PODCAST · society
Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners
by Kiki Astor
Welcome to "Awkward Etiquette with Kiki Astor" – the podcast where old money meets new manners, and your Auntie Kiki spills the tea on all things etiquette, with a side of laughter and a dash of aristocratic charm!Join the illustrious Kiki Astor, author of smutty romance novels and grande dame of decorum, as she tackles your most pressing etiquette questions with the finesse of a debutante twirling at a ball. Wondering about the historical roots of fork placement or the proper way to decline a social invitation without causing a scandal? Auntie Kiki has you covered, darling!In each episode, Kiki Astor delves into the archives of social graces, uncovering the hidden gems of bygone eras and bringing them into the 21st century with a wink and a nod. Learn how to curtsy with confidence, when to deploy the subtle art of shade, and why you should never, ever drop your pedigree papers, whether it's during a soirée, a cocktail party, or in the PTA or HOA meeting.From navigating the treacher
Episodes
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Old Money, Grey Gardens, and the Status of Magnificent Eccentricity
You've heard the old chestnut: "If you're poor, they'll call you crazy. If you're rich, you're eccentric." Why is a woman wearing six layers of vintage lace in a crumbling estate called a "fascinating eccentric," while someone doing the same in a rented flat is just "strange"? In this episode,...
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The Secret History of Old Money and Dark Academia
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners, Auntie Kiki explores dark academia beyond its familiar aesthetic of candlelit libraries, tweed jackets, ancient universities, and classical books. She traces its roots in elite education, aristocratic leisure, boarding-school…
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Is comparison the thief of joy?
Is comparison always the thief of joy—or can it also be a teacher? Auntie Kiki explores how comparison shapes our sense of status, taste, etiquette, and possibility, especially in a world where social media invites us to measure our everyday lives against everyone else's highlight reel. The key,...
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What do you bring to the table? Wealth, Status and the Value You Bring to the World
What does it really mean to be valuable? In this episode of Awkward Etiquette, Old Money and New Manners, Auntie Kiki Kiki Astor explores the difference between real value, wealth, status, luxury, and social prestige. A person can own an expensive car, a luxury watch, and a multimillion-dollar…
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Is Time the New Status Symbol? Here's How to Spend It Wisely
What is the ultimate modern status symbol? According to Kiki Astor, it may not be luxury travel, designer handbags, expensive cars, or even a large social circle—it may be the appearance of having complete control over your time. In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners…
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Beyond Old Money: What got you here won't get you there
In this episode of The Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners podcast, hostess Kiki Astor challenges the traditional veneration of old-money habits, heritage, and manners. She argues that the behaviors, social codes, and values that helped establish or maintain an old-money position are…
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The Luxury of Less: How Constraints Create a Richer Life
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners, Kiki Astor explores the power of creative constraints, intentional living, and choosing a "smaller box" to create a richer, more distinctive life. After becoming a full-time writer, Kiki invests the equivalent of an Hermès Birkin…
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Craft a Life You Don't Need a Vacation From
In this Season 7 premiere, Auntie Kiki (Kiki Astor) shares a deeply personal story about returning from a vacation in France and realizing she dreaded going home to her own life. That devastating moment at the airport — wishing she could go anywhere except back — became the catalyst for a…
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The Gossip Economy: From Secrets and Scandal to Social Status
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners, Kiki Astor explores the sociology, psychology, and history of gossip among elites. Moving from John Aspinall's Clermont Club and the British aristocracy to Versailles, Beau Brummell, Lord Byron, the Kennedys, Truman Capote, and the...
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The Lost Art of Becoming the Most Interesting Person in the Room
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners, Auntie Kiki Astor explores the sociology, psychology, and etiquette behind genuine social magnetism. Embracing the "nouveau pauvre ideal," Kiki explains how living a rich life and cultivating cultural capital requires taste,...
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Boarding Schools, Old Money, and Dark Academia: Myths, Manners, and Modern Reality
Kiki Astor, AKA Auntie Kiki explores boarding schools through an old money lens—traditions, houses, dining halls, chapel, dorm life, and dark academia—timed to Prince George starting at Eton. She debunks myths (uniforms, secret societies, Latin), examines social capital, alumni networks, and...
