By Oluwakemi

One of the few things that cannot be bought in this life is class. It is either you have got it or not. It is possible  for two persons to wear same designer clothes, yet the final results comes out differently; the difference is class with which, they wear the clothes.

If you are one, who has wondered how to achieve that aura of class, then this is for you. A new study is out, which gives insight into how to improve your class game.

Minding your manners, avoiding emotional Facebook rants and knowing what cutlery to use are the modern day signs of class. Saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ is the cornerstone of class according to a survey of 2,000 persons, followed by reading widely and having good table manners.

Avoiding text speak, being bilingual and maintaining great posture also made the top 50 touches of class.

For women, subtle make-up, never drinking from a bottle and displaying cleavage sparingly were signs of holding yourself well.

While for men having a firm handshake, knowing when to admit you’re wrong and owning a tailored suit made the cut.

A spokesperson from European fashion brand Peter Hahn, who commissioned the study, said: “Projecting the essence of class successfully requires a number of factors to work harmoniously, from your dress sense to your manners to your skillset.

“It helps if you have read your way through a bookcase of classics or can speak a couple of languages, but if your skirt is too short, your bow tie too sloppy or your posture too lax, your classy persona can falter.”

Age is also a factor in levels of class. Brits believe the optimum age for classiness is 45 and that men and women generally get better with age, though men more so.

Dignified decorum on social media is a must for a quarter of the respondents, while a fifth thinks wine knowledge is a sign of sophistication.

Despite these simple rules of class and etiquette, 86 per cent of Brits believe that people lack class nowadays.

In fact, an honest 36 per cent happily admit to having no class, with just one in 10 respondents  confident in their classy credentials.

Nearly three quarters of those surveyed think that a touch of class is an important trait, but also believe that the manners, behaviour and fashion sense necessary are dying out in modern times.

As for the decade with the most charm and swagger, the 1950s come out on top followed by the decadent 1920s.

By comparison, just one per cent of those surveyed chose our current decade as the classiest of the last hundred years.

The Peter Hahn spokesperson added: “We’re all accustomed to the adage ‘sex sells’, but actually leaving something to the imagination can be much more alluring than the shortest skirts or an overt cleavage.

“At Peter Hahn we know that a well cut garment will achieve the perfect silhouette, which is far more likely to get you noticed for all the right reasons.”

TOP 10 SIGNS OF A CLASSY WOMAN:

1. Wears subtle make-up
2. Ages gracefully
3. Confidence
4. Never drinks directly from the bottle
5. Accepts compliments graciously
6. Doesn’t wear heels higher than she can walk in
7. Always smells nice
8. Doesn’t downplay her intelligence
9. Reveals cleavage sparingly
10. Wears dresses tight enough to show she’s a woman, but loose enough to prove she’s a lady

TOP 10 SIGNS OF A CLASSY MAN:

1. Respectful of women
2. Holds the door open for others
3. Takes pride in his appearance
4. Stands up when women join the dining table
5. Takes his hat off when indoors and in the company of women
6. Has a firm handshake
7. Knows when to admit he’s wrong
8. Owns a tailored suit
9. Always smells nice
10. Wears crisp white shirts

Photo credits:

1. www.pinterest.com

2. wheretoget.it

3. rebloggy.com