Have you ever been in a setting where you were slightly overdressed for the occasion? Maybe you wanted to dress elegantly that day, or maybe you misunderstood the formality of the event. But then, when you turned up to the event, you have people stare a little bit extra at you, or maybe someone was even so rude that they approached you saying,
“Hey, why are you so dressed up?”
In today’s video, I’m going to explain why it is so common for people to react negatively to elegant people and why they often feel perhaps offended, annoyed, or just defensive around the subject of elegance.
In many cultures, there is a phenomenon called “tall poppy syndrome” or “crab mentality,” which describes criticizing or belittling people who stand out in some way, such as being dressed more elegantly, as it can make others feel uncomfortable or insecure about their own appearance or status.
Furthermore, people may also assume that someone who is overdressed is trying to show off their wealth or status, which can provoke negative reactions or jealousy.
These are all stereotypes of elegance due to the stereotypical view of elegance. Sometimes people simply jump to conclusions very easily and especially with the stereotype that elegance is very much connected to the upper class only, so if you want to be elegant you’re either an imposter faking to be rich, or you’re glorifying the class system in our society.
Unfortunately, many people find elegance to be classist and I find this to be so narrow-minded.
Yes of course many people of the upper classes naturally practice elegance because it is very common in their community, but what many people tend to forget is that elegance is a subculture utilized by communities. We have people with money practicing elegance and we have people without money practicing elegance.
In fact, some of the classiest people I have met in my life
don’t have a lot of money, but it’s more about how they carry themselves, how compassionate they are, and the attitude that makes them so elegant.
Ladies, it is important to always be aware of cultural norms and expectations when dressing for an occasion. Still, it is also important to remember that people’s reactions are often influenced by their own insecurities and biases and have nothing to do with your path of elegance.