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Is It Actually Worth It? The Old Money Guide to True Luxury
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners, Auntie Kiki Astor dives into the ultimate question in today's hyper-aspirational world: Is it actually worth it? Moving beyond performative luxury and the influencer economy, Kiki breaks down the true "Return on Investment" (ROI) of...
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The Old Money Library: Beyond Decor – Sociology, Psychology & Secret Reads
Unlock the Secrets of the Old Money Library: More Than Just Decor Dive into a captivating exploration of the "Old Money Library," where books are far more than mere objects – they are powerful social signifiers, reflecting generations of taste, privilege, and cultivated intellect. In this...
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Decoding the Pictures on the Walls: Art, Class, and Collecting Like Old Money
Decoding the Pictures on the Walls: Art, Class, and Collecting Like Old Money On The Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners podcast, Auntie Kiki (Kiki Astor) argues that art makes a home feel finished and functions as a "social biography," decoding class through cultural capital…
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The Old Money Guide to Photography: Etiquette, Aesthetics & Slim Aarons
Have you ever wondered how to capture the effortless elegance of the old money aesthetic in your photographs? In this episode of Awkward Etiquette, Auntie Kiki explores the fascinating intersection of photography, lifestyle, and modern manners. From the stiff aristocratic oil portrait style…
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Floating Status Symbols: Old Money Yachts, New Money Pontoons, and the Ultimate Guide to Boating Etiquette
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners, Auntie Kiki dives deep into the fascinating sociology of boating and yachting. From the quiet elegance of old money sloops and classic Rivas to the loud, party-centric energy of new money mega yachts and pontoons, boats are the…
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Linen Literacy: A Modern Guide to the World's Oldest Luxury Fabric
Join Kiki Astor on Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners as she dives deep into the fascinating world of linen, revealing why this ancient luxury textile is the ultimate status symbol and a cornerstone of quiet luxury for old money. This episode unravels linen's rich history, from...
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Status, Style, and Stitching: The Secret History and Etiquette of the Monogram
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners, host Auntie Kiki (Kiki Astor) takes listeners on a fascinating deep dive into the history, sociology, and etiquette of the monogram. Far from just a preppy aesthetic, monograms are one of the world's oldest status symbols, evolving...
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The Silver Ice Bucket: Old Money Elegance & Timeless Hospitality on Any Budget
Gather round, darlings! In this captivating episode of "Awkward Etiquette, Old Money and New Manners," your hostess, Auntie Kiki Astor, unveils a powerful, often overlooked domestic secret: the humble silver ice bucket. Far from just a vessel for drinks, this episode dissects its profound role in...
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The Ultimate Guide to the Hermès Scarf: Old Money Style & Quiet Luxury
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners, host Kiki Astor unravels the enduring allure of the iconic Hermès silk scarf. Discover how a simple square of silk evolved from a 19th-century Parisian harness workshop into the ultimate global symbol of elegance, quiet luxury, and...
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Aristocracy's Raincoat: Barbour, the Sociology of Mud, and Stealth Wealth Fashion
Why does a battered, smelly, 100-year-old raincoat signal more wealth and social standing than a pristine, fresh-off-the-runway Hermes Birkin? In this episode of Awkward Etiquette, Auntie Kiki explores the maddening paradox of class signaling through the lens of the iconic Barbour jacket. We dive...
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The Hidden Language of Jewelry: Old Money, New Money, and the Nouveau Pauvre
In this episode of the Awkward Etiquette- Old Money and New Manners podcast, host Kiki Astor takes a deep dive into the history, sociology, and psychology of jewelry. Moving beyond precious stones and price tags, Kiki explores jewelry as an ancient social technology used to signal belonging,...
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The Scent of Status: How Perfume Shapes Class & Identity, From Cleopatra to TikTok
This episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners with your Auntie Kiki Astor goes far beyond mere fragrance, exploring perfume as a social language, a class performance, and invisible status signaling. Dive into the fascinating anthropology of scent, from Cleopatra's perfumed sails to...
