What is elegant style and how to look elegant? This blog post will discuss the science behind dressing elegant and how you can apply this science to your looks. We will cover:

• What is Elegant Style
• Who has an Elegant Style
• Elements of Elegant Style

Elegant Style in 4 Words:
Graceful
Simple
Effortless
Timeless

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What is Elegant Style?

“Elegant” means to be pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance. Therefore, an elegant style is a look that communicates gracefulness that is stylish and pleasing to the sight. 

I like to think of elegant style as having the powerful effect of putting one at ease when one sees elegant outfits. Common features of an elegant outfit are clean lines, movement, and elements that seamlessly and effortlessly complement each other. 


The clean lines of the silhouette on an elegant outfit represent simplicity and cleanliness while the movement of details shows the graceful aspect of elegant looks.

Gracefulness also speaks to the ability of the wearer to move around with ease. The simplicity of its design, structure, and silhouette allows the wearer to be free of tugging, pulling, or tucking at the garment.


It is easy to wear an elegant outfit. Everything is in its place, everything fits right. It is beautiful and effortless. Elements that support these traits are what make a look elegant.

The elegant style is easy to understand. Its silhouettes are easy to follow, and the complementing fabrics and colors are easy on the eye. The design and elements of an elegant outfit are clear and easy to grasp, making it visually appealing.

Elegant style makes the wearer look like they know what they are doing. When one sees an elegant outfit, it inspires clarity, ease, and grace in them. This is why when women dress elegantly, they become captivating and inviting.

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The “Elegant Woman”

The type of woman who dresses elegantly values cleanliness, quality, character, and gracefulness. She takes pride in her appearance, in addition to how she impacts others when they interact with her. She is, or tends to be, sophisticated.

Her Character:

• She has self-respect and wants to convey that to the world. She prefers a lifestyle that allows her to move with grace and ease. This supports her need to live in her truth.
  
  
• Being in a rush is a state of being that takes her out of character as she understands the power of moving with ease and grace.
  
  
• She understands the value of an experience beyond the physical. So even though she takes pride in her appearance, she takes even greater pride in how others feel after interacting with her.
  
  
• Sophistication is second nature to her. Because she values beauty, ease, and grace, she tends to have a basic understanding of the world around her. Because of this, she can respectfully interact with others from varying cultural backgrounds and appreciate their beautiful diversity (cultures, religions, traditions, and cuisines).

Celebrities with elegance as their core style archetype are:

• Amal Clooney
• Meghan Markle
• Angelina Jolie
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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Elements of Elegant Style

Elements of elegant style are common parts that, when put together, create what we commonly understand as elegant looks.

For an outfit to be considered elegant, it must have at least 2 of the elements present at a time.

It fits when an elegant style is worn at any time or era. It never looks odd, out of place, or outdated. Examples of elements in clothing that are timeless are:

• Blazers
• Pumps
• Little Black dress
• Fitted silhouettes

Simplicity in silhouette, design, and details. When a look is seen as simple, it generally has smooth and clean lines on hems, necklines, and silhouettes. Examples of simple elements in style are:

• Straight and fitted silhouettes
• Round and V Necklines
• Clean hems

Gracefulness in clothing is identified by sophistication, refinement, beauty, and poise in design. An easy way to indicate gracefulness in clothing is to look for fluid, flexible movement, and softness in fabrics and structure. Examples of graceful elements in clothing are:

• Silk fabric
• Bias cut silhouettes
• Ruching
• Pleats
  

Uncomplicated styles are crucial elements in an elegant look. This means that when one looks at elegant looks, its design and combinations are easy to process visually.

• Uncomplicated designs, elements, and silhouettes
• Colors and fabrics complement each other

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Common Core Pieces in an Elegant Wardrobe

Each elegant woman’s wardrobe is unique to her individuality. Regardless, I find that most – if not all – elegant wardrobes consistently have these common core pieces in them.


This is because these items help create elegant looks. They also share the timeless, simple, graceful, and effortless elements that we find in elegant outfits.


The common core pieces in an elegant wardrobe are:

Pumps are timeless, clean, simple, and graceful. They can be paired easily with most outfits and effortlessly elevate any look.

The little black dress is a timeless wardrobe staple as it has kept a spot in the fashion world for generations. This is because it seamlessly integrates for any woman, for most occasions, and all body types.

Fine jewelry is clean and does not take away from graceful garments when it is worn. It complements an outfit just enough without being too cluttered or confusing. This core piece upholds the simplicity aspect of an elegant look.

Most elegant wardrobes have silk fabric garments in them. This is for its smooth texture and luxurious look. It effortlessly elevates any look without adding any clutter or noise to it.

Fitted silhouettes enable the wearer to have a clean look. It also contributes to an uncomplicated aesthetic.

Neutral colors are integral to an elegant wardrobe because of their transferrable qualities. This means that neutral colors are easy to pair with other colors, and can also be used as a base color for an outfit. With neutral colors in your wardrobe, it is effortless to create countless looks.

Feminine details are what differentiates an elegant look from a classic one. Elegant outfits have feminine details that add gracefulness and sophistication to their aesthetic. Compared to a classic look – which also has a timeless, simple, and effortless aesthetic – but does not usually carry graceful aspects.

For feminine details to remain elegant, they must seamlessly and effortlessly be incorporated with the rest of the garment/look. These details should be sensible and simple yet add a welcoming delight. 

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Conclusion

This post was about “What is an Elegant Style?” It defined elegant style, the elements that help create elegant looks and core essential pieces commonly found in elegant wardrobes.


Now that you are at the end of this post, you clearly understand what an elegant style is, and can now easily identify and create elegant looks.

To learn more about the other feminine style archetypes/aesthetics, see the links below:

• Classic Feminine Style (coming soon)
• Sensual Feminine Style (coming soon)
• Edgy Feminine Style (coming soon)