Illustrated by Sydney Hass.
This is probably nothing new, but giving advice to your friends is not always a good idea. Especially if it's unsolicited. Not only can it be offensive, but if your advice goes south, it can cause quite the relationship rift. Because we can always use an etiquette reminder, MSN Glo put together a foolproof guide to what not to say when it comes to doling out your opinion.
For starters, there are certain topics we should all just steer clear of completely. Anything having to do with parenting is always a no-no; even if you've got a brood of your own, it truly is different for every family. The same goes for telling your pregnant friends what to eat, what to drink, or how to cope. In fact, we should all avoid the topic of food in general — especially if you're tempted to praise the benefits of juicing to your deskmate as she tosses back a burger.
The experts at Glo also gave us a few key phrases to shy away from. If your friend is eyeing a new apartment? "I would never live in an area like that" should probably never leave your lips. The same goes for telling your single sister, "Maybe if you put a little more effort into your appearance and got out more, then you'd meet someone." Ouch. Click on over to learn all the social graces you'll ever need. (MSN Glo)