DEAR MISS MANNERS: Friends of ours invited us to a pancake breakfast at their high school, a fundraiser for the boys’ basketball team. Even though we live in a different school district, we wanted to go because we support our friends, and we really like pancakes.
As we were getting ready to go, my husband emerged wearing our own school colors. His shirt, jacket and ball cap were emblazoned with our school mascot; there was no question where our loyalty lay.
I told him that unless we were going to a sports competition, it was in poor taste to dress like that at another school’s event. He said that at the next pancake breakfast, he will dress however Miss Manners suggests.
GENTLE READER: Why was your husband trying to ruin everyone’s pancakes? Particularly when he is kind enough to say he will follow Miss Manners’ instructions.
You were guests in this school’s house -- and Miss Manners agrees that dressing to show hometown loyalty is somewhat aggressive and impolite. It is also, you might point out, often the reason that tourists get such bad reputations.