Newsletter Archive

We are all aware, because of the Coronavirus, that health officials have requested that we abstain from offering or receiving a handshake. Many of you have asked me to touch upon this subject. Here are a few of my suggestions of how to graciously adapt to this new handshake hiatus protocol. For dear friends and loved ones, my daughter, Caroline, suggested the “air kiss” which I think works brilliantly. Just the mere gesture of a big smile, hands semi-stretched out, and the “kiss- kiss” pantomime gesture (without actually touching the person), works like a charm to convey your joy upon greeting someone. When meeting a person for the first time, I admit it is truly a challenge not to extend my hand! Prince Charles was also photographed offering an alternative greeting. He used “Namaste,” India’s gesture of clasping palms together, along with a slight bow, when meeting people. Having just hosted

Just recently, I was a snowbird happily rejoicing in the worship of the sun, poolside in Palm Beach. The warmth, after being in five-degree weather out West, felt like a re-charging cocoon of delight for my body and soul. It was heaven on earth… for about ten minutes. My state of bliss was abruptly interrupted by a guest who picked up her ringing phone and proceeded to announce, through her conversation, that she was indeed important with many deals to discuss, loudly, for over thirty minutes. The other annoyed guests, grimacing to one another, moved away from her. It was obvious that she was going to continue to talk loudly, without any consideration to others around her. Have you had this happen to you too? This same type of annoyance also transpired while relishing an elegant lunch in Le Cinq, at the Hotel George V, Paris. My husband and I was

When evening gloves are worn to a formal event, there are specific etiquette guidelines you may wish to be privy to! Can you eat with gloves on? No, whether you’re standing or seated at a dining table, avoid eating with gloves on. Can you drink with gloves on? Yes, it is acceptable to drink with your gloves on. May jewelry be worn on top of your gloves? Yes, an evening bracelet may be worn over a glove, but not rings… I doubt a ring would even fit over a glove! Where do you place your evening gloves when seated at a formal dinner?  Gracefully remove your gloves, fold them in half, and place them on your lap with your napkin over them. The gloves may be removed either before being seated or at the dinner table. Put them back on when dinner is over. Do you wear evening gloves while

We have all attended various functions, whether it be a business, church or garden club meeting, where a nametag is expected to be worn. If the occasion does arrive, you may wish to know how to wear one appropriately! When you are offered a nametag to wear on your clothing, place it on your right side, and take a moment to be sure it is straight. The thoughtful reason behind having it displayed on your right side, and not your left, is that when you are shaking hands, you are looking straight at the nametag. This is important to note, especially for gentlemen, since they are often apt to place it on their left side coat pocket. Nametags, also referred to as badges, can come in a variety of styles: pin-on, magnetic, stick-on adhesive, clip-on, or hanging from a cord like a necklace. CEO.org always provides adjustable cords on their necklace-type nametags, my

Yes indeed, long evening gloves still reign supreme for a few formal events! You may think, ladies, that long, kid leather gloves  are out of style, but at certain social events, they are timelessly traditional and de rigueur. Evening gloves, also referred to as opera length gloves, reach over the elbow, and are the epitome of formal elegance. For formal and semi-formal events, ladies’ gloves come in three lengths: wrist, elbow, and opera or full-length. Soft, buttery, kid leather evening gloves continue to be a refined, graceful wardrobe accessory… one which I adore wearing when the opportunity presents itself! To decide the length of the glove to be worn, consider the arm length of your formal or cocktail dress. A sleeveless, strapless, or short sleeve dress is appropriate for an evening glove. Conversely, the longer the sleeve, the shorter the glove. If you are attending a white tie or black tie function, a debutante

The presence of cell phones on the table has snuck in the back door and become the norm for many. While I touched upon this in another MMM newsletter this subject, like having a drink in one’s hand while being photographed, is worth mentioning again! Mummy did not have to contend with cell phones on the dinner table since taking a phone to a party was not even an option back then. Today, of course, it’s hard to find a restaurant where families, couples, and children aren’t looking into their phones. Welcome to 2020! When attending a black tie dinner with my husband Stuart at Buckingham Palace, we were given strict instructions that cell phones were not allowed and would be collected, along with our coats, as we entered the palace. That took care of that! When attending a black tie wedding at a notable church recently, in the vestibule was an attractively framed message