Daily Etiquette

3 secrets for gaining a perfect smile

Dear Ladies and Gentleman, I am sure you are wondering: how to always have the perfect genuine smile that captures everyone’s attention? How to keep our smile young over the years? How to smile more naturally? How to lose the fake smile?
As an answer to these questions, I propose three facial exercises that you can adopt every day.

The smile line eraser exercise
Why this exercise
With this exercise, you can work at reducing the fine lines around your mouth appearing over the years, helping you look younger and giving you a more natural, brilliant smile.
How to do it
Pucker up: purse your lips as dramatically as possible by sucking in your cheeks and rolling your lips out.

Attempt to smile while you’re puckering.
Hold this pose until there’s a mild aching sensation in the muscles around your mouth, then release.
How often to do it
This exercise should be done only once a day, in order to avoid straining the muscles of your face.

The smiling muscle exercise
Why this exercise
With adopting this exercise we keep our muscles around the mouth young and in good shape, so we are always ready to express the perfect smile with easiness.
How to do it
Start by sitting or standing in front of a mirror, whichever is more comfortable, with your face and lips in a relaxed state.
Stretch the corners of your mouth laterally (to the sides) while keeping your lips together; hold for 10 seconds.
Expand the lateral stretch and part your lips to expose the edge of your teeth; hold for 10 seconds.
Stretch further laterally and expose about half of your teeth; hold for ten seconds.
Smile as wide and hard as you can, with all your teeth showing; hold for ten seconds.

Repeat steps 4, 3, and 2 to reverse the smile gradually.

How often to do it
This incremental exercise in smiling should be done once a day, the best time is in the morning.

“Duchenne genuine” smile exercise
Why this exercise
With practice, you may be able to remove a fake smile by engaging your eyes with your mouth. When your smile has the power to enthral other people, then you have a genuine smile, so-called Duchenne smile.

How to do it
Stand in front of a mirror but concentrate only on your eyes. You may find it helpful to cover the lower part of your face with a piece of paper.
Make your eyes smile; hold it for ten seconds.
When your eyes do smile, remember how it feels, including which muscles are working and how.
Repeat this exercise 3 times.

How often to do it
This exercise should be done once a day, the best time is in the morning until you master the smile.

Let’s review together, can you detect which from the following smiles are fake genuine smiles and tell us why do you think so?

Do you have any other exercises for gaining the perfect genuine smile? Please share with me!

How does an elegant lady maintain her home

Dear ladies and gentlemen, show me your home and I will tell you who you are. Many of your habits are culturally inherited when it comes to maintaining your home, and especially your kitchen. We propose you to review what you may have done differently if you were born in another country. How would an elegant hostess maintain her home?

Chinese and Western Kitchen
As a matter of fact, the biggest difference comes from cooking habits. If you are Chinese you probably prefer stir-frying or quick frying, while if you are European or American you are rather used to heating or cooking food in the oven or fry pan, which means less oil and less cooking smell. As a consequence, the way you have arranged your kitchen space if totally different.

Spatial Arrangement
For Chinese, a kitchen is only a place for cooking. And when you cook, you have to close the kitchen door, otherwise, the smell would pervade the whole room. In other words, cleaning Chinese kitchen is more likely war with the cooking smell, as well as the greasy stains during and after the cooking process.

The western kitchen is usually open space, sometimes it could even be a part of the living room. Thus, the kitchen area is visually brighter and cleaner than the Chinese one. Some families will also set up a certain space in the kitchen to enjoy themselves (bar, coffee table, etc.), as a result, the western kitchen is no longer just a place for cooking, but also for socializing to some extent. So if you want to try Chinese stir-frying in a Western kitchen, you should really think about it first!

Kitchenware
Plus what we mention above that the Chinese way of cooking is often with more oil, the kitchen wares in China are also more diverse. That explains why nearly 90% of Chinese don’t trust dishwasher for cleaning their dishes; but prefer using a lot of detergents and cleaning the dishes with hands.