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Old Money Secrets and Author Life: Behind the Curtain with Kiki Astor
In this season finale, Kiki steps out from behind the microphone to pull back the curtain on her creative process, the psychology behind her books, and the nuanced world of unspoken social codes. Addressing a curated list of reader FAQs, she dives into the intersection of taste, money, and power,...
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The New Grand Tour: Cultivating Old Money Taste in the Modern World
In this insightful episode of "Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners," Kiki Astor delves into the historical Grand Tour, contrasting it sharply with contemporary travel and offering a powerful framework for cultivating taste, confidence, and a sophisticated worldview in the modern era....
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From Queen Victoria to Instagram Bridezillas: Old Money Wedding Etiquette & Style
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners, Kiki Astor explores how Queen Victoria's 1840 white gown and later royal spectacles (Charles & Diana, Grace Kelly, JFK/Jacqueline) shaped modern wedding expectations. She examines the social and economic pressures behind extravagant...
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Beyond the Trend: Timeless, Classic, Ageless, and Iconic, the Old Money Way
Join Auntie Kiki (Kiki Astor) on the "Awkward Etiquette Old Money and New Manners" podcast as she uncovers the secrets to a truly timeless existence. This episode dives deep into why the old money aesthetic resonates so deeply and how you can integrate effortless elegance into your home…
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Are Influencers Really Rich? The Old Money Guide to a Truly Rich Life (off camera)
Have you ever scrolled through social media and felt an overwhelming sense of inadequacy? Everywhere you look, people seem to be living incredibly expensive, flawless lives filled with luxury travel, designer shopping, and perfect morning routines. But is it real? In this episode, Kiki Astor…
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"Dogs and Horses": The Aristocratic Art of Vagueness vs Oversharing
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners, etiquette expert and author Kiki Astor explores the fascinating social tension between strategic vagueness and chronic oversharing. Kiki dissects why old money aristocracy and traditional upper-class society view discretion and...
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Main Character Energy: Aristocrats, Influencers, and Etiquette
In this episode of Kiki Astor's Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners, your Auntie Kiki explores the modern cultural phenomenon of "Main Character Energy." We dive deep into the intersection of social media trends, old money archetypes, and the delicate art of owning your narrative without...
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Too high? Too low? How are your standards?
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette, Auntie Kiki begins with a cautionary tale of a dinner party guest who arrived forty-five minutes late without an apology—and why she was never invited back. This isn't a story about petty drama; it's a masterclass in the quiet, devastating power of standards,...
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From Riches to Rags, in Style: The Nouveau Pauvre Manifesto
Are you staring at the wine list, instinctively searching for the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, only to let your finger slide regrettably down to the second least expensive Pinot Noir? Welcome to the club, darling. You aren't broke; you are Nouveau Pauvre. In this episode, Auntie Kiki explores the...
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The Secret to Authentic Style: Etiquette, Dress Codes, and Aesthetics
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Elegance: Old Money, Swans, and Sprezzatura (A Social Anthropology)
What is the invisible quality that separates the merely rich from the truly refined? In this foundational episode of Awkward Etiquette, Auntie Kiki goes beyond surface-level aesthetics to deconstruct the psychology and social anthropology of true elegance. We often confuse elegance with luxury…
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Acquired, perhaps, but never bought: a discussion on Taste
Is taste inherited, learned, or just a synonym for money? In this definitive episode of the Awkward Etiquette trilogy, Kiki Astor dismantles the biggest myth in high society: that wealth buys discernment. This week, we move beyond which fork to use and delve into the philosophical core of…
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The Masterclass on Class: What class really is, and why it matters.
In this episode of Awkward Etiquette with Kiki Astor, we tackle one of the most uncomfortable—and misunderstood—topics in modern society: class. Not money. Not income. Not net worth. Class. From ancient Rome and Greece to modern Europe and North America, this episode explores how class has...
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You're Either In or You're Out: Exclusion, Power, and the Psychology of Belonging
Why does exclusion hurt so much—and why has every functioning society depended on it? In this episode of Awkward Etiquette with Kiki Astor, Kiki dismantles the modern fantasy that "everyone belongs" and reveals exclusion as one of the oldest, most stable organizing principles of social life....
