While you weren't born cool, you can always be cool. Miles Davis became one by experimenting with his music, while Audrey Hepburn became one thanks to her charm. Anyone who has ever been on a motorcycle, has ever picked up a guitar or has found the perfect leather jacket knows it: being cool is a question of attitude. Even the most shy person who tends to act as wallpaper can discover this side of himself by learning to stand out from the crowd, to anticipate and cultivate his own image. Read on to learn more.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Stand out from the crowd
Step 1. Try to define the word “cool”
Before you can consider yourself a particularly smart person, capable of arousing envy, you need to understand what it means to you. When is it time to open up and show your sparkling side? When to talk about the last concert you attended? When to tell that you jumped off the stage? Behaving cool at work is definitely different than doing it in school, and you can learn to distinguish cool people from those who aren't and act accordingly.
- In a very large group of people, like your class or a whole company, try to find a smaller group to befriend and be cool with. Try to be viewed in this way and to distinguish yourself from those who are not.
- In a smaller group of people, it may be more appropriate to seem aloof to play cool. But if you overdo it, everyone will probably think you are weird, not cool. Identify people similar to you and make sure that your group is considered "in".
Step 2. Act like you've been cool for a while
According to an analysis carried out on cool guys, the traditional indicators attributed to this way of being are based on a very precise perception. People think cool people stand out due to their experience, maturity and knowledge. This doesn't mean you have to have spent a good chunk of your time hanging out in concerts, underground rock clubs or foreign countries to be considered cool, and it doesn't mean you have to start flaunting everything you've done either. You can learn to cultivate a mysterious and lived attitude to convince others.
- Learn to give vague answers to specific questions asked about your experiences to look cool. If someone asks you if you are a virgin or if you have ever smoked a cigarette, answer "What is this, the sewing club?" or "What a boring question" and change the subject. The other person will have to regret asking you.
- Never make up experiences. Lying won't make you look cool. What's the point of saying you've been abroad or that the back seat of your car has seen a lot of hard stuff? The truth always comes out in the end, so you'll look bad and feel embarrassed.
Step 3. Disagree with popular opinion currently in vogue
Acting cool means being different and doing what can help you stand out in a crowd. You will float lightly on the boredom of the world. You can't be a sheep if you want to get cool. Other people should want to be like you, because you will be a trendsetter, surprise them with your fresh points of view and oppose clichés.
- Play devil's advocate when participating in group discussions and various conversations. You don't have to dwell on what is right or what is wrong, just challenge the expectations of others and, every now and then, disagree with what they say for the sheer sake of it. Are all your friends making fun of a teacher? Defend it. Being different is cool.
- Alternatively, it might be cooler to join the rest of the crowd in some cases. In junior high, acting cool could mean enjoying Justin Bieber's latest song, even if it doesn't drive you crazy. You can listen to good music when you are alone. But the important thing is to try not to lose sight of yourself.
Step 4. Slow down
Let the world go to you. Behaving cool means relaxing, not jumping into everything, because that won't allow you to be. Instead, calm down, take a step back and wait.
- Let others speak first. Practice good listening skills, staying silent until someone else starts a conversation. Acting cool means you're not desperate for small talk. Stay on your own, you don't have to be the one to speak first.
- Take long pauses before speaking, even if you're pretty sure what you're going to say. Dramatic pauses will give others a chance to contemplate your intelligence and your seriousness. Be stoic, like Katharine Hepburn, Clint Eastwood and all the other titans of this way of being.
- Don't forget to slow down your movements too. Walk slower. Look around you, observing what surrounds you. Dwell on what you are experiencing. Walk at a safe and slow pace, without running and without haste.
Step 5. Ignore those who don't think highly of you
Uncool people tend to have a mission, which is to demoralize those who are. From Kanye West to Pablo Picasso, passing through Yoko Ono, all cool individuals have their detractors, and that's sad. If you join the ranks of super cool people and start acting like one, you will become an enviable person with a great life. Of course this will attract criticism from detractors. Get the callus.
- Keep an eye on your social networks, remove from friends list or ignore those who hate your grandeur. You don't have to listen to them. Instead, surround yourself with people who will cheer you up and support you in your quest.
