White shoes after Labor Day ignored

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Is there still a certain time frame for when you can and cannot wear white? Also, do folks still wear slips under dresses?

GENTLE READER: Now! You can wear white now!

And don’t waste another minute, because the time frame is Memorial Day to Labor Day, so you can only do so for two more weeks.

No, Miss Manners is not deluded enough to think that anyone waited for her permission on such a crucial manner. The truth is that she relishes seeing people work themselves into a froth over this. No rule of etiquette, no matter how strict, annoys people more than the one that reserves white shoes for the summer months.

Why it upsets them, she cannot imagine, considering how easily they all get away with ignoring it.

Still less is Miss Manners able to see whether folks are still wearing slips.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: We occasionally travel on vacation with our couple friends. However, one of our friends lost her husband to an illness. We, of course, still wanted her to join us.

We stay in rental houses rather than hotels, because they are located where we want to be, and it’s so much nicer to have a common space where we can visit. We divide the cost of the house evenly, which means the singleton only pays for one person.

However, these houses usually have a master suite, and the couples take turns in them. Of course, that leaves the singleton out of a turn.

Our friend was upset to not have a turn. Should we overlook the difference in financial contribution and invite her to take her turn in the master suite, too?

GENTLE READER: Is the financial aspect of this important enough to you to justify hurting your bereaved friend’s feelings?

As it would not even cost you extra to give your friend a turn in the big room, Miss Manners would think not.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I purchased an old set of silver, and it included knife rests! I am in love!

But I cannot find anything in place-setting instructions as to where they go. So please, Miss Manners, tell me where knife rests go?

GENTLE READER: Under the knives when they are at rest.

Actually, it is the responsibility of the diner to arrange them thus, after having used the knife and realizing what a mess it could make of your tablecloth. When setting the table, you should place each beloved knife rest just above the knife, parallel to the table edge.