Be a Classy Girl
Being classy is not about being stuck up, it is about having style and taking care to be polite to others and to reflect a genuine interest in them. As well as being classy, it is also about being confident in yourself and happy with who you are. This article will teach you how to move through life with class and ease. When you are done reading this article, you should know how to be classy, or: selfless, generous, compassionate and responsible.
Contents
Steps
- Choose your battles and choose your friends. Few battles are truly worth fighting. Stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves (mentally disabled, animals, children, etc.). Be wary of those who appear to enjoy bickering. If someone is rude to you, either ignore him or her completely or, once you have calmed down and are thinking clearly, explain how you perceived their actions and work towards a resolution. You can also treat them politely while still maintaining your personal stance - be polite but make it clear without being intentionally hurtful or nasty that you don't appreciate what they are doing. Never stoop to their level, and do not be hasty to make judgments of other people. Surround yourself with positive, polite people who encourage and live your classy, intelligent lifestyle.
- Have a sense of style. Being in the loop, fashion-wise, is a must. Try to read more fashion magazines to learn what kinds of clothing go well together and how to put together a classy outfit. Be sure to create your own fashion and have your own style, because it's not right to wear something that isn't you. It's often better to have a basic personal style than to always be chasing the latest "fad" look.
- Have good taste in clothing: Be modest in clothing and avoid clothing of bad taste. Extremely low necklines, too short skirts, belly-baring tops and revealing clothing can make a girl look like she does not respect her body and herself. Shirts with inappropriate sayings, logos or sexual innuendos can make a girl look like she's desperate for attention. Classy ladies are not desperate for attention.
- Have good hygiene. Remember to always be clean: run a comb through your hair, keep your nails dirt-free and neat, brush your teeth and bathe or shower. When spraying perfume, be sure to use it sparingly. Excessive use of perfume isn't attractive and does not improve your hygiene, despite popular belief. Being clean is important; being grubby isn't classy and isn't pleasing. Never have greasy hair. It is gross and trashy.
- Take care of your skin. Skin should be well-cared for and clear of imperfections. Wash your face everyday and remember to wear sunscreen or shade hats. Try to give yourself a facial mask once a week.
- Never crack your knuckles. Other people may find the habit annoying or manly.
- Speak calmly. This shows politeness. If you talk loudly, it will seem that you're desperate for attention. Being loud in public isn't just obnoxious, it is also inconsiderate to the people around you. Listen to what people have to say and always make eye contact.
- Never slouch. Having good posture is an important, and rare, trait. It can also improve your overall health.
- Behave. It's fun to attend a party, but leave immature and irresponsible behavior out of the equation. If you're at a party, be sure to socialize, but speak calmly and don't monopolize all the attention. If you drink, keep drinking minimal and in your tolerance level. Drunk ladies are not classy ladies. If you are underage, DO NOT DRINK.
- Develop conversational skills. Classy ladies don't talk about sexual immorality and other trashy topics. Rather, they may talk about intellectual topics (books, art, politics/current events) or fashion and travel.
- Increase your vocabulary, and stay away from slang terms. Never swear or say racist, homophobic, or otherwise bigoted comments. This will only make you appear ugly and rude.
- Smile. Classy people are friendly people, those who always brighten their faces with a smile. It's an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
- Be nice. If you're classy and want to be liked, you have to be nice. It's much better to be liked by people, so being nice and treating others well certainly helps. Being snobby isn't very classy, since it is an inherently rude quality, and classy people are not rude.
- Always be kind and friendly to the people serving you (waiters, etc.). If you really want to know who is well brought up and classy, look at how they treat those with a lower social status, rather than how they respond to their equals or superiors.
- Hair should be neat, clean, and simple. Loose waves with a hair band or even a ponytail are very appropriate in today's society.
- Take care of more than just your appearance. Parents will appreciate a girl who cares more about her education and her work ethic than her nails. This will reflect how you are viewed by those in authority.
- Be responsible. Classy girls leave their surroundings in a condition at least as good as they found them. Unless they are in a restaurant with wait staff whose job it is to do the clearing up, classy people insist on taking care of their own trash and baggage, not expecting others to pick up after them. And when others do favors for them, while stuck-up or spoiled people assume it's only to be expected and ignore others' assistance, truly classy people are quick to notice and to express their gratitude and their appreciation.
- Be socially aware. You must be courteous, but do not bend over backwards to please others. If you do, you may find yourself being taken advantage of in the future. Limit your time and availability and draw boundaries with others so that they are aware of your limits.
- Choose your words wisely. The classy lady listens more than she speaks. Having a strong vocabulary is important, but do not use a word unless you are certain of its meaning. Use words to express yourself lucidly. Also, do not correct others when they use improper grammar. Differences in background, family life, and education cause people to speak differently, and people often use slang for effect. More than this, it is irritating and degrading to be corrected by a know-it-all.
