Phillipa Morrish’s column: ETIQUETTE BOSS Phillipa Morrish

YOUR BEST INVESTMENT: Etiquette for Children

Suit Jacket Removal

High school graduation is just around the corner, and many young men will wear a suit for the first time. I thought it might be a good idea to give young men a tip about the etiquette of wearing suit jackets.

It is considered poor etiquette for a man who is wearing a suit to take off his jacket uninvited, in the presence of women. Please note that permission can be requested or the female might suggest: It is warm in here. Why don’t you take off your jacket?

This etiquette rule began when the man’s shirt was considered underclothing. Until 1871, a shirt/undershirt was pulled over a man’s head (no buttons down to waist) and only the collar and cuffs were publicly seen. Its origins as an undershirt still linger in polite society.

Your son might dismiss this as being an old tradition until you point out that all formal or business functions favor suits instead of shirts without a jacket. In certain upscale restaurants, a man cannot dine without a jacket. The origin of the shirt as a garment to be partly hidden, with only the neck and sleeves exposed, still lingers in modern society.

YOUR BEST APPEARANCE:

Anti-aging Face Masks

Spring is a time of pruning and cleaning our homes and bodies of winter’s neglect. Face masks are perfect for revitalizing faces that have been dried from winter’s extreme heat and cold.

One that will produce good results can be made in your kitchen: Mash three green grapes, half of an avocado and one teaspoon pure aloe-vera gel. Blend to make a creamy mask. Spread a thin layer over your face and leave for 20 minutes before rinsing.

For a moisturizing mask, try the banana /honey ace mask. The natural acids in this mask help to slough off dead cells and brighten the skin. Blend one banana with one teaspoon honey. Apply the mixture to clean face and neck, avoiding the eye area. Leave for 15 minutes and rinse.

Phillipa Morrish is the President of Etiquette Training International.