I didn’t spend that much time thinking about femininity until I had my daughter. Femininity is one of many things I want to model for her. I’ve never fit the stereotype of a “girly girl,” so this is a little intimidating.
Thankfully, I don’t think that being feminine is about wearing lots of pink or painting your nails. Femininity is defined as the quality or nature of females. It is the collective attributes and behaviors that characterize women.
With this definition in mind, what are some easy things we can do to enhance our femininity?
Easy ways to enhance femininity
- Behave like a lady. Simple, ladylike behaviors such as allowing men to open doors for us, practicing common courtesy (e.g., saying “please,” “thank you,” “pardon,” or “excuse me” when appropriate), and dressing suitably for the occasion do a lot to heighten our femininity.
- Speak considerate words. When women open their mouths and speak profanity, lies, and unwarranted criticisms, the harshness and ugliness of their words eclipse their femininity. If, on the other hand, we follow the Biblical mandate to speak in ways that build others up (Ephesians 4:29), the beauty of our words will highlight our femininity.
- Smile. There’s nothing feminine about a frown or scowl. Simply putting smiles on our faces will brighten them, giving us softer appearances and joyful auras.
- Wear flattering clothes. Though we want to dress modestly and we want our beauty to come from the inside (1 Peter 3:3-4), we don’t have to wear dowdy clothes that make us unattractive. Because we come in various shapes, sizes, and skin tones, different cuts of clothing and colors flatter our bodies. With a little research and experimentation, we can identify the various styles and colors that flatter our respective bodies.
- Use skin care products and cosmetics judiciously. Depending on how we use them, skin care products can augment or detract from our femininity. Lightly sprayed perfume or body spray can give us a feminine scent. Small amounts of makeup can complement our natural appearances (though this is true, I do prefer not to wear makeup). Moisturizers and lotions can help keep our skin hydrated and soft.
- Emulate the Proverbs 31 woman. I know this sounds cliché, but hear me out. The 31st chapter of Proverbs is the only place is the Bible where we see a lengthy description of an estimable woman. If this is what a woman should be, then she epitomizes femininity. This means that we, too, will exude femininity if we follow her example in being virtuous, trustworthy, hardworking, generous, economical, prudent, honorable, and God-fearing.
I’m excited to see how these simple strategies can help me grow as a woman. Are you as feminine as you’d like to be? If not, how do you try to grow in your femininity?
Shared on the following link-ups:
Faith Filled Wednesday, Titus 2sday, Titus 2 Tuesday, Monday’s Musings, The Art of Home-Making, Making Your Home Sing, Blog Fair, Faith and Fellowship and Shine Blog Hop.
Don’t stop at Proverbs 31, she wasn’t a real woman anyway, just an ideal. There are many God fearing real women in the Bible worthy of deep study. Deborah, Sarah, Abigail, Junia, Jael, and Mary just to name just a few. Unlike the fictional, unatainable, perfect woman of Proverbs these women existed. They were flawed yet faithful, and served God in amazing ways. I’m not saying ignore Proverbs 31, just accept it for what it is.
Great point about studying the many women of the Bible! I’ve always been an advocate of women learning from all of Scripture, not just Proverbs 31 (this is why I once wrote about Why Proverbs 31 is Insufficient for Christian Women). Interestingly, I think the women of the Bible you mention display many of the virtues we see praised throughout the book of Proverbs. Thanks for highlighting this benefit of reading all of Scripture!
Being feminine in this world is so hard but so very important. Thank you so much for sharing!
It can be a challenge, especially because there are so many ideas about it being thrown at us by our culture.
Acting like a lady. You’re speaking my language! I wrote a whole post about being a lady and how so many young women today have lost those values. You point out some great ways to be feminine.
Hi Tiffany,
That sounds like a great post! It’s definitely something that young women (and many not-so-young women) struggle with today.
Raising my Little Lady to be feminine and girly is so important to me since she has 2 big brothers. She loves to get rough and tough and dirty with them so I am definitely making it a priority. Thankfully, she does love girly things just as much but I want her to have a deeper beauty. Speaking kind words will be an important one since she can get bossy being the baby of the family. 😉
It sounds like you have a challenge on your hands, Ana. It’ll be fun teaching her that there is a time for being rough and tough and a time for being gentle and delicate.
I love this! I always get all inspired by movies with those 1950s housewives and long to be born in that era. Femininity is something we should be proud of!
Hi Brittney,
You make a great point about being inspired by past generations. We shouldn’t romanticize the past, but we can certainly be inspired by elements of it!
Such a lovely list! Thank you for sharing this on the Art of Home-Making Mondays! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for sharing. While I’m of a different faith tradition, I largely agree with you. I would add that bathing properly bespeaks much about femininity. Perfume has its place but a foundation of cleanliness can stand alone where it is part of one’s routine. A shower is totally adequate for men & even women on occasions where dashing out the door is necessary. However, the female body requires total immersion in warm soap and water in order to properly clean the feminine parts and it should be done regularly! Another aspect of feminine enhancement is dental care. Bad breath is never alluring or attractive. Some would rather spend money on nails and hair, but good dental care is more important. I could go on and on, but I’ll stop here.
Hi Pam,
I love how you describe bathing as a “foundation of cleanliness.” I didn’t even think to include basic hygiene here, but you are correct that no amount of perfume (or makeup, clothing, etc.) can replace good hygiene.
The dental care point is incredibly important. Dental care is often overlooked. It doesn’t just have an impact on your smile and breath. It actually has a significant impact on your overall health.
Thanks for sharing these additional thoughts!