A couple of posts gave me the incentive to write this post about how I imagine Emma’s demeanour to be.

From the first lines of the novel we tend to overlook the ‘happy disposition’ part. An ingredient which colours Emma’s actions for me. It makes them somewhat different in essence from that which would be done by a mean tempered, nasty person, like Mrs Norris or Mrs John Dashwood or even Mrs Ferrars.

The picture mostly drawn is of an Emma richly clad, fashionable, haughty, going about her business, snubbing people all over the place. :)

CH:5 first informs us through Mr Knightley that;

I will add this praise, that I do not think her personally vain. Considering how very handsome she is, she appears to be little occupied with it;

The need to dress up and be fashionable perhaps never enters her head not only because she’s little occupied with it, but because as we see in CH: 36 Emma is not away from home too long;

But you, (turning to Mr. Knightley,) who know how very, very seldom I am ever two hours from Hartfield,

Her dissociation with this can be further seen in CH: 27 when they are at Ford’s because Harriet had business there .

while she was still hanging over muslins and changing her mind, Emma went to the door for amusement.

How many women standing inside the ‘fashion centre of the town’ not browse around even if not buying anything.
Emma’s fertile imagination in observing the scene outside is far more interesting to her.

A mind lively and at ease, can do with seeing nothing, and can see nothing that does not answer.

This part of the chapter is one of my favourite as it delves into other dimensions of Emma’s character.
Harriet is quite happy being in the midst of bonnets ribbons and gowns -

tempted by every thing and swayed by half a word, was always very long at a purchase;

I again commend Emma’s patience here.

Harriet is quite occupied with gowns, though.
CH:21 When she sees the Martins that rainy afternoon and is narrating the incident;

she had been afraid it would rain -- she had been afraid it would pour down every moment -- but she thought she might get to Hartfield first -- she had hurried on as fast as possible;

…but then;

she was passing by the house where a young woman was making up a gown for her, she thought she would just step in and see how it went on; […….] :-D

When taking shelter at Ford’s she sees them;

I am sure I must have been as white as my gown.

Emma uses the description of Mrs Elton’s gown to avoid answering Harriet’s question if she agreed how beautiful she was, with;

CH:32
"Very nicely dressed, indeed; a remarkably elegant gown."

So I never imagine a spoilt, richly dressed snooty Emma going about her business. I imagine a very provincial unfashionable Emma , rarely seen outside Hartfield having quite a happy disposition and a very imaginative mind (like the author’s ) getting up to mischief, feeling bad about it later.