In comparison, most of the western dishes like beef, fish, etc. could be cooked by frying pan with little oil. And 90% of westerners would use the dishwasher with less or even no detergent when cleaning their dishes.

Cleaning Tips

Designated area
Water sink: Salt the greasy stains of the water sink, and then wipe the area with plastic film; wash the sink with warm water.
Kitchen tiles: Cover the tiles with a paper tissue, and then spray the detergent over the area. Keep it for 3-5 minutes, then remove the tissue and wash the tiles with warm water.
Table: Salt the greasy area on the table, add salad oil onto the area; wait and then wipe it with a piece of cloth.

Appliances
Microwave oven: Add some detergent to a bowl of cold water, then heat the water with microwave oven for 3 minutes. Wipe the inside of the oven with a paper tissue.
Dishwasher: Place a cup of vinegar on the top rack, and run the machine without dishes. The vinegar works to loosen up any mineral deposits that might have built up.

Kitchenware
The cutting board: Cover the board with paper tissue; add vinegar to a bowl of warm water and spray the mixture on to the board; wait for 5-10 minutes to remove the tissue and clean the board with clean water.
Glasses: clean the inside of the glass with toothbrush and toothpaste, then clean it with fresh water.

Faux pas to avoid

– Wash the cutleries with clean water at least twice after using detergent or the chemical residues would cause health problems.
– Don’t use detergent to clean the cutting board, because some chemical composition in the detergent would pollute the wood board.
– Dishcloths should be cleaned and dried after use according to certain cleansing need. Prepare several dishcloths in the kitchen and don’t mix-use.

No matter what, you have to choose proper detergent and clean the kitchen regularly to keep your kitchen clean. What else do you know regarding this topic? Do you know any tips about cleaning the kitchen? Please share with us!

*Follow us on WeChat for more etiquette articles*

Impolite behaviours in daily life

Dear ladies and gentlemen, what kind of behaviour would be considered as impolite in daily life? This is a big question, and actually, I could write a book about it! Today, I will share with you 7 behaviours that I would never do in my daily life. Don’t hesitate to share yours!

Don’t: Speak loudly on the phone in public
I will pay special attention and control my voice when speaking on the phone. We all tend to speak louder when we have a phone discussion. But the truth is that nobody around wishes to hear or take part in your discussion. Please make your voice strong enough for people to hear, but not to disturb the person seated nearby.

Don’t: Check my phone all the time when dining with someone
If I am having dinner or meeting somebody, I won’t check my phone or even place it on the table. Because this would probably make him/her think “I am here with you, but you don’t want to talk with me!”

Don’t: Rush to take a seat in public transport
Don’t push and don’t rush in public transport! If you are in public transport, do not rush to take the seated place or to go first in a lane, it is extremely rude to show you want to be the first before the other, it shows selfishness.

Don’t: Stand on the left side of the escalator
The etiquette rule for escalator is “ stand on the right, walk on the left”. Avoid standing on the left side of the escalator! This side is for people who are in a hurry or who want to walk up stairs, so please don’t get in their way.

Don’t: Interrupt rudely someone while he/she is talking
It is impolite to interrupt someone while he is talking and don’t interrupt other parties that are having conversations. Just wait patiently and listen carefully if you want to be respectful. Besides, you will have more time to think about what you are going to say and how to react when he is finished with his speech.

Don’t: Stare at people in the street
Don‘t stare at people in the street, especially some handsome guys or beautiful girls, or foreigners! Your stare would make them feel uncomfortable or embarrassed to some extent. Or even worse, don’t take stealthy.

Don’t: not holding the door to someone behind
Holding the door to the person coming after you is one of the basic rules. If you want to be even more elegant and admired, you can as well smile to the person coming after you. Smiling is the key to every good feeling, sharing it helps to feel more confident and glad.

If we would all have more manners, we would create a better society. What else do you know about this topic? Please share with us!

