Etiquette Plus

The answer to your question is a recommendation to simply turn the situation around and ask yourself, “Would I want this friend/stranger to tell me?” Tact and good judgment are the keys. You could help a friend by nonchalantly tucking in a shirt label or gracefully removing a price tag. We all need occasional help occasionally, and it is a courteous gesture reflecting your character. There are so many stories out there. One woman was sitting in church unaware that she had a $3 masking tape price tag (garage sale) adhered to her jacket. Ironically it was her own jacket that did not sell in the garage sale, so she decided to wear it to church. Other situations have included the infamous zipper, unzipped. Most men know “XYZ” which is the code to zip it up. We have all experienced slight embarrassments including shirt labels out (worse yet, your shirt on inside out [it happens early in the morning]), spinach in the teeth, runs in stockings, mud on shoes, toilet paper stuck on shoe, and the list goes on and on. So the Golden Rule applies, helping others as you would like them to help you.