The purpose of the paper is a theoretical study of the changes taking place within the society at the beginning of the 21st century and the resulting transformation of the rules of etiquette. Increase of the life tempo, globalization, democratization, migration, urbanization, emerging of modern technologies and integration thereof in the daily life, etc. results in creation of new, previously non-existent rules of etiquette (for example, mobile phone etiquette, network etiquette, etc.), the previous standards are revised, the outdated behaviour models are withering away. The authors are analyzing the changes in behavioural standards in 3 main expression levels thereof: daily, business and diplomatic etiquette or protocol, noting the common and different trends of their development. Special attention in the article is paid to the innovations in the clothing etiquette, which is currently characterized by rapid and radical changes in the rules of clothes making, combining and wearing. Speaking of the essence of etiquette, emphasis is put on its duality – the most popular standards of the etiquette are changing and situational, these concern only the apparent expressions of the behaviour, whereas the philosophical justification of the etiquette – the ethical and aesthetical principles and rules – are more persistent and are altered only as a result of radical social changes. Not all innovations of the contemporary etiquette will become valuable in human interaction; the future practical application will test their efficiency and viability. Traditions are at least as important in the development of etiquette as innovations. The traditions accumulate the experience, core values of the society, national characteristics of different nations, etc. These ensure stability and predictability of the social processes. The article contains conclusions that currently the most rapid behavioural changes take place at the level of daily human interaction, as well as within the business environment, which will probably cause adequate changes in the diplomatic protocol. The transformation processes of the rules of etiquette will increase in their tempo in the perspective along with the increasing dynamics of the social processes.