--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We used to call it her Cinderella…" description: "\"We used to call it her Cinderella complex, because often when she had agreed to go out in the evening she would be seized by panic and announce that sh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/emma-donoghue-1499_cinderella_we-used-to-call-it-her-cinderella-comple_1793696.png" --- # We used to call it her Cinderella complex, because often… ![“We used to call it her Cinderella complex, because often when she had agreed to go out in the evening she would be seized by panic and announce that she had nothing to wear.” quote by Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/emma-donoghue-1499_cinderella_we-used-to-call-it-her-cinderella-comple_1793696.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/emma-donoghue-1499_cinderella_we-used-to-call-it-her-cinderella-comple_1793696.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/emma-donoghue-1499_cinderella_we-used-to-call-it-her-cinderella-comple_1793696.png) > “We used to call it her Cinderella complex, because often when she had agreed to go out in the evening she would be seized by panic and announce that she had nothing to wear.” [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A woman feels intense panic about her appearance when she must go out, reflecting a deep insecurity tied to societal expectations of femininity. **In simple terms:** She panics about not having the right clothes. Key Takeaway Address underlying insecurities. Themes insecurity gender expectations social anxiety Mood anxious reflective Type psychological social When to use this quote - dating - public events - career networking - social gatherings Key Concepts self-esteem cultural pressure Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your anxiety about appearance? - How can you reframe self-worth beyond clothing? A Different Perspective Panic may mask other underlying issues like depression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinderella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinderella/) [Cinderella Complex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinderella-complex-1968111/) [Evening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evening/) [Evening Seized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evening-seized-1968112/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Panic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/panic/) [Seized Panic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seized-panic-1968110/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [I never read 'The Cinderella Complex' - I'm too afraid that my name might be in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ford/i-never-read-the-cinderella-complex-i-m-too-afraid-that-my-name-might/) [Susan Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ford/) > [“Indeed the alienated person finds it almost impossible to remain by himself, because he is seized by the panic of experiencing nothingness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/indeed-the-alienated-person-finds-it-almost-impossible-to-remain-by/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“We can be seized with panic of the fall, or inspired by the potential that lies within the fall.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/we-can-be-seized-with-panic-of-the-fall-or-inspired-by-the-potential/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I noted about Cate Blanchett was her very positive lack of concern for how she turns out in Cinderella. She is happy to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-branagh/i-noted-about-cate-blanchett-was-her-very-positive-lack-of-concern/) [Kenneth Branagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-branagh/) > [“Cinderella smiled through the tears in her eyes. “Cristoph Friedrich, before I answer, there are some things that must be stated,” she said. “Yesterday,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-shea/cinderella-smiled-through-the-tears-in-her-eyes-cristoph-friedrich/) [K.M. Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-shea/) > [The next day the two sisters went to the ball, and so did Cinderella, but dressed more magnificently than before. The King's son was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-perrault/the-next-day-the-two-sisters-went-to-the-ball-and-so-did-cinderella/) [Charles Perrault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-perrault/) > [The Cinderella story is wired for weirdness, and you can see it in this movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-tatar/the-cinderella-story-is-wired-for-weirdness-and-you-can-see-it-in/) [Maria Tatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-tatar/) > [Never look back. If Cinderella had gone back to pick up her glass slipper, she would have never become a princess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-look-back-if-cinderella-had-gone-back-to-pick-up-her-glass/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Although…it does raise an important question.” “Yes?” “We have both admitted we love each other.” “Yes?” “And we’re engaged.” “Yes?” “May I finally kiss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-shea/although-it-does-raise-an-important-question-yes-we-have-both/) [K.M. Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-shea/) > [“There was no way that these guys were going to let a bleeding, barefoot woman simply wander off alone into the streets. Two of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/there-was-no-way-that-these-guys-were-going-to-let-a-bleeding/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Whether we think of Disney's blonde beauty and her pumpkin carriage or Marissa Meyer's recent recasting of 'Cinderella' as a cyborg in the young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-rutkoski/whether-we-think-of-disney-s-blonde-beauty-and-her-pumpkin-carriage/) [Marie Rutkoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-rutkoski/) > [“For the longest time, Cinderella had doubted Friedrich was ever serious about her. Now, as she saw the way his fingers twitched with nervousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-shea/for-the-longest-time-cinderella-had-doubted-friedrich-was-ever/) [K.M. Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-shea/) > [I don't want to be like Romeo & juliet, Prince Charming and Cinderella, or even Ken and Barbie..I want to make a story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-want-to-be-like-romeo-juliet-prince-charming-and-cinderella/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What do you think of the ball?” her companion asked. “It is lovely,” Cinderella said. “What do you enjoy most? The dancing?” “The food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-shea/what-do-you-think-of-the-ball-her-companion-asked-it-is-lovely/) [K.M. Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-shea/) > [“And for God's sake, don't let her watch Cinderella. What kind of example is that? A mindless twit who can't even remember where she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/and-for-god-s-sake-don-t-let-her-watch-cinderella-what-kind-of/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) ## More by Emma Donoghue > [Before I had kids, I thought you should never lie to a kid. But now I've had them, I realize you almost lie to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/before-i-had-kids-i-thought-you-should-never-lie-to-a-kid-but-now-i/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [People don't always want to be with people. It gets tiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/people-don-t-always-want-to-be-with-people-it-gets-tiring/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [What writing ROOM taught me was that I know exactly how to be the perfect mother, but I'm not willing to do it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/what-writing-room-taught-me-was-that-i-know-exactly-how-to-be-the/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [With my first book, I was hired to write a draft of the script. I was so young and less confident. They put me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/with-my-first-book-i-was-hired-to-write-a-draft-of-the-script-i-was/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“Who knows what we all are before anything happens?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/who-knows-what-we-all-are-before-anything-happens/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [...real loneliness is having no one to miss. Think yourself lucky you've known something worth missing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/real-loneliness-is-having-no-one-to-miss-think-yourself-lucky-you-ve/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“It's you that matters though, just you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/it-s-you-that-matters-though-just-you/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [At the door, there was one of those moment when two people realize that they like each other more than they know each other.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/at-the-door-there-was-one-of-those-moment-when-two-people-realize/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“When I was as young as you are now I learned how to save my own life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/when-i-was-as-young-as-you-are-now-i-learned-how-to-save-my-own-life/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“In Room me and Ma had time for everything. I guess the time gets spread very thin like butter all over the world, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/in-room-me-and-ma-had-time-for-everything-i-guess-the-time-gets/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [I am clumsy, a late and nervous driver, and despise all sports except a little gentle dancing or yoga.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/i-am-clumsy-a-late-and-nervous-driver-and-despise-all-sports-except-a/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“I looked in my mirror and saw, not myself, but every place I'd never been.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/i-looked-in-my-mirror-and-saw-not-myself-but-every-place-i-d-never/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“I tell you frankly, Mrs. Damer, the more I see of different nations, the less sure I feel about the pre-eminence of my own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/i-tell-you-frankly-mrs-damer-the-more-i-see-of-different-nations-the/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [Actually,the nightmarish thought occurred to me that with electronic delivery of books becoming a norm, soon writers may be expected to provide several versions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/actually-the-nightmarish-thought-occurred-to-me-that-with-electronic/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [Writing is nearly always a matter of finding whatever your brain needs to trick it into being creative, and in my case, a tiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/writing-is-nearly-always-a-matter-of-finding-whatever-your-brain/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) [Explore all 232 Emma Donoghue quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) ## More Cinderella quotes > [“And for God's sake, don't let her watch Cinderella. What kind of example is that? A mindless twit who can't even remember where she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/and-for-god-s-sake-don-t-let-her-watch-cinderella-what-kind-of/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) > [“What do you think of the ball?” her companion asked. “It is lovely,” Cinderella said. “What do you enjoy most? The dancing?” “The food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-shea/what-do-you-think-of-the-ball-her-companion-asked-it-is-lovely/) [K.M. Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-shea/) > [I don't want to be like Romeo & juliet, Prince Charming and Cinderella, or even Ken and Barbie..I want to make a story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-want-to-be-like-romeo-juliet-prince-charming-and-cinderella/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For the longest time, Cinderella had doubted Friedrich was ever serious about her. Now, as she saw the way his fingers twitched with nervousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-shea/for-the-longest-time-cinderella-had-doubted-friedrich-was-ever/) [K.M. Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-shea/) > [Whether we think of Disney's blonde beauty and her pumpkin carriage or Marissa Meyer's recent recasting of 'Cinderella' as a cyborg in the young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-rutkoski/whether-we-think-of-disney-s-blonde-beauty-and-her-pumpkin-carriage/) [Marie Rutkoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-rutkoski/) > [“There was no way that these guys were going to let a bleeding, barefoot woman simply wander off alone into the streets. Two of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/there-was-no-way-that-these-guys-were-going-to-let-a-bleeding/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Although…it does raise an important question.” “Yes?” “We have both admitted we love each other.” “Yes?” “And we’re engaged.” “Yes?” “May I finally kiss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-shea/although-it-does-raise-an-important-question-yes-we-have-both/) [K.M. Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-shea/) > [Never look back. If Cinderella had gone back to pick up her glass slipper, she would have never become a princess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-look-back-if-cinderella-had-gone-back-to-pick-up-her-glass/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Cinderella story is wired for weirdness, and you can see it in this movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-tatar/the-cinderella-story-is-wired-for-weirdness-and-you-can-see-it-in/) [Maria Tatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-tatar/) > [The next day the two sisters went to the ball, and so did Cinderella, but dressed more magnificently than before. The King's son was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-perrault/the-next-day-the-two-sisters-went-to-the-ball-and-so-did-cinderella/) [Charles Perrault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-perrault/) > [“Cinderella smiled through the tears in her eyes. “Cristoph Friedrich, before I answer, there are some things that must be stated,” she said. “Yesterday,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-shea/cinderella-smiled-through-the-tears-in-her-eyes-cristoph-friedrich/) [K.M. Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-shea/) > [I noted about Cate Blanchett was her very positive lack of concern for how she turns out in Cinderella. She is happy to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-branagh/i-noted-about-cate-blanchett-was-her-very-positive-lack-of-concern/) [Kenneth Branagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-branagh/) > [“Mrs. Pott's beady black eyes narrowed,"Do you know how many glass slippers I have to stitch when I get home? There's a Mad Hatter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-avett/mrs-pott-s-beady-black-eyes-narrowed-do-you-know-how-many-glass/) [Sophie Avett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-avett/) > [Cinderella and the prince lived, they say, happily ever after, like two dolls in a museum case never bothered by diapers or dust, never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/cinderella-and-the-prince-lived-they-say-happily-ever-after-like-two/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [Cinderella is a little edgy and a little rough around the edges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dania-ramirez/cinderella-is-a-little-edgy-and-a-little-rough-around-the-edges/) [Dania Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dania-ramirez/) [Browse all 445 Cinderella quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinderella/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We used to call it her Cinderella complex, because often when she had agreed to go out in the evening she would be seized by panic and announce that she had nothing to wear.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emma Donoghue" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/we-used-to-call-it-her-cinderella-complex-because-often-when-she-had/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinderella" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/we-used-to-call-it-her-cinderella-complex-because-often-when-she-had/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/emma-donoghue-1499_cinderella_we-used-to-call-it-her-cinderella-comple_1793696.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/emma-donoghue-1499_cinderella_we-used-to-call-it-her-cinderella-comple_1793696.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8b/emma-donoghue-1499_cinderella_we-used-to-call-it-her-cinderella-comple_1793696.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We used to call it her Cinderella complex, because often when she had agreed to go out in the evening she…” — Emma Donoghue", "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": "Emma Donoghue", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We used to call it her...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/we-used-to-call-it-her-cinderella-complex-because-often-when-she-had/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/we-used-to-call-it-her-cinderella-complex-because-often-when-she-had/#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 } } ] } ```