Pearl Nash
Understanding class in someone isn’t as straightforward as attractiveness or wealth.
It comes in many forms, but it largely stems from a woman’s sense of self.
It’s her ability to be confident without putting others down and upholding courtesy and values without making people feel bad about themselves.
Class isn’t about elitism or being snooty.
Because she’s sure of herself, she’s able to enjoy a range of pleasures, from silly comedy shows to more serious novels.
That makes it easier for her to embrace her quirks and her insecurities.
As elusive as it is, there are common identifiable traits that are often emulated by classy women that could help you understand whether you are one.
Here are 14 characteristics of a classy lady:
1) A Classy Woman Has Integrity
True integrity can be hard to come by in a person these days.
All too often, people’s actions and behaviors are shaped by those around them, and by what they believe will get them the most social clout.
Classy women will always live with integrity, whether a million people will see it or whether they’re all alone with no one around.
Because to be classy means living by the standards you set for yourself, what you believe is right, and sticking to those standards even when no one will judge you otherwise.
2) A Classy Woman Is Kind
It’s easy to be mean.
We all have bad days and negative thoughts, and we all have moments where we would prefer to lash out, to put down, to demean others in some way.
Kindness takes effort, but classy women understand that class and kindness come hand in hand.
A classy woman understands the importance of spreading positivity to those around them, even if they don’t deserve it.
3) A Classy Woman Knows How To Listen
Being classy means being open-minded, being willing to hear out other people even when it’s the last thing you want to do.
Too many people these days simply talk over everyone else, never actually engaging in a real conversation.
Class means respecting other people, and there is no more basic and simple way to respect another person than by hearing them out.
But of course, listening doesn’t mean never giving your own opinion; it simply means giving others the chance to be heard.
4) A Classy Woman Stands Up For Her Beliefs
With everyone judging you 24/7 on social media, it’s a million times easier to bend in the wind and say whatever you think will make people happy, instead of having your own beliefs and fighting for them.
A classy woman does the latter.
You’ll never see a classy woman flip flop on ideas that are important to her, because she’s not in it for the social clout; that’s beneath her.
A classy woman cares deeply about the things that are important to her, and won’t sell out for any kind of currency — financial or social.
5) A Classy Woman Has Standards
How many times have you looked at a relationship and thought, “Wow, she could do so much better.”
A classy woman knows what she’s worth, and won’t let herself be swayed away by a smooth talker.
This kind of woman will look for a life partner, not one fling after another; someone who deserves to be in her life.
The same goes with her friends.
Classy women don’t keep up with thousands of superficial acquaintances.
They keep a tight inner circle of people they know they trust, and give those people the love and time they deserve.
6) A Classy Woman Is Healthy
Class is all about doing what’s right, not what’s easy.
And one thing classy women do which can be difficult at times is always keeping themselves healthy, both their mind and body.
Classy women keep their bodies fit — not necessarily athletes, but you’ll never see them live a life of gluttony.
They also understand the importance of feeding their mind; they value education and intelligence, and value these traits in their partners as well.
7) A Classy Woman Carefully Chooses Her Words
Think to yourself, what’s classier: someone who dominates the conversation, who goes on and on and on without thinking about anyone else, and says whatever sudden thought pops up in her mind?
Or someone who listens, encourages discussion from others, and thinks deeply before sharing her thoughts, just to make sure her words are true to her.
Obviously, classy women are often the latter.
They possess the self-awareness to think before they talk and don’t feel the need to go on endlessly.
While there’s nothing wrong with being talkative around people you love, it can come across a bit obnoxious to people you’re less familiar with.
8) A Classy Woman Is Always Willing To Learn
An important part of class is humility.
Being classy means being the kind of person who is self-assured but still always happy and willing to accept that they don’t know everything about everything.
There’s nothing more stubborn (and further away from class) than thinking no one can teach you anything, and people can sense that.
Having the open-mindedness to learn new things is a classic sign of class and intelligence.
9) A Classy Lady Defends Those Close To Her
Even classy ladies feel the temptation of gossip but do their best to stay away from it.
It’s all too easy to get roped in mean jokes among friends and do “innocent banter” at the expense of someone else.
One of the true marks of class is integrity.
Her standards extend to her relationships and this often leads to feelings of her wanting to do justice to her relationships.
Because she understands herself and her relationships and feels secure in them, she’s not afraid to call out mean friends or defend colleagues
Instead of participating in public mockery or picking low-hanging fruit, they shy away from gossip and even staunchly defend people that she cares about.
She’s not afraid of telling people they’re being petty.
10) A Classy Woman Is True To Herself
Classy women aren’t always the most popular women, and that desire for integrity and independence is precisely what makes them classy.
In a world that forces people to adapt into systems and fit in, she’s not afraid to ascertain who she is, even if it’s not the most popular option.
She’s not afraid to embrace her quirks and be a little different.
She’s classy because she keeps her head held high and doesn’t try to pretend to be anyone else but herself.
11) A Classy Woman Is Emotionally Intelligent
Empathy comes easy to her, and that’s probably because she’s rich with life experiences that have taught her how to navigate tight spots and interact with people from all walks of life.
She has different tools in her kit and calls on her different interests, strengths, and even weaknesses to keep a cool head in situations.
Because of this, it’s much, much easier for her to relax in tense situations and remember where she stands.
Where other people might resort to personal attacks, she stays true to her roots and addresses situations calmly and rationally.
12) A Classy Woman Is at Peace With Herself
Partying at 3 AM isn’t really her scene.
For the classy woman, it’s second nature to embrace silence because of how at peace they are with their own solitude.
On weekends, you’re likely to see her hanging out on her own or with good friends and engaging in quieter activities.
Comfortable with their own thoughts, they don’t seek external stimuli to elude scarier impulses or drown out the silence.
She doesn’t rely on the next spin class or the next vacation or the next Instagram like to give her a sense of validation.
As a result, a classy woman is someone who values her privacy and is more likely to avoid public stunts.
13) A Classy Woman Embraces Humility
Even from afar, it’s easy to pick apart quality women from the crowd.
Chances are, she knows what she brings to the table and understands her value and her worth.
You don’t need to tell her how pretty she is or how lucky guys are to have her — she knows it.
Still, that doesn’t stop her from embracing humility.
She understands the clear distinction between fostering self-worth and staying humble.
She knows that being proud of her accomplishments and holding herself and others up to her standards is not mutually exclusive with kindness, compassion, and being accessible.
What makes a classy woman truly special is her knack for elevating others up with her, instead of stepping on their heads to get ahead.
14) A Classy Woman Respects Time
Standards are important to classy women, and that bleeds into how they view time.
It’s very rare for her to be late because she wants people to understand that she values their time and that she values hers.
On the rare occasion that she does miss an event or arrive a couple minutes late, she doesn’t lie or make excuses about her tardiness.
She owns up to what happened and moves on.
