 Etiquette is a set of specific rules designed to

ensure polite behavior in a group or within a

culture. When someone knows and follows the
expected rules for behavior, we say that person
has good etiquette or good manners.
 Part of being properly socialized within a
culture is learning what that culture considers
acceptable behavior in dining, conversation,
and attire.
 Proper etiquette can vary from culture to culture,
so it is important for foreigners, missionaries,
and anyone hoping to reach across cultural lines
to study the manners of that culture.
 The Bible gives some solid guidelines about
practicing etiquette and developing good
manners.
 The basic standard for Christian behavior is 1
Corinthians 10:31, which says, “So whether you
eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the
glory of God.”
 When our goal is to honor the Lord in every
way, we remain aware that we represent Him
everywhere we go. Whether sitting in a church
service, shopping at the mall, or working at our
jobs, we can do so for the glory of God. When
we carry the reputation of Jesus with us, our
behavior affects the way others see Him.
 Good etiquette is one way we can remove
social barriers and create a connection with
people who need to hear the gospel.
 Paul traveled across many cultures in sharing the
gospel and planting churches.
 He wrote that “I have become all things to all men,
so that I may by all means save some” (1
Corinthians 9:22).
 The idiom “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”
encapsulates that thought. Slurping soup in one
culture is thought rude, while in another it shows
appreciation to the cook. Handshake etiquette
varies from culture to culture as well. Firm grips
in America may translate as aggression to a
Middle Easterner who is accustomed to hugs and
kisses on the cheek.
 Our goal as Christians is to give the least
amount of personal offense by the way we
behave within a culture, while paving the way
for the sharing of God’s truth.
 Speech is another way we can either show
proper etiquette or bring offense. Ephesians
4:29 relates God’s expectation for spoken
communication: “Let no unwholesome word
proceed from your mouth, but only such a
word as is good for edification according to the
need of the moment, so that it will give grace to
those who hear.”
 That standard harmonizes with the injunction that
there be no “filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude
joking, which are out of place” (Ephesians 5:4).
We can offend by our words as easily as we can
offend by our actions, so learning culturally
appropriate verbal skills is a part of having good
etiquette.
 As believers in Jesus Christ, we have been
entrusted with the message of reconciliation (2
Corinthians 5:19), and we should deliver that
message graciously, with good manners: “. But do
this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15)..
 There is no excuse for a Christian who is
knowingly rude to others, especially during his
presentation of the gospel.
 Bad manners and poor etiquette are
distractions to the message we bear. The cross
of Christ is naturally offensive to the unsaved
world (1 Corinthians 1:23). If an offense must
come, it should come from the message, not
from the messenger.
 Etiquette is the oil that lubricates society and
reduces the friction of interpersonal
relationships.
 When we view etiquette as a means by which
we earn the right to speak into people’s lives,
we become more sensitive to the way we
present ourselves. We see our behaviors, from
table manners to telling jokes, as instruments
that either attract or distance others. Jesus is
our model. He came to earth and took on our
dress, customs, and manners in order to lead us
to God (Philippians 2:5–8).
 As His followers, we should see etiquette as a
way to follow in His footsteps.
 1Corinthians 14v40
Esther 2v12
Genesis 41v14
Proverbs 23v2
Proverbs 25v6-7
Proverbs 25v17
Proverbs 16v32
Proverbs 14v29
Proverbs 25v28
Psalm 32v8
 Webster defines it as "the forms, manners, and
ceremonies established by convention as
acceptable or required in social relations, in a
profession, or in official life."
 People around you will react positively
 This will improve your relationships at every
level
 This will lead to better communication
 Increased performance
 Recognition
 Business etiquette and grooming is simply a
means of maximizing your business potential
by presenting yourself favorably. (More
authoritative, powerful, knowledgeable etc.)

