Elegance
el�e�gance (el' uh guns) n. Refinement, grace, and beauty in movement, appearance, or manners.
Where does elegance come from?
Perhaps you could name someone who had it. Maybe Audrey Hepburn. Princess Diana. But maybe also others: Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King. People who made a difference.
The elements of elegance might be distilled to the following:
- grace
- poise
- taste, and
- ease
Grace - Some people are born with grace. Others must learn it. Learn not to be a sore loser, and deflect criticism with a smile. When you make a mistake, laugh it off but clean up the mess. When others make a faux pas, help them out. Be like Cinderella, who offered her own evil stepsisters pieces of her orange. Be genuine.
Poise - Stand tall. Learn not to slouch. Learn some coordination by taking a dance class. Observe where and how you walk, so that you don't trip and fall clumsily. Swing your arms with freedom. Put a bounce in your step.
Taste - Good taste is NOT born. Notice what you like, and become a connoisseur of something you love. If your interest is in fashion designers, know them, and patronize a little-known one. If it's cheese, learn the names and aromas, plus the great cheese from a small town in Italy. If it's fiction, know not just the classics but the obscure. Understand why understatement sometimes speaks more loudly.
Ease - The only way you achieve ease is by forgetting what others may think. The way to be comfortable in any environment is to expose yourself to many. The seasoned traveler knows how to pack and make a hotel room home. The frequent partygoer can make small talk with anyone. Overcome your fears with practice.
Once you've conquered the basics of elegance, or even below, learn the last rule: Relax. The truly elegant know not just what to do when or what to say how but also not to worry about it. They carry themselves with dignity at all moments, and sometimes can be most elegant when they let their hair down.