What makes someone look / seem classy?

[scruffyandlockeddown]

Not rich / expensive (although those threads are a great read).

But that more intangible serene class / grace / elegance?

I think it boils down to money.

If you cannot afford a hairdresser, good quality clothes and care, no posture and confidence will make you look remotely classy.

My Auntie was a model back in the Sixties. She's 5ft 10 and still holds herself beautifully erect. She has a certain tilt to her chin and a set to her shoulders that makes her look elegant even in wellies and a poncho. In a room full of much younger women she is still the one that catches your eye.

Money! Being slim/healthy, good hair, good teeth, genetics.

Buy quality over quantity. Buy in the sales the stuff that you can’t afford at full price. Start with a good coat and good footwear. Look after your clothes. Do not sit around in your good stuff, including leggings and joggers. Have other things to get changed into as soon as you get home.
Keep your clothes clean and ironed. Keep your hair clean and styled.
Keep your nails short, clean and neat.
Make an effort with your make up. Send money on a good base.

Don’t be fooled that the effortless beauty you see doesn’t spend lots of time looking like that, even when they just look like they have thrown on their sports kit. They look good because they try.

Or alternatively, just be you. Smile, be kind to both yourself and others and you will have just a good a day as the Miss perfect you are trying to be more like. She may feel like crap for all you know.

I don’t think it’s a thing to do with clothes. There is a lady I work with, mid-forties, works in the arts mainly, who comes to work in hoodies, trainers and loose trousers, and sometimes jumps up and down in our bin (long story), but honestly she is the model of elegance and class.

@habibihabibi

-Not wearing kitchen broom bristle eyelashes, gaudy glittery nail art, thick makeup or nylon hair extensions. I watched the television programme about the Shankly hotel and nearly every single woman on it looked cheap and fake due to all of the above.

Spot on.

@withlotsoflove

Janegrey333
A woollen camel coat.

In the summer?

No. Obv.

@withlotsoflove

Janegrey333
A woollen camel coat.

In the summer?

No. Obv.

@EssentialHummus

I don’t think it’s a thing to do with clothes. There is a lady I work with, mid-forties, works in the arts mainly, who comes to work in hoodies, trainers and loose trousers, and sometimes jumps up and down in our bin (long story), but honestly she is the model of elegance and class.

Now please, you have to tell us the story behind the bin jumping - I'm so intrigued!

Big, well, we share our premises with a retailer, though we are a charity. We generate TONS of recycling, about 3x for the bin space we have. Other staff do their best to stack rubbish alongside the full bins, take it home with them, tear it up, all sorts. Lovely Helena (not her real name, but she'd make a great Helena) rolls up her sleeves, hops effortlessly into a standard commercial waste bin, jumps up and down until the contents have compressed down, hops effortlessly back out, adds more recycling, hops back in, repeat x2, all while looking like she could be an A-list star. Truly it's amazing.

I think a lot of it is posture and grooming. There's a school mum who always looks really elegant and I think it's something to do with the way she holds herself.

To be honest confidence is what it takes, you can be overweight in clothes from the charity shop and look classy and amazing, and don't be worrying what other people think!

Definitely subtle colours tend to look better with the exception of nails and lips where darker red looks very classic

@EssentialHummus

Big, well, we share our premises with a retailer, though we are a charity. We generate TONS of recycling, about 3x for the bin space we have. Other staff do their best to stack rubbish alongside the full bins, take it home with them, tear it up, all sorts. Lovely Helena (not her real name, but she'd make a great Helena) rolls up her sleeves, hops effortlessly into a standard commercial waste bin, jumps up and down until the contents have compressed down, hops effortlessly back out, adds more recycling, hops back in, repeat x2, all while looking like she could be an A-list star. Truly it's amazing.

I do this in our recycling bin, but without the A-lister aura, alas.

A decent haircut is always worth investing.

