Can you be elegant if you’re not elegant looking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP- Because someone doesn't consider Oprah or Serena Williams "elegant" doesn't make them racist. Stop it. Oprah looks like a disaster often and Serena Williams has a masculine physique and poor clothing taste- and that dress doesn't fit her well ether. Wearing a ball gown doesn't make you elegant, and neither does skin color. There are elegant women of all colors and we all have different taste in what the criteria is- but no one here has said "white" is one of them. Please stop accusing total strangers that disagree with you about beauty and elegance that their opinion is racist.

It's funny how the only examples they can come up with are white/thin women. As if white/thin women are the only people who can be elegant, or present themselves with elegance. I'm tired of the "elegance" obsession on this forum. "Elegance" and "classy" ... the bywords for DCUM posters. I think Kate Middleton is lovely, but I'm tired of thin white women being held up as elegant, and any woman daring to have boobs is written off and told to cover up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oprah’s photo looks like a photoshop job.
Still looks elegant. Just saying her curves look too ‘expected.’

I bet you $100 that is a corseted dress. That's what a corseted dress DOES--it makes your curves look "expected."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP- Because someone doesn't consider Oprah or Serena Williams "elegant" doesn't make them racist. Stop it. Oprah looks like a disaster often and Serena Williams has a masculine physique and poor clothing taste- and that dress doesn't fit her well ether. Wearing a ball gown doesn't make you elegant, and neither does skin color. There are elegant women of all colors and we all have different taste in what the criteria is- but no one here has said "white" is one of them. Please stop accusing total strangers that disagree with you about beauty and elegance that their opinion is racist.

It's funny how the only examples they can come up with are white/thin women. As if white/thin women are the only people who can be elegant, or present themselves with elegance. I'm tired of the "elegance" obsession on this forum. "Elegance" and "classy" ... the bywords for DCUM posters. I think Kate Middleton is lovely, but I'm tired of thin white women being held up as elegant, and any woman daring to have boobs is written off and told to cover up.

I'm not OP but in her original post there is a non white woman- so what are you talking about? There are also several other examples people have cited in the thread of non white women that many are agreeing on. Stop race baiting

[Anonymous]

I’m East Asian and 5’. I don’t think I can be elegant. Thin, cute, pretty, sexy, sure. But elegant, no.

You don’t have to be pretty to be elegant, though. Lots of “handsome” women are elegant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m East Asian and 5’. I don’t think I can be elegant. Thin, cute, pretty, sexy, sure. But elegant, no.

You don’t have to be pretty to be elegant, though. Lots of “handsome” women are elegant.

Margaret Thatcher was elegant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP- Because someone doesn't consider Oprah or Serena Williams "elegant" doesn't make them racist. Stop it. Oprah looks like a disaster often and Serena Williams has a masculine physique and poor clothing taste- and that dress doesn't fit her well ether. Wearing a ball gown doesn't make you elegant, and neither does skin color. There are elegant women of all colors and we all have different taste in what the criteria is- but no one here has said "white" is one of them. Please stop accusing total strangers that disagree with you about beauty and elegance that their opinion is racist.

It's funny how the only examples they can come up with are white/thin women. As if white/thin women are the only people who can be elegant, or present themselves with elegance. I'm tired of the "elegance" obsession on this forum. "Elegance" and "classy" ... the bywords for DCUM posters. I think Kate Middleton is lovely, but I'm tired of thin white women being held up as elegant, and any woman daring to have boobs is written off and told to cover up.

I'm not OP but in her original post there is a non white woman- so what are you talking about? There are also several other examples people have cited in the thread of non white women that many are agreeing on. Stop race baiting

I'm pretty sure you're responding to a Russian bot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can tell that, for some people, "elegance" is really just another code word.

Yep!

I’m guessing I’m one of the pp that you might be referencing because of my comment on Oprah. But I wasn’t focusing on traditionally Caucasian skinny white chick looks. I think Lupita Nyong’o is naturally elegant and one of the most beautiful actresses I can name.

I guess it boils down to how you carry yourself - shoulders back, chin up. Being a healthy shape for you. Well fit clothing leaning towards conservative (meaning you don’t need to show off your assets to grab attention), regardless of style. An easiness and natural beauty without excessive makeup to get you there. And confidence.

I guess understated and natural beauty with a focus on presentation is always elegant to me.

Let me just guess: despite carrying herself with confidence--shoulders back, chin up--being in healthy shape and well-fit clothing leaning toward conservative (for evening wear), natural beauty without excessive confidence, that you wouldn't consider this woman to be elegant:



Gee, I wonder why.

Not to me. Course, I’d be hard pressed to find any highly athletic woman with a masculine body elegant. Just not capturing the ‘easiness’. I think elegance captures more than just a look but a level of serenity to their demeanor (yes, I recognize the irony).

I don’t understand your ‘gee, I wonder why, comment.

[Anonymous]

Posture and poise have been mentioned a couple of times but not nearly enough. I'd also add confidence (which goes hand in hand with the posture). Just because you're wearing nicely tailored clothes does not mean you will instantly be elegant. If you give off a self-conscious vibe with slumped shoulders, you might as well be wearing a paper bag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can tell that, for some people, "elegance" is really just another code word.

Yep!

I’m guessing I’m one of the pp that you might be referencing because of my comment on Oprah. But I wasn’t focusing on traditionally Caucasian skinny white chick looks. I think Lupita Nyong’o is naturally elegant and one of the most beautiful actresses I can name.

I guess it boils down to how you carry yourself - shoulders back, chin up. Being a healthy shape for you. Well fit clothing leaning towards conservative (meaning you don’t need to show off your assets to grab attention), regardless of style. An easiness and natural beauty without excessive makeup to get you there. And confidence.

I guess understated and natural beauty with a focus on presentation is always elegant to me.

Let me just guess: despite carrying herself with confidence--shoulders back, chin up--being in healthy shape and well-fit clothing leaning toward conservative (for evening wear), natural beauty without excessive confidence, that you wouldn't consider this woman to be elegant:



Gee, I wonder why.

Not to me. Course, I’d be hard pressed to find any highly athletic woman with a masculine body elegant. Just not capturing the ‘easiness’. I think elegance captures more than just a look but a level of serenity to their demeanor (yes, I recognize the irony).

I don’t understand your ‘gee, I wonder why, comment.

[Anonymous]

Huma Abedin is synonymous with elegance.

[Anonymous]

Misty Copeland, of course. You'd be hard pressed to find a ballerina who isn't elegant, due to the way they carry themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Misty Copeland, of course. You'd be hard pressed to find a ballerina who isn't elegant, due to the way they carry themselves.

The point is, being muscular and being elegant aren't mutually exclusive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m East Asian and 5’. I don’t think I can be elegant. Thin, cute, pretty, sexy, sure. But elegant, no.

You don’t have to be pretty to be elegant, though. Lots of “handsome” women are elegant.

All 5'2" of Michelle Kwan:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And too much boob. Not elegant.

All the boobs and all the elegance brought to you by Aishwarya Rai at Cannes...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Misty Copeland, of course. You'd be hard pressed to find a ballerina who isn't elegant, due to the way they carry themselves.

The point is, being muscular and being elegant aren't mutually exclusive.

there is muscular and then there is Serena Williams.