--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you can't be pretty, you have to learn…" description: "\"If you can't be pretty, you have to learn to make yourself attractive. I found that all the pretty girls I went to high school with came to middle age ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/iris-apfel-2319_age_if-you-can-t-be-pretty-you-have-to-learn_2277598.jpg" --- # If you can't be pretty, you have to learn to make yourself… ![“If you can't be pretty, you have to learn to make yourself attractive. I found that all the pretty girls I went to high school with came to middle age as frumps, because they just got by with their pretty faces, so they never developed anything. They never learned how to be interesting. But if you…” quote by Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/iris-apfel-2319_age_if-you-can-t-be-pretty-you-have-to-learn_2277598.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/iris-apfel-2319_age_if-you-can-t-be-pretty-you-have-to-learn_2277598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/iris-apfel-2319_age_if-you-can-t-be-pretty-you-have-to-learn_2277598.jpg) > “If you can't be pretty, you have to learn to make yourself attractive. I found that all the pretty girls I went to high school with came to middle age as frumps, because they just got by with their pretty faces, so they never developed anything. They never learned how to be interesting. But if you are bereft of certain things, you have to make up for them in certain ways. Don't you think?” [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When physical beauty is lacking, one must cultivate personality, style, and skills to become attractive. **In simple terms:** Develop inner qualities if you lack looks. Key Takeaway Invest in character and talents. Themes self‑improvement confidence authenticity style resilience Mood reflective inspirational pragmatic Type advice motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - dating - public speaking - social networking - personal branding Key Concepts personal development social perception identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How can you enhance your inner appeal? - What non‑physical traits do you value most? A Different Perspective Relying solely on external appearance can lead to shallow relationships and missed growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Bereft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bereft/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Middle age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-age/) [Middle ages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-ages/) [Pretty girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-girl/) [Pretty girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-girls/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Most girls my age have pretty faces. me, I have scars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fading-scars/most-girls-my-age-have-pretty-faces-me-i-have-scars/) Fading\_scars > [I like tight bodies and pretty faces. You bring in Methuselah, if she's got a tight body and a pretty face, that's all right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/i-like-tight-bodies-and-pretty-faces-you-bring-in-methuselah-if-she-s/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [She should have know that villains often come with pretty faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-godbersen/she-should-have-know-that-villains-often-come-with-pretty-faces/) [Anna Godbersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-godbersen/) > [It's always difficult to see yourself as other people do, but I'm realistic about my appearance. I wasn't born with one of those pretty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-jackson/it-s-always-difficult-to-see-yourself-as-other-people-do-but-i-m/) [Alison Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-jackson/) > [Man it's funny thinking about all those pretty faces you used to know; all those pretty hearts that used to be fair, that used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oamlad/man-it-s-funny-thinking-about-all-those-pretty-faces-you-used-to-know/) [Oamlad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oamlad/) > [Beware of pretty faces that you find, a pretty face can hide an evil mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-ramistella/beware-of-pretty-faces-that-you-find-a-pretty-face-can-hide-an-evil/) [Johnny Ramistella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-ramistella/) > [“The personalities behind most of the soft, pretty faces he ran into lately were some variety or other of bat-shit crazy anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-barton/the-personalities-behind-most-of-the-soft-pretty-faces-he-ran-into/) [Jenna Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-barton/) > [Lots of pretty faces came and went over the years, but some stuck around and I happen to be one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/lots-of-pretty-faces-came-and-went-over-the-years-but-some-stuck/) [Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/) > [I've found that when I was young, all the pretty girls at school got all the dates and went to all the big parties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-ve-found-that-when-i-was-young-all-the-pretty-girls-at-school-got/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [We tend to become what the most important person in our life thinks we will become. Think the best, believe the best, and express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/we-tend-to-become-what-the-most-important-person-in-our-life-thinks/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I personally don't think ginger men have a habit of being attractive. We have to make ourselves seem attractive by doing stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/i-personally-don-t-think-ginger-men-have-a-habit-of-being-attractive/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [What will really make you attractive is not working on your weak points but embracing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/what-will-really-make-you-attractive-is-not-working-on-your-weak/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“Women have always tried to make themselves attractive to men, and you're not going to change a thing like that in a hurry. Look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/women-have-always-tried-to-make-themselves-attractive-to-men-and-you/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [No amount of time in front of the mirror will make you as attractive as having the Holy Ghost with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/no-amount-of-time-in-front-of-the-mirror-will-make-you-as-attractive/) [Sheri L. Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/) > [And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-the-apostle/and-i-want-women-to-be-modest-in-their-appearance-they-should-wear/) [Paul the Apostle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-the-apostle/) ## More by Iris Apfel > [I think dressing up or down should be a creative experience. Exciting. Fun. For me the key to personal style lies in accessories. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-think-dressing-up-or-down-should-be-a-creative-experience-exciting/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [I don't spend my life getting dressed! I have to put clothes on during the day; I don't get dressed up at all when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-don-t-spend-my-life-getting-dressed-i-have-to-put-clothes-on-during/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [I think some people like me because I'm different. I don't think like everybody else. People are so tied up in the worst parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-think-some-people-like-me-because-i-m-different-i-don-t-think-like/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [Throughout history, clothes represented who you were; they are a great vehicle for explaining who you are. During the Ching dynasty, for example, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/throughout-history-clothes-represented-who-you-were-they-are-a-great/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [If you don't have any individuality and you're happy just being one of the girls (or boys) be my guest. I'm not the fashion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/if-you-don-t-have-any-individuality-and-you-re-happy-just-being-one/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [I think jewelry can change an outfit more than anything else. Transformation, punch, individuality: One or all of the above are why you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-think-jewelry-can-change-an-outfit-more-than-anything-else/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [When you go to a nice restaurant, you want to be relaxed and have a drink and everything, you want to look at people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/when-you-go-to-a-nice-restaurant-you-want-to-be-relaxed-and-have-a/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [I'm happy. I give thanks every morning that I can get up, that I still have my husband with me. I'm extremely grateful. After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-m-happy-i-give-thanks-every-morning-that-i-can-get-up-that-i-still/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [It's not easy to know who you are and it's very painful and takes a lot of time and that is why a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/it-s-not-easy-to-know-who-you-are-and-it-s-very-painful-and-takes-a/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [If you put something together and it doesn't look so good, the fashion police are not going to come and take you away. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/if-you-put-something-together-and-it-doesn-t-look-so-good-the-fashion/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [The world is always full of promise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/the-world-is-always-full-of-promise/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [First you have to know who you are. That is the most important thing, as if you don't know who you are you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/first-you-have-to-know-who-you-are-that-is-the-most-important-thing/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [The fun of getting dressed is it's a creative experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/the-fun-of-getting-dressed-is-it-s-a-creative-experience/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [In America, it has been proven that the bulk of spending money is in the hands of women between 60 and 80, so it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/in-america-it-has-been-proven-that-the-bulk-of-spending-money-is-in/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) > [I don't believe in rules. It's different for everybody. Everyone has to make their own decision and find out what's comfortable for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-don-t-believe-in-rules-it-s-different-for-everybody-everyone-has-to/) [Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) [Explore all 171 Iris Apfel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you can't be pretty, you have to learn to make yourself attractive. I found that all the pretty girls I went to high school with came to middle age as frumps, because they just got by with their pretty faces, so they never developed anything. They never learned how to be interesting. But if you are bereft of certain things, you have to make up for them in certain ways. 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