Model lifestyle?

cch

Ok this might seem a bit random but I remember reading an article about a model saying she always emptied her handbag when she got home as that was something she was taught in "model school" (don't think that's exactly what she called it...) and I remember when I was in school some girls doing a model preparation course over the summer in deportment, grooming etc

Now I don't want to do a course and I'm don't want to be a model (no market for over 35, plus-size-yet-smallish-boobies women as one of the gazillion reasons why not ) but I was wondering if anyone knew of any books/blogs/articles/whatever that might have some tips like the above one?

(Not looking for anything food-related like "Only eat sunflower seeds" or stoopid stuff like that)

how is that a tip? what's the purpose?

cch

Ok maybe a kind of "etiquette for elegance" might be a better description of what I'm thinking of...

WindSock

Tipping out your bag. Thats the tip?

Fluorescence

Not a bad one as tips go, though. My bag is almost always filled with crap. At least this way it wouldn't accumulate :pac:

iguana

bluewolf wrote: »

how is that a tip? what's the purpose?

Maybe it's to stop your €8,000 Birkin from getting pushed out of shape by your belongings?
Or it's because you have a different handbag for every outfit. So if you always keep your handbag belongings in a tasteful box by the door you will always have them together when you go out instead of having to search through 17 bags for your ATM card and lip gloss.:)

Lia_lia

Hey I got one...don't eat.

Haw haw. Oh no I di'int!


How is that bag one a tip? Although it is probably useful...my bag is always full of receipts and stuff. I just empty it out once every few weeks, grand.

Malari

OP, are you thinking about similar tips for being more organised? Or tips for being more disciplined? Clean? Cause empty out your bag when you get home so you don't end up with a load of crap in it could make sense for any of these...it's hard to know what to recommend if we don't know the purpose

Giselle

http://livethecharmedlife.com/2010/06/100-ways-to-be-elegant/

The first thing a Google search threw up. Theres 100 tips for you.


45. Wear lovely hats.


Life changing stuff.

Lady Chuckles

I understand exactly what you mean, OP
... and so did Giselle - Great link!

Let's all wear lovely hats!

Fluorescence

My granddad once told me I have a face for hats. I disagree :pac:

cch

Giselle wrote: »

http://livethecharmedlife.com/2010/06/100-ways-to-be-elegant/

The first thing a Google search threw up. Theres 100 tips for you.


45. Wear lovely hats.


Life changing stuff.

Lady Chuckles wrote: »

I understand exactly what you mean, OP
... and so did Giselle - Great link!

Let's all wear lovely hats!

Thanks for that link Giselle, that's the sort of stuff I'm looking for!

Yes it's very hard to explain, obviously I failed miserably

Malari

Giselle wrote: »

http://livethecharmedlife.com/2010/06/100-ways-to-be-elegant/

The first thing a Google search threw up. Theres 100 tips for you.


45. Wear lovely hats.


Life changing stuff.

Aha, tips to be elegant, I like it. So we could file "clean out your handbag regularly" under tip no. 27. Simplify your life, your home and your calendar?

What did you google, out of interest, Giselle?

WindSock

fluorescence wrote: »

My granddad once told me I have a face for hats. I disagree :pac:

Better than a having a face for bags though.

Lady Chuckles

I found one on etiquette

http://www.divavillage.com/article.php?id=31709

You can google words like (how to be) elegant, lady/ladylike, classy, lovely, charming and so on

Fluorescence

Lady Chuckles wrote: »

I found one on etiquette

http://www.divavillage.com/article.php?id=31709

You can google words like (how to be) elegant, lady/ladylike, classy, lovely, charming and so on

"If a woman’s wineglass needs filling, she should play with it until her male neighbor notices and fills it."

No, thank you :pac:

Lady Chuckles

I knew someone would pick up on that...

You have to pick and mix what suits you
These "tips" are usually old-fashioned and wouldn't quite work the same today. Some people like it, some people don't

Lia_lia

Posture.

My manager at work once asked me did I "take decorum" when I was younger because I have great posture and walk really elegantly. Apparently. I didn't even know what it mean

LenaClaire

Lia_lia wrote: »

Posture.

My manager at work once asked me did I "take decorum" when I was younger because I have great posture and walk really elegantly. Apparently. I didn't even know what it mean

Bad posture is one of my pet peeves. I took about a billionty years of ballet and other kinds of dance when I was younger and so had good posture beaten into me.

When I see lovely people in lovely outfits who ruin it by slouching or standing in really odd ways it makes me sad.

eyescreamcone

fluorescence wrote: »

My granddad once told me I have a face for hats. I disagree :pac:

Better than a face for radio?

Malari

jujibee wrote: »

When I see lovely people in lovely outfits who ruin it by slouching or standing in really odd ways it makes me sad.

