Etiquette Towards Women

• Never allow a lady to get a chair for herself or pick up anything she has dropped. Never let her do any small service which you can easily perform for her. When performing any service for her do it in a quiet and simple manner, so as not to draw attention to yourself
• When you meet a lady at the foot of a flight of stairs, do not wait for her to ascend, but go up before her. In meeting a lady at the head of a flight of stairs, wait for her to precede you in the descent. By ascending first you will not be able to see up her skirt or dress and by descending behind her you will be able to catch her if she falls backwards.
• If walking with a lady, never leave her alone in the street, under any circumstances. It is a horrible violation of etiquette to do so.
• In entering a room where you will meet ladies, hold your hat in your left hand so that your right may be free.
• Never offer to shake hands with a lady; she will, if she wishes you to do so, offer her hand to you, and it is an impertinence for you to do so first.
• If you are seated in a chair, a lady enters the room, and there are no empty chairs, rise, and offer your seat, even if they she is a stranger to you.
• If you meet, in society, with any one, be it a gentleman or a lady, whose timidity or bashfulness, shows them unaccustomed to meeting others, endeavor, by your own gentleness and courtesy, to place them more at ease, and introduce to them those who will aid you in this endeavor.
• If you are about to enter or leave a store or any door, and unexpectedly meet a lady going the other way, stand aside and raise your hat whilst she passes. If she is going the same way, and the door is closed, pass before her, saying, “allow me,” or, “permit me,”—open the door, and hold it open while she passes.
• When walking with a lady, give them the upper side of the pavement. (The side nearest to the houses). When walking alone, and you see any one coming towards you on the same side of the street, give the upper part of the pavement, as you turn aside, to a man who may carry a heavy bundle, to a priest or clergyman, to a woman, or to any elderly person.
• If you are walking in the country and pass a stream, offer your hand to assist your companion in crossing. If you must pass over a fence to stand on the upper rail, and while using one hand to keep a steady position, stoop, offer her the other, and with a firm, steady grasp, hold her hand until she stands beside you; then let her go down on the other side first, and follow her when she is safe upon the ground.
• If she does not accept your help in crossing a fence, then climb over the fence first and wait on the other side with out looking back. (This may seem very rude, however, if the lady you are with is wearing a skirt or dress, climbs up on the fence, and then you look back, you may embarrass her modesty.
• Whenever you are dining with a lady, help her into her chair before seating yourself.
• If there is a lady about to go out, assist her in putting on her coat. You may also assist her in taking off her coat.
• If you are seated in a room and a lady enters, then stand. However, if you are seated in a busy room where people are constantly entering and leaving, then you do not need to follow this rule.
• When getting into a car with a lady, open the door for her.
• When holding an umbrella for a lady, hold it so that it fully covers her.
• When you are with two ladies, give the umbrella to them to share and walk in the rain. Viriliter Agite.

I hope you found this article intriguing and hopefully you learned a lot. If there are other courtesies I missed or If you have any questions, then leave a comment below. If you liked this post and want me to post similar articles, then give this post a Sacred Heart like.

~Pax Tecum