Customs, Etiquette and Manners

March 6, 2024

Why Won’t Our Daughter Introduce Us to Her New Boyfriend?

Parents who enjoy an otherwise close relationship with their 33-year-old daughter feel hurt not to have been introduced to a man she met three months ago […]
December 20, 2023

Lift a Pinky. It’s Time for Tea.

Phoebe Cheong and Jude Andam, friends who live on opposite coasts, have recently begun a tradition whenever they see each other. They have tea. On a […]
October 25, 2023

How Can I Get Myself Invited to My Husband’s Family Parties?

A new wife is eager to join in the fun after her husband and brother-in-law wrap up their weekly jam sessions, but she’s reluctant to impose […]
September 30, 2023

How to Have Fun When Attending a Wedding Alone

Attending a wedding alone can be anxiety-inducing. Here are some tips for having fun even when you don’t know most of the guests. Lucy Mary Taylor […]
September 20, 2023

Why Is My Mother Obsessed With Buying Me a Status Bag?

A reader who is uncomfortable with expensive gifts doesn’t know how to respond to a $7,000 handbag she had begged her mother not to send. My […]
September 19, 2023

Lawmakers Give New Senate Dress Code a Dressing Down

Some senators worry that more casual dress might breed disrespect for Congress. Others argue that the harshest critics have already debased the institution, even in business […]
June 15, 2023

For Black Debutantes in Detroit, Cotillion Is More Than a Ball

In a heady swirl of bright white silk and lace, the young ladies of the Cotillion Society of Detroit Educational Foundation are presented as debutantes. The […]
June 14, 2023

My Sister-in-Law Spent All Her Parents’ Money When She Took Them In. Now She Wants More!

After her sister-in-law spent the money from the sale of her parents’ house on upgrades to her own, a reader bristles at being made to feel […]
April 26, 2023

Why Is My Boyfriend Pursuing Other Options After Planning a Summer With Me?

A reader is left to make new arrangements after learning that her boyfriend, who had agreed to live with her for the summer, was jockeying for […]
April 19, 2023

Is My Daughter Horrible for Refusing to Release Me From Her Student Loans?

A reader eager to be freed from $100,000 worth of co-signer responsibilities seeks a judgment on her daughter’s behavior. Five years ago, my 17-year-old daughter couldn’t […]