Deportment exercises for elegant posture

Dear ladies and gentlemen, having an impeccable image is not very hard to achieve. 10 to 15 minutes a day can make wonders with your posture. Today I am going to introduce you exercises that you can apply anytime and anywhere. Please follow me!

Standing posture
Our poor posture usually comes from the weakness of our muscles. When we try to have a perfect straight posture after a short period, we feel tired. Therefore, we have to strength up our muscles first in order to gain a gracious posture.

Exercise I
Every day, you may stand straight against the wall for 5 minutes: heels, hips, shoulders, hands should be kept close to the wall. This will naturally help to correct your neck and shoulders posture.

After a couple of times, if this feels too easy for you, you may stand longer or move away one step from the wall.

Exercise II
Keep your both arms in front of you, straight elbows, hands in fists facing up, thumbs pointing on a side. Move the arms away from each other with squeezing the shoulder blades and return. Repeat 20 times. This exercise will empower your muscles between shoulder blazes which will allow you to easier keep your shoulders in a proper position.

Exercise III
Same position like in the previous exercise, but keep your elbows next to your body, forming 90 degrees angle with your forearms and upper arms, move them away from each other with squeezing the shoulders blades and return. Repeat 20 times. It’s also applied to empower the muscles between the shoulder blades.

Exercise IV
Find support for your arm in a standing position, legs apart with a straight back, bend your knees a bit, one arm placed behind your head. Rotate the arm behind your head, in front – behind motion, follow the movement with your head. Repeat 20 times each arm. Another variation for straightening up your back muscles for a painless posture.

Sitting posture
We often sit a lot and that affects our body. Actually, our body is made for movement, that’s why it’s important to do exercises during sitting. These exercises you can do more times a day, anytime when you feel it can release you from back pain.

Exercise I
Cross your arms, start moving your weight from one side to another. Continue doing the exercise for 30 sec. By doing this exercise you are stretching your back releasing yourself from a pain.

Exercise II
Cross your arms, bring your chest up and then down. Continue doing the exercise for 30 sec. Another exercise for stretching your upper back that decreases the tension.

Exercise III
Cross your arms, rotate your upper body from one side to another. Continue doing the exercise for 30 sec. Overall, all these sitting exercises are used to activate your back muscles while sitting which allows you pain-free state.

Walking posture
For maintaining a straight back we have to have a stable base. That’s why our leg muscles play an important role. In order to have gracious walking motion, our muscles should be enough strong. Therefore, I propose you the following.

Exercise I
Place your hands on your hips, maintain a straight posture, and now follow the steps:
Step 1: Raise up our right leg in front of you. Hold for 30 seconds.

Step 2: While still in the air, move your leg on a side. Hold for 30 seconds.

Step 3: While still in the air, move your leg behind you. Hold for 30 seconds.
Bring down your leg, shake it a bit and repeat steps (1-3) with your left leg.

Exercise II
This one we use to teach our clients how to synchronise the whole body while walking. The rule is: right hand – left leg go together and the opposite. Another thing to remember is that we should walk heel to toe. You can do it in one spot if the available space is small.

Dear all, you know what people say, in a healthy body there is a healthy mind as well.

How does a sophisticated person tie shoes?

Dear ladies and gentlemen, if you are like me you learned at a young age how to tie your shoes. Since then you are doing it in the exact same way and probably you don’t think it’s the wrong way! Let me introduce you to how to tie elegant and durable knots. Take your shoes and give a try!

The Shoelaces – 6 rules
First of all, you need proper shoelaces. Follow these rules

1. For your dress shoes use thin round or flat shoelaces.

2. Use cotton or leather shoelaces. Do not go with nylon, they are good for sports shoes.

3. Maintain your laces, replace with a new one when it’s time. Not only because of the look but also so they don’t just break during the day.

4. Don’t use too long laces, they should be from 60 to 80 cm, depending on the shoe number.

5. For formal occasions, the colour of the shoelaces should be black or brown. For different events like a cocktail party, you can play with different colours.

