K. Cooper Ray—creator of the men’s style/etiquette website Social Primer and designer of a special-edition Brooks Brothers bow-tie collection—plants one on actress Abigail Spencer (Mad Men) at a launch party for Lisa Birnbach’s book True Prep at Brooks Brothers, Beverly Hills. I must admit it. I am an unabashed double kisser. As a transplant from [...]
continue readingthis article has 7 comments
posted on November 2, 2010
It is not often that we take to commenting on popular TV shows on these pages, but sometimes an opportunity comes along that suits our purpose so distinctly who are we to let one of those pop flies sail by? The show in question is the latest stop on that multi-city train wreck The Real [...]
continue readingthis article has 6 comments
posted on August 24, 2010
Belaying – is a climbing technique of securing the climber during his climb. First let’s get this out of the way right at the beginning. There are many people out there who say Social Climber like it’s a bad thing. SP has never thought this way. Hello, there is no mistake that Social Primer rhymes [...]
continue readingthis article has 2 comments
posted on September 23, 2009
He was dressed like a gentleman, but his behavior gave a truer indication of him than did his garments. –Manners for Men, Mrs. Humphry, 1897 At a recent dinner party SP was seated next to a beautiful and successful woman in full control of interesting conversation peppered with amusing anecdotes. Her date seated across from [...]
continue readingthis article has 5 comments
posted on May 6, 2009
A reader asks, “SP, how do you cheek-kiss a woman to greet her?” My first reaction to this question was to ask if you suddenly are about to find yourself at a fashion show or a high society ball? This act of cheek-kissing – or double kissing or air kissing as it sometimes called [...]
continue readingthis article has 10 comments
posted on April 15, 2009
SP cannot tolerate a VIP room, the ideal or the reality. What is the point? Whether I am cosseted inside rubbing shoulders with the self-appointed beau monde or huddled outside with the hoi polloi, it makes no matter. People who want to associate with people they think are as good as they are (unlikely) or [...]
continue readingthis article has one comment
posted on January 14, 2009
During the holidays, it can be so easy to get wrapped up — as it were — in the cost of things that we end up missing the real spirit of the season. There seems to be a competitive necessity to outspend or at least match the value of a gift expected or already [...]
continue readingthis article has no comments
posted on December 17, 2008
Have you ever been dining in a restaurant and some member of your party makes everyone at the table uncomfortable by being rude to the server? Although it is not a common occurrence, I admit I have been witness to such behavior. In fact during a recent dinner at a very fine restaurant, a member [...]
continue readingthis article has 5 comments
posted on December 3, 2008
SP has a confession — and correction – to make. As the the tone of these pages has developed, the astute reader may have noticed that the pronouns are slipping all over the place. What started as an outlet of exasperated expression (and aggravation relief), SocialPrimer was almost always written in first person. Then as the audience grew, SP became a little alarmed by the increasing limelight [...]
continue readingthis article has no comments
posted on September 21, 2008
advertisement
and register to win a bow tie.
Tell us a little about yourself.
You know the drill. Advertisers want to know your business before they give us business.
advertisement
via feedburner
advertisement
