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What do you do with an olive pip? Should spaghetti be eaten with a spoon? Is it acceptable to ask for a fork if you cannot use chopsticks, and when is eating with your fingers actually the correct thing to do?

In this episode of Manners and Other Matters, Louise Percy explores the small dining dilemmas that can make even a confident person suddenly wonder, “What do I do with that?”

From finger foods, skewers and fork-only dining to spaghetti, soup, bread and chopsticks, Louise shares practical contemporary table manners designed to make dining feel comfortable rather than complicated.

She also looks beyond Western dining traditions to consider eating customs in India and Ethiopia, and why cultural curiosity, observation and respect are essential elements of modern etiquette.

Because good table manners are not about demonstrating how many rules you know. They are about confidence, consideration and making the people around you feel comfortable.

SHOW NOTES: https://thepercyinstitute.com/episode76-would-you-like-to-feel-more-confident-in-social-situations/

I'd love to hear from you. Please leave your comments, or ask me any questions here: https://thepercyinstitute.com/contact/

Join Louise in the pursuit of a more elegant life, and be sure to visit her website thepercyinstitute.com for more ideas and inspiration. Follow @thepercyinstitute on Instagram and Facebook, and join the Facebook Group, The Elegance Club for exclusive offers and insights.

Resources and links:

• THE ART OF AN ELEGANT LIFE MASTERCLASS:
  https://thepercyinstitute.com/the-art-of-an-elegant-lifestyle/
• Complimentary Guide to Successful Networking: https://subscribepage.io/shinelikeadiamond
• The Percy Institute website: https://thepercyinstitute.com/
• The Elegance Club Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thepercyinstitute
• The Percy Institute Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepercyinstitut...

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What makes a piece of jewellery truly valuable? Is it the stone, the craftsmanship, the name attached to it, or the story it carries?

In this episode of Manners and Other Matters, Louise welcomes back her friend Adrian Dickens, one of Australia’s leading jewellery historians, a personal jeweller and specialist in antique, estate and remodelled jewellery.
Drawing on more than four decades in the jewellery world, Adrian shares how an early fascination with Garrard, the Crown Jewellers in London, began a lifelong appreciation of beautiful objects, exceptional craftsmanship and the stories behind them.

Louise and Adrian explore the jewellery trends emerging in 2026, including the wonderful return of the brooch for both women and men, the renewed popularity of coloured gemstones, the appeal of fine and understated jewellery among younger generations, and the growing desire to remodel inherited pieces rather than leave them unworn in a jewellery box.

They also discuss the difference between buying jewellery for pleasure and buying it as an investment, the changing value of diamonds and precious metals, craftsmanship in contemporary jewellery, and why knowing who made a piece can be just as important as knowing what stones it contains.

And, naturally, there are pearls, Cartier, a little jewellery history and several wonderful stories along the way.
A warm and fascinating conversation about jewellery not simply as adornment, but as history, memory and a very personal expression of style.

SHOW NOTES: https://thepercyinstitute.com/episode-75-jewellery-with-a-story-estate-jewellery-heirlooms-and-the-return-of-the-brooch/

I'd love to hear from you. Please leave your comments, or ask me any questions here: https://thepercyinstitute.com/contact/

Join Louise in the pursuit of a more elegant life, and be sure to visit her website thepercyinstitute.com for more ideas and inspiration. Follow @thepercyinstitute on Instagram and Facebook, and join the Facebook Group, The Elegance Club for exclusive offers and insights.

Resources and links:

• THE ART OF AN ELEGANT LIFE MASTERCLASS:
  https://thepercyinstitute.com/the-art-of-an-elegant-lifestyle/
• Complimentary Guide to Successful Networking: https://subscribepage.io/shinelikeadiamond
• The Percy Institute website: https://thepercyinstitute.com/
• The Elegance Club Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thepercyinstitute
• The Percy Institute Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepercyinstitut...

Send us Fan Mail

When did good manners become so complicated?

In today's world, we're less likely to wonder which fork to use and far more likely to ask questions such as: Is it rude to leave someone on "read"? How do I politely decline an invitation? Should everyone split the bill equally? Is ghosting ever acceptable?

In this episode of Manners and Other Matters, Louise Percy explores ten of the most common social dilemmas facing adults today. With her signature blend of warmth, practical advice and contemporary etiquette, Louise shares thoughtful guidance on navigating friendships, digital communication, social media, invitations, dining, boundaries and modern relationships with confidence and grace.

Rather than offering rigid rules, this episode reminds us that true etiquette is about kindness, consideration and helping others feel respected and valued.
Whether you're in your thirties, forties, or simply interested in building stronger relationships, this episode will leave you with practical ideas you can begin using immediately.

Because while technology and social customs continue to evolve, kindness never goes out of style.

SHOW NOTES: https://thepercyinstitute.com/episode-74-the-10-modern-etiquette-dilemmas-everyone-secretly-wonders-about/

I'd love to hear from you. Please leave your comments, or ask me any questions here: https://thepercyinstitute.com/contact/

Join Louise in the pursuit of a more elegant life, and be sure to visit her website thepercyinstitute.com for more ideas and inspiration. Follow @thepercyinstitute on Instagram and Facebook, and join the Facebook Group, The Elegance Club for exclusive offers and insights.

Resources and links:

• THE ART OF AN ELEGANT LIFE MASTERCLASS:
  https://thepercyinstitute.com/the-art-of-an-elegant-lifestyle/
• Complimentary Guide to Successful Networking: https://subscribepage.io/shinelikeadiamond
• The Percy Institute website: https://thepercyinstitute.com/
• The Elegance Club Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thepercyinstitute
• The Percy Institute Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepercyinstitut...