How to be a knight in shining armor today

Fashion photography by Duc Nguyen

Gentlemen, listen up. Chivalry is not dead. It just changed to suit the times. After all, while there is no need now to joust or challenge anyone to a sword fight to save a lady love, men are still very much expected to respect, protect, care for, and love the women around them.

Here are some things that ladies truly appreciate in the gentlemen who ask them out on a date:

1. He comes in the house to say hi to the family. It may seem very troublesome to park the car somewhere and fetch her, but coming in to greet her parents, siblings, or anybody else at her house is a way of saying, "I'm responsible for her tonight, you can trust me."

2. He sticks to populated places and avoids taking her to private or dark corners. Ok, so maybe he trusts himself that nothing will happen, sure. But by taking his date to a dark corner, he is not taking care of her but putting her in danger. He should consider first how he wants another guy to treat his little sister, and that's how he must treat his date, too.

3. He doesn't crack green jokes. If he does, she might laugh, but all it really accomplishes is to make her think that's the only thing in his noggin.

4. He holds her hand, not her waist. His body language shows that he is with her without making her look cheap or easy.

5. He keeps his promise of bringing her home safely. And he doesn't try anything on her while saying bye-bye!

"Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage."-Theodore Roosevelt