--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She was having a violent reaction against…" description: "\"“She was having a violent reaction against beautiful clothes and the slavery they impose on one, her experience being that the instant one had got them..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/elizabeth-von-arnim-2484_clothes_she-was-having-a-violent-reaction-agains_1167523.jpg" --- # She was having a violent reaction against beautiful… ![“She was having a violent reaction against beautiful clothes and the slavery they impose on one, her experience being that the instant one had got them they took one in hand and gave one no peace till they had been everywhere and been seen by everybody. You didn't take your clothes to parties; they…” quote by Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/elizabeth-von-arnim-2484_clothes_she-was-having-a-violent-reaction-agains_1167523.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/elizabeth-von-arnim-2484_clothes_she-was-having-a-violent-reaction-agains_1167523.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/elizabeth-von-arnim-2484_clothes_she-was-having-a-violent-reaction-agains_1167523.jpg) > ““She was having a violent reaction against beautiful clothes and the slavery they impose on one, her experience being that the instant one had got them they took one in hand and gave one no peace till they had been everywhere and been seen by everybody. You didn't take your clothes to parties; they took you. It was quite a mistake to think think that a woman, a really well-dressed woman wore out her clothes; it was the clothes that wore out the woman- dragging her about at all hours of the day and night.”” [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques how fashion imposes restrictive expectations, turning clothing into a burden that controls women’s freedom and identity. **In simple terms:** Fashion can imprison women, limiting their freedom. Key Takeaway Recognize and resist oppressive fashion norms. Themes freedom identity gender society consumerism Mood frustrated critical reflective Type social personal When to use this quote - daily dress choices - workplace attire - social events - personal expression Key Concepts feminist critique social pressure materialism Questions to Reflect On - How does your clothing reflect your identity? - Can fashion be reclaimed as empowerment? A Different Perspective Fashion can also be a source of empowerment and self‑expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Day and night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-and-night/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Social pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-pressure/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [“There was nothing, she saw at once, to be hoped for in the way of interest from their clothes. She did not consciously think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/there-was-nothing-she-saw-at-once-to-be-hoped-for-in-the-way-of/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [There were plenty of women around who dressed smartly, and plenty more who dressed to impress, but this girl was different. Totally different. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-were-plenty-of-women-around-who-dressed-smartly-and-plenty-more/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Those magazine dieting stories always have the testimonial of a woman who wore a dress that could slipcover New Jersey in one photo and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/those-magazine-dieting-stories-always-have-the-testimonial-of-a-woman/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [“He’d rather have a woman who wore a size ten but wanted to make love with the lights on, than a size two who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bleeker/he-d-rather-have-a-woman-who-wore-a-size-ten-but-wanted-to-make-love/) [Emily Bleeker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bleeker/) > [A film will have many events such as audio release, promotional activities. I did not have that fancy-looking clothes to look good before the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-deverakonda/a-film-will-have-many-events-such-as-audio-release-promotional/) [Vijay Deverakonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-deverakonda/) > [“A woman wearing saggy old workout clothes that she never worked out in, that had somehow become her pajamas and the clothes she went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dunn/a-woman-wearing-saggy-old-workout-clothes-that-she-never-worked-out/) [Sarah Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dunn/) > [“All the men’s clothes she wore just called attention to how much of a girl she was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/all-the-men-s-clothes-she-wore-just-called-attention-to-how-much-of-a/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [It's funny, one of my most solid carpet moments happened in the very beginning, before I started thinking that I needed all these other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-olivieri/it-s-funny-one-of-my-most-solid-carpet-moments-happened-in-the-very/) [Dawn Olivieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-olivieri/) > [They taught me that no man could be their leader except he ate the ranks' food, wore their clothes, lived level with them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-e-lawrence/they-taught-me-that-no-man-could-be-their-leader-except-he-ate-the/) [T. E. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-e-lawrence/) > [@rachel Remember when we were young and wore our clothes 3 sizes too small because we thought it made us look hot? <333](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leila/rachel-remember-when-we-were-young-and-wore-our-clothes-3-sizes-too/) [Leila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leila/) > [I was never a big fashion person, and so I'm sure I wore whatever. I was growing, and so I just wore whatever clothes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/i-was-never-a-big-fashion-person-and-so-i-m-sure-i-wore-whatever-i/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [Travis: I didn’t know they made permanent makeup. I looked like a clown for a month. Connor: Yeah. They put a curse on me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/travis-i-didn-t-know-they-made-permanent-makeup-i-looked-like-a-clown/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“He wore clothes to cover his nakedness, he drove a car, and he ate with a knife and a fork and a linen napkin.