Is it rude to be ‘fashionably late’? Etiquette expert William Hanson reveals what time you SHOULD arrive at a dinner party (and what ‘7 to 7.30’ actually means)
It’s timeless advice.
Etiquette expert William Hanson has revealed whether you should arrive to a dinner party early, on time or ‘fashionably late’.
And it’s bad news for early birds.
William offers his advice in his new book Help I Sexted My Boss – A Hilarious Guide To Avoiding Life’s Awkward Moments, co-written by Jordan North.
In the conversation segment, the pair answer the question ‘what time should I arrive at a dinner party?’, with Jordan admitting that the issue is causing him a lot of stress.
Etiquette expert William Hanson has revealed whether you should arrive to a dinner party early, on time or ‘fashionably late’
He writes: ‘When someone says “come at 7pm”, what does that actually mean? Will you arrive on the dot? Or do you show your face in a fashionable way?’
William responds, “When I say “come at 7 p.m.,” I don’t mean I have to be there at 7 p.m. I expect you to arrive at 7:10 PM, maybe 7:15 PM. But not later.’
However, Jordan complains that this is “weird etiquette gaslighting.”
Staff! I Sexted My Boss by William Hanson and Jordan North is out now
“Just tell me what time you want me to be there and I’ll be there,” he says. “I agree that you should never be early because that’s just annoying and people are flabbergasted about getting things ready.” But if you need to be there at 7pm, the host must be ready by 7pm.”
William responds by explaining that ‘the ten minutes late rule was something older generations lived by’, admitting that nowadays ‘people’s time is so precious that this is changing’.
He adds, “While I may not like it, I do think Jordan is probably right about that. I also agree that guests should never arrive too early. I’d rather you be an hour late than five minutes early.”
William also reveals the true meaning of ‘7 to 7.30’, explaining that it means ‘any time from 7 o’clock, but not after 7.30… because that’s when we start eating’.
The optimal time, he suggests, is 7:15 am.
Staff! I sexted my boss by William Hanson and Jordan North is available now (£20/CAN$42.95), published by Penguin Random House. For more information from Mr. Hanson, visit his TikTok And Instagram profiles.