The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-04-04
7 aste
7 oday
BY EMILY POST
Infroduc,ions Without Getting


Up
Dear Mrs Post. Must a lady
stand to make iniroductions, or to
acknowledge them. when she Is not
the hostess?
Answer: No. For that matter.
even a hostess often introduces
people who are seated near her
without anyone getting up. OF
course. a man would make ges-
ture of rising and bowlng To a
woman, and would shake hands
with another man.
Notes of Thanks
Dear Mrs. Post. My engage
ment was recently announced and
friends and relatives are NOW writ
ing notes giving me their good
wishes. Should these notes be
acknowledged, and if so. by per
sonal noteY
Answer: Yes, you write notes
to thank them. OF course, If you
see some of these people in the
meantime. and thank them YER
bally, you need not write anything
further.
Alone at Big Reception
Dear Mrs. Post: I'd like 10 ask
you whether was properly treated
the other afternoon. l went to a
tea alone. because l am fairly new
here and didn't know who else was
going The invitation indicated that
this was 10 be very big and for
NAL tea. in honor of certain celeb
rity. I was received by the host
ess, who wore evening clothes, and
introduced to the guest. who was
similarly dressed. Il don't mean
bare baek) | had said no more
than How do YOU do" when the
arriving Gle behind me pushed me
onward as though | were out on
the end of diving board and
forced to jump without knowing
how to swim. Nobody talked TO
me; nobody introduced me to any
one else. I forced a smile. and
asked hostess at the tea table
for cup of tea with sugar and
cream. She poured me cup with
lemon and no sugar. and continued
talking with some one on her other
side. There was nothing for me to
do but go home. But do YOU ap-
prove of such manners? | wasn't
supposed to 60 up and join people
| didn't know. was /?
Answer: There Is no more mis-
cradle feeling. ! agree, than to go
alone and as stranger to any big
formal tea or reception because the
situation in which you find your
self is exactly that which you have
described. There is nothing to do
but what you did, unless you hap
pen 10 find yourself corncred with
an agreeable guest who is ohvi-
! ously marooned, too. 1t is impos-
sible at big general party of this
i type for a stranger to join any
2roup-not even one to which she
has been introduced. The answer
+ is, of course that the host as well
rs several relatives or intimate
friends should be provided by
every hostess. whose list includes
strangers. to look after these other
wise forlorn guests.
A DINNER DRESS
Dear Mrs. Post: Is dinner
dress ever short? | say that it is
always long but with some kind of
sleeves and usually huilt-up
neck. Some friends believe that
a dinner dress Is any very elabor-
ate day dress and that it may be
short just as well az long.
Answer: the length of skirt
must of course depend on fashion.
II is said that knee-length eve
ming dresses - ball dresses-are
coming back. Il can only hope
this isn't true.) But excepting
when the fashion of the moment
is exceptionally eccentric, dinner
dress is always long.
THE ENGAGED PAIR
Dear Mrs. Post: When an en-
gagement party il given for the
engaged pair. and toast is being
drunk to them. do they both re-
main seated or should they both
get up or should only the man get
up? And what does he say and
what does she say
Answer: They both remain
seated and do not drink the toast
After the toast is finished and the
others have all reseated them
selves, the man is expected to rise
and thany every one for then
good wishes. The only occasions
! can think of when a man could
remain seated while women stand
is on this one of being toasted
with his fiancee. then al thei,
wedding and later on at their we'd
ding anniversaries.
Copyright. 1880. by Emily Post)