What makes a woman glamorous?

[WineInTheSun]

Just that really!!
Inspired after a colleague saw me stuffing my mouth with biscuits and remarked ‘what are you eating?! You always look so glamorous and not the type to walk around with a mouthful!’

Made me think am I glamorous?
Always have a full face of makeup on (primer, concealer, foundation, bronzer, blusher, mascara, lipliner and lip balm), hair clean and tied in a high ponytail. Have to wear a uniform to work but opt for the dress with a waist belt option.

So what to you sets a woman aside as glamorous?
I’m secretly complimented as I have a crush on said colleague but also wondering if it means he just sees me as a Joan Collins impractical Dynasty type so not such a compliment

For me, glamorous is someone very done up. So for example you’re going out and wearing a sequinned evening gown, hair up, full heels, make up. I’d say oh you look very glamorous.

Clearly you weren’t dressed glamorousy in your uniform. So I’d say either he doesn’t know what it means, or he means you always look like you’ve made an effort.

That doesn’t make much sense to me. Glamorous in the context of the OP is often discreet and quite often relies on not being too obvious. That’s how I approach everything, anyway.

But if you’re thinking of TOWIE/Love Island et al then yes, I tend to agree.

I really like CountFosco’s comment! That’s essentially what it means to me. Mystique, allure (which is often about the unknown and unseen), depth and breadth of character and essence, vulnerability, power. But maybe we’re veering into other things now.

Usually means a combo of good hair, done nails, makeup, proper shoes, well put together outfit. Not necessarily all of them.

I've only heard the word applied to me once: 'You're looking glamorous as always,' she told me (yes she was a she). I doubt it was meant as a compliment as it was said in a similar tone of voice to, 'Another new oufit, Flo?' which I've had a lot, especially at work. But obviously I smiled and said, 'Thank you'. As you do.
I was kind of surprised though because, although I think endlessly about clothes, my hair and make up are low maintenance. In my mind the word is forever tied to old school Hollywood: Bette Davis, Lana Turner, Rita Hayworth et al, whom I love but it's not really my style.

I think good posture, neat hair, subtle makeup and manicured nails go a long way towards looking elegant. Glamorous to me is Hollywood stars in old black and white films, there are few people today that can meet their looks imo.
Think Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Joan Crawford.

People say I am glamorous but I think that's because I am a BIG fan of bold lipstick. I don't think it takes much.

Styled hair
Neat nails and nice hands
Groomed eyebrows
Nicely applied make up, not necessary lots but just well applied.

Colleagues would describe me as glamorous or, more likely, stylish. As a senior black woman in the City, I like to look chic while kicking ass I have a weakness for great shoes, bags, dresses and coats (and jewellery). For me, it’s not necessarily about wearing the most expensive clothes but being polished and groomed. Look good and you’ll feel good too.

What does kicking ass mean?

Hang on I thought Mumsnet loved a tan leather handbag?

Yes I love a tan handbag and I don’t agree that tan can’t be glamorous. As with everything else, it’s all in how you carry it.

Hahahahaha still sniggering about the tan leather handbag being "frumpy".

To whomever asked me, I dont give a shit about what glamorous is. I just think the contradictory answers on this thread are ridiculous.

Contradictory answers on the thread don’t bother me - it’s what happens when lots of people with different subjective ideas participate in a discussion. Especially on a forum where you’re going to have such a cross section of people from different countries, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds.

More important than trying to find a consensus, is finding one’s ‘tribe’ and going by the relevant answers of that general group, as that’s really the only way one can get a meaningful sense of what one is looking for.

Glamorous to me means a very carefully planned and highly groomed look - silky, shiny well cut hair, immaculate nails, well-fitting immaculate clothes, classic or fashionable, perfect skin and skilful make up. And usually heels not flats.

@Ninkanink finding consensus within one's tribe... isn't that just shorthand for finding people who agree with you? I have no issue with that, just wonder what the point is?

Well...

If I were someone who didn’t have that ‘gene’ for style and fashion and maybe didn’t feel confident to make my own style decisions, or if I was trying to change the direction of my style choices in order to better mirror and fit into a more ‘glamorous’ demographic, it wouldn’t really help me if I went to the gentry/country set for guidance if I was living in Essex and/or trying to fit in on Love Island. Similarly, if I wanted advice on how to look glamorous and be taken seriously in a corporate environment in the U.K. it wouldn’t necessarily help me to ask women in NY for their advice on how to dress or what grooming standards I should adhere to.

Similarly, there will always be some variation in themes on a thread like this.

The only way OP can actually reliably know what the colleague in question meant with that comment would be to ask him. He might not even know, himself - for all we know he might have picked that term out of thin air just because he fancies her and wanted to be complimentary.

Even within my own subjective definition of glamorous, there are varying levels to it.

It basically means the same as smart doesn't it? Smart clothes, obvious makeup, styled hair. It's a compliment, but more so for an older person than a younger one I think. The mother in Flesh and Blood is glamorous, but youngsters can look good without all that effort.

"To me, Joan Collins' blingy look, trowelled-on makeup and overstyled hair is trashy, not glamorous. I would have said that free-flowing natural hair, as opposed to immovable helmet hair, was part of the look. Nigella Lawson is who I always thought epitomised glamour."

I did an Internet search for Joan Collins glamour and it came up with over 300,000 results. People obviously do think Joan Collins is glamorous.

I did the same search for Nigella Lawson and Bing said adult content was banned from my computer. I would think of Nigella Lawson as attractive. I suppose she is glamorous too, but not to the extent of Joan Collins or Liz Taylor or someone like that.

Why not ask him op? His version of glamorous.

I don’t think glamorous is a look, I think it’s actions, personality, posture, speech and behaviour.
You could be covered in pearls and considered not very glamorous or you could be in jeans and a tshirt and be considered very glamorous.

Context also matters. Nigella does look quite glamorous in her beautiful silky dressing gowns with her luscious long hair and her voluptuous figure. It paints an elegant and sophisticated picture compared to a lot of home cooking situations.

Similarly, I feel quite glamorous of an evening when I wear my pretty lounge wear/matching kimono and my mule slippers and possibly with my nails varnished in a lovely dark red, compared to sitting around in my jeans and hoodie. It might not actually be ‘glamorous’ in that I don’t have make up on and my hair is doing its own thing, but it paints a more elegant picture.

Ok who called Joan Collins trashy?

Glamorous is going all out to impress. It's not the best look in my village pub. Although, I am sure Joan would be the centre of attraction.

Joan Collins is definitely glamorous. I have stood six inches away from her and her make up is immaculate, not trowelled on. I was amazed how good she looked right up close. Her clothes fit perfectly. She is extremely intelligent and very funny. There is nothing trashy about her at all.

I would love to have a night out with Joan Collins.

In my eyes looking glamorous isn't a compliment, it smacks of a hard edged desperation i.e. red lipstick on the beach or sky high heels in the supermarket. I really dislike that. Much nicer to be told you are stylish, and of course being stylish has very little to do with being fashionable.

I have been told I am stylish and friends ask for help in putting together an outfit. I just think I'm lucky to have a good eye and I instinctively understand about flattering proportions, which colours suit, how to accessorize properly. To me it's obvious but to many women it's a mystery.