Dear Diane,
Last month I was chosen to lead a team-building presentation for my entire department. While working through my nerves during lunch, I happened to spill tomato basil soup on my gray slacks! I rushed to the restroom to remove as much of the stain as possible without making it more noticeable. Unfortunately, I did not have a portable stain remover or change of clothes. Rather than bringing attention to the quarter-size blotch on my thigh, I began my presentation without mentioning it. In hindsight, I am not sure if that was the right thing to do. What are your etiquette recommendations on acknowledging wardrobe mishaps without damaging your professional image?
Ruby D.
Dear Ruby,
The first rule of thumb is always to be prepared for the worst. I keep a travel size stain remover nearby for this kind of accident. If you find yourself without one, or the stain is too large, make a light joke of the spill and drop the subject. Do not continue to bring attention to the stain as it will detract from your message and emphasize your awkwardness.
If you spill a glass of liquid during a business meal, for example, the protocol is this: place your napkin over the spill, attend to your fellow guest that may have gotten wet, apologize and allow the wait staff to take it from there. You can certainly acknowledge the mishap once again at the end of the night and send a dry cleaning gift certificate or a box of chocolates with a travel spot remover to the person you doused with spritzer as a friendly apology.
Hope this helps,
Diane
You may also like Ask the Etiquette Expert: Fashion and Office Attire Q and A’s. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips read her posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on HuffPost, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. Buy her new book, Modern Etiquette for a Better Life.
