Marcel Deer
Class.
You either have it or you don’t, no matter which class you actually come from.
There are poor people with more class than you’d ever imagine and upper-crusters with absolutely none at all.
Just what is it that makes a person classy?
Is it their car, their clothes, the way they walk and talk, or the people they associate with?
Or is it something that runs deeper and is an integral part of who they are, no matter what their circumstances are like in this life?
Well, if someone is a genuinely classy individual, they probably have these 14 traits that will definitely make you able to tell them apart from the rest.
1) They don’t gossip
It’s always fun to talk about who has done what naughty thing and what people are saying about it, isn’t it?
Well, not for genuinely classy people, it’s not.
A classy individual doesn’t feel the need to engage in gossip and talk about others behind their backs. They see this behavior as demeaning, both to the people who are talked about and to the gossips themselves.
To them, it’s disrespectful to others and shows a distinct lack of self-respect as well.
2) They keep positive
I don’t think I’ve ever encountered someone whining about the weather or complaining about poor service and thought to myself, “How classy!”
Have you?
I doubt it, and the reason is that people who really are classy keep things positive as much as possible.
They know that the world is a tough enough place as it is, and negativity isn’t going to make anyone’s life any easier.
But what if they have genuine complaints or criticisms?
They’re able to reframe them into suggestions instead.
If their food is undercooked, they might say, “This could benefit from a little more time in the oven.”
Sounds a lot classier than, “This sucks!” doesn’t it?
3) They hold their heads up high
I doubt your mom ever told you to slouch as much as possible.
No, moms want us to sit up straight and be upstanding citizens.
Why?
Because it’s classy, and everyone knows it!
Upright posture is really a sign of treating yourself well. It can improve breathing and circulation, reduce back and neck pain, and even improve symptoms of depression.
Mom was absolutely right.
But doesn’t it make you look rigid or snobbish?
No, genuinely classy people hold their heads up in a confident but not arrogant way, and that’s a very important difference.
4) They don’t look down on other people
“Class” is a confusing word because people use it in two different ways.
On the one hand, it’s used to mark boundaries between people who have different socioeconomic levels.
But our meaning, having an elegant, sophisticated personality, is almost exactly opposite to that.
And it definitely includes not being classist or snobbish, no matter where you come from.
A genuinely classy person doesn’t look down on other people or judge them because of what they’re wearing or how much money they have.
They keep things elevated and positive instead.
5) They treat other people with respect
No matter who they meet, classy people treat others with respect, plain and simple.
It doesn’t matter if they’re shaking hands with an ambassador or giving coins to a beggar in the street.
In both situations, they recognize another person with their own qualities and struggles.
They truly see others and take time to engage them completely rather than sparing only a fraction of their attention.
Keep an eye on anyone who behaves this way, and you’ll quickly see why this is such a classy way to be.
6) They keep their cool, even in tough situations
Is flipping someone the bird classy?
How about turning red in the face and yelling your head off?
No, and no, right?
We all know classy behavior when we see it, and we definitively know that losing your shizzle is about the farthest thing from it.
Genuinely classy individuals share the trait of being calm and cool in a crisis, and this is definitely something people respect about them.
This behavior combines their tendencies towards positivity and treating others with respect, which are really guiding principles of classy people.
And that’s why you’ll never see a really classy person throw a fit or the first punch.
7) They’re emotionally intelligent
It’s not all that easy to treat others with respect if you don’t understand their needs and their feelings.
Luckily, classy people are normally highly emotionally intelligent.
They’re able to read and relate to other people’s emotions, plus recognize and regulate their own adeptly.
They usually have a large capacity for empathy and use it to navigate social situations.
They’re definitely not going to be the type of person to say the wrong thing and make someone cry.
Instead, they’re sensitive to people’s emotions and the situations they’re in and treat them accordingly.
8) They have their own style
Classy people don’t need to copy others.
They have their own style that shines through no matter what they wear or what kind of car they drive.
They might have good taste and like quality things, but they don’t follow trends like sheep, and they don’t abandon what they like at the drop of a hat just because it’s suddenly not the in thing.
A big part of being classy is having an inherent sense of style and not being blown around like a leaf in the wind.
9) They’re situationally appropriate
Because genuinely classy individuals are usually empathic and respectful, they’re highly adept at reading social situations.
This trait allows them to be situationally appropriate no matter what situation they find themselves in.
They’re going to be fun and outgoing at a party and appropriately somber at a funeral.
They always seem to wear the right thing, say the right thing, and act the right way according to what the situation calls for.
10) They take responsibility
There’s not a lot that’s more déclassé than avoiding personal responsibility for things you’ve done.
Yet classless people seem to do this all the time.
They deny doing things in order to get out of trouble or avoid criticism. And they let other people take the blame or even throw them under the bus if it suits their needs.
Not genuinely classy people, though.
They stand up and take responsibility for their mistakes but also their successes, too!
11) They’re flexible and adaptable
They don’t get stuck in the way things “should” be, bogging themselves in the negativity and disappointment that comes from not having their expectations met.
Instead, classy people have the ability to adapt themselves to situations as they arise.
If someone spills red wine on a classy woman’s white dress, she won’t flip out and start yelling or crying about what happened. Instead, she might just ask for more red and give herself a nice, even dye job.
And instead of looking down their noses at her or laughing, people will think she’s handled a tricky situation with class and sophistication.
12) They’re humble
What does it mean to be humble?
Surely, this means keeping your head down and not bragging.
Well, sort of, but really, humility is simply holding a modest view of your own importance.
Classy people aren’t out there showing off or saying that most horrible of phrases, “Don’t you know who I am!?”
They don’t treat others as inferior, and so they don’t see themselves as superior either. Instead, they give everyone respect, and of course, that includes themselves.
But you’ll never hear a really classy person bragging about where they went for vacation or about how much their jewelry costs. They’re simply too respectful and humble for that.
13) They’re self-aware
Do classy people know they’re classy?
I think they have an inkling, though they might humbly tell you, “I’m just a normal person.”
I think the truth is that classy people have a lot of high-quality traits and enough self-awareness to know that this is true.
It’s not just their behavior that’s classy, though this is what we observe.
It’s actually their core values that make them act this way. And they try to behave in line with their core values as much as possible.
We can safely say that they’re classy to the core!
14) They’re secure in themselves
A genuinely classy individual treats themself with respect and positivity, and this helps them be secure in themself.
They can look to their core and see their own traits and values and know that they’re doing a pretty good job in life.
This gives them self-confidence and a secure self-image that also looks pretty good from the outside.
Final thoughts
If someone is a genuinely classy individual, they’ll probably have many of these 14 traits and will be pretty easy to pick out.
Like I said, we all know class when we see it!
