Ladies, many of you have been asking us how to be elegant, and how elegant women should behave. Being elegant is a way of life, encompassing all that you do, including your sense of fashion and style. In this article, I will propose nine simple fashion rules to follow to achieve a truly elegant style. Ladies, are you ready?
Lesson 1: She Shall Not Display Big Brand Logos
Contrary to what some people think, being elegant is not related to money. There are less well-off women who are very classy, just as there are very wealthy women who are vulgar with poor taste. Expensive clothing alone does not achieve elegance; it is a matter of choice and attitude, not money.
My advice: Large, highly visible brands logos focus attention on broadcasting how expensive the clothes are. But an elegant woman wants to be noticed for her inner qualities, her taste, style and personality; not how full her wallet is.
Lesson 2: She Doesn’t Combine Too Many Colours
This is a crucial rule for every fashionable lady: do not wear more than three different colours in one outfit. This is especially important for primary colours (blue, red, yellow). Do not wear more than one, or you might end up looking like a painting. You also shouldn’t mix warm and cold colours.
My advice: Generally speaking, it’s best to have one strong dominant colour, one pastel colour (or a softer version of your dominant colour) and a neutral one (black, white, grey). Two colours also work well, preferably if one is more intense and the other one is softer.
A beautiful blue dress here, nicely enhanced by the golden belt and bracelets.
Faux-pas: the pink bag, which add another colour.
Lesson 3: She Can Be Attractive, But Not Sexy
Remember that there is nothing wrong with a beautiful woman shining, but in order to be elegant, her look shouldn’t convey sexual connotations. Her objective is to be recognized for her elegance, not to be sexually attractive.
My advice: Be careful when choosing sexier clothing. If you want to display your shoulders or emphasize your décolleté, you should wear trousers or a dress below the knees. Or, if you wear a skirt above the knees, it shouldn’t be too tight and you should avoid wearing anything sexy on your upper body. It’s your choice: sexy on the upper or lower body. Not both.
Conservative on the legs, sexy on the arms and probably on the back, overall elegant
Conservative on the shoulders and the head, it allows a shorter dress showing the legs
Lesson 4: She Shall Not Wear Heels Higher Than 8cm
Wearing heels definitely creates an elegant allure, as long as they aren’t too high. Heels above 8cm make it difficult to walk normally and shoes of this sort are associated with parties, dancing, and seduction – not elegance. Only short women (under 160cm) may wear heels from 10cm and above without conveying sexual connotations.
My advice: An elegant lady may wear heels of up to 8cm, which creates an elegant deportment while remaining classy.
maximum height reached here
Lesson 5: She Prefers Classic and Timeless Clothes
A commonality between all people considered elegant in history is that they had a sense of style that was classy, understated, and not fully aligned with the last fashion trends. Audrey Hepburn was considered elegant in the 1950’s wearing the clothes of that time, and she remains an icon of elegance today. The same was true for Coco Chanel in the 1900’s. Both have a timeless style and prove you cannot go wrong with that choice.
My advice: Garments with clean lines, not extravagant shapes, such as the little black dress, are timeless. There is nothing wrong with following trends, but this should not be the ultimate goal, and you should keep accessories and embellishments to a minimum.
Unconventional hat with the unstructured dress and over-size coat. Fashion audacity, but not properly “elegant”
the timeless little black dress
Lesson 6: She Doesn’t Wear Skin-Tight or Transparent Clothes
Don’t forget, the elegant lady doesn’t want to be noticed for her sex-appeal. She may be glamourous but she is not deliberately seductive or sexually arousing.
My advice: Be careful when choosing something to pair with skin-tight clothes. If you have a tight top, wear something more loose-fitting on your lower half (e.g. floating dress, trousers), and avoid wearing anything tight-fitting. And when it comes to transparent materials, this should be limited to the sleeves.
Too tight on the hips, combined with the widely uncovered shoulders it gives a sexually arousing impression
The dress is skin-tight, but covers the shoulders, the arms, probably until the knees and is black; giving an interesting conservative / sexy balance.
Lesson 7: She Doesn’t Mix Printed Patterns
An elegant lady knows how to choose the right pattern for her clothes, but it should be one pattern, not several varieties which would create a visual conflict. If you wear a printed skirt, wear something plain on top, for example.
My advice: Choose one type of pattern for each outfit. And avoid those of poor taste: i.e. no leopard prints, no fluorescent or shiny colours, no glitter.
the single pattern displayed here
Lesson 8: Her Clothes Are Adapted to Every Occasion
Being elegant at a gala and being elegant while walking along the beach requires different approaches. There isn’t one single way for a woman to be elegant, but rather she must adapt her style for every situation. It would be as ridiculous to go walking in the forest-covered in jewelry as it would be to attend an evening gala in casual streetwear.
My advice: adapt your approach to elegance for every occasion. For example, wear warm colours during the day, darker colours in the evening, simple attire while meeting casually with friends, and something more sophisticated for higher-level social occasions. Being elegant is about selecting the relevant clothes for each occasion.
this long yellow dress would not be suitable for an environment different than seashore
Lesson 9: She Shall Not Wear Too Many Accessories
Accessories must remain exactly that; supplementary to the clothes, and not the main focus of your outfit. Driving too much attention towards numerous accessories will create the impression of being superficial instead of elegant.
My advice: Pair your accessories carefully. If you wear a remarkable hat, carry a more discreet bag. If you wear a beautiful and large necklace, wear more low-key bracelets or earrings.
black dress, bag and gloves, no necklace: she chooses to emphasise her beautiful earrings.
large necklace, big pearls as earrings, intense and shiny lips, several bracelets: this woman drives attention at too many different points.
To conclude, simple sophistication is the key to being elegant. Remember, you notice an elegant lady mostly for her attitude, her personality, and her taste. And she will express all of these aspects in the clothes she wears with simplicity and grace.