- Be prepared to respond in a detached way to detractors. If someone tries to make fun of the clothing you're sporting at school by rhetorically asking "What are you wearing ?!", have a cool answer ready, you never know: "Maybe I should let my mother dress me, like you do. ".
- Show off your way of being and pour out your grandeur to others. The bigger your cool group gets, the less likely you are to be bothered by detractors. Make sure you have more and more friends with similar interests to yours so you don't have to be a lone wolf.
Step 6. Make friends with lots of people and don't neglect them
Mistakenly, cool guys are thought to form exclusive, closed-in groups, so if one of your friends fails the entry test, they'll be cut off. Cool people treat everyone with respect and kindness, regardless of who they are.
- Try to have a diverse circle of friends. Make friends with your classmates who aren't necessarily considered cool and stand up for them if they offend them. Cultivate good relationships instead of fueling resentment.
- According to some recent studies, kids considered cool in middle and high school end up experiencing functional difficulties during their first years as adults, this is because in the past they pretended to have more experience than they really did, they alienated their friends and close people. Don't make the same mistake. You don't have to go scorched behind you to be cool. Nurture your friendships.
Method 2 of 5: Look Cool
Step 1. Find a cool icon
By now everything has been invented in the fashion world. Unless you want to wear an isothermal blanket and apply green eyeshadow on your cheeks, it will be difficult to discover anything new in this area. The best and fastest way to make your style cool is to choose a muse, icon or idol, from which you will be inspired. Actors, musicians and even older brothers or sisters can be great style icons. Here are some timeless examples:
- Paul Newman, in the movie "Nick Cold Hand". Sometimes it is enough to fish out among the great classics of cinema. Convict outfit and banjos never looked this cool before Newman sported them in this movie. Study her icy gaze and shrewd exits to cultivate your style. Bonus: being familiar with this old movie will make you stand out among all your friends, probably obsessed with "Transformers". Also take a cue from Steve McQueen in "Bullitt", Peter Fonda in "Easy Rider" and Johnny Cash concerts.
- Audrey Hepburn, in "Breakfast at Tiffany's". Hepburn's charm and glamor made her a style icon in the 1960s. As he taught us, sophistication and diversity can go hand in hand. Plus, watch any Brigitte Bardot or Anna Karina-inspired movie in “Band à part” (you'll get extra points for watching a French movie!) And Nancy Sinatra movies on YouTube.
- Vintage fashion photography. Inspired by Mae West, Betty Page and the releases of "Vogue" between the mid-fifties and seventies. Pop into the library or bookstore, and you'll find tons of cool books and magazines. If you need a breath of fresh air when it comes to style, take a cue from the past.
Step 2. Create a cool and flattering wardrobe
Buy clothes that fit you well and that make you feel cool. You don't have to cultivate a certain style, more than anything else you should exude a certain self-confidence and look charming. Make sure that the clothes you wear fit perfectly: they should enhance your body, in order to boost your self-esteem.
- Some items of clothing won't necessarily look good on everyone; skinny jeans and high-waisted trousers are an example of this. If a garment doesn't flatter you, don't wear it. Also, try to wear clothes that you like.
- Put on your sunglasses: it's a key accessory to look cool. In fact, in the world of cool fashion there is a constant: glasses suit everyone. Buy a pair that flatters the shape of your face (graduate if you have vision problems) and show them off when you go out. Keeping them indoors is not cool.
Step 3. Relax and feel good in your skin
Check out old interviews with Johnny Cash or Meryl Streep. They give the impression that they know something that everyone else does not know and seem calm and full of experience. This is undoubtedly cool. Above all, it is essential to be relaxed. You have to give the idea of feeling comfortable in your own skin, as if you are comfortable in the world around you.
Try not to anxiously stamp your feet or bite your nails, even when you are alone. Sit down in a composed and contemplative way. Anxiety is contagious, dignity is cool
Step 4. Choose your style
There is no absolute one to be considered cool. You know yourself better than anyone else and you know what you like, so if you want to cultivate a certain style and leave everyone speechless, it is important to choose a consistent way of dressing. Do you like rock style? Trendy? As a nerd? Each subculture carries its own dictates in terms of fashion. When you decide to stick to a certain style, try to stick with it.
