Elegance is made, not born
Style is how you say who you are without speaking
For a while, I somewhat believed that elegance was an inherent quality. Some women, along with certain men, consistently appear remarkably fashionable. To them, elegance and style appear effortless, almost instinctive; for a long time, I believed these individuals were simply fortunate to be born with inherent grace.
But seven years ago, I got stuck at Rome Airport for almost twelve hours, and during that unexpected time, I realized elegance and style have much to do with a learning process. During my time in that airport, I was captivated by something my day-to-day life is missing: the presence of elegant men. I mean really elegant men: young, old, fat, thin… In front of my eyes, hundreds of Italian men were eating, chatting, waiting for their plane, boarding… and almost all of them looked completely impeccable.
I live in a Mediterranean country, and I share many things with Italians, but the celebration of an elegant style is not something we really have in common. So, seeing such an explosion of elegance made me realize you need to know elegance to be elegant. You need to know beauty in order to create beauty, as you need to know love in order to truly love.
The Premier League: Jackie and Lee
In my opinion, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and her sister Lee Radziwill were elegant because they had a kind of inner beauty that made them icons, but especially because they were trained to be that graceful.
Of course, they were thin, attractive, and intelligent. But since they were born, they had been educated in the best schools; they were introduced to art and society from a young age. Also, they knew about protocol, style, fashion, horseback riding, tennis, manners, music, French, and architecture. Of course, their family did not teach them all this because they wanted to make them successful independent women. They trained them to be the perfect upper-class marriage material, ready to marry the richest and most powerful men on Earth.
In that specific moment, being truly elegant was the key to achieving a dream life. Of course, that was a long time ago, and during their lifetimes, they were much more than just wives. They had to face many challenges, but that inner elegance, or savoir-faire, was present throughout their lives.
Actually, my preferred “moments” from these sisters occurred while they were on vacation in Capri during the 70s. They were both in their late thirties and early forties. Although they were young, they had already gained life experience. Thus, they were genuinely themselves. At that precise moment, they revealed their inner grace. They merged all their knowledge and decided to embrace their true selves. To me, it was when they turned into icons.
It was also the time they accepted simplicity since at times less is more. The Capri pants, Capri sandals, mini dresses, headscarves, signature belts, sunglasses, and kaftans made them very fashionable without the need for costly jewelry or excessive Botox.
Never is too late: Carolina Herrera
Carolina Herrera was and continues to be a beauty. Similar to Jackie and Lee, she was groomed to be the ideal upscale spouse. It appeared that her life was entirely set. She was gorgeous, wealthy, and wed. As a child, Carolina’s grandmother brought her to the most prestigious fashion shows in Paris, including Balenciaga, Dior, and Lanvin. Her palate was sophisticated from a young age.
She ended her marriage and relocated to New York with strong connections. She launched her business at the age of 41 and built a successful career, broadening her sophisticated perspective in fashion. She stepped down in 2018 after 37 years of dedicated labor, having built a business empire.
Carolina didn’t require a business degree to understand fashion, pattern creation, or business concepts. Fashion, art, interior design, and architecture have always been part of her life, and she continually pursued knowledge. Prior to establishing her brand, she had consistently worked in the fashion industry. She was the initial generation of affluent women who chose to pursue careers.
Prior to launching her business, she was aware of numerous aspects; being a perfectionist, she resolved to establish her presence in the fashion industry. Thus, we can state that she has worked hard to establish a realm of refined taste and sophistication. The pattern-making efforts of her team in transforming the blouse into a unique piece have been outstanding. As a result, her unique efforts have enhanced the beauty of the world.
My style icon: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy
Carolyn was born into a family of average income. However, their family was genuinely committed to her education. She and her siblings became accomplished, young, self-created professionals. Their family encouraged them to excel as professionals, while they themselves were driven, intelligent, and possessed a charisma that captivated everyone around them. Carolyn, just like her sisters, was the perpetual prom queen.
She demonstrates that one doesn’t have to be born into a wealthy family to achieve elegance. She focused on her profession; I guess she excelled at networking, and she polished her preferences. She served as a public relations manager for Calvin Klein. In the ‘90s, Calvin Klein epitomized everything you could desire—the ultimate minimalist label in the most minimalist fashion era, the ‘90s.
She demonstrated that you can appear timeless in simple jeans and a t-shirt, consistently using the same makeup. Her everyday attire consisted of quality staple garments, not strictly high-end labels, despite having access to them all. Some rather lavish items featured Prada mules, the Re-Edition 1995 Prada bag, and of course, a few Manolos. Of course, she belonged to Carrie Bradshaw’s New York era.
Naturally, her passing turned her into a symbol, the emblem of the 90s in America, representing New York’s golden decade.
In a world crowded with Kardashians, you can always opt to be a Jackie, a Lee, a Carolina, or a Caroline.