"Now There's a Classy Lady."

The title of this blog post was taken from something said about me the other day as I passed by, in the most sincere voice I've ever heard. So I thought about it a while, and decided to make a post about class, and how it's important.

I am not, of course, talking about social standing - "working class" or "upper class" or anything in between. I am talking about the class that transcends monetary terms. Social ability, etiquiette, wit and gracefullness all make up class. It is especially important for those who are different to be classy, not trashy or bitchy.

I have mentionbed before about the importance of being kind and polite in order to set an example of the goth subculture - overall kind, accepting, intelligent and thoughtful - for the rest of the world. People might misunderstand and judge us, so it is vital we do our best to display the best of ourselves to spare young goths our pain in the future. Being classy is another way we can do this.

I am rather rigid about etiquette. I was out with some friends the other day and was appalled by their behaviour in shops - running around, laughing loudly, screeching, pushing their way through, not excusing themselves for being in people's ways and generally acting like people who were not at all mature. Their outward rudeness struck me and left a bad taste in my mouth. It set such a bad example that it honestly embarassed me to be around them.

This example was, of course, of teenagers, not goths specifically, but they're the kind to complain when being treated like bratty children, at school and at society at large. Generally, one is treated the way one acts.

When out and about in the world, my dear goths, it's important to be polite, kind and genuine. Even when having an awful day, lacking "please", "thankyou", "excuse me" and "sorry" is never excusable. Being polite, however, does not mean that you let people walk all over you. Remember that!

People are tiring, I know that, but it is important to keep your cool. Yes, witty retorts are still classy, as long as you keep them sharp and not crass. Being forgiving is also another important thing about being a person with class - forgive and forget, and move on.

Not to mention, dress appropriately! We all have our occasional PVC miniskirt days, but knowing when and wear they are appropriate is very important. I don't wear tiny skirts often, to be honest, as I prefer long ones, or at least knee-length ones. I have always thought that it isn't my business to avoid offending people (as the people I tend to offend, tend to be those people who look to be offended), but there is definitely a line. Modesty isn't an issue, after all, it's your body, but perhaps that leather crop top should be saved for nighttime wear only, yeah?

What are your favourite or most horrible class and etiquette violations - by yourself or other people? Am I the only person irked by the blurred lines between "it's my body and I can flaunt it how i like" and "if i show you my ass, will you love me?" Is this a bad lesson to be teaching the young girls of our society? Let me know how you feel on the subject of class, etiquette, behaviour and dress!