Style, like so many other things in life, is often a complete matter of opinion. What stirs admiration and envy in one, may be easily dismissed by the next. There are however those who are universally recognised as style icons by the majority and who have influenced more than their share of fashion devotees. In celebration of Coggles’ fortieth anniversary this month, we bring you forty of our favourite style quotes from some of the most stylish figures in history:
1.“Style is when they’re running you out of town and you make it look like you’re leading the parade” – WILLIAM BATTUE
2.’Fashion fades, style is eternal.’ – YVES SAINT LAURENT
3.“Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not.”- OSCAR WILDE
4.“Real luxury is understanding quality, and having the time to enjoy it.”- G. BRUCE BOYER
5.“Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.”- HENRY DAVID THOREAU
6.“I often take a brand-new suit or hat and throw it up against the wall a few times to get that stiff, square newness out of it.”- FRED ASTAIRE
7.“It is totally impossible to be well-dressed in cheap shoes.”- HARDY AMIES
8.“A man must face the world with sprezzatura. It literally means detachment, but a better way to think of it is quiet confidence or low-key style. The most forceful statement is understatement.”- LUCIANO BARBERA
9.“The boor covers himself, the rich man or the fool adorns himself, and the elegant man gets dressed.”- HONORE DE BALZAC
10.“Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.” – ORSON WELLES
11.“‘Tis hell to a man of spirit to be contradicted by his tailor.”- RICHARD GARNETT
12.“Fashion is not necessarily about labels. It’s not about brands. It’s about something else that comes from within you.” – RALPH LAUREN
13.“One pretends to do something, or copy someone or some teacher, until it can be done confidently and easily in what becomes one’s own style”. – CARY GRANT
14.“Dressing well is a form of good manners.” – TOM FORD
15.“Being perfectly well-dressed gives a feeling of tranquillity that religion is powerless to bestow.” – RALPH WALDO EMERSON
16.“Fashion is a playground up until a certain age. But then you have to find your own signature and your own style.” – NICOLASGHESQUIERE
17.“I can go all over the world with just three outfits: a blue blazer and grey flannel pants, a grey flannel suit, and black tie.” – PIERRE CADIN
18.’Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.’ – MARK TWAIN
19.’Clothes don’t make a man, but clothes have got many a man a good job.” – HERBERT HAROLD VREELAND
20.“You do this because you like it, you think what you’re making is beautiful. and if you think it’s beautiful, maybe they think it’s beautiful.’ –LOU REED
21.’The best things in life are free, the second best things are very expensive.’- COCO CHANEL
22.’My fashion advice is to have a flattering mirror and then forget about it.’ – VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
23.’You can have anything in life if you dress for it.’- EDITH HEAD
24.’When in doubt, wear red.’ – BILL BLASS
25.’Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way to live.’ – GIANNI VERSACE
26.’People will stare. Make it worth their while.’ – HARRY WINSTON
27.’Attitude is everything’ – DIANE VON FURSTENBERG
28.’Whoever said money couldn’t buy happiness, simply didn’t know where to go shopping.’ – BO DEREK
29.’Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.’ – KARL LAGERFELD
30.’Fashion should be a form of escapism and not a form of imprisonment.’ – ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
31.’For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.’ – AUDREY HEPBURN
32.’Shoes transform you body language and attitude. They lift you physically and emotionally.’- CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
33.’To me, clothing is a form of self-expression – there are hints about who you are in what you wear.’ – MARC JACOBS
34.’I’ve always thought of the t-shirt as the Alpha and Omega of the fashion alphabet.’ – GIORGIO ARMANI
35.’Fashion is all about happiness. It’s fun. It’s important. But it’s not medicine.’ – DONATELLA VERSACE
36.’You can find inspiration in everything. If you can’t, then you’re not looking properly.’ – PAUL SMITH
37.’Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous, but it is how people dress in their days off that are the most intriguing.’ – ALEXANDER WANG
38. ‘Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert the integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-ot-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.’ – CECIL BEATON
39. ‘Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.’ – LEONARDO DA VINCI
40.’The only thing that seperates us from the animals is our ability to accessorise.’ – CLAREE BELCHER
