She's so refined.

As a young lady who adores vintage, I am enamored with regality, elegance, refinement- all things that old movie stars drip with. The characteristics ladies like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly and Maureen O'Hara emboldened are a rarity in this day and age. Cultural refinement wasn't an option. It resulted from spending time on intellectual pursuits. I had a mama who always carried herself with poise. She once said to me, "Young women need to be well rounded and refined; they ought to carry conversations with grace yet be able to don a dress for a dance or a glove for a ball game, and have fun doing it". 


The word "elegance" always calls to mind a song from "Hello, Dolly!", which goes like this-

"We've got elegance, we were born with elegance, 
and with elegance, we'll carry on" 

Born with elegance.  Are we still born with elegance? Carrying elegance on. Do we carry elegance on? 

It saddens me to see the current culture. We place more value in cheap, quick thrills than we do in developing long term characteristics. Gone are the days of elegance. Gone are the dignified days. Our world is determined to stomp out anyone and anything that still has class. Elegance has become a lost art. For many of us, it's an art form that we didn't learn. Like most women, I'm learning elegance. Because whether you're eight or eighty, it's always beautiful to be elegant.  

Say no to anything that is not important to you, and honor your limits.

Get enough sleep.

Spend your lunchtime as sacred you-time.

Wear your pretty clothes.

Limit your media consumption.

When you are in someone’s presence, really be with them.

Do more of what comes naturally to you.  Where there’s ease, there’s elegance.

Give creative and thoughtful gifts. 

Send thank you notes. 

 Speak eloquently and thoughtfully.

silence can be stunning.

Be kind with your words about others.

Don’t lose your cool in public.

Keep a tidy workspace…but also accept a little clutter and mess

Document what you are blessed with and what you are grateful for periodically.

Keep up with what’s going on in the world.

Be gentle, with your words, your actions, your choices.

Be able to laugh at yourself, at situations, and with others.

Devour old films, music, books, art, architecture, and nature.

Surround yourself with those who bring out the best in you, not the stress in you.

Encourage people.

Spend your days doing what you’re passionate about.

Don’t allow your mood to dictate your manners.

Have good role models, people who do something with their day to day life.

Let hard times grow you, not throw you.

Believe you are beautiful.

I hope you’re inspired to practice elegance today.

Xx, bethany

ps. check out my sweet friend's RUBY series. Be inspired by some Jesus loving, elegant, classy women.