Social Etiquette Rules for Men of 1912

Two much of a good thing? —THE sad news has come to us that the beautifully dressed man is no more. And the fact is deplored that there are no more dudes in America. The truth is that all men are dressing and looking better today, so that there are no exceptional few as existed some years ago.

Today Almost Every Man Appears in an Evening Dress When He Goes to the Theatre or Opera and Men Are Dressing Better Today Than Ever Before

THE sad news has come to us that the beautifully dressed man is no more. And the fact is deplored that there are no more dudes in America. The truth is that all men are dressing and looking better today, so that there are no exceptional few as existed some years ago. A handsomely dressed man a few years ago was a conspicuous character, regarded as a fop and laughed at by those who didn't know

Today men take as much care of their faces and skin as do women All the barbers give facial massage. Cold creams are used to beautify men's faces; powder is selected of the finest quality, “to use after shaving.” Hot towels are used to steam out the lines and crow's feet No end of electric devices are invented, and men get them before they reach the departments for women…

We all know how sensitive men are about their hair. Scarcely a man would prefer to be bald to being fat. And prefer to be bald to being fat. And yet they will wear their hats in and out of the office, causing circulation to stop in the top of their heads and killing the roots of the hair. The reason that women do not become bald is because they never wear their hats tightly pulled down over their heads, but allow air to get to the hair at all times.

The lack of change in the fashions for men's attire leaves little expense for them other than extravagant accessories to their toilets. And the man who affects too many fancy waistcoats and too much jewelry is considered effeminate unless he is sufficiently large and celebrated to defy suspicion A few years ago dress suits could be counted in an audience. Today almost every man appears in an evening dress when he goes to the theatre or opera, another proof that the well-dressed man is not conspicuous nowadays.

Rather the conspicuous man is the one who does not put on evening dress when dining or going to the theatre with women naturally. Business men are about dressing and there are very few of them who would not prefer to wear their business suits until bedtime is only civilization and social rules that compel them to be more than savages.

I often wonder that men who think so much of themselves and who are so susceptible to flattery so often neglect the ordinary rules of toilet and etiquette simply from laziness. They are the first to notice a neglectful woman, yet they are not willing to return the compliment of dress and manners muchless driven to it by love or pride

But such men today are in the minority and a well-groomed man is as fully appreciated as a well-groomed woman. Hence the decadence of the woman dude. Men should remember that when they are criticizing women they must themselves be above criticism. — By Lillian Russell, 1912

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