I have tons of moodboards on Pinterest with an entire board dedicated to muses. This was something I have to share on the blog, because every month or season, I go through my wardrobe to see what I can rejuvenate only to realise it is not the clothes.

Emily Blunt saying when she sees ‘strong female lead’ in a script, she throws it away made my year. Having soft, feminine style is one of the most elegant things you can do, because you do not need to scream. You can be dangerous but choose not to. 

There is nothing more powerful than being able to only say what is needed and expressing yourself in a generally uplifting manner. We tend to masquerade behind clothing and the first impressions it leaves others with, but grace is tested when opening our mouths. Being a lady is not an aesthetic but the entire package of the way we move, our thoughts, and the method we present them.

Being a classic ladylike woman is not one simple shape and cookie cutter form. There are so many shades of gradience that give us different types of ladies. Personally, I like to look at movie stars turned humanitarians, sex symbols, nineties supermodels, and all sorts of beautiful icons. Animals even notice that beauty is universal. We are a thousand times more attracted to forms that transcend the times rather than those that demonstrate the hairstyle of the moment.

You can be sexy when covered up to your neck or in a baggy long sleeve. Your grooming is the first thing people note. Your aura and attitude is the next. Wearing clothes that make your best qualities radiate are the right clothes. I never understood why someone would let them tell them what to wear. 

That is what trends are. I am exhausted from all these blogger’s newsletters sending me the exact same watch, bag, or pair of trousers to purchase. That Nordstrom Sale really did me over, and I know people love to find a deal. I am not one of those people who hop on a sale simply because things are cheap. I find things I love first and then purchase them. Not the other way around.

Back in the day of Marilyn Monroe, the limelight created clothes around the movie stars themselves, not the style of clothing. There was a particular trend at the time, but the wardrobe of these beauty queens were always bespoke rather than ready-to-wear off the rack. They were showcasing who they were rather than what they were wearing. That is the epitome of classic style. You do not have to show all your skin. You simply emphasise what you have. 

Trends are suggestions. Some trends will suit your body type, facial features, and colouring while others will not.

Each muse is someone who might have a stick figure or incredible curves. One might have studied her whole life and started paying attention to doing her hair in her later years. Some might be loud mouths with an incredible walk, but know when to turn it off. Another might be the badass covered in scars with incredible stories, but includes everyone. 

This considers all the church girls, little women who were raised to be ladies, and everyone in between. My extensive list here might have been born into gentry or have a farming background. No matter who you are, you will always be somebody. Even if you never post on social media, are not wearing the latest trends, or live in a small town you do not plan on leaving. Find solace in your strengths, and you will never be stirred wrong.

Do not just dress elegantly, BE elegant. Find more etiquette posts here. Interested in a lesson? Book a course with the links below and become the most polished version of you.