6. When they are tied, they should be lying down horizontally not vertically. That’s why I’ll introduce you 2 knots that allow you to achieve this position.

How to match laces with shoes?
Laces are reversible, you may put them in any pair of shoes you want. They are less expensive than buying a new pair. How to change the look of your shoes:

1. If you want to have a pop of colour then you should pair it with a colour of your socks, pocket square, tie, bow tie or cufflinks – e.g. black shoes/red laces/ red socks.

2. If you are not a colour fan you may just change the shape (round to flat and opposite) or use laces with less contrast in colour – e.g. brown shoes/ black laces.

Straight bar lacing method
Before tying our shoes we should lace them. For oxford or dress shoes straight bar lasing method is the proper one. Don’t use the crisscross method, it’s not elegant!

1. Start with equalizing the length of shoelaces.

2. Take the shoelace on the left side and take it across and pull up and out.

3. Then on the same level, pull in through top down.

4. Take the other lace across and pull up.

5. On the same level, pull in through top-down like we did in step 3.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5.

7&8. Take the other lace and cross it over and pull up.

9. Check if the laces are equal, and go back with loosening in case you need to fix them.

*In case you are using flat shoelaces make sure that they are lying down flat while lacing.

Berluti Knot
Designer Olga Berluti introduced the knot in the 1970s. She took her inspiration from The Duke of Windsor who used this double-loop knot that prevented his shoelaces from coming untied during military parades and official ceremonies. This very strong double knot is familiar as the quintessence of sophistication!

How to tie?
1. Start with twisting your laces once.

2. Form two bunny ears, one in your right hand and one in left.

3. Take the bunny ear in your left hand and take it over the right.

4. Take everything from the left side and push it through the hole and pull it through.

5. Take everything from the right side and pull through the hole.

6. Pull equally only the bunny ears.

*To Untie- pull both ends equally.

Parisian Knot
Once more this knot is a double knot that ensures that once you tie it, you are sure it won’t untie or move during the day. It gives you really elegant flat loop and allows you to centre the knot.

How to tie?
1. Start with twisting your shoelaces twice around each other.

2. With your left hand form a bunny ear.

3. With right hand wrap the shoelace around your finger twice.

4. Push the shoelace through the middle where your finger was to create the second bunny ear.

5. Pull the ears and centre your knot.

Dear all, the way you are tying your shoes may not be so visible for some people but it makes difference. Start your day with knowing that you are different than others!

Queen vs Duchess: Who is more ladylike?

Dear ladies and gentlemen, Queen Rania and Duchess Kate are royal fashion icons. Ms Svetlana and I are having a debate which lady is more gorgeous. Finally, we can’t make a decision, therefore we are inviting you to help us! Please join us in this difficult decision.

Door etiquette: entering and exiting

Dear ladies, gentlemen and children handling a door is such a simple thing but it unlocks a lot of good things. Do you know how to approach the door in different situations and don’t lose your face? Let’s look at them so you never fail in this important social contact.
Read More

Ringing & Knocking

When approaching someone’s front door look for the doorbell to ring. Press it for 0.5 seconds and step back and wait.

When no doorbell is present it is common courtesy to knock gently on someone’s door first. 2 to 3 knocks are considered as a proper way of asking to enter through the door. More than that is aggressive & impolite.
When the person opens the door, allow her/him to greet you before you enter their home.

When visiting someone in his/her office, knock first and wait for the person to invite you in. Otherwise, you’ll be considered rude. If no one answers, don’t try to enter their office by yourself.

Opening & Holding doors

Door etiquette can be understood as being mindful of others. There are certain rules that should be followed.

Public doors

If the door pulls open, reach out to open it then, continuing to hold the door open, stand aside so the person you’re with may enter. If the door pushes open, go on through as you hold the door, standing aside as you continue to hold it so others may enter.

Still, if you aren’t accompanied with any person, never allow a door to slam on anyone behind you. Hold the doors for the strangers too, especially when they need physical assistance or have arms full. But avoid holding the door for someone who is too far away, since that can cause him/her to hurry.

