14 empowering traits of a classy lady

Class may be hard to define, but it’s easy to spot.

A classy woman gives off an aura that makes her quality stand out from the crowd.

But what are the fundamental traits of a classy lady?

Classy women are known for their grace, poise, elegance, and sophistication. They exude confidence and charm.

In this article, we’ll look at the empowering characteristics that define her and make her such a catch.

What are the empowering qualities of a classy woman?

1) She respects herself and others

“R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Find out what it means to me.”

A classy woman respects herself and others.

She knows how to look, act, and carry herself with dignity. And because she is confident in who she is, she doesn’t need anyone else to validate her worth.

Neither will she tolerate anyone trying to tear her down or walk all over her.

The respect she feels towards herself, she honors others with too.

She accepts people for who they are and shows tolerance. Even when she doesn’t agree.

2) She is poised, even in stressful situations

A classy woman is ready for anything life throws her way.

Even when someone tests her patience, she isn’t going to let them get to her.

Whether she’s walking into a room full of people or dealing with a challenging situation, she stays calm and composed.

Her composure comes from being well-prepared and knowing exactly what she needs to do to handle any situation.

It’s important for a classy woman to remain dignified. This allows her to see things clearly and respond accordingly.

3) She knows herself inside and out

A classy lady has self-awareness in spades. She understands herself better than most people ever will.

And while she might not always like what she sees, she can accept herself as she is. This helps her understand her core values, what motivates her, and where she wants to go in life.

It also helps her with her external relationships with others. She doesn’t beg for love or attention because she has built up a strong connection with herself. 

But this is not always easy to achieve. It takes practice, and a shift in mentality to get to this level of classiness and self-love.

4) She considers her words carefully

Words are powerful. A classy woman will tell you the truth, but always with tact.

She will understand that people are incredibly sensitive to the words that we use.

This means she won’t carelessly say something hurtful. When you need to hear the blunt truth, you can rest assured it’s absolutely necessary.

When she does speak up, she makes sure to choose her words wisely.

She avoids using language that could easily offend or upset someone. Instead, she chooses words that are true and honest.

That means she is unlikely to throw around vulgarities or extreme language.

She is probably very well-mannered. She realizes that the words we choose to express ourselves say a lot about us.

5) She has integrity

Having integrity involves knowing what she believes, and being authentic and true.

A classy woman doesn’t pretend to be something she’s not. She speaks her mind, and sticks by it. Keeping her word is important to her.

Whether she’s talking to friends, colleagues, partners, or strangers, she’ll always be upfront and honest.

She may not agree with everything another person says, but she won’t lie about it either. And when she does disagree, she’ll do so respectfully.

It’s easy to lose sight of what really matters in life. But if you’ve got integrity, you know exactly what you stand for.

You don’t change your beliefs because other people think differently. These are the deepest values she is unprepared to compromise on.

6) She knows how to present herself well

When I talk about being able to present herself well to others, I mean both aesthetically and in character too.

A classy lady is aware of her appearance, but that doesn’t mean she is vain. She realizes that in the real world what you choose to wear, and how you carry yourself is a reflection of you.

So you may notice that good posture, stylish clothes, and tasteful makeup are tools she uses to show the world her class.

But equally important to her are good manners, great communication, and positive body language. She knows how to read a room and behave accordingly.

She understands that all these things collectively create a great first impression.

7) She understands her worth in relationships

One of the signs you are dating a classy woman is someone who has clear boundaries.

You won’t find a classy lady chasing after deadbeat guys. In fact, you won’t ever catch her chasing a man period.

She knows her value, and she expects any guy she allows into her life to see it too.

She’s not prepared to compromise herself only to try to please him. Why chase when you can have him flock to you?

8) She doesn’t feel threatened by other women

 A classy woman wants only the best for her fellow sisters.

She doesn’t feel uncomfortable in the presence of strong and capable women. She thrives off of it because she knows she is in great company.

Classy ladies understand that they aren’t competing against each other. Instead, they work together to support one another.

A classy woman feels confident that success isn’t a limited resource.  And so her motto is collaboration over competition.

Feeling jealous of or threatened by other women is a sign of insecurity. A classy woman isn’t shaken by other women’s success.

She’s not wasting her time comparing her life to other women’s. Instead, she focuses on helping herself and other women rise up.

9) She graciously accepts compliments

A classy woman knows how to take a compliment.

When someone tells her something nice, she appreciates it. But she doesn’t dwell on it.

She is comfortable enough in her own skin to not bat compliments away in a dismissive manner.

The self-love, self-worth, and self-esteem she holds mean that hearing kind words doesn’t make her squirm.

But neither does she let it go to her head. Instead, she uses it to motivate her to do better. She doesn’t rely on validation to feel good, but she humbly accepts the admiration of others.

10) She is humble

Humility is an essential part of classiness.

A classy woman understands that she is only as good as the company she keeps. And she doesn’t expect others to treat her like royalty. She knows that everyone has their own journey and they deserve respect.

Humility can seem increasingly rare these days. In a world where we are encouraged to brag about and exaggerate our lives on social media, it’s hard not to get sucked into showing off.

A lot of people spend their time actively trying to come across as superior to others and brag openly.

But not a classy woman.

At her core, she believes in equality. She knows that everyone deserves the same opportunities and has the same intrinsic value as she does.

11) She listens as much as she talks

Sure, a classy woman has a lot to say for herself. She loves sharing her thoughts and ideas. But she also understands the importance of deep and active listening.

She knows that getting someone’s attention in life is not about who makes the most noise. It’s about allowing everyone else a voice too.

Classy ladies know what research has shown — that we tend to like people more who ask us questions.

So when she gets the chance to listen, she will ask thoughtful questions that show she is interested in getting to know the person she is talking with.

12) She wants to help

A classy woman wants to contribute to others in life.

She will offer her help without the expectation of anything in return. For her, it’s the giving itself that is its own reward.

She knows there’s a lot of truth to what researchers have discovered that the key to a more meaningful and happy life lies in helping others.

She is prepared to share her time, resources, skills, and knowledge.

She’ll also want to chip in wherever she can. Even if that’s offering to do the dishes after you cooked. Or offering to run an errand when you’re snowed under.

A classy lady doesn’t think these things are beneath her. She wants to be useful and supportive in big ways and small.

13) She won’t be dragged into the dirt

A woman’s class is equally as defined by what she doesn’t do just as much as by what she does do.

A classy lady doesn’t waste her precious time on energy-draining activities like gossiping or complaining.

Instead, she focuses on doing the things that bring out the best in her and others.

It’s not that she is judgmental of others, but she won’t be pulled down to a level lower than her own principles and boundaries demand.

She steers clear of drama and will remove herself from situations when necessary.

14) She knows kindness is key

A classy woman is kind. Not only to those around her but also to herself.

She doesn’t judge herself harshly. And she doesn’t expect others to do so either.

She knows that self-compassion is an important factor in cultivating happiness. As such, she works hard to create this quality in herself.

She believes that kindness is a skill that anyone can develop. And she knows just how important it is in strengthening all of her relationships.

Practicing kindness can reduce stress levels in the body and increase the production of feel-good hormones like oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine.

A classy woman knows that a big dose of kindness will offer an instant boost to anyone’s day.