Favorite sartorial quote? - YouLookFab Forum

So, listening to NPR today and Tim Gunn was on "Wait wait..." He said his response when people ask him if they look ok is borrowed from I love Lucy. "If that's the ____ -look/hat/style/article- you want, you did a great job achieving it" (sorry for the horrible paraphrase). I just love me an obtuse pseudo-compliment.
Also reminds me of the time my mom wore a floral dress and asked what we thought and my sister responded "well I wouldn't do a whole room in it". (and being an interior designer, I have always kicked myself for not thinking of that one first.)
Anyway, my favorite ever sartorial quote from a movie was from Steel Magnolias when Dolly Parton and Olympia Dukakis were talking at the wedding about one of the women dancing. Observing the back view of dancing woman.
OD: "Looks like two pigs fighting under a blanket"
DP: "Mmhmm. My mama raised me right. Haven't left the house without lycra on these thighs since I was fourteen".

In summation, those two quotes- and now adding Tim's- stick in my head when I am trying out clothes. Would I do a whole room in it? Does it look like animals fighting under my clothes? WWTGD?

Over to you- any quotes or lyrics you love and/or apply to your style choices?

11 years ago

Laurinda

Veteran

Emily Litella, played by Gilda Radner on Saturday Night Live: I base my fashion taste on what doesn't itch.

Jaime

(website)

I love the Tim Gunn quote. I am always amazed how he is held up as the model of polite behavior and is actually quite snarky. (Don't get me wrong - I think Tim Gunn is great.)

Lyn D.

The one thing that is worse than 'Mutton dressed as Lamb'- is mutton dressed as mutton (!)

crutcher

On my fridge so that I will be reminded.....
"You have to keep an attitude of lightness and frivolity in your life."
Ines de la Fressange
Lightness and frivolity in your approach to life and in your approach to your style...

Carla

Well I do love Angie's 'have fun with fashion', but when I'm feeling catty about fashion I like my mother's "his taste is in his mouth" when asked to comment about a particular gentleman's attire.

doubleh

Laurinda- I missed that one, but anything Gilda said was brilliant.
Shevia- I aspire to Tim Gunn's subtle snarkiness! I love the idea that he can be two steps ahead of them (literally or figuratively) by the time the comment is processed.
Lynn D- Never heard that one, but I like! Along the lines of "putting lipstick on a pig". And I love mutton quotes in general (Billy Crystal in "the Princess Bride")
Crutcher- words to live by for sure! I think I shall put that on my fridge as well.
Runcarla- your mother's quote was a thinker for me; but I am now compiling a list of people in my head that that applies to! And we could start a whole separate thread of Angie-isms, couldn't we? Perhaps we should.

Susie

I like this:

Fashion is what others declare is in. Style is what you declare is in.

And this:

The secret of good style is to feel good in what you wear.

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

Funny... I just found this pic a few days ago on Pinterest, and promptly repinned it. It absolutely, perfectly sums up my philosophy...

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Adelfa

A long time ago I knew a gorgeous, wealthy young man who married an equally gorgeous woman. She gave birth to their son and shortly afterwards was dressing for a formal event in a body-con dress. She asked her husband if she looked okay in the dress, given that she didn't have her normal body all the way back.

He said enthusiastically, "Wear it, baby!"

This was probably from a song? But it has stuck with me for over 20 years first as a lovely example of a supportive and affirming partner, and second as the attitude I'd like to cultivate toward myself when I step out the door!

danskogirl

Active Member

"I never look back, darling! It distracts from the now." - Edna Mode

(Actually, I do sometimes like a subtle 1940s or other era influence. Just had to include an Edna Mode reference b/c I love the character.)

Susie- yes! those are the affirmations I lean on in the ylf community, period.
LDB- love that and I imagine RuPaul saying it, while giving a toe to head once over. Extra-affirmation
Adelfa- Whether it is a song lyric or not, it works in the hip hop vernacular. If you can train the voice in your head to say it correctly, this is a perfect mantra.
danskogirl- love me a 40s quote/aura. Any 40s woman who spoke boldly had a sexy smoldering voice and was not to be challenged or dismissed. I try to channel that inner voice as well.

Just found a couple more:

To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common -- this is my symphony.
-William Henry Channing

and a line from Bridgette Raes:
If there is anything I’ve learned, even if a change winds up being a mistake, it’s a heck of a lot easier to deal with the fall out of that change than living with the paralysis of over-thinking it and not doing anything about it.

milehighstyle (Linda)

Here are a few that I saved in my personal file:

Drama, beauty and glamour are good for the soul when so
many people around you seem to be striving for mediocrity.

“Women always try to tame themselves as they get older but the ones
who look the best are often a bit wilder. Thinking about age all the time
is the biggest prison women can make for themselves.”-

Miuccia Prada

"Just because everybody hates it doesn't
mean it's not good." -

Gru, Despicable Me Two (he wasn't talking about fashion, but I like to think of it that way)

"Do
not give people the opportunity to dismiss you or mistreat you by looking less
than your best. That means everywhere, even to the grocery store." - this may have been Tim Gunn, but I didn't save that information.

Joana

“You gotta have style. It helps you get up in the morning. It’s a way of life. Without it you’re nobody.” (Diana Vreeland)

Don’t save something for a special occasion. Every day of your life is a special occasion.
- Thomas S. Monson

this appllies to looks also, when you put away something "too bold" and try to look "small" instead:
You're still going to get criticized, so you might as well do whatever the f...k you want.
-Kathleen Hanna

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