Shaking Hands -

I hate bad handshakes.  We all know it when we are on the receiving end of one - someone gives you just their fingers, crushes your hand, fails to firmly grasp your hand, gives a limp wrist handshake, grabs your upper arm in addition to your hand, or does the hand-hug (shaking your one hand with their two).  What do people think of your handshake? Do you know if you are giving a bad one?  Follow these simple rules for a great handshake.

• look the other person in the eye and smile
• square your shoulders and body with the other person
• extend your right hand parellel to the floor with your thumb up
• press your palm against the other person's palm
• curl your four fingers around the other person's hand
• you should be web-to-web with the other person's hand (your web is between your thumb and index finger)
• 2-3 firm pumps and release (shaking from the elbow not just the wrist)

A nice, firm handshake is a sign of a confident and warm person.  Ladies, in business and in social situations you should be willing to extend your hand first.

It's easy being green in a well-mannered way

One of life's little treats is receiving an invitation in the mail...ooh, who is inviting me to what? The possibilities are endless.

But today many of us look for opportunities to be green and one simple, marvelous way is to send evites offered by Cocodot. They just introduced Lily Pulitzer's collection for virtually every type of event. I'm currently obsessed with the large floral build-your-own!

InStyle magazine is offering a 30% discount on an annual membership - simply enter "INSTYLE" at checkout.

Manners aren't just for girls

This just in from the British Open: Tiger Woods shows respect as Tom Watson finishes at St. Andrews. Click here to read the wonderful story of one golfer respecting the talent and career of another.

Quoting Esther's January 8th entry, "Possessing good manners means you possess a certain "kindness of spirit" - a je ne sais quoi - that enables you to be considerate of other people, charm them, and make them feel welcome around you."

Welcome to the club, boys!

You might as well be stylish when you work!

Check out See Jane Work to spruce up your presence. My newest favorite, which I just purchased in Apple Green, is the Bella Leather Portfolio. And at just $55, you cannot afford not to be stylishly well-heeled as well as well-mannered!

"Nothing Succeeds Like the Appearance of Success"

Did you know it only takes five seconds for people to form a first impression of you?  What message is your body language sending?  If you are slouching you are signaling you are weary, dreary, and probably a bit self-conscious.  Talk about having lackluster presence.

Show some self-confidence, elegance and grace by standing up straight.  This means your head held high, (chin level to the ground no snooty noses in the air, please) shoulders rolled down and back with your shoulder blades pulled closer together, and your weight evenly distributed between your feet. 

We all could be better with our posture.  How to practice? Well, we could do what a business associate recently mentioned over lunch one day, when she exclaimed, "I have to practice my posture ...my mom is coming into town."  She envisions someone gently pulling up on an imaginary ribbon affixed to the top of her head.  Or you could take up yoga or pilates which help with posture.  Or you could keep in your mind's eye someone of grace you want to emulate - maybe Grace Kelly,  reformed sloucher Gwyenth Paltrow, or Audrey Hepburn and Chelsea Clinton with their ballet-trained perfect posture. 

The bonus for all your trouble? Not only will you look more self-confident and positive, you will feel better and you will look five pounds thinner.  Sounds marvelous to me.

Summertime and the Living is Easy

With the Fourth of July often comes fun, outdoor celebrations with delicious food.  How do you eat all of the "difficult" foods while looking marvelously well-mannered? Take heart. Picnics, barbecues, and poolside spreads are necessarily casual affairs, and it is appropriate to eat with your hands.  Here are a few of the more popular foods served during the summer.  Let us know if you can think of others.

watermelon

When served in slices and with seeds, eat with your hands and drop seeds into a cupped hand and place on your plate or napkin.  If served cubed and in a bowl, then eat with a fork.

 

         corn on the cob

Butter and season only several rows at a time and eat with your hands.  Do not eat like an old-fashioned typewriter.  And do not butter the entire ear of corn at once - you will create a mess. 

     barbecued ribs

Another delicious food that is to be eaten with your fingers at outdoor parties.  We do recommend not licking your fingers.  Instead, use your napkin. 

If you are the hostess of one of a summer party, don't serve these foods when your guests will be eating indoors.  Rather, serve outdoors and provide finger bowls and extra napkins.  Your guests will be grateful.

When eating all of these - as a guest or a host - keep a sense of humor, and your napkin handy.  Happy summer everyone!

A Good Hostess ....

Stays calm when things go wrong.  As MaryCatherine has pointed out to me on more than one occasion, "the hostess sets the mood for her party.  If you aren't having fun, neither are your guests."  I can remember bad parties I have thrown and bad parties I have attended because this little piece of advice was forgotten.  To help us all remember we should buy these adorable and fun hand towels from Wisteria.  Being a chic, fun and calm hostess is to put the needs of your guests first, and that is being marvelously well-mannered.