunburn, which makes sense, given that they can have children with mortals. (How long would it take an elf to sunburn though one must wonder?**) If it is the second case, we would assume Elrond’s ties to mortals are very strong as he used their customs.
Also in older times, a handkerchief often played a great part in court and clothing as an accessory since the smaller piece of cloth was easier to change out than a full change of clothing, which would be expensive when cloth and clothes were all hand made. Additionally the colour red in this handkerchief is interesting to note since Elrond and his children are usually described as wearing grey or silver and carrying grey or silver banners or ornaments (belt, mail, etc.)
So why then was the handkerchief that Bilbo borrowed red? It would be more suited for Elrond, who wears grey, to have a grey or blue handkerchief to match his clothing and ring (though the ring would not be seen.) However at this point, Elrond's clothing is not described, and this is also before Aragorn's betrothal to Arwen at a time when Elrond still believed that Arwen would part with him across the sea (he says to Aragorn that there is nothing but Aragorn between them.)
There is also an association with grey and mourning in Tolkien's world, seen in Nienna’s grey hood, and the parting/sadness of the grey havens at the end of the Lord of the Rings, which leads me to wonder if Elrond and his children are dressing in grey during the times of Lord of the Rings because they are mourning (both for the state of world and for their own separation) and wore other colours before.
Or if the colour red, closely tied to fire, could be a tie to the house of Fëanor? Made in a small way through such a small piece as a handkerchief. Since Elrond and his sons wear gems like stars in the centre of their foreheads resembling Eärendil and his Silmaril, a piece of red in Elrond’s outfit could cement his other tie to Maglor, Maedhros and the house of Fëanor, showing that he is a child of many worlds. Grey is also associated with twilight, connecting Elrond and his children to Melian and the Sindar. If Elrond is wearing grey during Bilbo’s visit the red of a handkerchief worn, perhaps, at his belt, would be a way to include his other connections outside of his birth family, allowing him to fully embrace his entire heritage despite its complications.
(There is also the additional question of if Elrond just likes red but red dye would be expensive so a piece like a handkerchief is a way to display it without the cost of full red clothing, since grey cloth would be much less expensive, though Elrond does not seem to be lacking in wealth. Although, again, his clothing is not described in the Hobbit, and he could very well have been wearing much red, as he would be very sexy in it.)
Additionally, giving someone a handkerchief was often seen as a very intimate act, such as a lady to a knight as a favour, which makes Bilbo and Elrond’s connection quite strong as they would be close friends now in order for Elrond himself to lend Bilbo his handkerchief. And it is important to note that his handkerchief is lent! As there are many, many beliefs that you should never 'gift' a handkerchief as this will cause sorrow since handkerchiefs are cried into. This is probably why Elrond's handkerchief to Bilbo is 'borrowed' and not 'gifted.'
*of course elves have sweat, tears, and mucus. this is just me being ha told you at my friend who said elves couldn’t sweat when she was 13 bc she had a crush on Legolas and sweating ‘wasn’t pretty’ **their skin gets cut, frostbitten, so it should burn
