Shadowing Practice: You Don't Need Style You NEED Swag - Learn English Speaking with Video
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You don't need style, you need swag.
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Now what exactly is swag?
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Well, according to Mike Fresh from 2006, he defines swag to be the appearance, style, or the way he or she presents themselves.
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And that's exactly what it is.
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And then you also have other definitions like this one.
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A stupid excuse used by lame-ass thugs and hipsters to justify the bullshit style and fucked up color matching they wear.
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But I wanted to make this video
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because people seem to confuse the meaning behind style
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and swag Having nice style
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and having swag are not the same thing having style means
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knowing how to dress Well on the other hand you can have swag with no style now Of course
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if you have style and swag that's a bonus and
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if you don't have any style
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and no swag I I don't really know what to tell you
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and the modern version of swag
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that we're all familiar with is the term aura At least that's what the kids are saying nowadays
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But the hipster English language seems to find various ways to reinvent old words
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and twist the definition into Something else in the process, but this is where you may be thinking well, how do I get swag?
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How do I equip swag in my inventory?
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Well, if we remember what Mike fresh said swag is the way you carry yourself
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Which means at the end of the day This all comes down to you swag isn't something
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that can be bought in a store and sure Maybe some clothes
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or jewelry can amplify your swag But that all means nothing
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if you don't even have any swag in the first place
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And I'd also like to point out women can 100% have swag men women cat dog It really doesn't matter
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and instead of telling you how to be swaggy I'm instead going to show you people who have swag
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and we're gonna break down what they all have in common Now the first person
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that immediately comes to my mind
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when I think of the word swag is Allen Iverson really just had
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that I don't give a fuck what anyone says about me
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gonna do whatever the fuck I want whether you like it
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or not kind of mentality
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and sure enough that's exactly what he did the NBA literally
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hated Allen Iverson Robin Gibbon writes in the in the Washington
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Post today She said that's the body language of a thug
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and she's talking about the car Everything out this gangster prison attitude in fact they even implemented a dress code
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because of him but people loved it The fans loved it.
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He was cool Authentic and it created character, but he's one of those people who didn't just have swag He also had style as well.
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Like the outfits he wore just added on top of the swag that he already had.
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And another person that has style and swag is Princess Diana.
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Like, come on, man.
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She's wearing the fuck out of these clothes.
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And she's letting it be known that she has that shit on.
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She's really one of those people that can just make anything look good.
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It really doesn't matter what she's wearing.
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Like, let's just take a look at this photo of Pharrell Williams.
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Literally just wearing a t-shirt with a hat.
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That's it.
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But it's still swag.
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He just has something within him that just gives off that energy.
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Some people really just got it.
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Like, you can just tell when someone has that energy to them.
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It's the same for A$AP Rocky, Chief Keef.
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And man, honestly, if you want to talk about swag, Mario Bellatelli.
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This motherfucker has that shit on.
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When you have swag, there's really no such thing as a bad outfit.
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And I'm not even saying that his outfits are bad, but of course, his swag is much more than his outfit.
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His hair carries a lot of weight in his appearance, as well as the way he carries himself, which is also part of his swag.
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Like, deadass.
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I'm probably hating here, but this outfit right here really isn't even that special.
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The outfit only looks good because he's the one wearing it.
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I know that sounds like insane glaze.
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This video is pretty much just one big fucking glaze session, but it's true.
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Most people can't pull this outfit off.
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He's wearing cuffed joggers with whatever kind of shoes these are, but they all share the same characteristics in that they don't really give a fuck.
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It doesn't matter what people say about their hair, their clothes, their appearance.
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If they're going to do something or wear something, they're going to do it.
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They're relaxed and free.
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You can tell by the way they walk that they don't got to stick up their ass.
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You know, they're not walking around stiff as fuck.
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Everything is just natural to them.
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They don't really look out of place.
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They look like they belong in their body.
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They look like they belong in their clothes.
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You can wear as many clothes as you want.
