Act Like A Lady

"Act like a lady!" The admonition Mommy gave me any time I was going somewhere. I knew exactly what she meant. It seems, to me, that there aren't many mommas teaching their daughters what "acting like lady" means.
Many people think that Scarlett O'Hara would be the epitome of a Southern lady. I'd say they're wrong. Mommy and Granny would not have approved of many of Scarlett's ways. The true Southern lady in Gone With The Wind is Melanie Wilkes. Many people think that only rich Southern women are ladies. Again, they'd be wrong. My family were not rich Southerners. However, the women were ladies, and they taught us girls to be ladies.

Sissy and Reatha Jones

One of the first things that we learned  was to watch what we said. Scarlett was way too sassy. If she spoke to Granny like she did to Mammy or Melanie, Granny would have quickly put an end to that. I'm not saying that Southern ladies are mealy-mouthed ninnies, but, instead, a lady would be more like Melanie. Calm, collected, kind--but, when needed, she speaks with conviction and strength. Southern ladies can also be some of the funniest ladies, yet they are funny with class. I was also taught that Southern ladies did not curse. It pains me to hear Southern women curse so loudly and freely. One can say more with an arched eyebrow and a steel magnolia look than all the curse words one knows. And, of course, Southern ladies know the power of a well-placed and appropriately spoken, "Bless your heart."
Southern ladies also know how to dress appropriately for an occasion.I know I'm from a different generation, but I dressed for birthday parties. We dressed in our Sunday best for church--even wearing gloves in the hot Miami summer. We also knew that a picnic called for shorts or jeans; a trip to the beach meant a bathing suit and at least a t-shirt for a cover-up. Southern ladies have the good sense to cover up the bits that the good Lord means to be covered. Mommy made sure I was always dressed appropriately. Maybe not store-bought clothes, but she would sew what I needed. Kind of like Scarlett using the drapes when Rhett came to visit. Appropriate for the situation.
Actions are important. Southern ladies do not fight or brawl in the dirt. They do not flirt indiscriminately. Although, when they choose to flirt, few men are able to resist. This is one thing that Scarlett was a master of and Melanie lacked! A Southern lady knows how to be the proverbial steel magnolia. Granny, Mommy, Aunt Nancy, and Aunt Frankie all had difficult times, but they endured with grace.My aunts and Granny had to work to support their families, yet they never lost their femininity.
My examples of true Steel Magnolias taught me that a Southern lady is more than her clothes, her words, or her actions. She is both tough and tender. She works hard and plays hard. She has faith in God and confidence in herself. She loves with all she has to give, and she will give all she has to those she loves.