There are two kinds of girls: classy and trashy. Derek Blasberg, author of “Classy: Exceptional Advice for the Extremely Modern Lady,” starts with this simple premise.
But don’t worry. You might not have been born a lady, but there is no reason you can’t learn to be one.
This book couldn’t have come at a better time, just when it seems the worst-behaved celebrities get all the attention, your Facebook friend with the trashiest photos gets the most “likes,” and the loudest girl at the party is having the most fun.
Blasberg says it’s time for a change.
Blasberg is from Missouri and rose to fashion-world popularity after coming to New York City, attending New York University and writing for magazines like Vogue, W, Harper’s Bazaar and Interview
It is his Midwestern background and good-natured humor that make his writing very likable. You can see yourself hanging out with him, maybe becoming best friends.
He lives in the vain, shallow world of celebrities and socialites but knows and wants to pass on the idea that filling your mind with worthless activities like reading the tabloids and engaging in gossip will get you nowhere.
Blasberg covers many aspects of life, from throwing a dinner party to cleaning up a filthy mouth. The book is overflowing with advice, quotes from famous designers past and present, photos of do’s and don’ts, and lists of books, movies, plays and artists.
The best way to approach this book is to take it little by little or pick it up when you have a question about something — such as what to pack when traveling abroad.
The first tips are for outward appearances, such as choosing three accessories that are simple and go with anything: big sunglasses, cocktail rings and brooches.
Clothing tells the world a lot about who you are and is always sending a message. Short and tight says tramp. Classy is never both of those.
Blasberg then covers social situations with tips that range from how to perfect a flattering photograph pose to when to put a cell phone down: at the dinner table, on a date, and in a meeting.
Other tips include how to have good guest etiquette, how to decode a party dress code, how to introduce people, and even how to sit properly in a skirt.
At the end of each chapter, Blasberg has a little quiz you can take to check your ranking on questions such as “Do you know how to throw down?” (plan a party); “Are you a social dead weight?” (concerning charm); and “What’s your travel style?” (some people really do best staying home).
There are also “Recessionista” pages for ideas on dressing stylishly on a tight budget and throwing a successful party with cheap champagne and Kentucky Fried Chicken buckets.
Blasberg covers more than just the fluff of life by devoting a chapter to learning, saying a lady should always expand her horizons, help others, and know what’s going on in the world.
I especially enjoyed his section on hard work. In today’s entitlement society — and in the world Blasberg inhabits — it is easy to see Generation Y as lazy, self-obsessed and narcissistic.
He ends with a section on paying your dues, saying the chance to intern or work at an entry-level job is your time to make a good impression by working hard. After all, Blasberg quotes, “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
Today’s young lady who is looking for advice on how to be a sophisticated modern woman only needs the motivation to do so and Blasberg’s Tiffany-blue “Classy” tucked fashionably under her arm.
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