You’ll also find doormen who will get the door for you. Don’t forget to make an eye contact with him and thank him.

Car door

It is still appropriate for a man to open a door for a lady. If there is a driver, you should wait until he/she opens a door for you. In some corporate cultures, junior associates will open and close car doors for senior staff regardless of gender.

Home door

When people visit your home, hold the door open as you invite guests to cross the threshold into your home. And always walk guests to the door, opening it for them as you see them out.

Revolving door
If the door is automatic, ladies and elders go first in social settings and higher-ranking individuals go first in business settings.

If the revolving door should be pushed, a gentleman would precede a lady in a social setting, while a junior person would precede a senior colleague in a business setting. Don’t try to crowd yourself into one wing with few people, it’s impolite and insecure.

Restaurant door

If you are hosting a business lunch at a restaurant, greet your client at the front, or stand to greet her/him at your table. When you lunch is over, walk your client to the front door of the restaurant, allowing her/him to exit before you.

How to enter and leave the room for making a good impression

After you passed the door you may face a group of familiar or unfamiliar people who will try to figure out your intent. That is why is important to enter with an at least slight smile which will encourage them to interact with you. Avoid looking back at the handle to close the door behind you.

When exiting don’t turn your back on them since that will interrupt an eye contact. Instead, leave the room with facing people in it and having eye contact until the door is closed again.

Dear all, as you might see, door etiquette is mostly common sense with a dose of kindness. Keep this in mind when next time you encounter at the door!
Would you like to add some advice regarding this topic? Please do it, in the comments below!

Unique home of sophisticated person

Dear ladies and gentlemen, today you may buy everything in a few clicks. But having a unique home requires more than just buying the luxurious goods. But what is that ‘more’ on your way to sophisticated uniqueness? What luxurious items will help?
Let’s have a look together!
Read More

How to be an elegant pet owner?

Dear ladies, gentlemen and children our pets are our best friends! In order to cherish that relationship, we should be well-mannered! How to elegantly walk with a pet? Can you bring your dog to a wedding? Should you separate your pet and houseguests? Let’s solve these concerns together!

How to treat my pet?

Commit yourself – pet is a living creature, commit your time and care.

Treat it as a family member – involve your pet in family activities.
Arrange its place in the house – a pet should have a place to sleep, play, eat.

Be responsible pet owner – No matter where you are, you should clean up after your pet.

How to walk elegantly with a pet？

Be in control – you are walking your pet, not the other way around.

Practice – keep your dog next to or behind you when walking, teach it how to be synchronized with you.

Posture – keep your walking posture nice and straight, walk heel to toe and keep your head up, look 3 to 6 m in front of you.

How to shop with a pet?

Prepare your pet – it’s best to start small and work your way up, so they can gradually become used to things. Crowded places, strong smells can affect their behaviour. Once it’s gotten used to staying calm and by your side among the crowds, then it’s time to move inside.

Check the store policy – Quite a number of big retailers have dog-friendly policies, but be sure to call the specific store before your first visit to verify.

How to travel with a pet?

Check requirements – ensure with all your transportation providers that your pet will have a safe trip with you to your destination and that you have all needed paperwork.

Notice the hotel – let them arrange anything you may need once you arrive.

Know your pet – be prepared that your pet will be stressed, train your pet to behave in its travel bag before the trip.

Pets & Houseguests

Check with your guests – your pet is your best friend but your guests may not like it. Before the arrival of your guest, make sure you checked if they feel comfortable in presence of your pet. Some people can be e.g. scared of dogs, or may be allergic to your pet. Consider keeping your pet in a separate room.

Clean the house – make sure there are no pet’s toys around the house which could be in the guest’s way.

Give your pet a bath – Washing your dog or cat regularly can actually reduce the amount of allergens in your home.

Check with your hosts – If you’d like to visit your friends with a pet, call them first to double-check if your pet is welcome.