I have to agree. I'd like to add a tip: If you can't straighten your knees when you walk, it means your heels are too high for you. An affliction I've seen in many young ladies...

Honey-ec

jujibee wrote: »

Bad posture is one of my pet peeves. I took about a billionty years of ballet and other kinds of dance when I was younger and so had good posture beaten into me.

When I see lovely people in lovely outfits who ruin it by slouching or standing in really odd ways it makes me sad.

Hate, hate, HATE bad posture on anyone, male or female. It looks so, I don't know, slovenly or something. I always wonder why their parents didn't say anything to them growing up, I was constantly being told to straighten up!

cdaly_

Honey-ec wrote: »

Hate, hate, HATE bad posture on anyone, male or female. It looks so, I don't know, slovenly or something. I always wonder why their parents didn't say anything to them growing up, I was constantly being told to straighten up!

Oh we do, we do... :rolleyes:

Lucyfur

jujibee wrote: »

Bad posture is one of my pet peeves. I took about a billionty years of ballet and other kinds of dance when I was younger and so had good posture beaten into me.

When I see lovely people in lovely outfits who ruin it by slouching or standing in really odd ways it makes me sad.

THAT is my new favourite number :cool:

Malari

Lucyfur wrote: »

THAT is my new favourite number :cool:

Haha! I was thinking the same. That and elebenty twelve :-D

Giselle

Malari wrote: »

What did you google, out of interest, Giselle?

How to be elegant, of course!

Glad to help OP.

Here's another one: http://www.elegantwoman.org/

Its a bit of a glimpse into the days when women were mainly display objects, but there's merit in some of it, like remembering manners, cultivating kindness, and that sort of nice stuff.:)

Fluorescence

WindSock wrote: »

Better than a having a face for bags though.

eyescreamcone wrote: »

Better than a face for radio?

Shouldn't have mentioned the hat thing :pac:

Giselle wrote: »

How to be elegant, of course!

Glad to help OP.

Here's another one: http://www.elegantwoman.org/

Its a bit of a glimpse into the days when women were mainly display objects, but there's merit in some of it, like remembering manners, cultivating kindness, and that sort of nice stuff.

Looks interesting. I must bookmark it to read when I've some spare time

Bubblefett

If I emptied out my bag every night I'd forget everything when I next refill it/curse myself for doing it the next day when I'm in a hurry to get out the door.

Malari

Giselle wrote: »

How to be elegant, of course!

Well, yeah, I'd know how to find that from Google of course, I just meant how did you arrive at 'elegance' from the OP's handbag tip ;-) Because she's confirmed that's what she was getting at.

Giselle

Malari wrote: »

Well, yeah, I'd know how to find that from Google of course, I just meant how did you arrive at 'elegance' from the OP's handbag tip ;-) Because she's confirmed that's what she was getting at.

The mention of deportment and grooming I think, rather than organising or whatnot.

I'm a mega fan of Audrey Hepburn, to me she epitomises elegance, and deportment and grooming are words I'd associate with her.

sandra_b

Giselle wrote: »

Here's another one: http://www.elegantwoman.org

Thank you Giselle, great find. I have even subscribed for the newsletter

ArtOfEscape

I'd love to have great posture! I go through periods of making a very conscious effort to do better, but hours over a laptop for school / sewing machine for leisure make it hard!

For what it's worth - Audrey on how to be lovely!

Giselle

ArtOfEscape wrote: »

I'd love to have great posture! I go through periods of making a very conscious effort to do better, but hours over a laptop for school / sewing machine for leisure make it hard!

For what it's worth - Audrey on how to be lovely!

''Make sorrow incidental, let joy be monumental, and you'll be lovely''

I'm putting on my lovely hat and singing that to myself in the mirror everyday!

I'll probably wind up more certifiable than lovely :P

There's only one Audrey.:)

Ilyana

Your car’s horn should say “pardon me, but do you see me?”, rather than “get out of my way!”

Our one just says beep.

wonderfulname

I must recommend you one of my favourite books, Etiquette by ‎Martine Legge

Just some of the extracts in that link;

If you have a variety of animals at home, keep them out of the way of guests. Nothing is more disconcerting than to find a hamster poking about on the sofa...

...It is difficult for a single woman to entertain friends in a restaurant unless she is very mature and sure of herself but a man can return hospitality by giving a small luncheon or dinner party in a restaurant...

...If going Dutch is agreed upon for the evening, it is much more courteous & less embarrassing if the girl gives the man her share of money beforehand. To scrabble about in her handbag isn situ is embarrassing & degrading for the man.

An absolute gem, and a great insight into how much society has changed, I'm sure there are better extracts (particularly one regarding inviting men in for coffee) but I think I lent someone my own copy so I can't seek them out.

dellas1979

Haha this thread made me laugh-thanks OP!

