Monday, July 2, 2007

How to Be A Lady



Sometimes I hate adding words to these beautiful images like the one above because I feel the picture portrays so much of what I'd like to say already!

But it is important to share the complete picture with you on what is is to be a lady and how to be one. This will be the first of many posts regarding this subject as I feel this subject desperately needs to be revived today and not only that but I do believe there are vast amounts of women who'd in their hearts desire to be so.

Being lady-like has two realms---the physical and the interior. On the physical side---we should seek to:

1. Carry ourselves with good posture not slouching.
2. Dress modestly.
3. Look clean and well kept (hair, nails, etc).
4. Clothes in good repair.
5. Dress femininely.
6. Smell lovely.
7. Peaceful countenance and joyful demeanor.



There are many ways to improve oneself in learning to become more ladylike. Walking with a book on your head helps you to learn to walk more gracefully. There are great books on manners and social graces that can teach a women to behave properly. Women should not burp or hiccup in public and if they accidentally do they should blush and quickly apologize. Once a lovely young girl (25 years old) and I were talking and she got a case of the hiccups and not once did she try to cover her mouth. They were loud and rude and quite unbecoming for she was very beautiful, yet her mother had never taught her to do this one simple thing.

One thing I have learned over time is if you carry yourself like a lady, others will begin to treat you like a lady. Try your best to practice good manners and etiquette at home so it will be normal for you when you are in public.

The interior of a women should be graced with many things, let's take a look:

1. A Gentle and Quiet Spirit
2. Love, joy, peace, patience
3. Discretion
4. Unselfishness
5. Purity
6. Humility
7. Kindness, Goodness and faithfulness
8. Self-control
9. Sobriety
10. Grace and mercy
11. Godly character



Discretion is a great topic that mothers should work hard on teaching their daughters and making sure they have acquired it themselves. A woman with discretion is careful to say things in turn and not out of turn. They will not say anything to offend or to humiliate another or have a cheap laugh at another's expense. They will not gossip and share with others the private lives of those they love dearly but instead they will seek to fiercely protect them. They will not talk openly about sexual matters to the general public in a lewd way for that is unbecoming and they also would be careful not to share (graphically) what they do in private with their husbands, for they know that is sacred not to be shared with the world.

Surely these lists are not exhaustive, but instead a great starting point. Nothing mars being lady-like than a lack of the list above. If we are loud, rude and selfish we imitate less than the lady we were meant to be. If we are prideful and selfish no one can see the miraculous work of God which makes us lovely. If we live our lives in fear or being bitter it steals our natural beauty and diverts and removes the attention on Christ. Here are two great books on the matter:



Social Graces by Ann Platz and How to Be a Lady by Harry Newcomb




3 comments:

Dawn said...

Such wonderful wisdom!!! Thank you for sharing it!
I have a problem with slouching, it makes me feel more comfortbale that way, but I am going to try not do that anymore. :)
Everything else you listed I am pretty much good on, of course I can perfect it all a little bit.

Thank you for sharing those books. I may have to add those to my collection! :)

Just Me said...

How beautiful! I really like this post. Sadly, so many of us were not taught these basic principles. I'm teaching them to my daughter however. :) Thank you.

Mary said...

Truer words were never spoken. Loved it.

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