Pets & Children

Educate your child – teach him/her about the pet you own. What does it eat? How to cuddle? How to take care?

Make him/her responsible – let your child be in charge of something, e.g. replacing the water, walking the dog, cleaning the cage, etc.

Strangers & Pet – show your kid how to introduce a pet to his/her friend or teach your kid how to interact with someone’s else pet.

Pets & Special events

Pet as a guest of honour – since your pet is a family member it’s normal that e.g. on your wedding day you’d like to celebrate together. In that case, find someone that can take care of it through the day so you can focus on other details.

You and pet as guests – double check with inviter whether you may come together and rethink if you can spend the specific event with your lovely friend.
Provide your pet a suitable clothing.

And finally, be creative! Your best friend will happily follow and share all your moments with you! What else do you usually do with your pet? Share with us!

Secrets for elegantly umbrella usage

Dear ladies, gentlemen and children, there is one small piece of property that we may not treat properly. It was invented in China in the 11th century BC, it was the first silk and waterproof article used by nobility and royalty. It protects us all year long. As you may guess, it’s an umbrella! Today I propose you to review together the proper umbrella etiquette.

Umbrella opening & closing

Opening

Keep an umbrella close to your body and then slowly open in the oblique position.If you have a long handle umbrella, be careful not to poke someone, especially if it’s a one-click open close umbrella. When there is water on it, it will splash into other people’s face if you don’t open umbrella slowly in the direction of no people around it.

Closing

With closing your umbrella you should tend to keep it as low as possible so you don’t splash other people and letting drops falling down away from others.

Walking with an umbrella

Walking alone

When you hold an open umbrella, the distance between the runner and your head should be around 20 cm so it won’t hit you while walking and the raindrops won’t fall on your upper body. While walking keep a certain distance from other people, so you can avoid poking them with the edge of an umbrella and prevent ourselves and others from getting wet. When facing someone on the street, you can tilt the umbrella in the opposite direction and prevent umbrella striking. In case you are taller than the other person, higher up the umbrella. If you feel tired from carrying it, rest your arm by putting the shaft on your shoulder.

Walking in pair

When two people with the same gender are using one umbrella, the taller one should hold it. In case, a lady is accompanied by a gentleman, he should hold it in a way that fully protects a lady.

Poses for elegant umbrella usage

The umbrella face is parallel to the ground, and the umbrella handle is normal to ground. With this umbrella’s position, you look elegant and sophisticated.

If there is a direct sunlight and you are using a sun umbrella, lean it back a little so that you can see the way clear before you. If the sun is splaying diagonally and you are using a sun umbrella, the selection of the holding hands is usually the same as the direction of the light source. For example, if the light comes from the right side, the right hand is used to hold the umbrella. This way you will be fully protected from the sun without difficulties with keeping the elegant look.

When a long umbrella is not used, a man can hold an umbrella vertically, which gives a feeling of the British gentleman. A lady can hang umbrella hook on the wrist or hold umbrella vertically and still remain sophisticated.

Being polite

Umbrella placement

When entering the room from the outside, the umbrella should be placed outside to control the water dryness, and the umbrella should be put into the umbrella holder if there is one. Put umbrella into the plastic bag or umbrella bag provided by the mall when entering the shopping mall or other places. Also, prepare a handkerchief (one with the texture of a towel is better) to wipe away your wet bags and clothing.

Umbrella renting

In case of sudden rain, we can rent an umbrella. Even though it’s not our belonging we should treat it equally, with care! Keep in mind that you should return it so it can be also helpful for other people.

Being a gentleman

If a sudden rain appears and a gentleman meets a lady, he should offer an umbrella to her. If she accepts, she should ask for returning address. If she hesitates to accept such a gesture, a gentleman may still offer to accompany her to her destination.

In case there are two ladies and a gentleman, he should let them to carry the umbrella between them and he walks outside of it.

I wish you to stay polite, cool and dry! Do you have any question regarding elegant umbrella usage? Please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below!