Elegance is an attitude

Elegance is an attitude! I first saw this line in a Longines commercial featuring Audrey Hepburn. Nowadays, you see more stars and celebrities posting as Longines' models. When you admire the handsome men and women in the ads and the beautifully designed watches, have you ever noticed this slogan? If this is really an issue, then many people need to think about their attitude.

Elegance and modest demeanour are a person’s brand. The English noun elegance and the adjective elegant are derived from the Latin words elegans and elegantem, meaning choice, an exquisite thing, and taste. So, taste is optional! By implication, attitude is also a choice; you can choose to be elegant or you can choose not to be. Moreover, the word etiquette derives from a French word meaning 'label' or 'tag,' so carelessness can reveal a person's identity and background.

Elegance, however, has nothing to do with the affordability of a Longines watch; namely, it has nothing to do with wealth. In the supermarkets of Marks & Spencer, an established British department store, one often sees elderly people shopping for groceries. Marks & Spencer’s prices are much higher than the average supermarket, and the amount of pension in the UK is not very high. But you will see many dressed-up old people choosing their goods in a relaxed manner. Obviously, some of them are not well off, and their final selection is not much, but many of them are wearing light makeup, their hair is neatly combed, and their clothes are neat. You can tell that they dress up for shopping, that is an attitude! Because, in their understanding, going out shopping means getting dressed up. When I first arrived in the UK, this was a shocking finding to me. So since then, I literally changed when I went out shopping, I tried to dress as smart casual.

Sometimes I went to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou for business trips and saw many new developments in these metropolitan areas. But the software's manners need improvement. But one day in the underground of Shanghai, the light suddenly came on in the coach when I saw two ladies in their 80s with grey hair walking in. Their hair was meticulously combed, they wore light makeup, chic little vests, and what attracted me most were their shiny boots with leather tassels. That was fashionable, confident, and elegant Old Shanghai. This is a so-called attitude.

To build a beautiful and harmonious society, we should start with ourselves. If everyone treated each other with courtesy, there would be fewer misunderstandings and conflicts, and much more peace. Elegance is also an expression of inner peace. An impatient and anxious mind cannot manifest grace and calmness unless you have superior acting skills. If a person needs to pretend and act all the time, how tiring that is.

Hepburn once said: As you grow older, you will find that you have two hands, one to take care of yourself and the other to help others. Elegance is a reflection of grace and kindness.

No matter whether you are rich or poor, you can choose to live an elegant and decent life. It is a matter of attitude.