- Know what you're talking about. Intelligence is key. You don't have to be a bookworm to be intelligent and you don't have to show off, but ignorance of current events is not becoming of a classy girl. Brush up on as many subjects as possible, because it will make you seem well-informed.
- Don't swear. Most people will agree that using swear words casually exhibits an inconsistent state of character. You will be much more impressive and impacting toward others when you use curse words less often, or remove them from your vocabulary entirely.
- Be assertive, but not domineering. Avoid passive-aggressive thinking; this is likely to trip you up eventually. Being calmly assertive demonstrates maturity, thoughtfulness, and confidence. Class requires balance, and assertiveness is a prime example of this concept.
- Find the classic colors that work best with your complexion and eye color. For example:
- Blue eyes: Orange (complementary), Dark Blue, Dark Purple Light Green, Grey, white, Black, Turquoise (analogous) Blue-Purple (analogous),Dark Red. Colors to avoid are: bright red, lime green, hot pink, brown, baby blue, any tints (colors visibly mixed with white)
- Brown eyes: Any Pink, Charcoal, any very dark color, Yellow (it brings out undertones in the eyes, despite it's undignified reputation) Green (also, undertones). Colors to avoid: none, brown is neutral, and so goes with everything.
- Green eyes: Purple (it really does bring out the color of your eyes), Dark red (green's complementary color), dark blue, black, Brown, off-white. Colors to avoid: Grey, since it weighs down the natural tones in your iris, muting the color. However, if your eyes are bright green or blue green, gray brings it out quite nicely. Yellow, bright red (compliments can be jarring when both of the colors are vivid), bright white (too John Travolta), orange, and green (which drowns out your eye color).
- Skin Tones: Ruddy Complexion blue-toned/pink after exertion/freckled): Cool colors (blue, purple, green, and all the analogous colors between them including Red-purple) Black, Grey. Colors to avoid: Yellow, and the corresponding analogous colors, any red (sorry)and White. Wear dark orange or red-orange at your discretion. Sallow (yellow toned/ tanning rather than freckling) any warm or neutral colors. Avoid yellow, but golds can look nice if you are African-American or have a darker complexion, you can wear almost any color. Golds are especially beautiful. If you have red hair: Golds, beiges, corals, purples, very dark or light greens (just avoid the "Christmas green" color) dark blues.
Tips
- Be intelligent. A classy girl should have good topics to talk about . So study about things that you find interesting and important for life. Read books and improve your vocabulary, and don't use the word "like" all the time; it's a sign of poor education and nervousness. People will admire you because you're smart and have confidence that may be very convenient to you.
- Smile. It's the most generous thing you can do.
- Value your virtues. If you have any good skill or kind of talent, such as drawing, or dancing, singing or playing any musical instrument, do not hide it, work it. Let people see how good you are by exposing your pictures, or maybe playing a musical instrument in front of someone. If you're good at acting, look for a part in any play at theater.
- Don't dye your hair an unnatural color. Avoid also unnecessary piercings or getting tattooed. (If you choose to get a tattoo, get something that is looked upon as beautiful or poetic, like 'Let it Be' on the back of your neck. Don't get the name of your favorite band, genitals, or things of that nature.)
- Tattoos and Body Piercings- Appearances convey a strong message to others; you can be judged by an individual or right before an event that will play a prominent role in your future (e.g. a prospective employer, acquiring a higher position in a reputable company, etc.). Therefore, take careful consideration when deciding if it is a good idea for you to get visible tattoos or body piercings. Even though a person’s outward appearance does not automatically show his or her true inner qualities, appearances can reflect how a person is willing to be perceived by the world. Also keep in mind that although tattoos and piercings are individual expressions, they can be permanent or difficult (even costly) to remove if you change your mind in the future. If you are in doubt about how tattoos and piercings may impact you in the future, forget about getting them and find other ways to show self expression, such as creating works of art, poetry, hobbies, etc.
- Wear subtle necklaces that compliment your outfit but nothing too flashy (for example, pearls can be super classy).
Warnings
- If you slip up, forgive yourself, apologize to anyone who may have been hurt by your not-so-classy behavior, and continue on your way. That's classy!
- Make an honest effort to make a difference in someone's life, regardless of their social status.
- You might be called a snob. Just ignore them; whoever says that just may be insecure, and envious that they don't have class and values.
- Changing your behavior may feel unnatural. If it does, remind yourself that you are a work in progress. A classy person is simply one who consistently exhibits classy behavior. Focus on your behavior and attitude rather than your feelings.
- Don't be sassy.
