Fashion Quote by A.S. Byatt
““Above his head at street level, he saw an angled aileron of a scarlet Porsche, its jaunty fin more or less at the upper edge of his window frame. A pair of very soft, clean glistening black shoes appeared, followed by impeccably creased matt charcoal pinstriped light woollen legs, followed by the beautifully cut lower hem of a jacket, its black vent revealing a scarlet silk lining, its open front revealing a flat muscular stomach under a finely-striped red and white shirt. Val’s legs followed, in powder-blue stockings and saxe-blue shoes, under the limp hem of a crêpey mustard-coloured dress, printed with blue moony flowers. The four feet advanced and retreated, retreated and advanced, the male feet insisting towards the basement stairs, the female feet resisting, parrying. Roland opened the door and went into the area, fired mostly by what always got him, pure curiosity as to what the top half looked like.””
About This Quote
The passage juxtaposes vivid, detailed visual descriptions of clothing and movement to explore curiosity and the tension between observation and participation.
In simple terms: Contrast of observation vs. involvement
Key Takeaway
Curiosity drives exploration
Themes
Observation
Contrast
Curiosity
Movement
Fashion
Gender dynamics
Mood
Intrigued
Observant
Tense
Type
Narrative
Descriptive
Literary
When to use this quote
- Walking past a window
- Encountering strangers
- Entering a new space
Key Concepts
Visual detail
Narrative tension
Social interaction
Practical Applications
- Descriptive writing
- Character development
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the narrator’s curiosity reveal about his character?
- How does the description of attire affect perception of the scene?
