·
"I am 17 minutes away" Translation: “I am citing an oddly specific number to disguise the fact that I am
about half an hour away.”
·
"I am a block away" Translation: “I am two blocks away.”
·
"I am coming" Translation:
“I will respond to my emails, and in
eight minutes will pass before we leave.”
·
"I am five minutes away" Translation:
“I am 10 minutes away.”
·
"I'm en route"
Translation: “I am still at home.”
·
"I'm running five minutes late” Translation:
“I have time to watch a ninety minute movie before getting dressed.”
·
"See you at [time we agreed
upon]" Translation: “I'm about to shower, get dressed, and then leave at the time we agreed to
meet.”
·
"I’m twenty minutes away"
Translation: “I am lost somewhere miles away, but
am optimistic about finding my way there.”
Below
are a few helps for the fashionably late to break a bad habit, and actually be
on time:
·
Plan ahead-You already know what you need to
get done to prepare for, and arrive at your party, shower, or ceremony on time.
Taking the time to create a to-do list of these tasks will help you organize
the days and hours before you attend. Do this as soon as you receive your
invitation so you have a physical reminder of what needs to happen between then
and now.
·
Save the date- For most of these events, save a
friendly casual gathering, you'll probably have weeks (if not months) of
advanced warning. Put the date into your cell phone calendar, and keep it in
mind. The closer it gets, the more you'll be able to work your schedule around
it. This saves you any last-minute conflicts, double bookings, and the risk of
running late.
·
Streamline your driving routing-Simple steps, such as laying out
your outfit and accessories, and packing gifts and other things into your car
the night before, means you'll be able to get ready and go with the minimal
amount of difficulty. Checking weather and traffic reports, as well as
familiarizing yourself with routes and the day's events. This will also start
you off on the right path. Take these steps to avoid last-minute delays and
you'll be right on time at every event.
Below is a general timeline for the
fashionably late in various social situations:
·
Work gathering-Be it a formal event or some kind
of work-related celebration, this is a gathering that involves getting dressed
up to the right degree and also knowing just when to arrive. The window for
lateness here is within half an hour of when the event starts. Timing is
crucial. You can miss the first round of socializing, snacks, and drinks. Getting
there after any opening welcoming remarks is too late and rude. You need to be
on your best behavior by being present for the evening's main elements (at this
work event). Work events are an excellent opportunity to do a little networking by giving you time to talk with
those present.
·
Dinner party-This one is all about punctuality because
dinner is involved, and it's being prepared with a set serving time already in
place. Arriving late, with everyone already seated at the table is a major
social faux pas. Your host has a plan for the evening, and it relies heavily on
the timing of the meal. Everything like the coffee and dessert is organized
around when that first course is served. Be polite enough to respect this
schedule and the time and effort involved in hostessing. A small hostess gift
is never a bad idea. Keep it simple: a potted herb or a neutral-scented candle
is nice ways to say thanks for the free food and good company.
·
House (or block) party-These events have a natural rhythm by starting slow, kicking
into gear, and eventually winding down. Any kind of large, informal social
gathering usually has a two or three-hour warm-up time. Before that, there's
often a fair amount of loitering, lingering and talking. If you like to be
there as things get going, arrive closer to the start time. If you love pulling
up just as things heat up, go ahead and take your time getting ready.
·
Ceremonies-Don't be late to a wedding, a
funeral, a performance, or a celebration. Even the smallest and most intimate
of affairs requires punctuality. From a grand cathedral wedding to your
nephew's middle school graduation
ceremony, from a play at your grandmother’s funeral, these ceremonies involve
showing respect to both the occasion and its participants. These life event
ceremonies deserve to have you take time from work and other obligations, once
you commit to attending. Lateness goes crosses over into the realm of the
seriously offensive.
·
Bridal (and baby) showers-Showers are smaller gatherings of celebration and as such
should be attended on time. There's still about a 15-minute window inside which
you'll be considered reasonably punctual, but 20 minutes or more will be noted
as rude. Showers can
be rather regimented affairs, with time for socializing, for games, for eating,
and for opening presents all planned out ahead of time. Arriving late and might
take away from everyone's fun in that moment.
“The problem with people who have
no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some
pretty annoying virtues.”
(Elizabeth Taylor)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“3 Things Every
‘Fashionably Late’ Person Should Try” by Heather K Adams
·
“A
guide to understanding the fashionably late” By Alexandra Petri
·
“Fashionably Late” by Adam Lowe
·
“Fashionably Late” by Urban Dictionary (Anna)
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