JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<script src="http://ajax.microsoft.com/ajax/jquery.validate/1.7/jquery.validate.js"></script>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.2/themes/ui-lightness/jquery-ui.css">
<input id='name' class='italic' value='some name' type='text' />
<input id='email' class='italic' value='example@email.com' type='text' />

CSS

.italic {
    color:#888;
    font-style:italic;
}

JavaScript

$('.italic').each(function() {
    $(this).data('defaultValue',$(this).val());
})
    .focus(function() {
        var $th = $(this);
        if($th.val() == $th.data('defaultValue'))
            $th.toggleClass('italic').val('');
    })
    .blur(function() {
        var $th = $(this);
        if($th.val() == '')
          $th.toggleClass('italic').val($th.data('defaultValue'));
    });