Dear Sharon:
After a girl's night out with a bunch of co-workers,
we all did
our
she-thing: Pulled out our lipsticks and
dabbed a
quick one at the table. Except for Yvette. She primed her lips
with Chapstick, blotted with special tissues, applied lipliner,
lipstick, blotted again, and then gloss all while listening to our
conversation and reflecting into her jeweled compact. Is there
such a thing as too much primping? Or am I just being difficult
because I would not even begin to know what to do with the amount
of lip stuff that Yvette carries around? -Lip Load
Dear Lip Load:
Thank the maharishi of makeup
that this babe at
least had the couth to yank out a compact instead of using a
wiped-off butter knife as her personal reflector. Where did you
find this gooped-up, gussied Glamazon with sparse social suavities?
She is completely off base--teetering on vulgar-- in this case!
Watching someone who is overindulging in public primping is
likened to an accident: You really don't want to stare, but just
cannot take your eyes away from the crime scene. Perhaps, this is
Yvette's feeble way to manipulate the spotlight. Since I'm not a
shrink, I will not dare to go there.
In social situations, a quick (emphasis on speedy)
at the table
touch-up of lipstick is okay, but better off reserved for the
ladies room when it comes to a business meeting.
Lips should
look
approachable, engaging, and alluring-they are the
gateway to all your brilliant words. Yvette's application
technique sounds like she can apply for a job restoring frescoes.
We all want to
look
polished, but the amount of elbow grease
involved to make us shine is best taken out of sight to the loo.
In our modern, relaxed, on-the-go society, many little tidbits of
grooming have edged their way into the open. But there really is
no substitute for old-fashioned manners. Consider this little
ditty that I found on The Victorian Web, Etiquette for the Ball
Room, 1880, "A lady or gentleman should finish their toilet
before entering the room for dancing, as it is indecorous in
either to be drawing on their gloves, or brushing their hair. Finish your toilet in the
dressing rooms."
Sweet sister of smudged style, an entire century may be between
us, but 'finish your toilet in the dressing rooms' is my idea of
modern genius for
etiquette.
I was in a taxi the other day with a cabdriver who was complaining
about a previous fare. His gripe: This passenger was alternating
between wildly spritzing hairspray and lubing up with heavily
scented hand cream. The poor driver was about to be affixiated
from the crossfire of scents when he asked the woman to kindly
refrain from her beauty routine while confined in his taxi. The
passenger huffed that she would report the driver for
"disturbing" her. Gentlepeople, please… think of
others around you and keep your
grooming habits
private!
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Here are some grosser grooming
no-nos:
· Applying a full-face of makeup while on your daily train
commute.
· Touching up a chipped nail-- with stinky nailpolish-while in a
waiting room.
· Applying perfume or perfumed products in public, particularly
closed quarters like an elevator.
· Brushing hair over a sink, table, or counter and leaving a pile
of your strays behind.
· And, one more that I never quite understood-shaving legs
poolside or in a public sauna???
Next time, don't be caught with your Beauty IQ down the loo!
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