Guys, does a self-proclaimed "classy woman" who shows too much skin or makes certain poses make you think less of her character?

[MCheetah]

Say, a woman presented herself as "classy, elegant, and dignified." But in outdoors public, she dressed like this. Would you think less of her? Or do you think she can dress in provocative clothing, show a lot of skin, or do risqué poses, and still be considered "classy?"

I looked up "elegant young woman" and got these pictures. They're NOT what I would consider "elegant" in a woman. Personally, they look trashy to me, in regards to being "classy and elegant."

Yes, showing too much skin or posing a certain way makes me think less of her character.

No, showing a lot of skin or doing sexual poses doesn't make me think less of her character.

It depends (please explain).

[Mia-Wallace]

In Victorian London if you showed your legs it was a sign that prostitution is your profession.

I don't want to pretend I don't enjoy nudity. I like to see naked bodies. I draw naked bodies. I even worship naked bodies. But we are talking about class (which is related to people's interaction in public in general and interaction of different classes in particular) and showing that much skin is simply not classy.

- "Classy" was and is associated with high class/social rank (Hence why even today when people dress classy, they are perceived to be wealthy)
- High class is associated with high society and wealth
- Wealth with high culture (and high culture with high art that is rife with small details and subtlety that is invisible to the untrained eye)

- High culture with education and experience (intellectual cultivation)
- Education and experience with intelligence
- Intelligence with self control

Classy women (and men) are exclusive and they have self control and respect others just as much as they demand respect.

Aimless and excessive pleasure seeking, excessive need for attention, distracting people with or without a clear purpose when they don't want it (disrespect and carelessness), making yourself the center of attention, etc. Are all signs you are not "classy".

Those are all values, but dress codes are (at least partly) based on what we value.
If you value gold, for example, you might wear bulky golden jewelry. But if you value gold as well as a concept called delicacy, then you will wear small and discrete golden accessories.

You're demonstrating almost all of those traits and behaviours when you're showing that much skin. (Unless you're living in a culture in which nudity is the norm. In that case you don't need to worry because you wouldn't know what class is).

And of course, there is a lot more to it, like the fact that nudity (in society not art) was historically associated with poverty and vulnerability and slavery, and a lack of culture etc. But mentioning them is enough for now I think.

One other point is: Subtlety (already mentioned it). There is always subtlety in the aesthetics of elegance. Your approach to sexiness is always covert, not overt. Everything has an aim and place, there is consistency and grace, and less is more.

[A_Bell]

I have no respect for women who dress like a sex object and the object when people treat them like one.

The old saying goes "dress for the job you want, not the job you have." A lot of these "classy" ladies want to work the street corner.

[natured]

Women should understand showing skin as nothing to do with elegance.
I grew up in the fashion world, growing in the middle of the fashionistas in Italy, SKIN WAS NEVER CONSIDERED elegant, there is a limit to showing skin.

If you go to a Gala, a long elegant dress is required, if you hide your legs under the long dress and show your shoulders and a little bit of the breast split that's perfectly fine. (like the picture below)

But if you show up with a long dress that is cut ALL THE UP YOUR BELLY BUTTOM and your breast is suffering because it's literally SQUEEZED then NO... to me it's not elegance.
Elegance in daily basis, has also nothing to do with SKIN, i have to wear elegant clothing when I go to work, there is no way i'd disrespect my work place with my breast out and mini skirts that's ugly. TO ME.
I don't care if you come to me saying " WE CAN WEAR WHATEVER WE WANT" you can, nobody will stop you...

[JosyJosy]

I'll never see the link with elegance and wearing revealing clothing. You don't have to show skin to be classy, in fact I don't even see that as classy at all

[hahahmm]

Yes. If she wants to act like an object, it's fair to judge her like all the other objects in the store window.

[pleasestopthis]

I would think she needs to re-define her concepts of "class" and "elegance". There are ways of being sensual without putting all the meat on the rack for everyone to see. Less is more.

[JesseJayNeak]

Yes because that's the total opposite of classy