It’s an uncomfortable truth: The ideas that are cool often matter a lot more than ideas that are good. If you want to change the world it’s going to help enormously for you to demonstrate a bit of style and flair.
If you think about some of the most quotable figures in human history, they all have one thing in common: They have style. They are not simply the smartest and most innovative thinkers on the planet, though many of them are also that. They are also the type of person who speaks with a wit and an insight that can only be described with the elusive and difficult to define concept of “cool.”
Oscar Wilde. H.L. Mencken. Leonardo da Vinci. These are people who express not only great ideas, but also possess the style to make them attractive to generations of people seeking truth, wisdom, and insight.
The bedrock of this kind of style is the confidence to express oneself with flair. Confidence is what makes so much of what is stylish actually work. It is an attractive quality in its own right and, of course, having confidence simply makes living one’s life easier.
We have compiled some of our favorite quotes on the subject of style and confidence that we hope help you to arrive at your own place of “cool.”
Quotes About Style and Fashion
“To achieve style, begin by affecting none.”
– E.B. White & William Strunk, Jr., The Elements of Style
“On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
“Fashion changes, but style endures.”
“Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.”
“Style is a simple way of saying complicated things.”
“Trendy is the last stage before tacky.”
“Reinvent new combinations of what you already own. Improvise. Become more creative. Not because you have to, but because you want to. Evolution is the secret for the next step.”
“Why change? Everyone has his own style. When you have found it, you should stick to it.”
“Simplicity is the greatest sophistication.”
Quotes About Self Confidence and Presenting Your Best Self
“If you’re presenting yourself with confidence, you can pull off pretty much anything.”
“Whoever wears running pants has lost control over his life.”
“Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.”
“Swinging around naked on a wrecking ball lives forever. I am never living that down. I should have thought how long that was going to have to follow me around.”
“You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm.”