 Our academic knowledge and skills may be

spectacular, but if we do not have the social
skills needed to be successful in the global
market, we can jeopardize our personal and
business relationships.
 The collective perceptions others have about
you projected through all non-verbal messages
(.e.g., posture, eye-contact, handshake, body
language, facial expression, grooming, clothes.
 The Image of an organization is the sum of
each persons input within that organization.
 We tend to doubt, or put a question mark
behind, the spoken words if they do not
correspond with the appearance

 Your choice of attire will point out your

professionalism and credibility.
IS YOUR IMAGE UP TO
SCRATCH?
 In business your clothing and grooming should
not distract, rather they should direct attention
to your face and particularly to your eyes.
 Traditional businesses – like law and banking call
for the traditional business suit or a slight
variation thereof.
Creative businesses – like advertising and design
call for a creative twist to the traditional
uniform, like unusual colors or fabrication.
 Physically Demanding jobs – like child care or
fitness instruction call for attire that’s
comfortable, flexible, and easy to clean.
 Looking professional means being dressed
appropriately for the Type of Industry you are
in, the dress culture of your organization.

 Your corporate culture and the role you play

in it should guide your choice of attire.
 Clothes should be appropriate and
appropriateness is dependant on 5 factors:
 The people you are meeting
 the place that you are going to
 The occasion/event that you are participating in.
 The time of day/night
 The weather
  Once you know what’s
appropriate for your
industry and are
following the rules, you
can inject a little fashion if

  you like – so long as it’s

still industry-
appropriate.
                           

 Do not wear clothes just

because it happens to be
in fashion
 Wear quality an investment that will repay
over and over again.

 If you look up to date your ideas are seen as

being up to date.
 Its not just what you wear but how you wear it
and what it says about you.

 Clothes should compliment you physically You

should look and feel comfortable in what you
are wearing.
• Gainingrespect from others starts with
showing self respect through good
grooming.

• Good clothes go unnoticed if one is not

well groomed.
 There are different levels of Professional
business attire:

 Formal
 General
 Casual

 These definitions will help you understand the

basics of what is professional business attire for
women.
 Formal business attire elements
 Skirted suits
 Tailored pantsuit
 Closed toed pumps
 Pieces are usually worn in dark colors like
black and navy blue. This is a more
conservative approach to business attiring.  
 General Business Attire
 General business wear is the most common among
companies and is the same as formal attire, but less
traditional.
 This kind of business attire includes tailored pantsuits,
separates and business-like dresses accompanied by
matching jackets. Skirts and dresses should be knee-
length, and pants should break at the top of the foot or
pumps. Always wear tailored jackets when using
separates.

Pants should be fitted, but free of visible panty lines and

should be worn with a modest long jacket.
 Smart casual trousers such as hipsters, three
quarter pants paddle pushers), corduroys,
linen are not appropriate corporate wear
 Skirts should be loose enough to sit down in
comfortably.
 Skirt length should be where the knee bends
 All skirts must have a straight hemline.
 Try to wear short skirts with stockings at all times.
 Slits should come to the knee or slightly above

 Don'ts
 No tight fitting, short skirts.
 No denims or lace skirts.
.
 Jackets should be worn at all times.
 Jersey
 Comfortable fitting jerseys to fit matching
corporate outfit.
 Ponchos should be neat and should not to
comprise your business image.
 Blouses should not show gaps between
buttonholes.
 No casual blouses.
 No sleeveless tops or see through blouses
 Blouses should not reveal any cleavage
 High contrasts works best for authority, status
and your executive image.
 The best neckline is a classic shirt with one
button open
 Blouses over skirt make it casual
 Appropriate colours include browns, navy
blues, and black. Should compliment handbag
or suit.
 Don’ts
 Sandals are inappropriate
 White or light coloured shoes are inappropriate
 Boots tested badly, If boots are to be worn they
should be under slacks and should not be seen
that one is wearing boots.
 Wear limited jewelry. Avoid flashy and chunky
jewelry that jangles (chandelier earrings, stacks of
bangles) is distracting. Opt for stud earrings or
single bracelets.
 Avoid excessive ear piercing, not more than two
per ear
 Handbag or purse to match your outfits. Shades of
black and brown compliment almost any color.
Choose structured styles that project an organized
image.
 Scarf’s should be small and matching the outfit.
Wear the scarf anyhow as long as it is neat.
 Know your facial features
 Not every hair style is going to suit you
 Identify hairdressers for different hairstyles
 Maintain one loyal hairdresser for your hair
care
 Look as close to natural as possible
 Use foundations that are as close to your skin
colour as possible
 Avoid looking too gothic(Black) or too bright
 Use glitter and for the appropriate occasion
 A career killer outfit can do your professional
image permanent damage.
Looks to avoid in the workplace:
 Too sexy: see-through lace, miniskirts,

