These details may be mundane or an afterthought, but they can make a big difference in what you as a man want to say about yourself. This may come off as a bit of a rant, but you should be as informed and prepared as possible. With all we have going on in our lives, it’s easy to overlook certain habits and details. Hopefully this insight will open your eyes a bit more to the little things that we can all miss. Because after all, it’s the little things that sometimes make all the difference in the world.
Bluetooth Earpieces
The other night at dinner, the gentleman next to me (with quite an attractive date I might add) had his bluetooth earpiece on while he was having dinner. Not once did he use his earpiece, yet he kept it on throughout the entire meal. Now I can understand when you are driving that you need to put on an earpiece, but any other time should be banned entirely, especially at dinner. You think you’re being cool, but really you’ve just got a giant cockroach on your ear.
Bubbly in the fridge
I always keep a bottle in the fridge and it has always come in handy. Whether it be a celebration, a nightcap, or just dinner, I’ve never met a girl who didn’t like champagne. And it doesn’t have to necessarily be champagne as a bottle of wine will do. You may think when am I ever gonna need that?! Trust me, when the occasion arises and you need it, you’ll be glad it’s there.
Peacoats/Overcoats
This is actually something that I noticed last winter when so many guys started buying new coats or received them as gifts. I found a lot of guys were forgetting to detach the string for the back vent on their new coat. If you grab a peacoat or an overcoat, turn it around and most likely there is a vent on the back side (usually side vents or center vent). When you buy a new coat those vents are usually attached with a string. I saw a lot of guys walking around with puffed up backs because they forgot to detach the vents. Don’t forget to break it the next time you buy a coat.
White Tube Socks
We all grew up wearing these socks, no shame at all for that. But if you’re dressing up for work in a dress shirt, slacks, and dress shoes, why would you put on white tube socks to top off the ‘fit? White tube socks were made for athletic activities, not sitting at your desk all day filling out TPS reports. Shoes and socks are an opportunity to express yourself. Do you really wanna say I haven’t changed much since elementary school?
Greeting a lady
I find it troubling nowadays when I see people meeting for the first time and guys are sitting on their asses when they greet a woman. If your friend wants to introduce you to his girlfriend who has arrived and she comes over to meet you, stand up when you meet her. It speaks volumes about your manners and maturity level.
Adjusting your watch
For women, purses are the vice that allow them to be envied by other women. For men it has to be watches. I like to go with subtle elegance while most guys go for huge grandfather clocks on their wrists. With the exception of athletic watches, when you need to adjust the time or date on your watch, take it off of your wrist first. I have a good friend who has quite an expensive collection, yet whenever he needs to adjust the time, he does while attached to his wrist. It says, “I just got my first watch, and I don’t know what to do with it.” Oh yeah and another thing, get it sized to your wrist correctly; you don’t want it dangling like a Tiffany’s bracelet on your wrist.
Of course these aren’t the only details men overlook. Feel free to leave your own advice in the comments.
Comments
10 Responses to “Don’t Overlook These Details”
Serious about the bluetooth. Is there ever a reason to have it on when you’re not driving unless you’re actually using it. Even if you’re expecting a call, and will need your hands free when talking; put the cockroach on your ear when you get the call. Otherwise, I think it should become a common practice to slap a guy hard enough to knock his bluetooth off his head.
When it comes to greeting a lady, you’re just scratching the surface when stating how a man should stand to greet a lady. The truth of the matter is, just today I noticed a few examples that troubled me. 1) a man and woman approached a door from opposite sides, and the man did not hold it open for her – even though the door opened towards him, 2) a man walking off an elevator at the bottom floor first, pushing his way past a woman (I mean it was the bottom floor, of course everyone else on the elevator was getting off on the same floor).
another good time to stand up is when you’re on public transportation and you see an elderly person or pregnant woman get on the bus/train/bart with no place to sit. don’t pretend you didn’t see them because you’ve got your ipod on and you’re reading the paper. give up your seat–it’s the right thing to do.
I agree with the statement about the bluetooth–super annoying at dinner, and anywhere else when it’s really not necessary.
As for greeting a lady, trust me, women notice: A real man is GENTLEman! ;)
My theory on Blue tooth is if you can no longer lock your car doors with the key fob button take it out of your ear. You just look like you wish you were in a Si Fi show.
our cfo always wears a bluetooth everytime all the time. we call him robocop.
I disagree with the advice on standing up for a woman. Either you:
1) treat all people equally (men or women) and stand up when meeting everyone or
2) be seated for all
Standing up **only** when being introduced to a woman signifies that you put them on a pedestal and that they deserve special treatment.
Again, treat all equally and consistently (whether standing up or sitting down).
I especially like the white tube socks (how about black tube socks…just as bad, huh? but at least they have the color right), and the peacoat “vent” (i’ve seen a fair amount of women who forget too!). Great list, and you could even do a part two on this topic. :-D
I read your list with interest and I really want to applaud the one about standing up when greeting a ‘lady.’ I learned that when a woman, someone older, or someone who has claimed your respect for any reason enters the room it is polite to stand up.
As a relationship mentor, I think that anytime you can show respect to others and that you are generally interested in who other people are, you grow in stature with them and with yourself.
And I’m all for that bubbly in the fridge too!!!
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