Quotes About Etiquette

Group eating was scarcely less embarrassing than bodily functions

So this is how history gets rewritten, she thought. This is how it begins, with exaltation. Now it is not enough for a man merely to have been a man; now the etiquette of grief demands that we change him into a prince, a king. Now the flaws of a man have to be ironed out like creases in a suit, until he is spread out before us as smooth and unblemished as the day he was born.

lobster salad and champagne were the only things a woman should ever be seen eating.

The poet Lord Byron famously proclaimed that lobster salad and champagne were the only things a woman should ever be seen eating.

Only a man will think of a burp as a greeting for another man.

Never comment on a woman's rear end. Never use the words "large" or "size" with "rear end." Never. Avoid the area altogether. Trust me.

People enjoy sitting back knowing they won't hear a lot of four-letter words.

The whole key to social climbing is not having spinach in your teeth.

Another tip to weld society together. Give the person up to bat at the ATM plenty of space so they're not nervous about you peeking at their PIN number or slipping a blade between their ribs the second the money spits out.

Serge slammed the phone down. "All the women in my life! You try to be polite, but they still talk to you.

Seth twisted up his mouth and somewhat sarcastically waved his hand toward the couch and said, "Won't you please sit down, Madam Queen?" "Thank you," Tate said primly.

People use texting and e-mail for everything, but it's not appropriate for somber situations. If you win an Oscar, tweet away, but if you're talking about a death or an illness, you need to use more formal channels. For example: You can promote an employee via e-mail, but you can't fire him. You can ask someone out by e-mail, but you can't break up with her. Happy occasions can be casual. Sad or serious ones require a personal touch.

I don't believe in texting while dining, sending one-word e-mails in lieu of formal thank-you cards, wearing shorts to the theater, or settling for any of the modern trends that favor comfort over politeness, ease over style. Manners are simply about asking yourself, What's the right thing to do?

It might be a shock to see me, but that's no reason for people to act crazy, and it doesn't give them license to chase me down the street.

I can be nice - I don't need to be rude for no reason.

If there were no rules about when to applaud, we in the audience would have the right response almost always.

What I don't understand is why men have decided that they like wearing hats indoors. It makes no sense to me.

I think people could be a bit friendlier. The only real contact you have with people is when they're annoyed if you've had a party - you know, it's been a bit too noisy for them or something.

To Americans, English manners are far more frightening than none at all.

Note to self: never eat garlic before a fashion show because everyone greets you with a kiss on both cheeks.

Warmly thank your host when you leave, citing special things you enjoyed about your stay. As soon as you return home, use your good stationery and write a lovely note thanking your hosts profusely.

When I have interns, I always say, 'Handwritten thank-you notes can make a difference.' People remember that - not an e-mail, a handwritten note in an envelope.

It's very important with these young people who are graduating and getting married to write thank-you notes.

Good manners don't cost nothing.