The Ladies' Book of Etiquette and Manual of PolitenessPaperback, 1 February 2015

Florence Hartley's insightful etiquette guide was first published in 1860, and yet her witty and useful advice on behaving like a lady often still rings true down the ages

What should you do if you notice a stranger's dress is tucked up at the back? What are you meant to say if you are offered food you don't like at a dinner party? And what ought you to wear if you're invited to a ball? If these questions baffle you, fear not, for help is at hand with this beautiful, nostalgic guide. You don't need to live in the 19th century to agree that it is rude to finish someone else's jokes. Whatever the situation, you'd would like to know how to be as ladylike as possible when seasick or the best color schemes for bridesmaids' dresses, this thorough and wide-ranging book will provide sensible and succinct guidance, as well as shed light into life in the 19th century. Did you know that you could spot a lady who had laced her corset too tightly from the lack of circulation making her nose go red? This beautiful guide also contains sections on how to behave at a hotel, conduct in the street, letter writing, and table etiquette.