9 Things to Avoid to Become a Real Lady

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Being a woman is not easy. And it becomes harder when you have to follow certain etiquettes. However, to behave and become like a true lady, there are some habits that you need to break and new ones that you need to form. You can be independent, intelligent, beautiful and have a great career; but if you are not lady-like you can be sure that you are not turning heads. To act like a lady and leave everyone in awe of you, follow these simple advice and be a lady!

9. Be intellectual

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In a world where there is a plethora of TV shows and everyone goes starry eyed at the mention of Hollywood, with most ladies drooling over either Ryan Reynolds or Tom Hanks, it is rare to find someone genuinely interested in books. And no, we don’t mean your college books or books you need to read to reach high on the career ladder. We mean literature that increases your gray matter.
Some examples would be War and Peace and Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Hamlet by William Shakespeare, The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, etc. It is also important to keep up with current affairs so you can hold an intelligent conversation while in company. So read up on what’s happening in the world and your country and be well informed about the implications of important issues such as global warming, child trafficking, etc.

8. Travel the world

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Nothing is as mind-opening as travel. You experience other places and meet new people and gain an understanding of the different cultures prevalent. For you to be termed a lady, it is important that you have an enthusiasm for travelling. We understand that it is an expensive hobby, but it is not necessary that you go visit exotic places or far away islands. Even going to a place that is a 3 hour drive from your home can have something interesting to offer. Or for a place much closer, go for a hike up your local mountains, or water rafting or canoeing in the river that runs by your town.
So pack your bag (or bags) and get ready for a trip. Better yet, involve a few friends too so you can share ride costs and hotel stay expenses and have people you can laugh and talk with on the trip. It will give you something to talk about for days and also convey to people that you like to have fun as well as gain knowledge about the world around you. Bonus points: your social media page will have some new and super awesome pictures!

7. Be mindful of your manners

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Remember how we were taught about always saying ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ when we were little? To always be polite and sit with our legs crossed? Yes, that is what we are talking about. It is always appreciated when somebody has good manners. It conveys to people that you have had a good upbringing and know how to get about in the world.
A lady never feels entitled and is always appreciative of what people do for her. Saying ‘Thank you’ is a very simple way of getting that feeling across. Making mistakes is also very normal but being rude after that is not. If you have made a mistake, brush your ego aside and humbly say that you’re sorry. A short apology will make things better and it would be easy for the other person to forgive you.

6. Be aware of how you speak

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A lady does not speak loudly nor does she use bad language in public. If you want to be a lady, learn to control your decibel level. Speak softly and avoid rude words and gestures. When you find yourself in a situation that needs to have a difficult conversation, you should try to remain calm and choose your words wisely. A lady will avoid getting into a shouting match and tries to remain calm.
As Albus Dumbledore says in the Harry Potter series: “Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.” Keeping this in mind, you should always strive to ensure that your words are source of joy for people, and not the opposite.

5. Be on time

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In a world where there are a thousand and one distractions any given day, being on time is increasingly getting difficult, and yet it is increasingly important. Punctuality is a trait that never goes unappreciated. Sometimes we all run a little late for engagements, due to circumstances outside our control, such as traffic jams or wardrobe malfunctions. In such an event, it is polite to call the person as soon as you can, together with an estimate of how late you think you may be.
They may have another engagement after yours r might be coming to meet you especially and the sooner you let them know, the better it would be.

4. Dress to impress

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A lady should always pay extra attention to her clothes. Clothes are the first thing that people notice about you and dressing in a decent, ladylike manner is sure to catch their attention. Avoid loud colors and glittery prints. Opt for clean-cut stylish clothes that accentuate your figure. When going out for the evening, wear a little black dress or go for muted colors.
In winter, select a Peabody coat that hugs your waistline and shows off your legs. Wear sheer pantyhose with summer dresses for a neat and clean look. As for the hairstyle, keep your hair clean, shiny and cut into the latest style. Do not dye your hair if it can be avoided. Otherwise choose natural colors that complement your skin complexion.

3. Accessorize minimally

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While clothes are very important when going for a lady-like look, you cannot ignore accessories. Accessories can effectively make or break your look. Pair the wrong accessories with the perfect dress and your whole look gets compromised. When dressing for the daytime, choose minimal, diamond or pearl earrings and only one or two rings. Wear a simple necklace and carry a medium sized or small handbag. Large handbags can overpower your look. If you are going out for the evening, dangling earrings are the perfect choice, mixed with a choker or blingy necklace. Accentuate with a small clutch.

2. Make your man feel important

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According to Preeti Tewari, “men love feeling like the protectors in the relationship and they don’t care who has control of the relationship as long as they ‘feel’ like they’re controlling it”. Even though this paradigm is shifting in our modern world yet the basic human nature stays the same. Men like to protect the women they love and expect women to need their protection. So it would not hurt to act like a damsel in distress sometimes and let your man be your savior.
It is also necessary to give your man a lot of attention and always make him feel special, even though it might be by way of a sweet hug or a small homemade dessert. And always remember to ask for his assistance when something needs to be repaired or some furniture needs to be moved around the house; even if you’re fully capable of doing it yourself. He would be sure to help out when he knows that he would be in his role of protector and provider.

1. Learn to deal with adversaries

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We all have opponents and we all need to deal with them from time to time. According to Future Female Leaders, you do not have to be downright nasty to let someone know that he or she should not mess with you. No self-respecting woman should let people walk all over them.
Whether it is a pushy co-worker, a roommate who expects you to do all the cleaning, or the girl in your college group project who needs to get her act together and put in more work, nobody should treat you like a doormat. Respectfully yet firmly telling someone how you feel with a smile on your face and a dash of sassy comments will get you much further than blowing up or resorting to petty name-calling. One of my favorite quotes by the famous politician Winston Churchill states, “Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip.” Ponder over this and you would know how to deal with adversaries effectively, while not compromising your lady-like personality.
So, here you go. Follow these tips and you would be well on your way to becoming a true lady and impressing all those who cross paths with you.