Keeping it classy
August 8th 2009 13:41
Genuinely classy women are becoming something of a rarity. It's a sad sign of the times, but it's one that you can use to your advantage. By keeping it classy, both in terms of your outfit choices and your standards of behaviour, you'll be going a long way towards gaining the respect and admiration of everyone around you. Best of all, you'll stand out from the ordinary, classless crowds like a shining star in the night sky.
Perhaps the easiest way to emulate class is to find a high profile person who is renowned for their elegance, and follow their lead. Emma Watson, Heidi Klum, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hawkins, Rachel McAdams.... there are so many celebrities out there who epitomise genuine class while at the same time keeping their sense of fun alive. No doubt you'll already have a favourite in mind. You don't need to copy them to the letter; simply ask yourself what that person would do in the situation you're in, and allow that to guide your actions. Emulating the style of someone you admire is nothing to be ashamed of. Even classy modern women like Renee Zellweger and Anne Hathaway claim to try to uphold the timeless elegance of Audrey Hepburn, when it comes to the film roles they choose and the outfits they wear on the red carpet. Find your own classy female icon to emulate, while maintaining your own sense of individuality, and you're halfway there.
While it's easy to remain classy when you're relaxed and happy, remember that it's the testing times that truly separate the classy from the classless. When Emma Watson experienced a wardrobe malfunction at the London premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she calmly fixed her dress and went on with her red carpet duties. Later, when asked about it, she simply laughed it off and quipped, "At least I was wearing underwear!" These are the times that people remember, so play it right and you can turn an unfortunate incident into an opportunity to demonstrate your poise.
Having good posture and deportment will also go a long way towards creating a classy image, and keeping yourself well-groomed is a must. As for behaviours to avoid, well, there's thousands of them! Most are quite self-explanatory, but many are not. Here are some of the most common ones that modern girls will run into, and why they must be avoided.
Getting wasted in public.
Okay, so we've all done it, but if you do it regularly enough, you'll get a reputation for being a drunkard and/or substance abuser. Being wasted in public not only demonstrates that you have personal issues, as healthy, well-adjusted people are rarely seen stumbling around completely munted, but it also shows that you have very little respect for yourself. If you don't respect yourself, how can you expect others to?
Flashing.
Classy women don't flash. End of story. They don't sunbathe topless either, unless it's on a deserted beach or somewhere like Brazil where literally everyone else is doing it. It seems so obvious but some girls just don't seem to get this! Be aware, also, of how much cleavage you're showing, and if it's cold and your nipples are at risk of turning high beam, then wear a T-shirt bra or better yet, dress to suit the weather.
Excessive makeup.
We all know a middle-aged tragic who tries to hold onto her fading youth by wearing too much makeup. In reality, applying your makeup with a shovel will only make you look like a try-hard, a stripper, or... a middle-aged tragic. Keep it natural, except for big events, and you'll be keeping it classy.
PDAs.
Holding your boyfriend's hand or kissing him discreetly is fine every now and then. Full-on makeout sessions, groping, or walking around with your hands in each other's back pockets is not. No matter how hot you think the two of you look, you can guarantee that most people around you will be feeling uncomfortable with your excessive displays of affection, so don't do it. And while we're on the topic of showing affection, kissing your girlfriends is also out. Faux-lesbianism is uncool on so many levels, so unless you actually are a lesbian, don't kiss other girls on the lips in public.
Smoking.
News flash: It's not 1986 anymore! Smoking has been out of fashion for decades; aside from the obvious health risks, it stinks and it makes you look like a skank. Like being wasted in public, smoking shows that you have little respect for your own life, that you have an addictive personality, and not much respect for the health of those around you, either. Above all, it screams low class. Quit the cigs now and you'll be a better person in so many ways.
There are many, many other behaviours to avoid if you want to emulate genuine class - this list has only just scratched the surface. Reading up on etiquette is a good start, as is choosing a classy role model to follow, but ultimately it will take practice for the art of being classy to become second nature. When it does, it will truly become a way of life, and one day, you will be the one that others will look to for inspiration on how to be elegant and refined. Lifestyle trends may come and go, but keeping it classy is something that will never be out of style.
