What does it mean to be elegant in the modern day?

[babysnowman]

A lot of the books or articles I’ve read on the topic seem to be a bit impractical and/or dated (wear twinsets, no brown shoes in the city etc). I think it’s something to aspire to, particularly when my looks and weight aren’t what they used to be...I remember reading that not everyone can be beautiful but everyone can be elegant! What do you think of as being elegant in the modern day, in terms of appearance but also attitude/ mannerisms etc?

A lot of the people named share characteristics appearance-wise...thin, killer bone structure etc. I wonder if it's possible to look elegant without those things? I feel like a doughy jawline (mine) would detract from an overall effort to be elegant.

I was thinking similarly babysnowman Can anyone think of someone elegant who is overweight and not blessed with good bone structure?

I think height comes into it too and of course posture.

AJ has had a full double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, I wouldn't do her down for that.

thinking about I know a few elegant men & they tend to be tall & thin so I do think body type contributes a great deal.

I do think posture comes into it - Johannes Radebe the one of the new professional dance partners on Strictly is incredibly elegant, even though he wears some quite "loud" clothing, he has remarkable posture!

Personality aside, is Jacob Rees Mogg elegant?

I don't think it has anything to do with body shape, weight or bone structure and everything to do with your attitude, behaviour and clothing & beauty choices.

Elegant women give off an air of being in control of themselves, not seeking anyone else's approval and dress in ways that flatter their figure and are appropriate for whatever they are doing.

Over the years, I've worked with or known women who exude elegance and they haven't necessarily been tall and willowy at all. One of them was 5ft3" and wore a size 20 but she held her head high, was always beautifully dressed, hair well styled etc and behaved in a way that no one would ever have thought she was anything other than elegant.

Other women I know have been quite boho, with curly hair and a really casual look, but again because of the way they carried themselves, they also came across as elegant.

Personality aside, is Jacob Rees Mogg elegant? The personaility dominate - it cannot be side lined - he is an ugly human being.

Yes, I think you can be elegant in leggings and birkenstocks and unrefined in pearls and Chanel. And vice versa. It's not something you can buy. You either have it or you don't. Completely agree!

I think it's a movement and posture thing. Ballerinas are elegant.

Birkenstocks are never ever elegant.

Yes Moggs is elegant. Hateful though.

Some seem to be using the same language to describe elegance as is used to try to define charisma: you either have it or you don’t and so on.
Charisma cannot be defined but it can be detected. Elegance can certainly be faked.

soggypizza

IAJ has had a full double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, I wouldn't do her down for that.*

No one is attempting to do that, are they? She has had cosmetic surgery on her face, however, and that is an entirely different matter and her choice.

@soggypizza

AJ has had a full double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, I wouldn't do her down for that.

No one is attempting to do that, are they? She has had cosmetic surgery on her face, however, and that is an entirely different matter and her choice.

I cannot see an elegant person in Birkenstocks! Kitten heels, yes; ballet flats, yes; Birkenstocks no.

For me its about being a warm, calm, thoughtful person. Hopefully it would filter through to elegant clothing

No one is attempting to do that, are they? She has had cosmetic surgery on her face, however, and that is an entirely different matter and her choice. You said "masses of surgery" you did not specify what you were talking about - reconstructive surgery is cosmetic. I don't follow celeb culture - so would have no clue what else she has had - wouldn't be too interested in knowing either.

I'm not so sure that elegance can be faked. I think you either have it or you don't. Like others have said - it's posture, the way the body moves, a serene way of being. And just in terms of clothes - elegance seems to be a pretty classic look, but that can so easily look frumpy or matronly on the 'wrong' person. Apart from anything else many, many other reasons , I think that being busty stands in my way of ever being considered elegant.

If it’s not too immodest to say so, I am often described as elegant.

Perhaps that’s because I’m too old to be pretty . I’d like to think it’s because I have a strong sense of what styles, shapes and colours suit me and I always stick to this. My clothes are contemporary but not high fashion.

I’m not a classic dresser and I only wear heels a few times a year when I attend formal events. I’m not calm or serene either.

Hmmm, I don't necessarily think elegance goes hand in hand with being warm, caring and thoughtful. I know plenty of warm and caring people who I wouldn't describe as elegant.

That said, whilst I would agree that Rees-Mogg has a good tailor, I would really struggle to call him elegant, because I think his personality lacks elegance.

Before and after:

i.pinimg.com/originals/ac/90/c5/ac90c5d133932e38475467fd6a9cd7b2.jpg