The Hostess and the Guest

We are on the final leg of our classic party planning topic. I am partly sad and partly excited about this because I have decided to hold up on doing any more on my "Being Classic in a Modern World" series for a while. Do not worry, we will get back to it a few more times in the months to come. I just feel like we need a little break and I have plans to some FUN!

Now, to the topic at hand!

The Hostess

Whether you are hosting alone or co-hosting, there a few things that help you to be classic at it. First, have most of your preparations (such as food) ready to go. You miss out on your own party and lose the chance to be a great host if you are spending your whole party in the kitchen. Second, greet each guest as they arrive or soon after. If you have a large number of guests, this is critically important. No one really wants to feel forgotten about. Attempt to make small talk with every guest at some point. Third, don't spend the whole time stressing. Allow yourself to enjoy the party and let the little things go. Lastly, dress comfortably and classic!

The Guest

Being a guest has changed a lot over the years. I truly feel like a few classic rules still apply.First, always RSVP. Please please please... if you do nothing else, do that. It helps the host or hostess prepare for food, entertainment, etc. Second, be no later than 15 minutes late. If you are going to be, be considerate and let the host know (in advance if possible). Last, dress to the formality. If you are unsure, ask.

Now, for some less required but still wonderful guest thoughts:
If the party is even remotely formal, bring a gift for the hostess. This has died and it breaks my heart. I feel like as a hostess, I put a huge amount of work into making the party special for my guests. This small token allows the guest to show they appreciate the effort. This is not really required for small get togethers, especially between very close friends. However, there is no rule that you can not!

Anyway, this is the short and sweet look at being a classic hostess or guest. I would love to hear your tips on being a classic host or a great guest. Feel free to share in the comments below!

Be on the look out for some awesome new adventures over the next few days.

How to be Classic in a Modern World

Interestingly enough, I see more classy people now that I am involved in the blogging world. Perhaps this is because I don't see all of the aspects of the people or perhaps its because bloggers inspire one another, either way it has been encouraging to me. I have always been accused of being an "old soul". With that came my desire and passion for being a woman is truly classic. I find pleasure in standing out by doing things that are not meant to stand out. In a world wear loud, crazy, and sometimes obnoxious are popular, I enjoy being motivated and classy. This is not to say that I don't love some fun, wild, and crazy things or that I've never done anything not so classic. I have, I just have such a a long history and love for classic that it far outweighs them.

If you look through past posts or the recent ones where I spoke on classic fashion, you can tell that I appreciate modesty. I can also see the purpose behind good quality (even when circumstances deter me from having such things). If you have been a reader for a long time you know that I love to be a hostess, I am honored in my role as a wife, and work diligently to be a wonderful parent to my boys. Some of these qualities  I would consider to be uncommon in this modern world. I also take more pleasure in helping, giving, and building up others than thinking of myself. As I see it, if your mindset is focused on others, its a whole lot easier to be a classic woman in this modern world.

I promised categories of all kinds for this series and I intend on making good on my promises. I am excited about the next category. Being my favorite, "being a hostess" is next on my list for discussion. There are so many aspects with this.

• Planning and types of parties
•  Invites and thank yous
• Cooking and Preparing
• Decorating 
• Being a great hostess
• Being a considerate guest

Among the things I wish to discuss will be how to dress for, set up, invite others to and plan different levels of formality, creative and classic ideas for decorating and cooking, and what is expected out a host or hostess.

You may be wondering how and why I even know much about all this. This is all I can say- I grew up with a very good hostess for a mother and I have read etiquette books from many different generations and pulled out the aspects that still apply today.

I wont say I am a perfect hostess or guest, but its a goal I strive for and I feel like it a skill every classic woman should have a basic understanding of.