Basic Manners Never Go Out of Style

Manners are something your mother and father taught you as a child. You know to use your manners at all times, yet so many women seem to have forgotten their basic manners, or perhaps they were never taught to use basic manners. Either way, it’s never anything less than shocking to encounter a person whose basic manners and etiquette are nonexistent. You can be anything you want to be in life, but there’s no excuse not to be a lady.

Smile and Shake Hands

One of the most basic manners you can use as a lady is to smile and greet a new friend with a handshake. It’s common courtesy and ever-so respectful. I see too many women – and perhaps have been guilty of this a time or two myself – who simply ignore people they don’t know rather than simply smiling and shaking hands. It’s beyond rude.

Proper Table Manners

Even if you don’t know which fork to use – start from the outside in, when in doubt – you should still extend the courtesy of using proper table manners to other diners. This means chewing with your mouth closed, not speaking with food in your mouth, not shouting across the table to speak with someone far away and not saying anything negative about the food you might not care for. Place your napkin in your lap, don’t eat until others begin to eat and always use your napkin to dab your mouth when you finish eating.

Be Gracious

Sometimes you might find yourself in a situation in which you are left to deal with someone who might not have many manners. Don’t stoop to that level; be gracious. Ignore rude comments, don’t engage others in an argument and always show respect for your hostess by being respectful in her home at all times.