A Gentlemer's Guide to Etiquette

By Duke Alvelno of Valenwood

This guide is for those who wish to acquire for themselves the good manners and decent breeding of the courts of Alinor. It aims to instruct all in the ways of superior dress, speech, manners, swordplay, courtship, family life, home decor, gardening, religion, and cookery. Of course, the guide is not addressed to our Altmeri betters, for that would be unnecessary as these things come naturally to them.

Section 1

Dress and Grooming

My fellow Lords and Ladies, we Imga are blessed by Anu to be wearing most of our clothes at birth. That does not mean that our outfit cannot be changed and altered to be more stylish. In fact, it shows both initiative and class to take pride in one's appearance. It also does not mean that you cannot layer Altmeri clothes over your hair. In fact, going in full dress is absolutely essential for any major social affair. But in day to day life we must work with the practicality of the situation.

Take, for example, the matter of boots. Authentic Summerset boots are unsuited to the treetops. In this case, growing out the hair on your feet until it covers your toes is preferable. You may also grow your hair long to create a flowing robe that gives you that eternally in style 'long-lived wizard' look. Using your hair as a base, you can add patterns and designs through braiding, stones, and ribbons to extenuate your magical, golden Altmeri charm. (Please see p.23 for our diagrams on how to properly tie a ribbon).

Adding shiny, silvery gems to your outfit is a must. The elves simply cannot get enough of these. We recommend braiding them down the center of the chest, to emulate buttons. Braiding two small stones on the sides of both wrists is also a classic.

In regard to hair styles, the up-do is most definitely the favorite of the Altmer, fitting both males and females alike. Sweeping your hair back or tying it up in a ponytail with an ornate bow is also a good look. One may shave around one's face to extenuate the point of one's chin and ears. Ladies may shave down to the neck. However, if you choose to shave, you absolutely must follow with white powder.

While some lesser etiquette guides demand the complete shaving of the body, we here at Gentlemer's Guide do not support such an absurd practice. It only serves to call attention to yourself. You are not making yourself look more merish by removing your hair. Can anything be more ridiculous than a Imga without hair? As a great poet once said, "A naked ape is more ape than ape." In fact, I may say that these fools resemble men more than mer, and that my good fellows is the exact opposite of our endeavors. After all, do not the smelly Nords run around their frozen wastes naked and exposed, swinging their giant hammers at each other in their drunken revelries?

If somebody shows up to your dinner party or evening ball with his or her hair shaved, you should demand that your servants escort them from the premises immediately. If you don't have servants, you will need to acquire them first. Only then can you throw out the mannish-pretender from your estate. Nothing is more rude than throwing out a guest yourself. You wouldn't want to be a bad host, now would you?