Victoria Beckham: always classy
Perhaps the easiest way to emulate class is to find a high profile person who is renowned for their elegance, and follow their lead. Emma Watson, Heidi Klum, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hawkins, Rachel McAdams.... there are so many celebrities out there who epitomise genuine class while at the same time keeping their sense of fun alive. No doubt you'll already have a favourite in mind. You don't need to copy them to the letter; simply ask yourself what that person would do in the situation you're in, and allow that to guide your actions. Emulating the style of someone you admire is nothing to be ashamed of. Even classy modern women like Renee Zellweger and Anne Hathaway claim to try to uphold the timeless elegance of Audrey Hepburn, when it comes to the film roles they choose and the outfits they wear on the red carpet. Find your own classy female icon to emulate, while maintaining your own sense of individuality, and you're halfway there.
What would Emma do?
While it's easy to remain classy when you're relaxed and happy, remember that it's the testing times that truly separate the classy from the classless. When Emma Watson experienced a wardrobe malfunction at the London premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she calmly fixed her dress and went on with her red carpet duties. Later, when asked about it, she simply laughed it off and quipped, "At least I was wearing underwear!" These are the times that people remember, so play it right and you can turn an unfortunate incident into an opportunity to demonstrate your poise.
Jennifer Hawkins oozes class
Having good posture and deportment will also go a long way towards creating a classy image, and keeping yourself well-groomed is a must. As for behaviours to avoid, well, there's thousands of them! Most are quite self-explanatory, but many are not. Here are some of the most common ones that modern girls will run into, and why they must be avoided.
Getting wasted in public.
Okay, so we've all done it, but if you do it regularly enough, you'll get a reputation for being a drunkard and/or substance abuser. Being wasted in public not only demonstrates that you have personal issues, as healthy, well-adjusted people are rarely seen stumbling around completely munted, but it also shows that you have very little respect for yourself. If you don't respect yourself, how can you expect others to?
That's just sad, Mischa
Flashing.
Classy women don't flash. End of story. They don't sunbathe topless either, unless it's on a deserted beach or somewhere like Brazil where literally everyone else is doing it. It seems so obvious but some girls just don't seem to get this! Be aware, also, of how much cleavage you're showing, and if it's cold and your nipples are at risk of turning high beam, then wear a T-shirt bra or better yet, dress to suit the weather.
Christina Aguilera? Or an ageing drag queen?
Excessive makeup.
We all know a middle-aged tragic who tries to hold onto her fading youth by wearing too much makeup. In reality, applying your makeup with a shovel will only make you look like a try-hard, a stripper, or... a middle-aged tragic. Keep it natural, except for big events, and you'll be keeping it classy.
Paris Hilton and Doug Reinhardt's excessive public displays of affection
PDAs.
Holding your boyfriend's hand or kissing him discreetly is fine every now and then. Full-on makeout sessions, groping, or walking around with your hands in each other's back pockets is not. No matter how hot you think the two of you look, you can guarantee that most people around you will be feeling uncomfortable with your excessive displays of affection, so don't do it. And while we're on the topic of showing affection, kissing your girlfriends is also out. Faux-lesbianism is uncool on so many levels, so unless you actually are a lesbian, don't kiss other girls on the lips in public.
Smoking.
News flash: It's not 1986 anymore! Smoking has been out of fashion for decades; aside from the obvious health risks, it stinks and it makes you look like a skank. Like being wasted in public, smoking shows that you have little respect for your own life, that you have an addictive personality, and not much respect for the health of those around you, either. Above all, it screams low class. Quit the cigs now and you'll be a better person in so many ways.
Jennifer Aniston quit smoking in 2008
There are many, many other behaviours to avoid if you want to emulate genuine class - this list has only just scratched the surface. Reading up on etiquette is a good start, as is choosing a classy role model to follow, but ultimately it will take practice for the art of being classy to become second nature. When it does, it will truly become a way of life, and one day, you will be the one that others will look to for inspiration on how to be elegant and refined. Lifestyle trends may come and go, but keeping it classy is something that will never be out of style.
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