--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My father was a tailor, my mother a…" description: "\"My father was a tailor, my mother a machinist.\" — David Bailey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/david-bailey-4423_father_my-father-was-a-tailor-my-mother-a-machi_1512449.png" --- # My father was a tailor, my mother a machinist. ![“My father was a tailor, my mother a machinist.” quote by David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/david-bailey-4423_father_my-father-was-a-tailor-my-mother-a-machi_1512449.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/david-bailey-4423_father_my-father-was-a-tailor-my-mother-a-machi_1512449.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/david-bailey-4423_father_my-father-was-a-tailor-my-mother-a-machi_1512449.png) > “My father was a tailor, my mother a machinist.” [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker’s parents worked in tailoring and machining, hinting at a modest, skilled background. **In simple terms:** Parents had practical, skilled jobs. Key Takeaway Acknowledge humble origins. Themes family background work ethic humility Mood reflective nostalgic Type biographical philosophical When to use this quote - discussing heritage - building rapport - career counseling Key Concepts personal storytelling career inspiration Questions to Reflect On - How does your family background shape you? - What values did you inherit? A Different Perspective May not capture full family story. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Father Tailor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-tailor-2655394/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother Machinist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-machinist-5570764/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Tailor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tailor/) [Tailor Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tailor-mother-2669451/) ## Related quotes > [My Dad was a tailor and he would give my mother housekeeping money each week and call it her 'wages.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-lipman/my-dad-was-a-tailor-and-he-would-give-my-mother-housekeeping-money/) [Maureen Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-lipman/) > [My father was a tailor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demond-wilson/my-father-was-a-tailor/) [Demond Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demond-wilson/) > [My father was a tailor. He worked from seven o'clock in the morning until seven at night. At least when he got home, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/my-father-was-a-tailor-he-worked-from-seven-o-clock-in-the-morning/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [To buy books as some do who make no use of them, only because they were published by an eminent printer, is much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/to-buy-books-as-some-do-who-make-no-use-of-them-only-because-they/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [I don't have a tailor, but I do love clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oyelowo/i-don-t-have-a-tailor-but-i-do-love-clothes/) [David Oyelowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oyelowo/) > [Bashar al-Assad's henchmen stomped on the hands of famed Syrian cartoonist Ali Farzat. Our dictators tailor wounds to suit their victims' occupations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-eltahawy/bashar-al-assad-s-henchmen-stomped-on-the-hands-of-famed-syrian/) [Mona Eltahawy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-eltahawy/) > [Everything is very expensive in Iceland, so I got some things done in India in the two months I was here. I visited the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hallgr-mur-helgason/everything-is-very-expensive-in-iceland-so-i-got-some-things-done-in/) [Hallgrimur Helgason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hallgr-mur-helgason/) > [When you can tailor your act, you want it to be about yourself but also about the people in the room and the experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasan-minhaj/when-you-can-tailor-your-act-you-want-it-to-be-about-yourself-but/) [Hasan Minhaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasan-minhaj/) > [I don't say I create. I copy, of course. I've never been interested in the point of view of the tailor or creator. Fashion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-moschino/i-don-t-say-i-create-i-copy-of-course-i-ve-never-been-interested-in/) [Franco Moschino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-moschino/) > [I learned early in my writing career that if I try to tailor a song for someone else, I'm usually off base. They're usually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-russell/i-learned-early-in-my-writing-career-that-if-i-try-to-tailor-a-song/) [Brenda Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-russell/) > [It seems like if you are not painted up special way or have some tailor made outfit to put on to go out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-anselmo/it-seems-like-if-you-are-not-painted-up-special-way-or-have-some/) [Phil Anselmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-anselmo/) > [Writing for others is great cos you can tailor it for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-david/writing-for-others-is-great-cos-you-can-tailor-it-for-them/) [Craig David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-david/) > [Love in modern times has been the tailor's best friend. Every suitor of the nineteenth century spends more than his spare cash on personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-augustus-henry-sala/love-in-modern-times-has-been-the-tailor-s-best-friend-every-suitor/) [George Augustus Henry Sala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-augustus-henry-sala/) > [When I was young, I would get my tailor to replicate Madhuri Dixit's costumes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallika-sherawat/when-i-was-young-i-would-get-my-tailor-to-replicate-madhuri-dixit-s/) [Mallika Sherawat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallika-sherawat/) > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## More by David Bailey > [I'm not mad about movies, there are too many people involved in the making of them, and they lack a definitive creative focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-m-not-mad-about-movies-there-are-too-many-people-involved-in-the/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [Rather than knowing more, I think I've got more open-minded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/rather-than-knowing-more-i-think-i-ve-got-more-open-minded/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter because you can invent things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/it-takes-a-lot-of-imagination-to-be-a-good-photographer-you-need-less/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I don't do proud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-don-t-do-proud/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [When I stop working, I go out and start working again. Most people paint a picture, or whatever they do, and go home. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/when-i-stop-working-i-go-out-and-start-working-again-most-people/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [The Sixties was a time of breaking down class barriers, although I think class still exists today in some areas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/the-sixties-was-a-time-of-breaking-down-class-barriers-although-i/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [Rockers are the nicest people to photograph. They have no inhibitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/rockers-are-the-nicest-people-to-photograph-they-have-no-inhibitions/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I like change. There's something Buddhist about it - continuous change is wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-like-change-there-s-something-buddhist-about-it-continuous-change/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [The reason I did fashion was it was the only way to get paid to do anything creative. You couldn't support yourself as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/the-reason-i-did-fashion-was-it-was-the-only-way-to-get-paid-to-do/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I don't think my work does reflect my nationality - I don't like the idea of nationalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-don-t-think-my-work-does-reflect-my-nationality-i-don-t-like-the/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [It's not about composition. It's the way you feel about how your objects should relate to each other. I've got lots of African statues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/it-s-not-about-composition-it-s-the-way-you-feel-about-how-your/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [In New York, everyone's desperate for success, desperate for money and desperate to be accepted, but in London they're more laid back about things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/in-new-york-everyone-s-desperate-for-success-desperate-for-money-and/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I hate being so nostalgic about the Sixties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-hate-being-so-nostalgic-about-the-sixties/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [Girls are more attractive to me than dresses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/girls-are-more-attractive-to-me-than-dresses/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [I had a terrible time with feminists in the Seventies. They hated me, those women. I think they hated everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-had-a-terrible-time-with-feminists-in-the-seventies-they-hated-me/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) [Explore all 111 David Bailey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) ## More Father quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [(knitting while on a motorcycle) "For several years she knitted in secret (my father would not approve; she was to concentrate on motorcycling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-zimmermann/knitting-while-on-a-motorcycle-for-several-years-she-knitted-in/) [Elizabeth Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-zimmermann/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [My parents were not musical, and they were not effervescent people; everything was very quiet. The music that I played was loud; it used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/my-parents-were-not-musical-and-they-were-not-effervescent-people/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [“My father called twice and left a voicemail—who does that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-erickson/my-father-called-twice-and-left-a-voicemail-who-does-that/) [Megan Erickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-erickson/) > [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [“I don’t know. We all have to bear things, Ari. All of us. Your father has to bear the war and what it did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-know-we-all-have-to-bear-things-ari-all-of-us-your-father-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This was, I sometimes thought, the last gift my father gave me. And the best: His death stood out as the supreme-o excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stahl/this-was-i-sometimes-thought-the-last-gift-my-father-gave-me-and-the/) [Jerry Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stahl/) > [My father was very encouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-nutini/my-father-was-very-encouraging/) [Paolo Nutini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-nutini/) > [I'm a strange mixture of my mother's curiosity; my father, who grew up the son of the manse in a Presbyterian family, who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-strange-mixture-of-my-mother-s-curiosity-my-father-who-grew-up/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [It is a sweet thing that we serve a dissatisfied God who has destinations in mind for us that we would never choose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/it-is-a-sweet-thing-that-we-serve-a-dissatisfied-god-who-has/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Browse all 19,784 Father quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My father was a tailor, my mother a machinist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Bailey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/my-father-was-a-tailor-my-mother-a-machinist/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Father" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/my-father-was-a-tailor-my-mother-a-machinist/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/david-bailey-4423_father_my-father-was-a-tailor-my-mother-a-machi_1512449.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/david-bailey-4423_father_my-father-was-a-tailor-my-mother-a-machi_1512449.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/david-bailey-4423_father_my-father-was-a-tailor-my-mother-a-machi_1512449.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My father was a tailor, my mother a machinist.” — David Bailey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Bailey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My father was a tailor, my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/my-father-was-a-tailor-my-mother-a-machinist/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/my-father-was-a-tailor-my-mother-a-machinist/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```