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/he-wore-clothes-to-cover-his-nakedness-he-drove-a-car-and-he-ate-with/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [If everyone were to be the same, then a lot of today wouldn't be like it is now. if everyone wore the same clothes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naquitta-faith/if-everyone-were-to-be-the-same-then-a-lot-of-today-wouldn-t-be-like/) [Naquitta Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naquitta-faith/) > [She was very near hating him now; yet the sound of his voice, the way the light fell on his thin, dark hair, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/she-was-very-near-hating-him-now-yet-the-sound-of-his-voice-the-way/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) ## More by Elizabeth von Arnim > [“I would have all couples neatly paired in years, the forties with the forties, and the twenties with the twenties. Should the forties, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/i-would-have-all-couples-neatly-paired-in-years-the-forties-with-the/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [“When I drive to the lupins and see them all spread out as far as eye can reach in perfect beauty of colour and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/when-i-drive-to-the-lupins-and-see-them-all-spread-out-as-far-as-eye/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [She had been dragged in the most humiliating of all dusts, the dust reserved for older women who let themselves be approached, on amorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-had-been-dragged-in-the-most-humiliating-of-all-dusts-the-dust/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [What a blessing it is to love books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/what-a-blessing-it-is-to-love-books/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [It is beautiful, beautiful to give; one of the very most beautiful things in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/it-is-beautiful-beautiful-to-give-one-of-the-very-most-beautiful/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [“I asked nothing better of life. I still ask nothing better of life. Strange to say—for surely it is strange not to have increased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/i-asked-nothing-better-of-life-i-still-ask-nothing-better-of-life/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [“No one ever said aloud any of the kinds of things he was so constantly thinking, because no one in the parish, not Alice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/no-one-ever-said-aloud-any-of-the-kinds-of-things-he-was-so/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [“The only thing to do with one's old sorrows is to tuck them up neatly in their shroud and turn one's face away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/the-only-thing-to-do-with-one-s-old-sorrows-is-to-tuck-them-up-neatly/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [“She belongs to the winter that is past, to the darkness that is over, and has no part or lot in the life I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-belongs-to-the-winter-that-is-past-to-the-darkness-that-is-over/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [“This radiant weather, when mere living is a joy, and sitting still over the fire out of the question, has been going on for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/this-radiant-weather-when-mere-living-is-a-joy-and-sitting-still-over/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [“And when I'm with you," she said, "I feel as if I were stuffed with—oh, with stars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/and-when-i-m-with-you-she-said-i-feel-as-if-i-were-stuffed-with-oh/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [“Here was the world wide-awake and yet only for me, all the fresh pure air only for me, all the fragrance breathed only by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/here-was-the-world-wide-awake-and-yet-only-for-me-all-the-fresh-pure/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [“... and everybody will have what they never yet have had, a certain amount of that priceless boon, leisure-- leisure to sit down and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/and-everybody-will-have-what-they-never-yet-have-had-a-certain-amount/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [Beauty made you love, and love made you beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/beauty-made-you-love-and-love-made-you-beautiful/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [“Surely the colour of London was an exquisite thing. It was like a pearl that late afternoon, something very gentle and pale, with faint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/surely-the-colour-of-london-was-an-exquisite-thing-it-was-like-a/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) [Explore all 155 Elizabeth von Arnim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) ## More Clothes quotes > [Personal Style comes from within. It's when the woman, her individuality and spirit come through. She uses clothes to express who she is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/personal-style-comes-from-within-it-s-when-the-woman-her/) [Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/) > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [The color of somebody's skin or the way he wears his hair or clothes has nothing to do with anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-color-of-somebody-s-skin-or-the-way-he-wears-his-hair-or-clothes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [Everyday happiness means getting up in the morning, and you can't wait to finish your breakfast. You can't wait to do your exercises. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/everyday-happiness-means-getting-up-in-the-morning-and-you-can-t-wait/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) > [I design some of my own clothes now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiernan-shipka/i-design-some-of-my-own-clothes-now/) [Kiernan Shipka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiernan-shipka/) > [I know my hair is out of the '60's, my clothes are '50's and the shoes I wear are from the '40's. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-my-hair-is-out-of-the-60-s-my-clothes-are-50-s-and-the-shoes-i/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Don't get too excited, but I'm naked under these clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/don-t-get-too-excited-but-i-m-naked-under-these-clothes/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. I can't stand scratchy clothes, I've got to have soft kinds of cotton against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/my-problems-are-sort-of-more-on-a-nuisance-level-i-can-t-stand/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-costume-and-your-confidence-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When I was a kid, my parents were happy to buy me clothes; they provided for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/when-i-was-a-kid-my-parents-were-happy-to-buy-me-clothes-they/) [Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/) > [It's very important to me that I look good when I go out publicly. I like looking at my clothes rack in the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-i-look-good-when-i-go-out-publicly-i/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) [Browse all 4,888 Clothes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She was having a violent reaction against beautiful clothes and the slavery they impose on one, her experience being that the instant one had got them they took one in hand and gave one no peace till they had been everywhere and been seen by everybody. You didn't take your clothes to parties; they took you. 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