If You Want Him To Be A Gentleman, Here’s How To Be A Lady

If You Want Him To Be A Gentleman, Here’s How To Be A Lady ©iStock/Alija

In the past, ladies were expected to cook and clean and wear gowns down to their feet. These days, thankfully, we can behave a little differently. You don’t have to be old fashioned in order to be considered refined and respectable, and if you’re looking for your own modern gentleman, you’ll need to reciprocate. Here’s how you can be a lady in the 21st century:

  1. Don’t touch your phone during dinner. When you’re on a date, you shouldn’t be staring at your phone. In fact, you shouldn’t even have your phone out. Keep it in your pocketbook, so you’re not tempted to take a peek at it. That way, you can give your man your full attention.
  2. Don’t get sloppy drunk. You know how many drinks you can handle. Never go overboard during a date, because you don’t want to end up vomiting in the bathroom while he’s stuck waiting for you. Besides, if he’s paying, you don’t want to increase the bill by ordering too much alcohol.
  3. Don’t curse in certain situations. You can curse like a sailor and still be a lady, as long as you know when that type of language is appropriate. If you’re hanging out with your man’s friends, let the F bombs drop. If you’re at a dinner party with his relatives, you should probably censor yourself.
  4. Bring a gift to dinner parties. If his parents invite you over for dinner, bring a bottle of wine or a delicious dessert to give to your hostess. You could even score extra brownie points if you bake brownies of your own. Just don’t show up empty handed.
  5. Say please and thank you. Your parents taught you this one when you were in single digits, but it’s something that most of us forget to do. Whenever someone cooks you a meal, buys you a gift, or does you a favor, let them know you appreciate all that they’ve done.
  6. Don’t post revealing pictures. Your boyfriend wants other men to be jealous of him, but he doesn’t want them seeing as much of your body as he sees. That’s why you should refrain from posting half-naked pictures of yourself online. If you wouldn’t want your parents to stumble across it, then keep it private.
  7. Own conservative clothing. When you’re alone with your man, feel free to wear the shortest skirt that you can find. But if you’re meeting his parents or attending a work event with him, you should have something modest to wear. You don’t want your crotch showing in front of the wrong people.
  8. Offer to help your hostess. If he’s nice enough to make dinner for you, you should offer to help him with the dishes after you eat. You can also offer to pay when you’re out at a restaurant with him. That responsibility shouldn’t fall on the man. It should be both of your concerns.
  9. Don’t talk with your mouth full. When you have something to say, it’s hard to hold yourself back from saying it. However, you should take a few seconds to finish chewing your food before you tell him all about your day. You don’t want to end up spitting on him, do you?
  10. Let him be a gentleman. You’re capable of opening doors for yourself, but if he wants to be polite by opening them for you, let him. It’s a sweet gesture that most men wouldn’t think of doing, so be thankful that you’re dating a modern gentleman.
Holly Riordan is a writer from Long Island, New York who has authored several science fiction and horror books. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she has spent nearly a decade writing for publications including Thought Catalog, Huffington Post, Teen Vogue, and more. You can find her on Instagram @hollyrio and Twitter @hollyyrio.
close-link
close-link