Happy Monday and First of October! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. :) Mine consisted of doing a little bit of work, trying some fun juicing & frozen dessert recipes in our Vitamix- and might I add, there isn't anything that it can't do! It is officially my new favorite kitchen appliance (and likely to become the most used). I also took some quiet time for reading some new fall magazines that arrived last week and several e-mails that I received from you, my readers!
Today's etiquette post was sparked by a recent e-mail that I received from Kaley S. of Maine asking where the proper area is to place a handbag when dining out.
A handbag carried during the day is usually larger than the one that you'll be taking to dinner. No matter what the occasion, it is never appropriate to put one's handbag on the table-it is considered extremely rude no matter how expensive or beautiful it is. We often place our handbag on the kitchen counter, a bench, and some even momentarily meet the floor so for hygiene reasons alone, it is not acceptable.
Daytime Handbags
For larger daytime handbags, it is appropriate to place your handbag on an empty seat next to you (provided that there is such space available), the next option is to hang it from the corner of your chair, and in the case of rounded-back chairs, you may have to place it on the floor next to your chair. In particularly tight spaces such as small cafes, you could also place it under your chair so it's out of the way of servers. Of course an option to you is to purchase a purse hook. While I don't own one, my mother-in-law carries one and swears by it. A purse hook is a small device that you can carry in your bag, it pops open and hooks over the edge of a table to keep your bag off the floor.
Evening Bags
Generally speaking, evening bags such as a clutch are much smaller than your average daytime handbag. It really belongs in one of these two locations: behind you in your chair or lying flat in your lap underneath your napkin. Due to its small size, placing it on the floor is not a good option as items may fall out or it may get kicked by someone passing by. If you are using a clutch during the daytime, follow the same protocol-lap or behind you on the chair. If you have a small cross-body handbag you can place it in the same location.
As with all large bags, when squeezing into tight spaces such as a subway train, passing through the aisle on an airplane or even through a busy restaurant entrance, be mindful that while your bag is on your shoulder (or worn in the crook of your arm) it may hit someone while passing by. In these instances it is best to take it off your shoulder and carry it in front of you or at the very least hold it down with the arm of the side of shoulder its carried on.
When meeting new people at a work networking event, a wedding or a social gathering always carry a clutch in your left hand (do the same if you are carrying a handbag during the day to an event). This allows you to greet others and shake hands much more easily which is always polite.
One last thought on handbags as it pertains to their cleanliness. A classy woman is not only hygienic but presents herself with a tidy appearance-this includes the bag she carries. If she looks put together but then opens up her handbag to pay for something, grab her cell phone or even her lip gloss and it's clear she has 3 years worth of crumpled receipts in her bag along with money just randomly tossed in the bag, food wrappers and way too many things that don't belong, this has the same overall effect as a messy car-it just takes away from her overall look and how other's perceive her.
If this describes your bag right now, here are some tips that I put together on how to organize your handbag in just a few minutes to keep it neat and clean. :)
Have a great day!
XO
*photo credit
