Etiquette School of Ohio

Don’t Judge Others by Clothing Labels

At a recent event I attended, I overheard one woman ask another who manufactured her dress?  The woman wearing the dress quietly answered by saying it had been awhile since she purchased the dress and couldn’t remember.  (I must say she looked stunning.)  The first woman insisted it must be one of two designers and had to know.  She jumped out of her chair, ran over to the woman wearing the dress and read the label inserted in the back of the dress.  Learning the dress was not a designer label, she announced to everyone the dress was from a common clothing store.   She then looked at the woman as if she was wearing a burlap bag and laughed.

It doesn’t matter who makes the clothing or how much it costs.   Do not embarrass anyone by announcing their clothing labels or judge them by the amount of money they spend on their clothing. What matters is good hygiene, good grooming, and appropriate attire.

Please Wait Your Turn For Service

If you approach a customer service counter and see an associate or customer service representative speaking with another customer, do not barge up to the counter and interrupt their conversation. It is appropriate to stand aside or behind them and wait for your turn.

If the clerk offers good service, he or she will acknowledge you and let you know they will be with you as soon as possible.  They may even call another employee to assist you if one is available.

Do Not Spritz at the Table

Personal grooming is inappropriate at the table. Do not comb your hair, apply lipstick, file your nails, or, the most recent etiquette violation I observed, apply perfume.

I was enjoying dinner at a restaurant the other evening when a woman, sitting in the booth behind me, applied perfume from a spray bottle.  The odor was so intense I could only taste and smell her perfume for the remainder of my meal.  My dining experience was ruined and I left with a headache.

Never apply perfume, body mists, or scented lotions in a public place - especially at a restaurant. In fact, when dining, wear very little perfume or none at all so your senses can appreciate the taste and aroma of the food without distraction.

Gentlemen, this rule applies to your cologne and aftershave too.

Avoid Confrontation in Public

No one ever wants to be criticized or humiliated, especially in public.

I was recently in a grocery store and had the unfortunate opportunity to overhear a husband criticizing his wife for her lack of cooking skills.  The wife was so humiliated she started yelling back at her husband, creating quite a scene.  No one gained anything from this outbreak.  The couple was obviously upset, coming up with no resolution, and other customers were very uncomfortable witnessing the incident.

If someone should criticize you at an awkward time or in front of others, avoid immediate confrontation and further embarrassment by saying, “Let’s talk about this later.”

Parents of teens or children  might find this tip helpful as well.

Eavesdropping

As tempting as it may be to eavesdrop in the office, a restaurant, or a public space, it’s important to try to tune out the conversations of others.

Sometimes it is absolutely impossible to not overhear a conversation, but if you do, do not interject yourself in the conversation or comment on it to others or to the individuals having the conversation.

In simple terms, mind your own business.

Revovling Doors

When entering and exiting a revolving door, these etiquette tips will help you navigate through the door with ease.

1.  If the door is in motion, a higher ranking or older person should enter first.

2.  If the door is not already moving, a host, younger person, stronger person, or lower-ranking person should enter to push the door into motion.

3.  After entering the revolving door, help push the door to keep it moving.  Don’t rely on the efforts of others.

4.  Be aware of other people in the door.  If you are in a hurry, do not push the door so hard that it starts to whip around.  This could be very dangerous.

5.  Upon exiting the door, keep moving.  Do not stop in front of the door to decide where you need to go, text message, look around, or have a conversation.  There are people continuing to exit behind you.

How To Use A Wedge Of Lemon

If you are served a wedge of lemon to flavor tea, iced tea, fish, or other foods, you may want to squeeze the lemon in the drink or on the food.

Gently squeeze the juice of  the lemon on the desired food while shielding it with your other hand to prevent it from squirting elsewhere.  You may then drop the lemon wedge in your cup or glass if you are flavoring a beverage or place it on the edge of your plate.  It is preferable to place it on your bread plate if you have one at your place setting.

Be A Good Sport

No one likes to be around a poor loser or a gloating winner.  It’s important to use good etiquette skills when playing sports.

To be a good loser:

1. Thank the other player or team members for playing a good game.  Remember, you wouldn’t have had a game to play if they weren’t there.

2.  Don’t call the winning team names.

3.  Remain poised and calm after the game rather than stomping off the court or field.

4.  Promise yourself you will practice to play better next time.

To be a good winner:

1. Thank the other player or team members for playing a good game.

2.  Don’t gloat about your win. It’s good to be happy, but save the big celebration for when you’re with friends and family.

3.  Don’t be too confident about the win. Anything can happen the next time around.

ATM Courtesies

When waiting to use an ATM, be courteous to the person currently using the machine.  Doing your banking in an open, public setting can be intimidating.

1. Stand back and leave enough distance between you and the person using the ATM to give them privacy.

2. Do not attempt to look over the shoulder or sneak a peek at the information of the person using the ATM.

3. Wait for the person using the ATM to complete their transaction and step away before approaching the ATM.

4. Be patient while waiting. It is rude to tap your foot or huff and puff to make them proceed more quickly.

5.  Have your ATM card out and paperwork complete before approaching the machine.  If you’re not ready, let other people use the machine while you prepare.

Age

It is improper to ask someone how old they are.  It is also improper to ask others to guess your age.

If you find yourself in the dilemma of guessing a person’s age, it is politically correct to subtract at least five years from the age you believe them to be.

If you are asked by a teenager to guess their age, add one or two years.

If a child under ten asks you to guess their age, you better be right on.  They are all about exactness.