Etiquette for the Bachelor of 1921

“Some people consider it unconventional to attend a bachelor entertainment, but allows it may become the usual custom for bachelors to entertain friends at dinner parties, theatre parties, teas and in almost any other way which strikes his fancy. No bachelor should invite guests to his home unless he has a full retinue of servants and of course, a chaperon is necessary.” –  Bachelors on the beach in Southern California entertaining two young women with a picnic. No butler is in attendance.

When the Bachelor Entertains

A book of etiquette, published over 50 years ago, has been donated to the Friends of the Library for their forthcoming Book Fair which will take place at Spreckels Park during the Spring Flower Show. This book notes that some people consider it unconventional to attend a bachelor entertainment, but allows it may become the usual custom for bachelors to entertain friends at dinner parties, theatre parties, teas and in almost any other way which strikes his fancy. No bachelor should invite guests to his home unless he has a full retinue of servants and of course, a chaperon is necessary. 

However, men and women may be invited to the theatre party, and if there are married couples in the party, a chaperon is not particularly necessary. It is noted that the butler should be clean-shaven and his hair should not be closely cropped, but out loosely, and it should be well-brushed at all times. The importance of vocabulary is also stressed. Make a resolve, right now, that no matter how popular slang becomes in the less refined circles of society, YOU will never use it because you know that it is the badge of vulgarity. (Man, dig that well turned phrase). – The Coronado Eagle & Journal, 1972

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