6 Etiquette Rules We’re Constantly Breaking
shivani k 
Image: Shutterstock
What comes to your mind when I say the word ‘etiquette’? We’re sure that etiquette isn’t something that we follow everywhere these days. We get it, we’re living in this uber-modern and an uber-cool world where being yourself, your casual-best self, is the norm. But how can the trend of good manners become passé? Who doesn’t like being with a polite human, a well-mannered human? Ladies, won’t you always prefer a man who would say, “After you, Miss” or pull a chair out for you to sit on at the restaurant? Similarly, dear men, wouldn’t you want to be around women who follow a similar etiquette.
Let’s not forget that good manners or etiquettes can be very different based on the place, situation, and person. The Japanese consider it good manners to always remove their footwear before entering homes; the Eskimos rub noses when they greet each other and so on. Irrespective of how good manners are carried out at different places, they are all intended to be good. Being polite doesn’t come with an expiry date; let’s take a look at some of the etiquettes that we happen to constantly break and ignore.
1. Greeting The Right Way
Greeting a person correctly can either seal the deal or just break it. It’s your first chance of making that first impression on the person. Always remember to shake hands gently and be quick with it. Don’t hold onto the other person’s hand for too long, if you do so it appears that you’re invading their personal space. Also, never pat the person’s shoulder while shaking hands, it’s a big no-no. And all you men out there, bow slightly while greeting a woman. We bet she’d be impressed!
2. Always Be On Time
It could be a date with your spouse, a meeting with your boss, or even picking up your kids from the school, make sure you’re there on time. And if you think you’ll be late by a few minutes, call them up, and apologize for the delay. It is important to value the other’s person’s time. When you show up late to a place, you just send out signals that your time is more important than theirs.
3. Never Carry A Woman’s Purse
As archaic as this could get, it’s considered to be bad manners to carry a woman’s purse. One of the most prohibited things for a man to do is to hold a woman’s purse. Gentlemen, never do it, we repeat, never do it! You can always let the woman know that she left her purse behind, but don’t carry it for her.
4. Dressing Up The Right Way
Wearing the right clothes can definitely boost your confidence and leave a good impression on the people around you. And we’re not asking you to fill your closet with expensive clothes here, we’re just saying be presentable. We have laid out some guidelines for below that you can follow.
- Always pick a jacket with a good fitting.
- Make sure that the shoulder length is right and all parts of the jacket you are wearing is of the same style.
- The sleeve of the jacket should cover your wrist, but it should not reach the lower joint of your thumb.
- Etiquette dictates that the lower button of your jacket should be left unbuttoned.
- Chose slim-fit jacket to draw attention to your figure.
- Chose a double-breasted jacket to look more impressive.
- Always pick clothes that suit you.
- Opt for a darker trouser or skirt and match it with a light-colored blouse.
- Wear minimal jewelry. Wrong jewelry or mismatched jewelry can signal that you are not a modest person.
5. Behaviour At The Table
We all know about ‘how to eat’ at the table, don’t we? But, what do we do with our hands and legs? Do we cross them, or do we just rest them on our laps, the confusion is endless, right? Here are some dinner table rules that could help you:
- Hand manners are important. Don’t keep your hands on the table, place them on your lap.
- If there are people at the table whom you don’t know, don’t go ahead and talk to them. You need to wait to be introduced to each other.
- Next, never cross your legs. In some cultures, crossing your legs could be a sign of disrespect. So, always sit with your legs joined together.
- Phone manners! Placing your phone on the table signals out that you’re not interested in the conversation (after all, we are glued to our phones, right?)
6. At The Restaurant
Don’t we fight over who is going to pay the bill when we’re done with dinner at a restaurant? Guess what, etiquette plays a role in this too. If you ever say, “I invite you,” you’re asking your companion to pay the bill. If you’re saying, “Let’s go to the restaurant together,” it shows that you and your companion will be paying for yourselves. Now that you know who pays the bill, you should also know your cutlery well on the table, right? There are so many spoons and plates that it’s easy to get confused. Here’s a little help that you could use. Below is a picture which represents the cutlery and its uses:
- Napkin that needs to be put on your lap
- Salad fork
- Fork
- Plate
- Salad Plate
- Knife
- Teaspoon
- Soup spoon
- Cup and saucer
- Glass for white wine
- Glass for red wine
- Glass for water
- Dessert spoon
- Dessert fork
- Dessert knife
- Plate for bread
Cutlery signals:
Since we are well equipped with the uses of cutlery, we also need to know how to ask for a second serving, give feedback, or finish a meal, gracefully. Below is an image that will help you understand how to signal your waiter silently whilst enjoying your meal.
By keeping in mind these basic etiquette rules, we’ll surely become a better person. And well, who doesn’t like to be polite, right? Did you know any of these rules beforehand? Let us know in the comments below.
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