--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I expect a time when, or rather an…" description: "\"I expect a time when, or rather an integrity by which, a man will get his coat as honestly and as perfectly fitting as a tree itsbark. Now our garments..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/henry-david-thoreau-20_coats_i-expect-a-time-when-or-rather-an-integr_2098950.jpg" --- # I expect a time when, or rather an integrity by which, a… ![“I expect a time when, or rather an integrity by which, a man will get his coat as honestly and as perfectly fitting as a tree itsbark. Now our garments are typical of our conformity to the ways of the world, i.e., of the devil, and to some extent react on us and poison us, like that shirt which…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/henry-david-thoreau-20_coats_i-expect-a-time-when-or-rather-an-integr_2098950.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/henry-david-thoreau-20_coats_i-expect-a-time-when-or-rather-an-integr_2098950.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/henry-david-thoreau-20_coats_i-expect-a-time-when-or-rather-an-integr_2098950.jpg) > “I expect a time when, or rather an integrity by which, a man will get his coat as honestly and as perfectly fitting as a tree itsbark. Now our garments are typical of our conformity to the ways of the world, i.e., of the devil, and to some extent react on us and poison us, like that shirt which Hercules put on.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques how societal norms and material conformity corrupt personal integrity, likening it to a poorly fitting coat that harms the wearer. **In simple terms:** Society forces us into ill‑fitting roles. Key Takeaway Resist conformist pressures. Themes integrity conformity materialism individualism Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - social activism - mindful consumption - wardrobe choices Key Concepts philosophy ethics social critique authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What “coat” are you forced to wear? - Can authenticity be achieved without rejecting all material norms? A Different Perspective Changing external symbols may not change inner corruption. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independence/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Poison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poison/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I love men's coats, especially because they're so large and they give plenty of room; the man's coat remains one of my favorite classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-damas/i-love-men-s-coats-especially-because-they-re-so-large-and-they-give/) [Jeanne Damas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-damas/) > [I'm designing what I want. If it's a man's coat with a pair of skinny-leg jeans, I'll do that. It's whatever my mood is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-lauren/i-m-designing-what-i-want-if-it-s-a-man-s-coat-with-a-pair-of-skinny/) [Ralph Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-lauren/) > [A man's name is not like a mantle which merely hangs about him...but a perfectly fitting garment, which, like the skin, has grown over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/a-man-s-name-is-not-like-a-mantle-which-merely-hangs-about-him-but-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [When talking about marriage, Allah says your spouses are garments for you. A garment may or may not fit perfectly-but either way, it covers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/when-talking-about-marriage-allah-says-your-spouses-are-garments-for/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [Wear your ego like a loose fitting garment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wear-your-ego-like-a-loose-fitting-garment/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In most books, the I, or first person, is omitted; in this it will be retained; that, in respect to egotism, is the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-most-books-the-i-or-first-person-is-omitted-in-this-it-will-be/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every day our garments become more assimilated to ourselves, receiving the impress of the wearer's character, until we hesitate tolay them aside without such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/every-day-our-garments-become-more-assimilated-to-ourselves-receiving/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A beautifully-designed coat that drapes magnificently on the female form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-rayne-oakes/a-beautifully-designed-coat-that-drapes-magnificently-on-the-female/) [Summer Rayne Oakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-rayne-oakes/) > [Top coat, top hat, I don't worry cause my wallets fat. Black shades, white gloves, looking sharp and looking for love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zz-top-21087/top-coat-top-hat-i-don-t-worry-cause-my-wallets-fat-black-shades/) ZZ Top > [Why don't you get out of that wet coat and into a dry martini?