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You can have the nicest outfits.
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But if you don't feel comfortable in your own skin, you're always just gonna feel like something's out of place.
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I'm saying this from experience.
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Swag is also something that just can't be forced.
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Like, you know when you look at someone and you can just tell they're being performative as fuck?
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That's just not who they really are.
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Like, they're playing the wrong role in a movie.
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Like, they're just trying too hard to be different.
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Or their whole personality is just, I'm different, so that means I'm better than you.
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Like you can't force something that isn't there
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if you have swag you have swag a lame person can get rich But
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that doesn't mean he's cool all of a sudden just means
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he's a lame person with money same thing for fashion There's
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a lot of people who put on clothes thinking the clothes are gonna make them cool
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But it's the complete opposite because you're supposed to make the clothes look cool
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And if the clothes look cool on top of you being cool, then that's a bonus a lot of these fashion people put on clothes
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And then all of a sudden they think they're better than everyone else
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or they just turn into a bunch of narcissistic assholes that makes fun of other people's outfits, and then they want to say they have swag.
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Like, bro
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if anything you're just an asshole it's almost like being confident
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versus being an arrogant piece of shit that's kind of what
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i would compare the real swag to whatever the fuck this fake swag
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or these fashion motherfuckers are um hopefully that makes sense but
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if you really want to know how to get your swag
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up there are lots of ways you can do this you
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don't need expensive pieces you don't got to be up to date with the latest fashion trends i cannot express this enough.
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The swag is everything.
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Swag can literally solve world hunger for fuck's sake.
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Now, if you want to come off as a bit more swaggy or just genuinely have a nice energy to your outfits, you have to take into account the little things about yourself.
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Even the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you smell.
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If you don't take any showers or bathe yourself, you should probably start doing that.
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I shouldn't be the one to tell you that.
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It really all comes down to the small details.
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Everything starts adding up.
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Find what's most comfortable for you.
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Some of you are gonna have to get out of your
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comfort zone A lot of you might be comfortable with Kind of having a fake fabricated personality
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Or even a fabricated fashion sense Just to please other people Maybe it's
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because your parents don't let you dress a certain way
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But for most people It's
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because you're the only person holding you back From dressing the way you want to dress
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Or acting the way you want to act Like bro, I'm wearing a white t-shirt right now With fucking Family Guy
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pajamas man Tell me my swag is in fire as fuck
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right now I'll walk the streets of Chicago wearing family guy pajamas and I will pull a 45 year old milk.
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I'm not saying I have swag, but at the very least, I'm confident in myself.
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That confidence is also going to show in my fuck.
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And that confidence is also going to show in my outfit.
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I've said this before and I'll say it again.
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I know it's not the easiest thing to do to just be confident.
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It's going to take years to build your confidence.
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You may never be confident in your life.
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There's a lot of videos out there, a lot of books you can read on how to build your confidence.
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But at the end of the day, what's going to make you be confident is through life experience.
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Swag is really just about knowing yourself and being the person you are at the end of the day.
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Everybody has their own swag.
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Swag is authentic.
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Swag is kind of like DNA.
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Everybody has different DNA.
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Everybody has a different fingerprint.
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Everybody has different swag.
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Listen, man, I've never met two people with the same swag in my life.
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Your swag could also be your attitude.
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If you want to be a dickhead, go ahead and be a dickhead as long as you're one of those nice assholes like
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if that's just who you are then take full advantage of your personality
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and use that to curate your style i'm telling you man, style literally means nothing if you don't have swag.
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Style can only take you so far in this world.
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It's like a McDonald's cheeseburger.
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You know, you're going to eat it.
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It's not really going to fool you up.
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It's just temporary pleasure.
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But the swag is like a steak.
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Yeah, I don't really know what the fuck I'm saying at this point.
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I think you understand what I'm trying to say here.
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I'm not trying to give you guys a corny ass analogy.
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But you know, another part about finding your swag is capitalizing on your energy.
