Q. What should a man wear at an afternoon wedding?
A. Ushers wear formal afternoon clothes. Other male guests may wear the same, but a plain dark suit is not improper.
Q. When may colored ties be worn?
A. With business dress. The father of the bride at an afternoon wedding wears a gray Ascot with frock coat.
Q. When is it necessary to wear pearl cuff links, and when may gold or other cuff buttons be worn?
A. Pearl studs and links are correct for full dress. Black enamel is preferable with the tuxedo. Waistcoat buttons, studs, and cuff links in sets, sometimes jewelled, are permissible if not too conspicuous.
Q. Are soft-bosomed shirts permissible with afternoon dress?
A. No.
Q. May soft collars be worn at teas, receptions, or tea dances?
A. They are not correct.
Q. Is a soft or colored hat ever permitted with evening clothes? Or a straw hat?
A. Only a silk hat is proper with full dress. With a tuxedo the opera hat is best, but felt or straw is correct in the country, and not out of place in town.
MISCELLANEOUS
Q. Should a man put on a woman’s rubbers or overshoes?
A. To put on a woman’s rubbers is a courteous act which it is proper for a man to perform.
Q. When calling for a young lady to take her for a drive is it proper to blow the automobile horn to announce one’s arrival?
A. The automobile horn should never be used to signal that the car is waiting outside.
Q. When do persons shake hands?
A. Men always shake hands when introduced to each other. Women rarely offer their hands when introduced to men. All people who know each other shake hands when they meet.
Q. Should a man remove his hat in an elevator?
A. Nowadays it is not considered necessary for a man to remove his hat in a business elevator. In elevators in apartments, hotels, and clubs, men remove their hats, but in elevators in office buildings and stores they usually do not. These elevators are usually crowded and it is difficult for a man to put up his arm and take off his hat. However, if there are only one woman and one or two men in the elevator, the men usually remove their hats, as they can do so without difficulty. In the Southern States the removal of hats in elevators is still a universal custom.
Q. In going up the stairs, should a man precede a lady?
A. Yes, a man precedes a woman when ascending the stairs, but walks behind her when descending.
Q. When a young man sees a young lady home after the theater or a dance should he ask for her key and unlock the door or should she do this after he has left?
A. It is courteous for the young man to unlock the door and to see that the young lady is safely in the house before he leaves.
Q. Should a young lady ask her escort
