Chivalry is not dead ... proof today’s guys can be perfect gents
A MODERN gentleman still displays the good manners of his forebears, according to a study.
He is as respectful, polite and kind as any chivalrous knight of old, as he holds the door open for others, pays attention when people speak and always keeps his shoes nice and shiny.
The 21st-century code of etiquette also includes putting his mobile phone away at the dinner table, keeping fit and wearing a good suit.
A quarter of Britons also think any well-mannered chap would be able to cook a decent meal (28 per cent) and keep their house tidy (33 per cent).
In a rejection of House of Commons Speaker John Bercow, who has decreed men no longer need to wear a tie in Parliament, modern gentleman sport a well-tailored suit and tie (58 per cent) and smart, short haircut (41 per cent).
Long hair, a top-knot or a quiff are considered “ungentlemanly”.
Dressing down is not favoured by 63 per cent of men who want to wear a formal suit when they have to present themselves at their best, and are willing to pay a typical £600 to guarantee a positive first impression.
Women apparently think the same, with 44 per cent saying a man is most attractive wearing a fine suit and 42 per cent thinking it a more professional image. Sotos Georgalli of Moss Bros, the men’s tailors who commissioned the poll, said: “We have seen a rise in dressed-down recently but most men still find it challenging to make a great impression in casual clothing.
“If anything, the trend towards sportswear worn as an everyday uniform has helped to elevate the status of the tailored suit.
“From movie stars to entrepreneurs, wearing a fantastic suit remains a sartorial byword for ambition and success.
Powerful
“It comes as little surprise then that more than a third of British men feel most professional and powerful in a tailored suit, while almost half feel their smartest when dressed in their best.”
While a stylish appearance goes hand-in-hand with being gentlemanly, it is not the most important trait.
Oscar Wilde defined a gentleman as someone “who never hurts anyone’s feelings unintentionally”.
George Bernard Shaw said a gentleman always “puts more into the world than he takes out”. Puts his phone away at dinner