Sunglasses Etiquette

Dear Cotillion Students,

I hope that this finds you healthy, happy, and getting ready for a wonderful summer. Wishing you a Happy Summer!

With the summer sun brightly shining, I wanted to use this email to talk a little bit about sunglasses etiquette. Sunglasses are very important as they protect your eyes, but there are a few rules associated with them.

Sunglasses Etiquette

• Eye contact is a huge part of human interaction. It helps us make a connection and is an important part of a greeting. It conveys honesty and an interest in the person we are speaking to. Eye contact also makes it easier to stay focused on what someone is saying. When you are outdoors engaging face-to-face, start things off right by finding a shady spot and taking your shades off, so that they can look directly into your eyes. If no shade is available and it’s very bright outside, take them off briefly and then put them back on, but always begin by taking them off – even if just for a moment.
• Leaving your sunglasses on indoors or at night makes you appear disrespectful – unless you have a medical condition that requires that you avoid strong light, remove your sunglasses when you enter a building. If you do have a medical condition, briefly explain “I apologize for not removing my sunglasses, but I have a medical issue and I need to wear them all the time.”
• Keep your sunglasses clean. Part of grooming is making sure that your clothing and accessories are clean. Smudges and smears on your sunglasses do not present you at your personal best. If you need to clean your glasses please don’t do it at the table! 
• When pulling through a drive through remove your sunglasses briefly as you say thank you. 
• Sunglasses should be removed when you are taking photos.
• Sunglasses should be removed when dining. Remember to put them away and not put them on the table. 
• Don’t use your sunglasses as a mirror (don’t use them to check your teeth or fix your hair) – or even worse, don’t look into someone else’s sunglasses and use them as a mirror. 
• Choose sunglasses that are appropriate for the occasion. Mirrored, trendy, exaggerated or ‘blingy’ sunglasses are not appropriate in a serious, professional or more formal situation. 
• Remember we do not comment on someone else’s manners. (Once you are a parent you can instruct your own child, but not before!) This also applies to sunglasses etiquette, we do not ask someone else to remove their sunglasses (just make sure to remove yours!) and we do not comment if their glasses are dirty (again – just make sure to keep yours clean.)
• Protect your eyes! It is so important!! Wear your ‘sunnies’ and let them serve their purpose as a barrier to the sun, just be careful to not let them create a barrier between you and relationships or opportunities.

If you have any ideas of things that you would like me to address in my Friday emails, please let me know. I get my best ideas from you.

If you know of anyone that would like to join us in the fall, we would love to have them with us! You and your good manners are my best advertisement for our program!

I send you my love and best wishes for a very happy summer. I look forward to seeing your beautiful eyes in the fall!

Love,

Mrs. Achiu