Charm School: Various and Sundry Links and Tips



Today I am finishing the series of Charm School posts for this week.  I have collected a number of notes over the past few weeks.  I do suggest, again, that you make it a point to acquire a copy of a book on etiquette and study it. 



Manners change with the times.  In the early 19th century, a man simply didn't speak to a woman to whom he had not been formally introduced.  In today's world, things are not so rigid.  In some ways this is a good thing and in others it is not.  I think a knowledge of what is correct can help us navigate most situations capably and to know what rules apply to most situations.  I'll start with the links first. 

Some of these tips are funny to me.  I mean they are funny because they are things you'd think people would KNOW not to do. 
https://nowords4story.wordpress.com/2011/05/03/100-tips-to-be-a-lady/


I haven't been through the entire site.  I scanned through several articles from the front page.  The blog is a vehicle to direct you to her e-book but honestly there is a lot of information here.  I am not sure English is her first language but some of her points are well worth pondering. 
http://elegantwoman.org/

Lovely tips.  Post contains a link to another post about being a lady.  I love this quote:
“Being female is a matter of birth, being a woman is a matter of age, but being a lady is a matter of choice.”
http://sheismore.com/21-lost-lady-traditions-that-still-apply-today/   and her blog http://sheismore.com/blog/

A nice post.  I went to her website (link is on the post that this link leads to) and I found it was a now defunct blog.  However, you  might enjoy spending a Sunday afternoon there trolling around.
http://thedailylove.com/ten-tips-for-being-a-modern-lady/

Another 'list':
http://youqueen.com/life/personal-development/how-to-be-a-lady/

I saved this particular post to read through, but dig around on her site a bit and read other posts there.  I'm saving the site to go through a little more thoroughly myself.
http://www.artofmakeover.com/how-to-be-a-classy-woman/

This site boasts enough information to be a charm school.
http://aladylikeyou.com/

I love her perspective as a woman of a 'certain age'.  It is a fashion blog but lots of helpful hints here.
http://www.fabulousafter40.com/

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Miss+Manners+Rescues+Civilization.-a019280037

What follows are random things of interest I jotted down. 

Cursing is a sign of bad taste, limited vocabulary or the superficial habit of doing as the Romans do.  It is not necessary.

Manners tend to follow fashion trends.  In an era of ugly fashions you will often find ugly manners. (Gracious...Has anyone looked at Vogue of late? )  It is a good idea to not be 'on trend' in all things.

Common sense and common courtesy never die out.

It is never a matter of duty to take a drink.  A simple 'No, thank you,' should suffice.  If you do drink, limit yourself to no more than two if you can handle that many.  Know your limit.  Don't wait until you start to feel inebriated before you call the limit.  If you know that you are sensitive to alcohol, then be sure to eat something as you sip your drink.  Remember that inebriation  is never chic.

It is better to be overdressed than under dressed.

I hope you find these tips and hints helpful and that you're enjoyed Charm School.  I've certainly learned a lot and gained in confidence, too, as I realized the things I already knew. 

Now go practice being that charming lovely woman you always wished you were.

1 comment:

Lana said...

When my MIL told her mother she was getting married the only thing she said was, 'We have to go to Columbia (SC) and get you an Emily Post!' I have that book that was so important to that Southern society Mama and it is one of my greatest treasures.