Method 3 of 5: Be Cool and Athletic
Step 1. Get back in shape
From Michael Jordan to Mia Hamm, athletes and people who care for their bodies are cool. Sportsmen have the innate ability to be relentless and want to win at all costs, and this affects many people. This feature makes them cool in the eyes of many. If you want to be like this too, the first step is to get back in shape and start making good use of your body: practice sports, exercise and dedicate yourself to different types of physical activity. You don't have to go pro, but be toned and snappy.
- If you like to play sports, pick one and join a team or cultivate a particular skill. Play football, basketball, golf, tennis or any other sport that fills you with energy and the desire to compete. Give it your all in what you do. By playing often and exercising, you will get back in shape.
- If you don't like the classic sports that require a ball and net to play, you can still get in shape by doing yoga, running, lifting weights, biking or hiking. These are all excellent ways to regain your weight and get toned, without having to join a team.
Step 2. Show that you are cool when you play sports
Athletes are generally driven by the desire to win, so it's a good idea to take the field and prove what you're made of. Whether you belong to a team or play an individual sport, do everything you can to win. You must always aspire to victory, whether you participate in a board game or a national championship.
- Take any opportunities you have to compete seriously. When Rafael Nadal got hurt and was forced to stop to recover, the thought of not being able to play got so bad that he devoted himself body and soul to poker so he wouldn't lose his competitive side, and that's cool.
- Learn to know how to win and how to lose. Being cool means making yourself and others successful and pushing your limits, but it also means understanding that, after all, it's still a game. If you lose, congratulate the opponent and try to have the right dignity to appreciate his achievement. There is nothing cool about complaining after a loss.
Step 3. Show off your skills regularly
A cool athlete is always on the front line to intervene, to compete and to move. Spending a full day indoors doing crafts and watching “Battlestar Galactica”? Forget it. A cool athlete wants to start the day by cycling 10km, refueling with fruit and oats and shooting the basket until the last free minute before having to go to school or work. Cool athletes take advantage of every opportunity to get involved and overcome a new milestone.
Go to the park and gym to meet like-minded athletes. Host casual matches in your area to make new friends and fuel your competitive spirit. Give your all on the pitch
Step 4. Get the right equipment
The tools and clothing for practicing sports are essential. As with any hobby, be it volleyball or cycling, various equipment is needed that will help you cultivate your cool image. To buy everything you need and not spend a lot, go shopping in a sporting goods outlet. Equipment of this type can cost a lot, so try to inform yourself and take a few rounds to find it at a good price.
- Here are some brands that are well suited to cool athletes: North Face, Patagonia, Under Armor, Nike and Adidas. These companies produce both normal clothing and specific equipment for a variety of purposes. Choose the right ones based on your interests. In fact, every sport requires very specific tools to be practiced; little by little you will understand what you need.
- Memorabilia and jerseys from your favorite team are equally popular with cool athletes. If you love basketball, get yourself a vintage Sixers jacket and cap. Show your sporting passion with clothing.
Step 5. Watch the games and choose your sports icons
Cool athletes usually take inspiration from the most famous ones to get better and better and motivate themselves. If you like one in particular, it is important to follow what it does. Learn about the team's achievements and what they do when they're not playing. A cool athlete always reads sports newspapers and specialized web pages to know if Kobe will really retire, if Cristiano Ronaldo's knee is completely healed and if RGII can live up to the promotion that was made to him.
Choose your favorite teams, find out who their rivals are and don't neglect the teams in your city or region. For many there is no point in being a huge Yankees fan if they live on the other side of the world, unless they have a very specific connection to this team. Authenticity is another important factor in being cool
Method 4 of 5: Be Cool like a Rockstar
Step 1. Read cool books and magazines
One of the best ways to be as up-to-date as possible is to find out about the most interesting books, newspapers and articles online. If you're going to look cool, you need to get involved with everything that will help you be cool. Obviously, try to focus on what you like and always discover something new, so you will have good conversation topics.
- Read cool books; examples are the great classics of literature, such as “On the Road” by Kerouac, “The glass bell” by Plath, “100 years of solitude, by Marquez. Read also contemporary books, such as those by Tao Lin, Karen Russell, Roberto Bolano or Haruki Murakami.
- Read cool cultural magazines, especially foreign ones, such as "Vice", "Bomb", "The Believer", "Aesthetica", "Oxford American", "The Brooklyn Rail" and "Interview".