Also wearing lighter clothes apparently. I can afford to wear these white trousers because I'm not worried about marks and stains is the message it gives.

Nice fabric/cut.

Generally co-ordinated, at least that's what I like to try.

Maybe classic colour combos.

I have a camel coat which gets a lot of comments, never knew it was a thing! However I'm short so will never be described as tall and willow!
The thing above all for me is when people are truly nice and behave with dignity.

@EssentialHummus

Big, well, we share our premises with a retailer, though we are a charity. We generate TONS of recycling, about 3x for the bin space we have. Other staff do their best to stack rubbish alongside the full bins, take it home with them, tear it up, all sorts. Lovely Helena (not her real name, but she'd make a great Helena) rolls up her sleeves, hops effortlessly into a standard commercial waste bin, jumps up and down until the contents have compressed down, hops effortlessly back out, adds more recycling, hops back in, repeat x2, all while looking like she could be an A-list star. Truly it's amazing.

It used to be a standing joke at one place I worked at where we had to go and jumo in the skip to flatten the cardboard packaging.

@EssentialHummus

Big, well, we share our premises with a retailer, though we are a charity. We generate TONS of recycling, about 3x for the bin space we have. Other staff do their best to stack rubbish alongside the full bins, take it home with them, tear it up, all sorts. Lovely Helena (not her real name, but she'd make a great Helena) rolls up her sleeves, hops effortlessly into a standard commercial waste bin, jumps up and down until the contents have compressed down, hops effortlessly back out, adds more recycling, hops back in, repeat x2, all while looking like she could be an A-list star. Truly it's amazing.

- I want to meet this Helena now (or witness her elegant bin jumping!)

I'll put my tuppenceworth in. I agree with all the well-cut, fitting clothes, shiny hair, subtle make-up etc and my own favourite, a tan, leather bag (neutral facial expression has foxed me, though, are we not allowed to be excited/surprised/joyful/pissed off?).

I'm not that woman. I'm a boyfriend jeans
trainers and ironic sweatshirt, with short hair and little make-up kind of a woman but my teen DSons both say I'm a 'Cool mama' so that's praise enough for me.

Classy people never gossip.

@Puffalicious

I'll put my tuppenceworth in. I agree with all the well-cut, fitting clothes, shiny hair, subtle make-up etc and my own favourite, a tan, leather bag (neutral facial expression has foxed me, though, are we not allowed to be excited/surprised/joyful/pissed off?).

I'm not that woman. I'm a boyfriend jeans
trainers and ironic sweatshirt, with short hair and little make-up kind of a woman but my teen DSons both say I'm a 'Cool mama' so that's praise enough for me.

Yeah Janegrey333 I was pretty chuffed with that. They did say recently there's been more of me to hug, but I still don't care!

There is a mum at my dc's school, who always has ironed clothes, smart coat, pristine hair and make up. But she looks so overdone, and the effort she has made is obvious. She always wears heels.
I wear a long puffa coat, leggings, trainers, oversized sweatshirt, and leopard cashmere scarf, sometimes a cashmere beanie. I'll admit my coat is not a cheaply supermarket puffa, leggings/sweatshirt combo is co-ordinated, and my hair is glossy, thick and wavy and my makeup is carefully applied, but imho I look better.

SIL is elegant and graceful but not really classy. She's tall, bordering on too thin and used to do ballet. She doesn't dress particularly well but has nice long limbs etc. She's charismatic too. You can tell she's not wealthy, she's not from money.

I like this thread & I really do strive to look classier (when I’m not in my tracksuit) but it’s kind of funny too .. like one of those old style etiquette books. Don’t speak too loud. Don’t speak too much. Stand straight. Don’t smile too wide. Don’t pick. Don’t stare. Don’t flaunt. Don’t interrupt. Cover knees & collar bones. Woman as ornament 🤣... yeah I know I’m getting carried away but let’s face it, being a woman is bloody hilarious

No VPL ..... love it

.... or Camel Toe