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If you're an outgoing person, if you're a more mysterious, you're kind of laid back, that's your energy.
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That's your swag.
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That's your aura.
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Oh man, I fucking hate that word.
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Tap into that energy
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and naturally it's going to start to reflect with the way you carry yourself
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and this is going to sink into your outfits.
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Carry yourself so that everything you're doing looks intentional or it's just carefree.
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This is something that I do in my life.
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This has honestly saved me so much embarrassment.
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I just told myself, like I don't really give a fuck anymore.
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I can judge me as God anyone else doesn't really matter to me.
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I can trip and fall in front of five goth baddies, and I'm honestly just gonna act like I did that on purpose.
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It's not bad to be the person that looks like they tried too hard, but at the same time, you don't wanna carry yourself to the point where it's like, damn, he or she is trying way too hard to act this way
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or look this way to the point where it just doesn't look natural.
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Just lay back, man.
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Just have fun with your life.
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Have fun with your clothes.
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Have fun with fashion.
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Have fun with people.
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Nothing matters at the end of the day except for your swag.
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Your swag can genuinely save your life one day
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and might be able to get you out of a speeding ticket for fuck's sake.
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The moral of this video, you don't need style, you need swag.
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And ultimately, in the famous words of Mike Fresh, it's the way you carry yourself.
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Having a nice style can amplify your swag, but it can only do so much.
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This is probably your first time watching me, so if you wanna see more content like this, like and subscribe.
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We're on the road to 50K and we're almost halfway there.
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I have a lot more fashion tips, thrift videos, and vlogs on the way.
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And in case you couldn't tell, I got a new camera so I can finally start recording more content for you guys.
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I promise you, I'm not gonna pull a Corey Kenshin on you guys.
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I don't know what it is, but I have a really good feeling about this upcoming year.
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I feel like this channel is really gonna take off.
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Don't be surprised if we fuck around and get 50K, 100K, 1 million K.
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All right, well, anyway, like and subscribe, join the Discord.
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It's a nice place where you can hang out and talk about clothes.
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Follow all my socials, link in the description.
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And as always, I'll see you soon.
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Aaaaaaah!
About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will explore the intriguing concept of "swag" and distinguish it from mere style. By listening to the discussion on how individuals embody swagger through their demeanor and self-presentation, you will practice both comprehension and speaking skills. This lesson will help you better understand slang, enhance your vocabulary, and improve English pronunciation, making you more confident in your spoken English.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Swag: A term used to describe one's presence and confidence, often reflected through personal style.
- Style: Refers to a person's way of dressing and personal aesthetics.
- Aura: The unique vibe or energy a person gives off, similar to swag.
- Character: The distinctive qualities or traits that define a person.
- Demeanor: The way in which a person behaves or presents themselves.
- Fashion: The popular trend in dress and accessories that reflects personal style.
- Authentic: Being genuine and true to oneself, a key aspect of having swag.
- Confidence: The belief in one’s abilities, often demonstrated through body language and self-expression.
Practice Tips
To take full advantage of this lesson, utilize the shadowing technique by listening closely to the video transcript. Pay attention to the speed and tone of the speaker as they discuss the nuances of swag versus style. Here are some specific tips to help you:
- Start by listening to short segments and repeating them aloud. Focus on mimicking the intonation and emotion of the speaker.
- Practice using the shadow speaks approach—pause the video after each sentence and repeat what you heard, ensuring clarity and accuracy in your pronunciation.
- Record yourself while you practice. Listen back to identify areas where your pronunciation may differ from the original speaker, then adjust accordingly.
- Pay attention to how the speaker uses slang and expressions. Understanding and internalizing these terms will help you enhance your conversational skills and improve English pronunciation.
- Emphasize the use of body language while practicing. Swagger isn’t just about words; it’s about how you carry yourself. Incorporate gestures and confident expressions into your shadow speech.
By consistently using these tips, you will develop your English speaking skills significantly, allowing you to communicate with more swag and confidence.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.