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Elegant Chaos: Why Old Money Never Has a Perfect Christmas
For the final episode of the season of Awkward Etiquette Old Money and New Manners, Auntie Kiki invites you into the most intimate setting of all: the floor by the Christmas tree, wrapping gifts imperfectly and talking you down from the holiday panic spiral. This conversational season finale...
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The Old Money Villain: Vampires, Exclusion & The Art of the "Ice Queen"
Vampires are back—but in 2025, they aren't sleeping in coffins. They're chairing the board, running the estate, and freezing you out of the conversation with a polite smile. In this episode of Awkward Etiquette, Kiki Astor dissects the ultimate social archetype: The Old Money Villain. Drawing…
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The old money holiday survival guide: Manners, Social Skills, and Style Tips with Kiki Astor
Step into the holidays with old-money elegance, unbothered poise, and a velvet-lined sense of humor in this special episode of Awkward Etiquette with Kiki Astor. In this Holiday Social Survival Guide, Kiki shares the discreet, never-spoken-aloud strategies that generational families use to glide...
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Emeralds, Envy, and Etiquette: The Secret Language of Old Money Green
In this jewel-box episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners, old money and etiquette expert and author of the Virginia foxhunting dark old money gothic novel Scarlet Fever Kiki Astor takes you on a richly layered tour of Old Money Green—the color that has shaped centuries of taste,...
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Old Money on Horseback vs Ralph Lauren: Equestrian Aesthetic and etiquette with Kiki Astor
Why is everyone suddenly dressing like they ride? From "equestrian-core" to "country luxe," the horsey aesthetic is galloping through fashion — but what does it really say? In this episode, Kiki Astor, fresh from a research trip at her hunting lodge in Virginia's horse country, getting ready to...
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No-vember: Chic Introversion, Selective Socializing, and Old Money Etiquette
As daylight wanes and autumn deepens, the first week of November offers unique opportunities—and subtle challenges—for anyone who cherishes etiquette, aesthetics, and intentional living. In this episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money and New Manners with Kiki Astor, Kiki reveals how to navigate...
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How to use AI to improve your life, the Old Money way.
What happens when artificial intelligence meets old money manners, style, and lifestyle? In this witty and insightful episode of Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners, Kiki Astor takes on the rise of the AI Old Money Girl — that picture-perfect, algorithm-crafted vision of luxury and…
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What Will People Say? (And Why You Shouldn't Care)- The Etiquette of Reputation
"People will talk." For ages, this has been used as an excuse for not doing something that could be incredibly rewarding, be it starting a business, writing that book, making the art, or wearing the dress or the lipstick that makes your heart sing. In this week's episode of Awkward Etiquette- Old...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to "Awkward Etiquette with Kiki Astor" – the podcast where old money meets new manners, and your Auntie Kiki spills the tea on all things etiquette, with a side of laughter and a dash of aristocratic charm!Join the illustrious Kiki Astor, author of smutty romance novels and grande dame of decorum, as she tackles your most pressing etiquette questions with the finesse of a debutante twirling at a ball. Wondering about the historical roots of fork placement or the proper way to decline a social invitation without causing a scandal? Auntie Kiki has you covered, darling!In each episode, Kiki Astor delves into the archives of social graces, uncovering the hidden gems of bygone eras and bringing them into the 21st century with a wink and a nod. Learn how to curtsy with confidence, when to deploy the subtle art of shade, and why you should never, ever drop your pedigree papers, whether it's during a soirée, a cocktail party, or in the PTA or HOA meeting.From navigating the treacher
HOSTED BY
Kiki Astor
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners have?
Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners currently has 129 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners about?
Welcome to "Awkward Etiquette with Kiki Astor" – the podcast where old money meets new manners, and your Auntie Kiki spills the tea on all things etiquette, with a side of laughter and a dash of aristocratic charm!Join the illustrious Kiki Astor, author of smutty romance novels and grande dame of...
How often does Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners release new episodes?
Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners publishes regularly with 129 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners?
You can listen to Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners?
Awkward Etiquette: Old Money & New Manners is created and hosted by Kiki Astor.
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