Don't Complicate Things: Just Say 'hi'
DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is the proper greeting of a childless woman or man on Mother's Day or Father's Day?
GENTLE READER: "Hello."
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a woman member of a mostly male international wine society, and I enjoy tweaking the men's noses. I can't and won't deny it.
I'd very much like to buy some 18-button gloves, with the option to turn back the glove part. It would be delightful to turn to my table partner and ask him, in all sweet innocence, to help me unbutton the hand part of the glove.
The problem is, I am having trouble finding the appropriate online search terms to use. It keeps giving me black gloves, but I want white kid. Might you have any advice on how to research vendors of such?
P.S. I also like to whip out my pince-nez from my grandmother's evening bag to read the table menu.
GENTLE READER: You might find unused 18-button white kid gloves at flea markets. Fragile as they are, they were often stockpiled by ladies who might not have gotten around to using all of them.
But they would be of little use in tweaking others if those others include some who know the manners to go with the gloves and could catch you in error. Above-the-elbow gloves ("button" refers to the length, as there are actual buttons only at the hand) are properly worn on occasions when the dress code is white tie, and such occasions hardly exist nowadays.
And while you are right that the hand part is tucked back to leave the fingers bare when eating or drinking, no lady would ask a gentleman to fool with her clothing.
As for the pince-nez, you have Miss Manners' blessing, if you think having your nose pinched is worth it. Can't you find a lorgnette?
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COPYRIGHT 2024 JUDITH MARTIN
