1950'S ETIQUETTE: PART 2

GOING OUT WITH MARRIED MEN
Although traditionally a single woman would never date a married man, this convention too has broken down somewhat in modern society. It is still a good rule, however, for nothing is misunderstood more quickly than going out repeatedly with the same married man.

OVERNIGHT TRIPS
Unchaperoned overnight trips by unmarried couples are not permissible even today. Although groups can acceptably go on a skiing weekend, or other such excursions, particularly if one couple is married and supplies an implicit chaperonage, a couple should never take an overnight trip together unless they are married or unless it's a business trip.

ENDING THE DATE
When your escort has shown you to your door, be sure to thank him for the evening. About asking him in-that depends on you. It used to be that asking a young man in was permissible only if someone else was awake in the house. Now perhaps it's more realistic to say that you should decide whether or not to ask him in after taking into consideration the hour, how well you know him, and how well you know yourself. If it's late, and you're unsure of either his motives or you control of the situation, it's better to say good night at the door. Bear in mind that being asked in when there's no one else around is quite a come-on, whether that is what you intended or not.

MARRIED MANNERS
A well-mannered husband or wife does not argue in front of the children or servants any more than in front of friends.

Bringing home unannounced company for meals: In a word, don't do it. The husband who arrives home with an unannounced dinner guest runs the risk of having to carve two chops into three portions, as well as the much more serious risk of dealing later with an understandably infuriated wife.

When a married person is introducing his wife, or speaking of her, to a friend, he refers to her as "Mary," or whatever her first name is. When he is introducing her, or speaking of her, to an acquaintance, he calls her "my wife." "Mr." or "Mrs." is never used in introducing or referring to your spouse socially. Needless to say, such phrases as "the wife," "the missus," "my better half," or "the war department" are strictly for the comic strips.

...the everyday courtesies of men toward women should certainly be observed toward your wife in public. She is going to feel somewhat like an old shoe if you jump up at a restaurant table, hold doors, and otherwise act solicitously for every woman but herself. This old-shoe feeling is, to be sure, one of the nice things about marriage, but it is an at-home intimacy. In public, at least, give our wife the same attention you would give other women.

I love how dating the SAME married man is improper! Not a married man, but the same married man, regularly! And the old-shoe feeling one of the nice things about marriage? What? My favorite part is "how well you know yourself", on whether or not to let a man in after a date. Oh, and I'm glad Chad has never referred to me as "the war department". Ha!