How To Be Classy
Classically Elegant

New! Classy First Steps, an introduction online course.

Learning to 'be classy' is about changing your feather to a finer class. Contrary to popular belief, money and class are not the same thing.

What is "class" then?

Class refers to a group of people according to the things they have in common, including money. - Ginie Sayles

Unfortunately, many think once they have money, they have class. See How to be a lady.

It is possible to have lots of money and no class. It is also possible to have class and no money. We'll talk about what it means to be "classy", in specifics, classically elegant.

Be Classy - Classically Elegant - The Word "Classy"

Image via Flickr Cocokelly

If you googled the number of websites with the word "classy" in the entire web, you'll find that there are 78763 number of pages using that word.

It is one of the most misrepresented words. People use it to describe elegance, sophistication, stylish women. They also use it to describe art, a hotel, a restaurant etc.

While it is not "wrong", it is also very subjective. What appears to be "classy" to you, may not be classy to someone else.

Even the Dictionaries have very little to say about the subject. Dictionary.com simply classifies it an informal word which represents the traits, 'stylish and sophisticated'.

As defined earlier, "Class refers to a group of people according to the things they have in common, including money." The key, then is to get as much of these 'traits' as possible.

Be Classy
Classify Yourself

The root words of 'Class' are 'classification' and 'to classify'. That is true in our everyday lives. We sort people, things out, whether consciously or unconsciously.

When we look at someone, meet someone, eat something, go somewhere we automatically 'classify' in our minds. For example, you may have these thoughts:

"Oh wow, he is a doctor. He must be smart."

"This is the kind of place that teenagers go to."

"How can she afford these things? Her dad/husband must be rich."

Though we are all different, the stages of refinement are similar everywhere in the world. The characteristics of a "classy person" are identified by people of different backgrounds, though they may use another word.

This explains why every royal princess of different cultures have similar traits, "well-groomed, educated, good posture, gracious etc..."

In other words, in order to be classy, we continue to grow towards refinement in every sense of the word.

Be Classy - Refinement

Is refinement important? Is it superficial and silly?

Many scoff at the term 'Self-improvement'. They believe their high salaries are enough to buy themselves into the world of luxury. They think they are classy. But it doesn't work that way! There is some value in that because being able to afford luxuries can help you learn how to be classy in trickles. But affording luxuries are not what makes a woman refined.

jneilson23 / CC BY 2.0

Stop feeling guilty!

Sometimes, you may feel the desire for refinement are silly pursuits. The dream for the finer things in life, the wish for a fine way of living.

There is a sense of guilt when we indulge in some form of luxury. We think it's bad. It's bad to spend money, bad to want nicer things.

Put a stop to this! Don't confuse a healthy desire to improve with extravagance.

When we feel guilty and confuse our dreams for extravagance, we have (unknowingly), placed a low value on ourselves. We are telling ourselves that we are not worthy.

Refinement is an act of improvement.

If the most accomplished men and women on earth did not invest their lives, time and dollars into improving medicine, furniture, electrical appliances, we wouldn't be where we are today. We wouldn't have things we have now. We won't be enjoying gourmet food, typing emails to our friends, talking on our mobile phones or taking digital pictures.

We are far wealthier than any time period!

Being classy is simply a way of life. It is being all you can be and living your best life.

Is 'Classiness' Important?

Firstly, it is a more beautiful way of doing and experiencing life. It is quality.

Maybe you'll like to socialize with people you admire. People who are refined will identify you as "one of them". Maybe you want to do business with high net worth clients.

Because you've acquired these common traits with the 'classy folks', they'll identify you as one of their own. They would want to socialize with you, do business with you or marry you. They also would welcome the association of your children!

Having these connections can help you access opportunities not available to you before.

Layers

Characteristics of a Classy Person

This is a modified version of Ginie Sayle's theory - I've refined and added to the list.

As long as you develop these areas, you can be classy, with or without money.

P.s. these are merely intrinsic values.

How to be Classy - Develop these characteristics

1. Wealth
2. Lineage


65172294@N00 / CC BY 2.0
3. Clubs and Memberships
4. Education
5. Appreciating and getting involved in the Arts
6. Social savvy
7. Political clout or influence and connections
8. Travel sophistication
9. Appreciation of certain Sports
10. Values
11. Achievement
12. Hobbies
13. Philanthropy
14. Manners

15. Personal Grooming (and the language of clothes)
16. A good command of your native language and an appreciation of at least one other language
17. Refined Speech and Accent

18. Aristocrat titles
19. Deportment

Be Classy - Developing These Characteristics

Each layer adds quality to your life.

Developing these layers gives each of us a personalized roadmap to how to be classy.

In doing so, we increase in our self confidence and knowledge. We expand our minds, widen our horizons, and begin to believe in ourselves.

That is how, in general, we become classically elegant.

It is impossible to write about everything in one page. This series of 'Class' will be continued. To keep updated with elegantwoman.org, you may subscribe or check the site's blog.

Number One Characteristic of Being Classy

All these "traits" are not important if you don't have the number one Trait of being Classy.

That is the most important.

New Online Course!

If you feel clueless and don't know where to start, 'Classy First Steps' is a beginners online course on the art of being classy.

Click above for more details!

1. How to be a Lady

2. How to be Elegant

3. Simply Sophisticated Women

4. Achieve An Elegant Look

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