For those who love love love etiquette
One thing I can’t deny, the last three hundred years or so of history of the west has been a progression towards informality. Sure, there have been bumps on the road, but there is no mistaking, we’ve gone from a more formal culture to a less formal culture. One area that this is readily apparent…
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Now that we discussed the napkin to a torturous degree. Let’s look at the current American rules for using your napkin at dinner: Firstly, the general rule is to place your napkin in your lap as soon as you sit down. There are two exceptions to this rule. When attending a formal dinner, you will wait for…
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Hello, I’m Cheri and I am a linen addict. I’ve been trying to get better, but it’s so hard. I Marie Kondo’d my linens and gave away a bunch of stuff, but there still seem to be lace, damask and cotton pouring out of the cupboards and closets. If you read my post on doilies,…
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When it comes to formal dinner parties, there are three types of service that you will hear about: Service a la Francaise or French Service (sometimes called English Service in America) What preceded the type of service you see on shows like Downton Abbey? Before the Victorian era, tables were laden with food that was…
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By 1922, Lilian Eichler writes that, “Menu-cards are no longer used at the formal dinner, unless it is in celebration of some auspicious occasion and honored guests are present. In this case, the hostess has the menus printed or engraved in a delicate script and has one placed beside the plate of each guest. A favorite fashion…
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