bakerstreet | Etiquette Meme

No schlumping, slouching, slurping, or sassing--manners matter! Now, of course, not everyone was brought up with all the same expectations or types of social engagements, so whether invited to a ball, a fancy dinner party, or a formal duel, it’s best to know the rules of the game so as not to lose before you start. And yes, all of those forks have a specific function.

Are your manners impeccable and you are choosing to pass down to knowledge to someone in need ~~whether it kills them or not~~, or do you prefer to observe the untrained creatures in their natural state? Are you grateful for some guidance in this crazy world of fifteen forks, ten unintentional left-handed insults, eight handshakes, and five ways to say you need to use the restroom, or are you fighting this nonsense every stop of the way? Or are you both well-mannered, sophisticated bastions of gentility and there can only be one?

Whether you’re teaching beforehand, or it’s sink-or-swim within the situation itself, all eyes will be on you. Hang on to those handkerchiefs and ready the boutonnière--we’re going formal.

HOW TO PLAY

- Post with your character and their canon, as well as what role you’d prefer [Teacher/Student].
- Specify preferences, if any. (ex. cast only, shipping/not, etc.)
- Tag others!

SITUATIONS & AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Balls / Dancing: There is a dance party coming up, and it would be unacceptable to be a wallflower. Court dance? Classic cotillion? Debutante ball? Better be sure you know all the latest moves and don’t have two left feet.

Dinner / Eating: Eating seems like such a simple thing, and then you realize there are so many ways you can do this wrong. Not sure where to even start on a 22-course molecular gastronomy meal? Pretty sure all those spoons will do the same thing? Are people messing with you when they say to eat that will your hands? Better learn, or you’re going to be hungry and embarrassed.

Duels / Rules of Engagement: A fight has been arranged, and of course there are rules to these things. How many paces must you walk? What spells are not acceptable? Do you even know how to hold a sword? Let’s hope you can learn before you might die.

Outings / Courtship: If someone is going to be taken to a fine establishment they had better know how they are expected to behave. Is it okay to yell during a horse race? When is it appropriate to clap during the ballet or an opera? How much are you expected to bring in tip money? And if you have to ask how much it is, you probably can’t afford it.

Politics / Cultural Differences: You’re going international, and it just quite possible everything you know about not offending someone is wrong. What is the correct angle for a bow? Are there any gifts that could come off as insulting to the recipient’s mother? Can you even speak first in this situation? Avoid international incident at all cost ~~or don’t~~.

Attire / Getting Dressed: Depending on where you’re going, they might not even let you through the door if you’re not dressed for the occasion. Can you get away with “dressing up” a pair of jeans? Can you walk or breathe adequately in that gown? Are you so blindly aware of what a mistake it is that you’ve picked something out in last season’s colors? First impressions are important, darling, so dress for it.

Parties / NIGHTMARE MODE: Parties are a culmination of all the possible ways in which you can either charm the masses or mess things up so horribly that you might actually have to change your name. Possibly your country of residence, depending. Good luck and godspeed.

Twilight Zone / Manners Reversal: Bringing someone with excellent manners and formal modes of behavior into a more casual or blue-collar situation can yield hilarious results. They will probably not thank you for it, though.

Wildcard: Literally any other fancy situation, these suggestions were just if you had no clue where to start~!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ either role! he is almost always polite ("Be gone, please." - Haku, beat 'em up fighting game 2012) but there are many areas where he knows what he is doing, and many areas where he does not

m/m 15+ for shipping ]

[Her manners and etiquette are impeccable! ...when she wants them to be. Would be perfectly happy to help someone learn, for the low low price of (mainly gentle) teasing.]

[Exhaustively educated in etiquette and diplomacy to the point its force of habit, even though he really prefers something more laid back. Could be teaching/guiding someone unfamiliar with the nuances of Kaithenian courtly society, or making a game of it with someone he's close to and comfortable with.]

[On the one hand, Janest is a potential asset to the Kaithenian empire, being blessed with divine power. On the other, she's a country bumpkin in a lot of ways, more used to harvesting wheat than playing nice in court. Alric has been assigned to make sure she doesn't embarrass herself at state dinners.

...she's shown up to the lesson with pieces of straw in her hair.]

...Lady Janest.

[Alric smiles half wryly and half amused as he looks up at her arrival to his study, raising his eyebrows with a glance toward the state of her hair.

She has certainly proven to be an interesting individual. Rumors of a Living Saint had preceded her, and together with the impact her presence seemed to have on local agriculture, she had quickly drawn the attention and scrutiny of the nobility. After all, there's much to be gained from an especially good harvest--and from denying the same to a rival. She could be a boon indeed to the Empire, but also brought her own political entanglements with which she was evidently not very familiar.]

Please, come in. I hope the capital has treated you well, thus far. Can I have anything brought for you?

[She steps inside, and it's immediately clear that under her homespun dress, she's wearing sensible work boots rather than slippers or anything more fashionable.]

Awful sweet of you to ask, but I ate before coming here. [Her accent is thick country drawl, delivered with a bright smile.]

[Almost certainly the one teaching etiquette. Unless someone intends to call him out for slouching on his ~~throne~~ chair. Be expected to learn manners literally fit for a king.]

[ Of course this noble, esteemed ✨GENTLEMAN✨ is all too happy to pass his on worldly knowledge... for a favour or two. ]

[this is a terrible idea]

[This isn't fun for him, he had manners and etiquette drilled into him throughout his childhood, but at the very least, there will be no whips or torture dungeons involved when he's the one teaching! He'll be patient and gentle and not too strict!]

So, where would you like to start...? I suppose it depends on what you'll be expected to do?

( m/f pref for shipping but completely open to platonic teacher/student dynamics. this loser needs help with everything except duels and dressing himself. happy to drop him into any historical setting where he gets to be a fish out of water elevated in social rank because of his accomplishments as a soldier and schemer. he may or may not catch feelings for the first well-meaning lady to teach him how to do things properly. on the other hand, he's also crazy enough to try to teach an unhinged hermit how to use cutlery or some shit, idk. he has no respect for existing class structures - where it's appropriate for people to be or what they should know. the reversal scenario could also be great fun. bringing posh people around his hometown never ends well. )

[He's definitely going to be the student here, and definitely a bitchy one. Let's say the occasion is post-canon, some formal event to do with the androids trying to get support from some rich people with a party involved, so Hank doesn't want to mess it up but he does resent the hell out of everything involved. (Unless we do a Manners Reversal thing, which is the only scenario here where he'd be the teacher.)]

Etiquette Meme

Haku | Naruto

Hiroe Matsudaira | OC

Alric Caelegart | OC

no subject

sry for my epic slowness orz

no problem!

Logan | Fable 3 | OTA

Yoshiaki Mogami | Sengoku Basara

Power | Chainsaw Man

James | Pokemon (anime) | OTA gen | a very reluctant teacher!

thomas shelby | peaky blinders | ota

Hank Anderson | Detroit: Become Human