Your the One

Red text on a white background with an outer blue and white checkered outer edge

The phrase "You're the one" is commonly used to express that someone is the proverbial love of your life. Its history is intertwined with its application in both casual conversation and various forms of media, particularly in the realm of romance. 

The confusion between "your" and "you're" in phrases like "your the one" is a common and persistent error rooted in the identical pronunciation of these homophones. While the misuse isn't exclusive to the early 20th century, the period's lack of focused grammatical instruction on distinguishing these sound-alike words, coupled with the variance of American English spellings and the obvious intended meaning, may have also contributed to the persistence of the error. Today, despite wider access to educational resources, this grammatical mix-up remains a prevalent challenge in written English.

Comic Motto Buttons, as they became known sometime in the 1940s (previously known as Comic Celluloid Buttons), hailed from Johnson Smith & Co. catalogues and became popular in the early to mid-20th century. Recognized by their iconic checkered border, featuring salacious slogans and witty banter, the catalogue promised, “Get acquainted – wear these comic celluloid buttons. Slip one or two of these buttons on your lapel and then wait for the wisecracks to begin. The girls get lots of fun out of them. At parties, you break the ice right from the start. Just give one of these to your guest, and it gives the party a flying start.” 

Johnson Smith & Company began in Chicago, Illinois in 1914 as a mail-order novelty and gag gift supplier, settling in Racine, Wisconsin in 1926. Johnson Smith & Co. or Johnson Smith Company sold an array of toys including pinback buttons with suggestive slogans meant as ice breakers.