On Design, Style & Life: What Were Iris Apfel’s Famous Quotes?
After learning the news of her passing, I found a large number of Iris Apfel’s famous quotes. She left her personality permanently stamped upon our society loud and clear with design, fashion and words of wisdom. In her memory, I’ve decided to share her thoughts. Hear how she explained that showing your true self is the key to the best personal style.
The news about style icon Iris Apfel was a surprise to me. Although she was 102, I still wondered if she had indeed passed over to the other side. I was momentarily in shock because my news source did not spell it out for us. It seemed like an ethereal possibility but I had to check the facts for myself in order to believe it was true.
The answer was yes, she did die last Friday. We no longer have her here to show us her artistic glory. This is quite a loss but she will remain with us as a legend in fashion history.
Her bold and colorful style in fashion and interior design was an expression of her personality. Her outfits and her home sang out loud in explosive color and texture combinations. I have always felt inspired and excited at seeing how she turned herself into a work of art.
Who Was Iris Apfel?
Iris and her husband, Carl, had a textile business from 1950 to 1992. One of their contracts was with the White House spanning nine presidencies. She worked in fashion design as well as interior design. In retirement, she did a 2005 show at the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art featuring her collection of costume jewelry styled with clothes on mannequins as she would wear them. From there, she became the focus of the 2014 Albert Maysles documentary Iris. Then in 2019, she was signed to IMG to model her outfits at age 97.
Iris was as outspoken as her style was colorful. Her attitude was one of freedom and individuality and was very encouraging. I’ve gathered some of her most popular quotes here. Let’s take a look at what she had to say to the world.
Some of Iris Apfel’s Famous Quotes:
“More is More and Less is a Bore” – Iris
Here are a few more of Iris’s outspoken views on style, from Coveteur’s “10 Lessons To Live By From Iris Apfel” by Emily Ramshaw:
- Leave no stone unturned – when it comes to shopping.
- If you like something, buy it – her wardrobe consisted of a collection acquired throughout her life from all over the world.
“People with a lot of money don’t dress as well as people who have to make do, who have to be inventive. Those are the people who are always more interestingly dressed, I think. Everything I do, I do with gut instinct. If I think too much, it won’t come out right.”
- Every purchase should be special – allow yourself to make unique choices and show your true self.
- Make a statement with your beauty choices – bright red lipstick, one-of-a-kind perfume, etc.
From Poshmark - When you find something you love, make it your own – wear what you love in a way that makes you happy.
- Save the meaningful pieces forever – these are like your souvenirs and cherished memories, whether you wear them or not.
- Keep an open mind – you can always find something wonderful among things you don’t like, such as a junk shop or an era.
- Don’t expect anything from anybody – without expectation, you can avoid feeling depressed when you don’t get anything and you don’t feel obligated to be overjoyed when you do.
Photo: The Peabody Essex Museum - Let your personality shine through – when it comes down to it, everyone is different and showing some personality is attractive.
- Express yourself – instead of trying to fit in, set yourself apart by showing your individualism.
And with that last lesson #10, Iris Apfel was an example to us all. If she had not expressed her personality through her lifelong collection of her most loved things, no one would have noticed her. We would not have inherited anything in this world to appreciate her by.
In conclusion, I want to encourage each and every one of you to share your own true self with the world.
Let’s Connect!
What is your style personality? Do you agree with Iris that more is more or do you think more like Coco Chanel that less is more? My thoughts go both ways because I think it depends on the vision you have for the outfit. Some outfits would look better with more and others would look better kept on the simple side. Let Iris be an example to speak out with your opinions. Please leave a reply in the comments below!
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Angie
I have seen tv shows about Iris, her love of clothes. She had an apartment just for her clothes, and warehouses just for her accessories.
As I have gone through life I have heard this expression “I don’t care what you think of me because it is none of my business”
I have admired Iris, her life, her wardrobe, her style, and those glasses.
That’s hilarious that she had an apartment for her clothes and warehouses for her accessories! I knew she had a lot but wow. Iris herself repeated that phrase you quoted. I read that when she was a girl a sales lady at a department store said to her, ” You’re not pretty, but you have something better. You have style.” I’m so sad that woman was so callous, because it made Iris believe for the rest of her life that she was not pretty. But she was beautiful when she was a young woman, in her own way and in the eyes of some if not others. The good thing is that what the sales lady said made Iris believe in her sense of style and concentrate her attention on it. She really loved textile art so it was what she was supposed to do. It was her mission in life.
Loved Iris Apfel too Angie and have her book! Yes we can certainly learn from her…. and need to keep being authentic.
She said the heck with what’s in style, wear what makes you happy. And what makes you happy resonates with your true self. So I think it’s pretty easy to be your true self if you buy what you love and wear what you love without concerning yourself with what other people think. She said the hard part is to know yourself…