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/why-don-t-you-get-out-of-that-wet-coat-and-into-a-dry-martini/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [Nobody really needs a mink coat... Except the mink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/nobody-really-needs-a-mink-coat-except-the-mink/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [“Used to live alone in a tomb I made my own, but now I’ve gone and given up my coat. And it’s cold outside,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-michaelson/used-to-live-alone-in-a-tomb-i-made-my-own-but-now-i-ve-gone-and/) [Ingrid Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-michaelson/) > [“Bump stood in the middle of the room, wrapped in a heavy fur coat, with a black silk top hatcovering his fuzzy head and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacia-kane/bump-stood-in-the-middle-of-the-room-wrapped-in-a-heavy-fur-coat-with/) [Stacia Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacia-kane/) > [I don't like acrylic because you can't get the density of color. And with each coat of oil paint, the surface gets better and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellsworth-kelly/i-don-t-like-acrylic-because-you-can-t-get-the-density-of-color-and/) [Ellsworth Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellsworth-kelly/) > [“He wore his hope like a winter coat, layered over the top of all of him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack/he-wore-his-hope-like-a-winter-coat-layered-over-the-top-of-all-of-him/) [Cora Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Coat quotes > [“He wore his hope like a winter coat, layered over the top of all of him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack/he-wore-his-hope-like-a-winter-coat-layered-over-the-top-of-all-of-him/) [Cora Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack/) > [I don't like acrylic because you can't get the density of color. And with each coat of oil paint, the surface gets better and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellsworth-kelly/i-don-t-like-acrylic-because-you-can-t-get-the-density-of-color-and/) [Ellsworth Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellsworth-kelly/) > [“Bump stood in the middle of the room, wrapped in a heavy fur coat, with a black silk top hatcovering his fuzzy head and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacia-kane/bump-stood-in-the-middle-of-the-room-wrapped-in-a-heavy-fur-coat-with/) [Stacia Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacia-kane/) > [“Used to live alone in a tomb I made my own, but now I’ve gone and given up my coat. And it’s cold outside,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-michaelson/used-to-live-alone-in-a-tomb-i-made-my-own-but-now-i-ve-gone-and/) [Ingrid Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-michaelson/) > [Nobody really needs a mink coat... Except the mink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/nobody-really-needs-a-mink-coat-except-the-mink/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [Why don't you get out of that wet coat and into a dry martini?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/why-don-t-you-get-out-of-that-wet-coat-and-into-a-dry-martini/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [Top coat, top hat, I don't worry cause my wallets fat. Black shades, white gloves, looking sharp and looking for love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zz-top-21087/top-coat-top-hat-i-don-t-worry-cause-my-wallets-fat-black-shades/) ZZ Top > [A beautifully-designed coat that drapes magnificently on the female form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-rayne-oakes/a-beautifully-designed-coat-that-drapes-magnificently-on-the-female/) [Summer Rayne Oakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-rayne-oakes/) > [It's so cold I saw a snowman wearing a fur coat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakerbuddy/it-s-so-cold-i-saw-a-snowman-wearing-a-fur-coat/) [Bakerbuddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakerbuddy/) > [“A good coat is like a good lawyer. it covers your ass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/a-good-coat-is-like-a-good-lawyer-it-covers-your-ass/) [lee child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“Her hair was simply red and her coat was deacon blue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rankin/her-hair-was-simply-red-and-her-coat-was-deacon-blue/) [Robert Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rankin/) > [With a rescue dog, you take what's at the centre as long as it roughly fits the bill. When you buy a dog from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-barrowcliffe/with-a-rescue-dog-you-take-what-s-at-the-centre-as-long-as-it-roughly/) [Mark Barrowcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-barrowcliffe/) > [“In most books, the I, or first person, is omitted; in this it will be retained; that, in respect to egotism, is the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-most-books-the-i-or-first-person-is-omitted-in-this-it-will-be/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There's an art to making something look good when, on a hanger, it's just a black coat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daria-werbowy/there-s-an-art-to-making-something-look-good-when-on-a-hanger-it-s/) [Daria Werbowy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daria-werbowy/) > [I should be European, man. I'm long and lean. I'd look good in a trench coat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/i-should-be-european-man-i-m-long-and-lean-i-d-look-good-in-a-trench/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) Browse all 255 Coat quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I expect a time when, or rather an integrity by which, a man will get his coat as honestly and as perfectly fitting as a tree itsbark. 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