Since everything is in our heads, we had better not lose them.
Coco ChanelRead
Why am I so determined to put the shoulder where it belongs? Women have very round shoulders that push forward slightly; this touches me and I say: 'One must not hide that!' Then someone tells you: 'The shoulder is on the back'. I have never seen women with shoulders on their backs.
Interpretation
Coco Chanel emphasizes the importance of embracing one's natural form rather than conforming to societal expectations.
In this quote, Coco Chanel expresses her fierce determination to celebrate women's natural attributes, specifically their shoulders. She critiques the conventional notion of aesthetics that dictates what is deemed acceptable, advocating instead for authenticity and acceptance of one’s unique physical characteristics. Chanel suggests that true beauty lies in embracing one's individuality rather than conforming to rigid standards.
In practice
Using this quote during a fashion show to highlight body positivity.
Since everything is in our heads, we had better not lose them.
Hard times arouse an instinctive desire for authenticity.
Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable.
You can be gorgeous at thirty, charming at forty, and irresistible for the rest of your life.
Elegance does not consist in putting on a new dress.
Look for the woman in the dress. If there is no woman, there is no dress.
For women raised in the '70s, high heels can still carry a stigma; they're associated with being stupid, with just wanting to please a man. Other women find them empowering.
The way I looked when I started modelling - I was a skinny schoolgirl, stuffing tissues into my little 32A bra. I wasn't trying to be that thin; I was perfectly healthy, but still - that look is a total impossibility for women over the age of 20. Fashion has a lot to answer for, doesn't it?
I am in a fabulously lucky position in that I get to wear beautiful, beautiful gowns for functions, which I can then give back. That way, they're not sitting in my wardrobe with me looking at them and feeling guilty. I love that, and I think when people have a fabulous function to go to, I'd recommend renting.
Go out there and try on everything - short skirts, long skirts, mid length, little jackets, men's clothing - and really look at yourself; really walk around in the clothes. Don't just take someone else's advice. You must feel you in these clothes and feel what it's like to live in them.
There shouldn't be a segregation of women over a size 16, it should just be all women who want to wear beautiful clothes.
Moving fashion used to be one of my chief goals. It's not necessarily any more. Fashion needs to change when life changes. You only need to move fashion forward when there's a reason to move fashion forward.
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