At 93, Iris Apfel is New York’s reigning style queen. But the new documentary Iris is more than just a shopping-trip ride along. It’s brimming with beautiful advice on what to wear and how to be happy wearing it. Here, her five best quotes from the film.
5 Things Iris Apfel Taught Us About Style (and Life)
She's not an NYC fashion icon for nothing
•
Published May 7, 2015
M.A.C. Cosmetics
On Her Quirky Personal Style
“Life is gray and dull. You might as well have a little fun when you dress and amuse people.”
On Never Being Negative About Others' Outfits
“I can’t sit in judgment. It’s not my business. If they’re happy that way…it’s better to be happy than be well dressed.”
On Breaking The Rules
“In the ’40s I was probably the first woman to wear jeans. All of a sudden I had a vision. I said, 'Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I had a big gingham'--this sounds crazy, it was--'a big gingham turban and very large hoop earrings, and I could wear them with a nice, crisp shirt and blue jeans?' They said to me, ‘Don’t you know young ladies do not wear jeans? What’s wrong with you?’ And I said, ‘But I want a pair. I need a pair.’ I put the outfit together, and it was really smashing.”
On Never Having Children
“We never wanted to. I learned a long time ago: You can’t have everything. And I wanted a career and I wanted to travel. I said I didn’t want to have my child raised by a nanny. You can’t do everything. It’s impossible. Something has to give and sometimes it’s you.”
Bruce Weber
On Aging Attractively
“I never felt pretty. I don’t feel pretty now. I’m not a pretty person. I don’t like pretty. So I don’t feel badly. And I think it worked out well, because I found that all the girls I know who got by on their looks, as time went on and they faded, they were nothing. And they were very disappointed. When you’re somebody like myself, in order to get around and be attractive, you have to develop something, you have to learn something, you have to do something. So you become a bit more interesting.”