spaghetti straps, sheer sundresses, strappy

stiletto sandals.
 Too casual: jeans, shorts, T-shirts, hats,

sneakers.
 Too sloppy: wrinkled clothing, too many

layers, baggy-fit clothing.

 Jacket sleeves should not hide your hands,
these reinforces your words hiding them can
send messages of incompetence
 The jacket sleeve should reach the middle of
your waist bone
 Your jacket sleeve should be shorter if you
wear a shirt with cuffs
 Avoid materials that crease easily
 Suits of dark color like black, navy blue, gray
or brown are most common, and are
conventionally considered as perfect business
formals.
 Avoid mixing and matching the Jackets and
trousers.
 Formal trouser should be fitting and should
reach where you heel begins.
 Shirts should have long sleeves, solid,
preferably white cream, pale blue,
conservative strips
 Button down and straight collar
 Ensure the shirt are pressed/ironed
 Neat collar
 Appropriate colors include blacks, grey, navy,
brown, and avoid the tan shoe

 Avoid shoes with buckles or bows these tend to

be distracting and do not connote serious
business
 Black or brown belts
 The colour of the belt must be the same as the
colour of the shoes
 The buckle must be simple and discreet
 Ties should have an accommodating knot
 In the Tie we must see the colour of the shirt or
the jacket
 The length as you stand up should touch the
top of the belt
 No light or white colored socks with the suit.
 Socks should be a dark colour
 The socks must match either the shoes or your
trousers
 Must be long enough so that when you cross
your legs no legs should show.
 Face
 Mouth
 Beard
 Ears
 Nasal Hair
 Hair
 Hands/Nails
 Feet
 Body odour
 The perspiration level increases with an increase in
physical exertion or nervous tension.
 An offensive smell is caused when bacteria that are
present on the skin especially in the groin, underarms,
feet or in clothing that has absorbed sweat.
 Diet influences the odour .
 Two baths a day and change of clothes in close contact
with the body should take care of the problem.
 Talcum powders, bicarbonate of soda, deodorants or
antiperspirants can be used under the armpits.
 Sweat suppressed in one area, comes out in another.
The addition of perfumes/colognes masks the odour.
 Poor oral hygiene and infection of gums often
results in a bad odour emanating from the
mouth.
 There can be other reasons for bad breath. The
food we eat, colds, sinuses, throat infections or
tonsils can cause bad breath.
 Frequent brushing, mouth wash, sprays,mint
 Dead skin on the scalp comes off in tiny flakes.
 When there is too little oil the skin becomes
flaky and dry.
 Hair wash twice or thrice a week might be
necessary. Combs and brushes must be washed
as well. Hair should be brushed regularly.
 Alternate, Socks /Shoes
 Athletes foot-This infection is caused by a fungus. This
breeds in warm wet places. This is a minor irritation
and often disappears by itself. But sometimes these
cracks and sores become the site for other infections.
 Proper foot care can alleviate the condition. Rub off
peelings gently. Wash feet well and apply powder.
 A mild fungicidal ointment at bedtime will help.
 Keep feet exposed.
 If you have to wear shoes, wear cotton socks.
THE END