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If you’re big enough and old enough that your feet hit the ground when you’re sitting in a chair, then you’re big enough and old enough to mind how you sit.
We don’t mean the procedure that takes you from standing to being seated. (Other than not plopping down so hard on a chair its legs quiver, there’s not much to it.)
Once you are actually seated, however, there are a few things you’ll want to get in the habit of doing. They might feel unnatural at first, but before long you won’t even think about them.
YOU DO
Keep your knees together.
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YOU DON’T
Spread out on a seat as if you’re trying to use up all the space.
Why
Sitting with your legs spread wide when you are wearing a dress might show your underwear. Since that’s not what you want to do, keep your knees less than an inch apart when you’re wearing a skirt or dress. Sitting pretty is keeping your knees together even when you’re wearing jeans, pants, shorts, or sweats.
YOU DO
Cross your legs at the ankles.
YOU DON’T
Cross your legs at the knees.
Why
Etiquette classes for young ladies teach that crossing one leg over another is considered very unladylike. Many etiquette rules have been relaxed for our more casual lifestyle, but there are still times when it is more appropriate to cross ankles rather than knees, particularly in spaces with limited leg room, such as airplanes and theaters. It’s easy to do: once you are seated with your knees together, slant your legs so your knees face one corner of your chair, then cross the opposite ankle over the other. For example, if you slant your legs so your knees point left, cross the right ankle over your left.
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A lady doesn’t slump in her chair; she sits up straight.
A lady doesn’t tip her chair back.
A lady doesn’t put her feet on the top of the chair in front of her.
A lady doesn’t sit cross-legged on the floor unless she is wearing pants or shorts.
A lady in a short skirt pulls the hem down as she is sitting.