- Check out cool cultural sites, like The Onion, Aquarium Drunkard, Slate, Narrative, and Brooklyn Vegan.
Step 2. Listen to cool music
Music is the lifeblood of young people of this type and it is essential that it is part of your existence. In fact, you should be aware of what is the best, past and contemporary music. You don't want to be one of those old-fashioned people who ask everyone at parties if they've ever heard of Radiohead.
- Check out record labels of yesteryear, such as Numero Group, Tompkins Square and Light in the Attic to learn more about the music of the past. If uncool kids go crazy for Mumford and Sons, you should dig deeper by discovering Laurel Canyon folk, Minneapolis soul compositions, and the weirdest ambient music of the 1980s. To be cool, discover artists with good quality but little known music.
- Attend concerts in your city to learn more about the local music scene. If you can find a successful future band, you can tell your friends that you have known this band since it was playing in your basement. And that will make you absolutely cool.
- Collect vinyl records, both old and new. CDs are dead and mp3s aren't as glamorous as a pile of vinyls. Nowadays, however, most discs can be downloaded, which means you can listen to them on your iPod too, without having to give up anything.
Step 3. Try to be detached
Do not be exalted by anything or anyone. Being cool also means cultivating a certain coldness, as if your life were so full of interesting things that you don't even notice them anymore. Have you just found out you've won an all-inclusive trip to Mexico? Shrugs: "I guess it will be a good experience." Did your boyfriend break up with you in front of all your friends? Just laugh at it. He was a loser after all.
Alternatively, if you've been invited to a party full of cheeky people, scoffing at everyone, and not even bothering to say hello, it might be cooler to make you hear. Try to make jokes, joke, and speak out loud. In short, identify the current followed by everyone and do the opposite to behave in a cool way
Step 4. Don't make any long-term commitments to anything and feel free to change your mind regularly
Some cool things are timeless. White t-shirts and Converse? I'm always cool. The motorcycles and the bass? Idem. However, you must also foresee the fashions that will come by observing the underground scene and discovering a future success. This means getting off the Harlem Shake train before it gets too inflated. Being cool means being competitive and ahead of the times.
When you see that a previously cool piece of clothing is now being sold in the hypermarket, the trend has become too inflated. When you hear a band's song in a jewelry commercial, it's probably not cool anymore. Once a product hits the pinnacle of popular culture, it's time to find something new, without even thinking about it
Step 5. Hang out with musicians, artists and creative people
There is nothing cooler than being in a band, doing weird artistic performances, or being an eccentric and well-rounded person. Date such people and you will be really cool.
- Hit the trendiest bars to meet the most bohemian people in the area. Bring a cool book you are reading with you and dress right. You can also participate in art gallery openings, concerts and poetry readings. You will attract individuals similar to you.
- At school or outside, find out about the existence of afternoon clubs dedicated to art, music or foreign languages. You could participate to meet other cool and worldly people. It's a good way to make interesting friends. Can't find any such association? Create one yourself.
Step 6. Develop eccentric or bizarre habits
Acting cool means having a strong interest in less common fields, topics and issues. Cool people deviate from the norms. They do amazing things to inspire others to learn something new and to enable them to cultivate different interests. You can mature some quirks that will make you stand out and notice.
- You may be carrying a stick with a rattlesnake on the handle for no particular reason. Maybe you can develop a certain passion for exotic butterflies and collect them to decorate your room. The line that exists between bizarre eccentricity and being cool is sometimes thin. Have fun and try your hand at an activity that is weird, unique and that you really enjoy.
- For example, you can collect prepaid calling cards. In short, look for something quirky that makes you look different and cool. But even the simplest actions, like ordering a Bloody Mary in the morning or deciding not to see “Forrest Gump”, can qualify you as one. You don't have to see "Lost" because everyone you know has followed.
Step 7. When it comes to your look, make sure it looks scruffy, but don't overdo it
Acting cool means that you want to look just right to look it, without giving the impression that you put in too much effort to get it. Do the bare minimum to keep your hair, clothes, and makeup at bay.
- Jeans and t-shirts shouldn't be ironed, but they shouldn't be particularly wrinkled or dirty either. Wearing ripped jeans is cool, and the same goes for boots and sneakers that have paint splattered on them, as if you just walked out of your studio.
