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Original poster

Things you were told weren't ladylike

164 replies

thinkofablinkingnamewoman · 14/02/2014 17:09

A friend mentioned yesterday that her DH hates her smoking while walking - he says it makes her look like a tart. It reminded me of things my DM (mainly, DF occasionally) told me weren't ladylike when I was growing up. They were:
Smoking outside (clearly some things don't change)
Eating in the street (though for some reason chip shop chips were ok)
Sitting with my legs apart more than about an inch. This seemed to be quite a precise measurement
Talking about football to people I didn't know, even though my DF used to take me. Bizarrely cricket talk was ok.
Did you all have similar?

OP posts:
ThatBloodyWoman · 14/02/2014 17:55

My uncle told me he didn't like girls in jeans.

What the fuck it had to do with him I'll never know!

ThatBloodyWoman · 14/02/2014 17:52

Oh, and weight training to try to build my shoulder and bicep muscles.

ThatBloodyWoman · 14/02/2014 17:51

Drinking pints, burping, climbing stuff.
Anything fun really.

Needless to say, I wasn't very ladylike....

HollyMiamiFLA · 14/02/2014 17:50

Gravy should be eaten with bread at the end of a meal!!

Sparklingbrook · 14/02/2014 17:50

Milk bottle on the dining table-not allowed.

GiraffesAndButterflies · 14/02/2014 17:48

Polishing off the gravy from roast dinner by spooning it out of the gravy boat. Grin

Mum probably had a point. Not my 10yo self's fault though, Mum shouldn't have made so much delicious gravy!

Sparklingbrook · 14/02/2014 17:48

We were not allowed to fart or watch ITV growing up Holly. Sad but true.

mrsjay · 14/02/2014 17:48

oh yes going to the pub on your own was fine to go in with somebody but not go in and wait on somebody Confused

mrsjay · 14/02/2014 17:47

playing with boys toys as a tea set was shoved infront of me siting with your legs opened , smoking eating in the street, drinking out of a bottle or can IN THE STREET ,

HollyMiamiFLA · 14/02/2014 17:45

Farting.

DrNick · 14/02/2014 17:43

eating in the street

although that was just " common"

Sparklingbrook · 14/02/2014 17:42

My father said ankle chains were definitely not ladylike. Confused

PsychoCynic · 14/02/2014 17:42

Never to eat food with your fingers, even things like pizza and chicken.

If you drop something, bend from your knees and crouch to pick up, (never bend over from the hips).

When exiting a car, put both feet outside and then stand.

Never shorten a persons name.

Never show anger.

In marriage, bathroom door always closed.

Many more, mostly instilled by my late Grandmother!

Ishouldbesolucky · 14/02/2014 17:41

I was told it was not lady like to drink pints and it's very tarty to have pained toe nails

DavidTwattenborough · 14/02/2014 17:38

Drinking pints or going into a pub by yourself - even if you were meeting somebody there...

Also swearing, whistling, and burping (I make a special effort to burp and whistle every chance I get these days - though I'm still not much of a swearer)

zipzap · 14/02/2014 17:33

I went to a girls school where we weren't allowed to eat hamburgerswith our hands as it was unladylike - we had to use a knife and fork!

elportodelgato · 14/02/2014 17:31

One of my teachers told me it was unladylike to shout in the corridors at school when I was about 16. I remember being bewildered as it had never occurred to me that 'ladylike' was something desirable which I should aim for! I think I said as much too, I was pretty gobby and self-confident back then Smile

Wibblypiglikesbananas · 14/02/2014 17:28

MIL told DD that pulling faces wasn't ladylike. I don't hold with the term at all - we were playing at being monsters, she wasn't being rude (and she's only two). Bloody idiotic comment. Same as her comments on food being 'naughty' - erm, no, impossible for inanimate objects MIL...

Chottie · 14/02/2014 17:26

wearing patent shoes (the boys could see the reflection of your knickers in your shoes and it would inflame their passion) told to me at my convent school, so it must be true

MisguidedAngel · 14/02/2014 17:25

Definitely eating/smoking in the street and drinking out of cans/bottles. I can do the drinking thing now, but not the others. My headmistress used to tell all us girls "her voice was ever soft, gentle and low" - bleurghh!

The most bizarre of my mother's many bizarres rules for ladies was - no white shoes. I can't do that, either.

Wolfiefan · 14/02/2014 17:22

Me!
Grin

OneHolyCow · 14/02/2014 17:22

Oh yes the smoking outside! I'm Dutch and it applied there too.
Drinking pints, in the UK that is, because lady drink half's.. fuckit, I like pints.

cupidsabsolutepsyche · 14/02/2014 17:20

one of the nuns that taught me in primary school said whistling wasn't ladylike...i learned how to do it really quick after that.

sittingbythepoolwithenzo · 14/02/2014 17:20

Eating or drinking in the street (still agree with this one).

Getting drunk and falling over. I remember the chat from my mum very clearly - "I don't mind you going down the pub at 15, but don't come crying to me if they throw you out for being under age, and remember, it is not ladylike to fall over and appear drunk. If you want to create a good impression, don't get further than tipsy".

Original poster
thinkofablinkingnamewoman · 14/02/2014 17:20

Had forgotten the pint glass and the nail varnish on toes! And anklets. I wondered why I felt faintly guilty when I had a pedicure the other day!

OP posts: