comme il faut

/ˌˈkɔm il ˌˈfoʊ/

If you do something comme il faut, you do it in an acceptable way, following the rules or traditions. It's comme il faut in ballet to wear your long hair in a tidy bun.

An etiquette expert can tell you what's comme il faut in various situations — in other words, the correct or polite way to do things. It's comme il faut at a swimming pool for boys to leave their clothes in a pile, except for their swim trunks, and jump into the water. At a wedding reception, that wouldn't be comme il faut. This phrase, used in English since the 18th century, means "as it should be" or "as is necessary" in French.

Definitions of comme il faut

1. adjective

   according with custom or propriety
   “it is not comme il faut for a gentleman to be constantly asking for money”

   synonyms: becoming, comely, decent, decorous, seemly

   proper

   marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness