Понты is a way of making image of something that you are not.
For example: You earn $300/month and wear some Rolex (at least it should look like Rolex - that's the sense) to show that you're rich. Or you "drink only absent" and deny beer as it is not cool. Or you wear a lot of fake gold on you to look like some real rapper :))))
As far as I remember the phrase "Showing off" in English have a similar meaning.
PS: the way that losers try to convince everybody that they are not losers. And rich people can use понты to underline their exclusive status. But really rich and successfull people rarely noticed to do so :)
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For example:
You earn $300/month and wear some Rolex (at least it should look like Rolex - that's the sense) to show that you're rich.
Or you "drink only absent" and deny beer as it is not cool.
Or you wear a lot of fake gold on you to look like some real rapper :))))
As far as I remember the phrase "Showing off" in English have a similar meaning.
PS: the way that losers try to convince everybody that they are not losers. And rich people can use понты to underline their exclusive status. But really rich and successfull people rarely noticed to do so :)