Etiquette for “Touching Up” in Public

At the risk of sounding absolutely inflexible, Etiquipedia disagrees with this advice from the dawn of the Women’s Liberation movement of the 1960’s. Powdering one’s nose at the dinner table, or anywhere in public (except possibly the privacy of one’s automobile), is not condoned as good manners. Limit your touch ups to lipstick. Anything more should be taken care of in the nearest powder-room (called such with good reason!) or ladies room.

Fixing Up in Public

Your clothes should be fitted, worn and anchored so you need not pull them down, tuck them in, or twist them around once they are on. If they don’t stay where they should, excuse yourself and make your adjustments in the ladies room. 

It is common practice these days for a lady to renew her lipstick or powder her nose after dinner at the table if she does it lightly and unobtrusively. But anything more elaborate than that should be taken care of privately. Particularly if it involves hair, which many people find repulsive in juxtaposition with food. — From “McCall’s Book of Everything Etiquette,” 1960

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia