<p>Hi Donna…yes that’s one of the origins, there are other reasons not as pleasant as the mentioned by you. However, when I was young the reason that was told to me was more simple…man walks in the outside to protect the woman, if she falls will not be in the curve or street…anyway they focus in protection of any kind.</p>
<p>I know sounds “old”…but when you heard thousand times that that’s the tradition then you get accustomed to the principle. (Like why we use a fork instead of something else…we just learned). So my husband better walk in the outside and if he forgets there is a reminder as quickly as possible…with years going by the remainder is less frequent.</p>
<p>Other conduct I think reflect poorly is a man with a hat inside a building (exception, an accident, surgery, work example engineers working…). Dislike seeing a man in a restaurant or office wearing a cap or hat…</p>
<p>Dislike seeing a man in a restaurant or office wearing a cap or hat…</p>
<p>Goes with walking on the outside actually
The mans hat catches the trash that is thrown from upper windows, then he would remove his hat before he went inside to clean it off.</p>
<p>Greenery, my H (who is not from the old country) insists on walking on the outside too. I tease him that he is protecting me from the semi barreling down the road. I have no idea where he got this notion. I find it quaint and touching, but only because he is my H.</p>
<p>Many of these things you mention sound like a lot of judgment based on rules that only you adhere to. There are many lovely young men who wear their hats indoors. </p>
<p>Also, I feel irritated when referred to as a “lady”. It makes me feel like I’m being constrained to behave exactly the way you describe… all those rules and prescriptions. It makes me want to rebel. (I also can’t stand the term “gal”.)</p>
<p>I have to admit to having a fairly foul mouth (I tone it down here on CC because I find the asterisks annoying). Interestingly, neither of my grown kids curse much, especially not for effect. Although D did get into trouble occasionally while at a conservative middle school.</p>
<p>Although D did get into trouble occasionally while at a conservative middle school.</p>
<p>A friend of mine who has a grown ( 21) daughter who has apraxia/dyspraxia amongst other things, was telling me about finally finding her a program to spend a few hours a day ( very hard to find), which is housed in a jesuit high school, in the administration wing. Lots of echoey marble stairways.
Her daughter’s vocabulary, when she is frustrated ( which is often) is quite colorful and loud.
:eek:</p>
<p>I have a small collection of 19th century etiquette books, and I think most of the advice they contain is at least as practical today as some of the rules stated on this thread. </p>
<p>Gentlemen, please remember that if you use bear grease on your hair, you shouldn’t lean your head against the wall in someone else’s house. Or against the back of a chair, for that matter, unless it has an antimacassar.</p>
<p>I like the fact that people dress nicely when they attend a “nice” restaurant or to church: I have seen Ladies in Jeans in a very “nice” restaurant or wearing “shorts” in a church…don’t tell me about the airport… pathetic!</p>
<p>In one occasion seating in the airport while waiting for my H, I saw this beautiful girl wearing a beautiful skirt, nice hosiery, pretty purse and all well put-together, hair and makeup…what a contrast to the other “ladies” in the airport. The boyfriend arrived and they look so romantic. I found myself thinking hope she keep it that way in the future…please look around!!!: </p>
<p>I thought… why females abandon themselves to a stage that they don’t care how they look or dress?</p>
<p>I don’t go outside of my house without makeup, nice top and hair done…something simple for the grocery store but nice.</p>
<p>Sorry… but why is this necessary? If she was waiting for her boyfriend, I’m sure he’s seen her at her worst. If you love someone, you don’t care what they look like- you care that they’re there. I don’t own a skirt, hosiery, a purse, or make-up so it looks like I’ll never be a “lady” in your eyes. </p>
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<p>For me personally, I don’t care how people view me. I have a great group of friends, a wonderful fiance, etc. If someone is going to judge me because I wear jeans and my hair in a pony tail, then they don’t need to be in my life TBQH. </p>
<p>My mum never wore make-up, my grandma never wore make-up, and I haven’t worn make up since I quit dance. Sorry, I don’t need gunk on my face cleverly designed by men to spruce up their arm candy. It’s a waste of money and it is TERRIBLE for your skin. </p>
<p>Oh and guess what else- I keep my hair down. Why? Because I grow my hair out every 2-3 years for charity and when you do things to it like straightening, curling, dying, perming, etc, it kills your hair. </p>
<p>I’m glad to know how other people judge me though ;).</p>
<p>Oh, and someone mentioned earlier that I noticed today. While riding the bus today, an elderly lady got on and didn’t have anywhere to sit. The people didn’t even look up (even though they knew she was there). The bus driver refused to drive until someone moved (I was already standing or else I would have). Someone finally did. But it was like, really? Do you really have no respect? Ugh.</p>
<p>Wait, people dress fancy at the airport? Really? What, do we need tuxedos at the train tracks too? A ballgown for the bus station? I completely agree about dressing appropriately for church or at a restaurant like that, but I don’t think that you need to look especially elaborate when using transportation unless that’s what you’re comfortable with.</p>
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<p>To me, things like that say more about one’s sense of manners than simply dressing fancy (which says more about how much money you have than how polite you are). Anyone can wear a top hat and a bowtie, but it takes a real decent person to notice something like that and do something. That bus driver had more manners than every last one of those people who ignored that elderly woman, regardless of how they were dressed.</p>
<p>I don’t go outside of my house without makeup, nice top and hair done…something simple for the grocery store but nice.</p>
<p>This could be a regional thing.</p>
<p>One of my BFF lived in Dallas for a long time. When she came out to the northwest- she told stories of women wearing full on makeup to buy groceries, and taking loans to buy hairspray and rat tail combs
Frightening really- to think that so much effort was required to pick up a half gallon of milk.</p>
<p>I think it is whatever you are used to, I personally think most people look better with little makeup, and without their hair expensively styled. I know people in the northwest, who get gussied up more than the rest of us, but that is because they are in the public eye & if they ran out of the house with their husbands sweats on, someone would start a rumor that they were broke.</p>
<p>At airports- I might look glam if I am going there to pick someone up, but they had a delayed flight, and I killed time by doing my face.
