Diane Gottsman | Leading Etiquette Expert | Modern Manners Authority

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Umbrella Etiquette

13 Sep 2013 By: Diane Gottsman

Umbrella Etiquette by Diane Gottsman Etiquette Expert and Modern Manners Authority

Image: Kate Spade

Today is Friday the 13th and according to lore, both Friday and the number 13 are “unlucky.” Another superstition has to do with umbrellas. Opening an umbrella inside a building is said to bring you, and the occupants inside, bad luck. I agree that it’s bad business to walk in to a building or home with an open umbrella, but not because of  a superstition. Here are a few of my Umbrella Etiquette Tips in honor of Friday the 13th.

  1. Shake it off. Before you enter a home or office, shake off the wet umbrella, outside the door, close to your side, umbrella point facing down. Look for an umbrella stand, or location that is housing other errant umbrellas, and add yours to the mix. When in doubt, ask the receptionist if there is an area you can place your wet umbrella.
  2. Size matters. Select an umbrella that doesn’t take up space on the busy sidewalk. If you take the subway and then walk blocks to work, carrying an oversized golf umbrella on a crowded sidewalk is not a courteous gesture.
  3. Store your umbrella on the floor. An empty chair or piece of furniture is not the place for a wet umbrella. If you are taking a train or bus, stand it straight up and secure it with your hands or between your legs. At a restaurant, ask the waiter to hold it until the end of the meal. The goal of this piece of umbrella etiquette is to keep from getting other people wet.
  4. Stay out of people’s way. If you are passing someone with your umbrella, and they are walking towards you with theirs, there is an unspoken law of courtesy that dictates you adjust the height of your umbrella to avoid stabbing the other person in the arm, stomach or eyes.
  5. Pick up the correct umbrella when you leave. When departing the building, make sure your black umbrella is the same one you brought through the door. Umbrellas all look similar and accidentally leaving with a Burberry, when you arrived with a Tote, would be a breach of umbrella etiquette!

Happy Friday the 13th!

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Diane Gottsman

Diane Gottsman is a national etiquette expert and modern manners professional, sought out industry leader, television personality, accomplished speaker, Huffington Post blogger, author, and the owner of The Protocol School of Texas, a company specializing in executive leadership and etiquette training. Diane is routinely quoted in national and international media including The New York Times, The BBC, CNN, Bloomberg Business Week, Kiplinger, Huffington Post Canada, U.S. News and World Report, and Forbes. She is the resident etiquette expert for two popular morning talk shows, SA Living and Good Day Austin. She has been seen on The TODAY Show, HLN Headline News, WGN Chicago, and CBS Sunday Morning. Her clients range from university students to Fortune 500 companies and her workshops cover topics ranging from tattoos in the workplace to technology at the dinner table and the proper use of social media.