Life Features

Style guru explains how to behave like a true lady

By Simone Andrea Mayer Sep 15, 2011, 3:16 GMT

New York - Women who dress provocatively will always turn heads, but the author of the book Classy says only women who are well dressed, stylish and polite have earned their place in society.

Derek Blasberg, a New York-based journalist who observes and comments on the jet-setter and celebrity lifestyle, offers some basic rules on style and behaviour in the book. As he told Elle magazine, he is shocked by the number of 'supposedly sophisticated girls' who don't know their water glass from their wine glass.

He said he wrote the book because 'modern society has put such an emphasis on inappropriate behaviour that it seemed like the right time to remind young women how to behave. Even if you're a trashy tramp, you can still grow up to be a lady.'

In an interview with the German Press Agency dpa Blasberg said women who are discreet and intelligent are, to him, more interesting to talk to at a party than women who dress scantily and behave badly. Admittedly, Blasberg said, people who misbehave might seem more interesting than people who stay out of trouble.

The attention that celebrities such as Charlie Sheen and the now deceased Amy Winehouse have received show that these kinds of bad girl and bad boy stories draw us in. But he asks what nice guy would have wanted to marry Winehouse and what nice woman would want to marry Sheen?

We have to be sure that we can differentiate between the people we expect to entertain us and the people who we see as role models. Young women needn't be withdrawn and always sober, Blasberg said. But they should be careful that a decision they make today doesn't influence how they would like to be portrayed later in their life.

Blasberg said it is easy to recognize a true lady. She is well-dressed, self-confident and above all has common sense. There are things she would never stoop to such as sending someone inappropriate photos or dressing provocatively just for attention.

But where are the boundaries when it comes to clothing? Blasberg said he's always believed that showing a little skin can be sexy, but only in the right measure.

When a women shows a lot on the top, she should definitely cover her bottom half more thoroughly. That means if she puts on a really short skirt, she should choose a top that is more conservative i.e. no strapless tops with a short skirt.

Another rule of thumb is she should never let her underwear show, including a bra strap, and she should never let a thong show over the waistband of her jeans.