Elegant but not elegant?

[launderedlace]

The date, place and person involved are all different from those in the 'Lace Handkerchief Analogy' observation; the handkerchief, however, appeared identical, although it was surely not the same one. Its centre was white, presumably cotton, and the surrounding border was of fairly deep, about three centimetres, pink lace. The lace was simply patterned, not containing anything such as butterflies or flowers, and there didn't appear to be an initial or any other embroidery on the white fabric. In other words, for handkerchief lovers, something reasonably eye-catching and of more than a little quality

I'd noticed the woman use a handkerchief once before: a straightforward nose-blowing episode into a clean-looking, but chaotically-creased, white with pale blue polka-dots handkerchief

For the lace handkerchief observation, I was positioned a few metres behind her, to one side. When I first noticed, the handkerchief was already at her nose and fully unfolded; it had been impeccably clean and still retained all the evidence of immaculate, crisp, laundering

Several times, and every couple of seconds, the section of lace I could see made huge twitches; there was no blow and there hadn't been a sneeze, but I was close enough to think I could just hear a faint noise accompanying each twitch. I quickly realised the woman was picking her nose with her pretty handkerchief. From the action of the hand that I could see, she was exerting considerable force in order to remove something stubborn from her right nostril. Although I didn't see any direct evidence, after about half a dozen vigorous gouging motions, she must have succeeded; the handkerchief was lowered and unceremoniously pushed completely into her sleeve, an action that would have scrunched it more than the nose picking did

As a known nose-blower, why didn't she do so this time? Perhaps she didn't want to overly dirty her lovely handkerchief too much; this way, when next flourished, only some light crumpling and, presumably, a single piece of snot hidden within the fabric, would detract from its earlier pristine state

Not everyone's into nose picking; when it's done with a gorgeous lace handkerchief does that, for some reason, make it less gross? Or even … ?! 
 

[Rick]

Yes, interesting that she chose not to blow even though you know she could - although you don't say how well. Perhaps she felt her blow wouldn't help this time, or that this was more discreet?

There is something appealing about the idea of someone being equipped with a beautiful, attractive handkerchief but then using it to deal with their nose in a rather unskilled, rudimentary way, maybe wiping instead of blowing, rubbing upwards with the bunched hanky, still sniffing etc. I'd soon be wanting to gently take it from them and help them blow properly into it - now there's a story idea...