Am not so bad on the etiquette and stuff, but the grooming holy God compared to most ladies out there am terrible. I consider having a shower and brushing my hair grooming. I admire/kind of facinated by ladies who do the whole make up/iron their clothes and such. The ones who actually think about putting an outfit together or what goes with what. That is an elegance I am missing. I should go on one of those off the rail shows.

I was bridesmaid at my sisters wedding a few years ago. Had make up on, dress, hair up, looked blinging and most people in the church, including my Uncle and a cousin, didnt recognise me. Was asked a few times who are you, are you a friend of the bride (i.e who are you to be bridesmaid), and also wasnt it odd that her sister dellas wasnt at the wedding. Ah hello, its meeee!

seenitall

NEVER ever wear your 6-inch Louboutins on board a yacht - it's an accident waiting to happen.

:pac:

(But it's actually sound advice!)

fits

This thread is really funny, but also, really got me thinking about elegance. I mean its something we all could be a bit better at. I know I could anyway. And I dont mean turning into some fading wall flower. Just having good manners, knowing your limits, setting boundaries, not taking any sh1t from people but being polite about it.

Personally, I could be a lot better organised about sending gifts and thank you cards. And also general neatness and tidyness.

Giselle

wonderfulname wrote: »

I must recommend you one of my favourite books, Etiquette by ‎Martine Legge

Just some of the extracts in that link;


An absolute gem, and a great insight into how much society has changed, I'm sure there are better extracts (particularly one regarding inviting men in for coffee) but I think I lent someone my own copy so I can't seek them out.

Thats so fabulous on so many levels, I don't know where to start.

I've got to admit I've enjoyed reading some of the links and things, its nice to see how far we've come from the old restraints on a womans behaviour.

I do feel a bit sad that some of the standards of behaviour have been dropped...I love nice manners in a person, and table manners ESPECIALLY!

Regarding thank you notes and the handwritten word in general, I did invest last year on personalised stationary and whenever I've used it I've had nothing but lovely comments on it, especially the thank you notes.

I've also decided to buy a hat. The world definitely needs more hats.

fits

Giselle wrote: »

I've also decided to buy a hat. The world definitely needs more hats.

Its true!

Honey-ec

I wear hats all the time. Have a collection of about 9 trilbies and a couple of big floppy felt ones. Love them!

cch

dellas1979 wrote: »

Haha this thread made me laugh-thanks OP!

Definitely not my intention, but you're welcome!

Never start a thread about a random thought that popped into your head over breakfast when you're in work and really should be doing other things, because your haste means you'll won't express yourself correctly and cause all sorts of misunderstandings - now there's a rule to live by!!!

Giselle

cch wrote: »

Definitely not my intention, but you're welcome!

Never start a thread about a random thought that popped into your head over breakfast when you're in work and really should be doing other things, because your haste means you'll won't express yourself correctly and cause all sorts of misunderstandings - now there's a rule to live by!!!

Aw I think its a great subject, and I for one thank you for starting the thread.

saa

All this elegant lady stuff unsettles me maybe I'm just an outsider or maybe its meant to be taken with a pinch of salt like reading self help books and most of the stuff in it you'd never do or keep up and that's fine.
or... maybe I'm so laid back I'm about to fall over :pac:

nicowa

I'd like to get this book. Probably overly out of date but I read a fiction novel about a woman reading this and striving for elegance (with plenty of mistakes ) so it got me on the lookout for it.

I like the other one mentioned, the etiquette one. Though again it can be taken slightly too far. My (soon to be) mother in law is a very elegant woman and very strict on the etiquette, not quite going as far as to get the men to stand when a woman sits at the table. But when we go over for dinner it always feels like a formal affair and it's taken me a year and many dinners to get used to it and become comfortable - my family is a much more rough and ready type.

But I do agree with a lot of what she does, like getting the younger ones to stand up when an adult needs a chair. That would have been one thing that I'd be used to, but it's funny to watch the 16yr old girl sulk when told to shift her butt (though not in those words exactly) for her mum (mil's sister) to sit down.

But this:

A woman guest will wash up her dishes if there is no help in the house, but a man can leave them to be washed by his hostess.

is just wrong...

fits

saa wrote: »

All this elegant lady stuff unsettles me

I know what you mean, but I believe you can be elegant and still be a modern capable successful woman. I think its sad in a way that elegance isnt valued so much anymore. I was out on St Patricks day and saw girls stomping around in 6 inch heels, (if you cant walk in them dont wear them imo). I also saw a girl so pissed that she didnt realise her skirt was up around her waist. I know all this behaviour is nothing new and not just limited to women but really??? do people need to get into such a state?

On another note, I was looking at photos from the VIP 'style' awards last weekend. I think my mother who is in her late sixties has more style in her little finger than most of those women (oompa loompas).