how to be a gentleman
What is a gentleman?
There’s many different opinions on what a gentleman is as it means different things to different people and these change all the time due to trends, so I went to a dictionary for an explanation and this is what I got: “A gentleman is a chivalrous, courteous, or honourable man” and I agree, but I think that has to come with what I call “terms and conditions”. But who am I to say what a gentleman is? Well I can’t tell you who to be but I did used to own a gentleman’s Instagram account with over 10k followers and I would like to think of myself as a gentleman, so I kind of know what I’m talking about. I always used to say this quote “Gentleman not a gentle man” I like to think of it as well mannered but assertive in what is wanted.
Why be a gentleman?
Well why not be a polite person? As this great tradition becomes more and more unpopular we need YOU to carry it on! Don’t think you won’t benefit because you will.
Here’s 3 reasons you should be a gentleman:
- Role model: By spreading a polite and positive message to the world every you’re inspiring the next generation to do the same. This is so fulfilling as you’re leaving your mark.
- Protect: Gentlemen follow the Code of Chivalry. Who else follows this code? Knights. What do knights do? They protect their people. Point is, you’ll have to stand up for what you believe in, and for those you love. It is proven that protective characteristics are attractive to the ladies, so show that you’re the man.
- Be a better you: Whilst becoming a gentleman you often learn new skills that you can apply to all different areas of your life, leading to being a better version of yourself.
How to become a gentleman?
After finding out what a gentleman is and why you should be one you need to know how to be a gentleman! So below you will find rules to become a gentleman.
- Manners: “Get me that!” not very nice right? Well a gentleman is polite, always remembering his P&Q’s (to say please and thankyou) one great way of saying thankyou for something special is writing a hand written letter to show how grateful you are, as we always use our phones in today’s world it shows you’ve gone the extra mile to show your appreciation. I’ll be doing this to my first customer, so if you want that to be you click here. I’ve also wrote a letter to one of my nanna’s neighbors with a packet of toffee’s to show my appreciation of all the times she brought me things when I was younger.
- Good hygiene: This ones quite simple. Smell good be clean in basic terms. As a gentleman you’ve got to keep your nails short and clean, you don’t want to open a door for a lady and her first sight is your dirty unkempt nails. You should wash regularly, myself I have a shower every day apart from Saturday and if you would like to learn about my cold shower routine click here. A nice aftershave (cologne) doesn’t go a miss either, not to much not to little I was told two sprays, also get it on your wrists as when you pass something or open a door everyone is going to smell your deliciousness!
- Integrity: “Talk is cheap” so everything you do say has to have meaning. A gentleman is assertive, when he says he’s going to do something he does it, no questions asked. A gentleman keeps to his moral standards no matter the circumstances.
- Respect: This is where the ladies come into play, but first who do you have to respect? Everyone, this includes yourself, as I always say “you can’t pour from an empty glass” so you’ve got to look after yourself, this means respecting your own time and don’t let people take that for granted. When introducing people as a gentleman you should always introduce the younger person to the older person, its also nice to add a comment so both parties feel respected. for example “hi dad, this is my friend Chris, he’s great at football” You should also stand when shaking someone’s hand and if for some reason you can’t shake someone’s hand you should explain why. When shaking someone’s hand you shouldn’t comment on it, whether it was strong or weak. Now then, when it comes to the ladies it can become confusing. So when on a date I believe you should always offer to pay, I come from a traditional background where the man does pay but I do understand that on occasions may seem patronising, so offer but don’t be forceful. Open the door for ladies? Yes, but open the door for everyone, it’s about being polite and empathetic to everyone’s needs. So basically stick to being an old school gentleman but look for reactions if the lady doesn’t like it, rein it in a little.
- Dress: Now I’m not telling you to wear a top hat and a suit every day but present yourself well. I think the most important is to feel confident in what you’re wearing. An old school gentleman would often be seen wearing a tailored suit.