But that isn’t likely- if I am the one doing the flying- I have comfortable clothes on, shoes I can slide off easy, and probably no makeup since both the recirculated air and cosmetics dry your skin.</p>
<p>But I am clean- and I don’t have any dangly bits hanging out * hopefully* & I haven’t had anyone tell me I was offensive yet!</p>
<p>Suggestions:
-You don’t need to spend a lot in makeup: Bare minerals, Revlon, cover girl…natural colors and makeup is not heavy.
-Cloth: Regional stores, big sales now, dress accordingly to the place you visit.
-Hair: Ponytail is fine, clean hair is important…at least fix your hair! Donating hair for charity is a wonderful act of kindness…good for that.
-Shorts: Bad for church or nice restaurants.
-If you used to fix yourself when you were young and when dating, then don’t abandon your appearance because you have been married for years….</p>
<h2>The bottom-line is to not look like you were cleaning your garage when you go to places…!!!</h2>
<p>New one: What about people cleaning their teeth in a restaurant or in public…bad habit!</p>
<ul>
<li>I don’t care to put gunk on my face and I’m not spending ANYTHING on make-up. Uh, why should I?
-I wear nice pants when I go to a nice restaurant. I wear my work clothes at work. I wear whatever I feel like everywhere else. Why should I waste money on new clothes? Until mine fall apart, they work just dandy :).
-The ponytail is only once in a while. I clean my hair every day and brush it. What more do I need to do?
-Meh, people used to wear shorts to my old church all the time. I don’t think God particularly cares what you wear, as he sent us into the world naked. Just saying.
-I am young and dating. But I don’t know why I need to make myself purty for someone else. </li>
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<p>There is a huge difference between that and wearing a skirt. </p>
<p>Greenery, I think you and I just have a huge difference of opinion on outward appearances. That’s all. emerald’s got a point- where abouts are you from? I’m from just outside of Detroit and this is the norm around here. No one gets out of sweats to go to the grocery store.</p>
<p>Cleaning your teeth is usually thought of as gross, isn’t it? Some people think they can do it surreptitiously, but they usually can’t. What do you think we think you’re doing with that credit card in your mouth? ;)</p>
<p>Generally, my idea of manners is less focused on clothes, though; if there’s a dress code, you should adhere to that, but I don’t think there’s any need for me to put on a suit and tie to go wait on the OmniLink. I wouldn’t even consider it, actually; those bus stop seats are disgusting, and I’m not buying a new pair of pants every day for the rest of my life! :D</p>
<p>Ew… how does one clean their teeth in a restaurant? Do they make portable tooth brushes now? </p>
<p>Oh another pet-peeve: elevators. Seriously, if you see someone running for an elevator, just hold the door open for a second. A second is not going to kill you.</p>
<p>That’s correct…big difference, wearing shorts or being scantily dressed while visiting a church is not appreciated by many…no never have been in Detroit…so I can not tell about the way people conduct their lifes.</p>
<p>^ No sorry, shorts are not the norm. I just personally don’t see the big deal. I don’t go to church either, so it was an outsider’s opinion. (When I was still Christian, I went to a very liberal church). </p>
<p>And how we dress and how we “conduct our lives” is different.</p>
<p>I think this is the biggest mistake anyone could make. My mother told me that when I first got married. As I get older and worked for 25+ years, I agree with her even more.</p>
<p>roman…That’s fine this thread is to discuss good manners…you can comment if you disagree.</p>
<p>To answer your question about people cleaning their teeth in restaurants…what some people do, is the use of toothpick or floss at the table in a restaurant… for some cultures is fine, but I think it is inappropriate.</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s really something that’s hard to hide, you know. Especially when you’re really going at it with a credit card or one of the knives at the restaurant. Honestly, if you need major dentalwork it’s too late to take care of it right at your table at Chez Snootee, you know?</p>