As a Certified Image and Etiquette consultant, for over 25 years I’ve watched the definition of etiquette evolve and expand, especially in the world of business.
Thirty years ago, anyone using the word etiquette in everyday speech might have been laughed out of town. Let’s face it; etiquette had a bad rap. It was synonymous with pretension – the Holy Grail of an elite fraternity of social snobs. Rather like curtsying at a debutantes’ ball. There were exceptions, of course. No one questioned the etiquette of addressing then President Jimmy Carter as “Mr. President” – a clear gesture of respect for both the office, and the man.
Posted on August 28th, 2009 by Diane
Filed under: Business Etiquette, Diane's Reflections, Dining Etiquette, Etiquette, Social Etiquette | 3 Comments »
Summer always seems to slip away. This year in Toronto, summer never really arrived and now it seems to be over. So last Sunday, I decided to celebrate the season with a brief interlude – to make a clean break from the incessant busyness that fills my week and spend the day with a dear [...]
Posted on August 20th, 2009 by Diane
Filed under: Diane's Reflections | 1 Comment »
’d venture to say that PDAs are more commonly carried than pens, or even combs, in the pockets and purses of most urbanites. Every week, I receive questions for BlackBerry etiquette or iPhone protocols and our May newsletter provided tweetiquette tips. Social networking is a part of daily life and often provides a wake-up call with the first tweet of the day.
We have become a nation of archivists – meticulously recording even the smallest of details. Although the accent is on “social,” some would say there’s a dark side to all this documentation. And that’s exactly what prompted a group of New York City’s avant-garde writers to host twice monthly, off the record salons, or parties, where PDAs and photos are strictly verboten. Kind of a party hearty atmosphere – with no fear of recrimination. But an over the top, Bacchanalian fête is not the intent. Rather, the point is to cease and desist from chronicling every nanosecond. (One could argue that the hosts have, indeed, made a clever PR move.)
Posted on August 18th, 2009 by Diane
Filed under: Communication, Etiquette, Social Etiquette, Techno-Communication | 1 Comment »
Often called “ the designer’s designer,” Cuban-born Isabel Toledo was little known outside fashion’s inner sanctum until First Lady Michelle Obama selected her shift dress and coat for the January Inauguration Ceremony. Last week in NYC, I visited The Museum at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) for an exhibition of Isabel’s work.
Posted on August 12th, 2009 by Diane
Filed under: Celebrities, Dress, Fashion, Image, Menswear, Special Events, Womenswear | No Comments »
Managing your office environment Apple Stores across North America take pride in being paperless environments. They use technology to circumvent reams of paper, with only an occasional departure from their paperless guidelines. Apple may be the exception, rather than the rule. If memory serves, it wasn’t long ago when “experts” were forecasting that offices around [...]
Posted on August 7th, 2009 by Diane
Filed under: Workplace Etiquette | 14 Comments »
The entire incident was no big deal; I’m simply using it to illustrate my point that saying “sorry” often falls into the category of empty words.
Posted on August 4th, 2009 by Diane
Filed under: Communication, Diane's Reflections, Social Etiquette | 1 Comment »
