Ms. vs. Miss

hz80408

I'm getting ready to address wedding invites (myself) and had been planning on using "Miss" to address non-married women.  However, my mom things that the term "Miss" is patriarchial (sp?) and that I should use "Ms." instead.

Can anyone clear up which is proper? Thnx

michaelandjulie2

I would use "Ms." 

"Miss" is usually reserved for young girls. I wouldn't use this for anyone over the age of 13, but I don't know what the proper cutoff is. 

ETA: I just googled it, and it looks like "miss" it is is "proper" to use for any unmarried woman. However, I still this "Ms." is seen as more polite because it is unrelated to marital status.

georgia_bride09

I would use Ms.

ohwhynot

Either one is proper.  I used Ms. as a single person and as a married person.  I just prefer it, as I see it as the equivalent of "Mr." - it doesn't change with one's marital status. 

Calypso1977

Miss is technically for any woman who is unmarried.

However, it is completely appropriate to use Ms, although i personally wouldnt for anyone under 18. 

missy68

My 80+ year old aunt went by Miss until the day she died. She wasn't having any of that Ms. stuff.

When she addressed stuff to us as kids, it came to Miss (me) and Master (my brother). He did get Mr. until he was over 18.

My personal suggestion, based on experience, would be that if you are addressing any older people (60+), you use Miss if they are single, and Mrs. if they are widowed. I wouldn't bring Ms. into it, unless when they divorced, they went back to their maiden name.

Younger folks won't care as much.

shoegal715

I have been told at work that 

Miss = unmarried

Mrs. = married

Ms = none of your f.ucking business

Even if we know the person is married, we are still to use Ms for every woman we are adressing something to, as addressing someone's martial status is inappropriate and dated.

hz80408

Thanks ladies! Ms. it is!

[Deleted User]

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_ms-vs-miss?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:d5e99816-f126-40fa-8b91-908b8c974507Post:bc3645f9-3fde-47ea-8212-78c45944ab8f">Re: Ms. vs. Miss</a>:
[QUOTE]Either one is proper.  I used Ms. as a single person and as a married person.  I just prefer it, as I see it as the equivalent of "Mr." - it doesn't change with one's marital status. 
Posted by ohwhynot[/QUOTE]
me too. i prefer ms. in all instances.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I'm using Miss Meredith Lastname as the address on my RSVP envelopes, and I don't mind being addressed by Miss at all. However, the feedback I've gotten is much the same as PPs have mentioned, so I'm addressing all unmarried women on my list as Ms.

Morfudd

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_ms-vs-miss?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:d5e99816-f126-40fa-8b91-908b8c974507Post:e3f94765-193e-4c84-99bf-9862c640e06d">Re: Ms. vs. Miss</a>:
[QUOTE]I have been told at work that  Miss = unmarried Mrs. = married Ms = none of your f.ucking business Even if we know the person is married, we are still to use Ms for every woman we are addressing something to, as addressing someone's martial status is inappropriate and dated.
Posted by shoegal715[/QUOTE]

I use Ms. as default, except for my very conservative, conscientiously old-fashioned female friends who would be offended by "Ms."