9 Etiquette Rules That Any Modern Lady Needs to Know

In the past, there were strict rules of etiquette that people were supposed to follow. But in modern society, these lines have been blurred, and the rules of behavior have been changed. But still, there are some details that can reveal a true lady.

We at Bright Side are convinced that good manners are not just for queens and princesses. And there are certain tricks connected to appearance, behavior, and even text messages that will help you behave like royalty.

1. Don’t lean back in your chair.

If a lady sits at a table, she’s supposed to sit in the middle of the chair. It’s very important to leave some space between the chair and your back. This body position corresponds to the so-called pose of the duchess. You should sit straight but freely, and the space between your body and the edge of the table should be equal to the distance between your wrist and your fingertips. Besides, a lady can be spotted by her posture — if you lean on the back of the chair all the time, you can forget about a straight back.

2. Don’t be afraid of work.

A real lady never avoids physical labor. For example, in wartime, the grand duchesses and empresses worked as sisters of mercy in hospitals. So, the Grand Duchess, Elena Pavlovna, visited hospitals every day and even bandaged wounds herself. Maybe in the modern day, you can do some work in the garden.

3. Follow makeup rules.

Dark eye shadow and red lipstick are a combination that you will never see on the face of a real lady. It’s possible to wear these beauty products separately so that you just have one accent on your face. Just take a look at the makeup that modern members of the royal family prefer to wear.

4. Respect yourself and your time.

If guests come over without warning, you can allow yourself to meet them in a bathrobe and curlers. We also advise that you borrow this trick that one British lady used. When uninvited visitors appeared on the doorstep of her house, she always wore shoes, put on a hat, and grabbed an umbrella. If she was pleased to see the visitors, she would say, “Ah, how lucky, I’ve just gotten back home!” And if not, she would exclaim, “Ah, what a pity it is that I have to leave!”

5. Don’t put your phone on the table.

A modern lady won’t put her phone on the table when she’s in a public place, like a cafe or a restaurant. She won’t focus too much attention to this device. Besides, it’s obvious for her that the information on her smartphone is a part of her private life and it’s better to hide that from strangers.

6. Know the rules of correspondence.

Modern times are making adjustments, which is why special rules for texting have appeared. Ladies shouldn’t answer their messages right away for 2 reasons. First of all, to let the person she’s talking to know that she may have other personal things to do, that don’t allow her to answer right away. And secondly, she knows that it’s proper to call a person if you want to inform them about something urgent. But she won’t postpone her answer for more than 20 minutes, out of respect for the person who’s texting her.

7. Don’t keep your hands on your waist.

Posing while keeping your hands on your hips is rarely the pose a lady chooses. Of course, we all face a common situation where there is simply no place to put our hands. But in this case, it’s better to hold your hands in front of your body, so your body position will correspond to the rules of etiquette.

8. Use words of appreciation in moderation.

While it may seem that a woman with a good upbringing should literally exude gratitude and constantly recite phrases of appreciation, this isn’t true. It’s better to not overuse words like, “thank you” and “please.” Otherwise, their meaning will simply depreciate and will be perceived as flattery.

9. Don’t turn around if a person doesn’t call you by your name.

A well-mannered woman will never turn around after hearing “Hey!” on the street. This vulgar exclamation is an impersonal form of appeal from one stranger to another, and it is completely inappropriate according to the rules of etiquette. This kind of dialogue should be started with neutral words like, “sorry” or “excuse me.”

What other rules would you include on our list?