- Necklaces, bracelets, and piercings are usually cool, if you like them. Choose the one you prefer. Shark tooth necklaces will also look good on Johnny Depp, but they won't necessarily flatter you. Combine whatever looks cool to you to create your look.
- Wash your hair before bed rather than in the morning. Going to bed with slightly damp hair will allow you to get that body and frizz that is typical of rock stars, but without going overboard. You can always comb them to prevent them from being too messy.
- Cool makeup is generally minimalist. Try to have a natural look, emphasizing your best features and your colors.
Step 8. For clothing and entertainment, go for vintage
Clothes, movies and music tend to be more prominent if they are classic. Classic Ray-Bans are cooler than Oakleys. Italian auteur films of the seventies are cool, Michael Bay's are not. Old-school synthesizers and analog guitar effects might be cooler than their digital counterparts. Tape recorders are cooler than Ableton Live.
Method 5 of 5: Be Cool and Smart
Step 1. Find the most innovative things of the moment and find out about them
Technology, fashion, culture and many other sectors can change in an instant. Being cool requires movement. Try to catch up on the newest, freshest and coolest things out there.
- Cool and smart people are always well informed. They see the memes three days before they appear on your wall and always have opinions on the newest, most efficient, and most innovative releases in the tech world. The latest Facebook privacy updates? They read them three days before everyone else.
- Try to update your electronic devices as soon as possible. The latest programs, apps, games and trends are usually cooler than the slightly dated variants. The latest iPhone is cooler than the old. Why do you keep going to the bookstore? Buy an e-reader now. You have to be that person who always has the latest tech gadgets, arousing envious glances while on the train.
Step 2. Find new ways to do whatever is necessary
Shopping, eating and traveling as they used to do before? How boring. Smart and cool people don't waste time going to the mall, they opt for online shopping and have everything delivered to their home. They don't go around hotels, they look for the cheapest solutions on the internet and they get there by finding a ride on Uber. Keep up with the latest consumer-only releases and innovations.
You don't have to be on the internet all the time to find out about the most unusual consumer trends. Even in your neighborhood you can look for new restaurants, always go in search of something innovative, understand what will be successful in the future. Be restless and move
Step 3. Develop a good online presence
Smart and cool people brag about the followers they have on Twitter and take their virtual actions seriously. From social networks to your websites, passing through the account you have to play World of Warcraft, your web presence should be fully analyzed and matured. Does your wikiHow account not have a picture of you? We are not.
Online friends are like those in real life. Cultivate friendships with people you know on the internet who will capture your particular sense of humor, interests and personality. If you spend a good amount of time on these interactions, you will realize that online communities can be very welcoming. You may feel right at home
Step 4. Take school seriously and try to train yourself in the round
Being smart and cool obviously means you have to take care of your culture. Get excited about turning your interests into a career. Study the most innovative fields and related intellectual developments. See school as a way to enter the profession you dream of, and work towards your bright future.
- Develop your thirst for knowledge in different areas, not just those that interest you or in which you want to specialize. If you want to become a hacker, you should also be able to quote "Macbeth" anyway. If you want to be a writer, learn to create something with your own hands, don't just make your brain work.
- You need to know that it's not cool at all to avoid doing homework, even if the popular kids in your school don't seem to be putting in too much effort. Remember that what you learn now will help you enter college, where you will be surrounded by great, intelligent and wonderful people, while those who are cool for now will not go anywhere.
Step 5. Dress as you please
Giving the idea of paying too much attention to brands, styles, or other trends might seem downright uncool. You have to give the impression that fashion is the least of your thoughts. Dress in a practical and comfortable way, not to be trendy. Going around sporting a huge logo, as if you were a billboard? No thanks.
Original t-shirts are essential for this type of look. Shop online to find ones that have cute prints and phrases that only you and your friends will understand, while others won't. Did you find a Monty Python shirt you like? Fantastic
Advice
- Try to style your hair according to your style.
- Don't forget to smile, it always allows you to look sociable.
- Don't neglect your friends, make yourself heard, otherwise they'll think you've forgotten them.
Warnings
- Don't judge others. If you do this all the time, you will seem insecure, because you will give the impression of being scared of the judgment of others, so that is why you criticize everyone.
- Don't be a bully.
