---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You're not pretty, and you'll never be…"
description: "\"You're not pretty, and you'll never be pretty. But, it doesn't matter. You have something much better. You have style.\" — Iris Apfel"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/iris-apfel-2319_fashion_you-re-not-pretty-and-you-ll-never-be-pr_523900.png"
---

#  You're not pretty, and you'll never be pretty. But, it…

![“You're not pretty, and you'll never be pretty. But, it doesn't matter. You have something much better. You have style.” quote by Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/iris-apfel-2319_fashion_you-re-not-pretty-and-you-ll-never-be-pr_523900.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/iris-apfel-2319_fashion_you-re-not-pretty-and-you-ll-never-be-pr_523900.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/iris-apfel-2319_fashion_you-re-not-pretty-and-you-ll-never-be-pr_523900.png)

> “You're not pretty, and you'll never be pretty. But, it doesn't matter. You have something much better. You have style.”

[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.

Your appearance is secondary to personal style, which defines you more than looks.

**In simple terms:** Style matters more than looks.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate your unique style.

Themes

self‑esteem fashion confidence

Mood

confident empowering

Type

motivational inspirational

When to use this quote

- daily outfit planning
- personal branding workshops
- social media style posts

Key Concepts

personal branding identity self‑expression

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you express style without external validation?
- What does style mean to you?

A Different Perspective

Style alone may not overcome systemic bias.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/)

## Related quotes

> [I feel I have way better style than Macklemore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-pratt/i-feel-i-have-way-better-style-than-macklemore/)

[Spencer Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-pratt/)

> [I guess if you can't sing, you better have a style!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/i-guess-if-you-can-t-sing-you-better-have-a-style/)

[Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/)

> [Just because she's pretty doesn't mean your ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonyaboo/just-because-she-s-pretty-doesn-t-mean-your-ugly/)

[Sonyaboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonyaboo/)

> [Just because her face is pretty, doesn't mean her personality is equally appealing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-because-her-face-is-pretty-doesn-t-mean-her-personality-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“She's pretty, but she doesn't see it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levithan/she-s-pretty-but-she-doesn-t-see-it/)

Daniel Levithan

> [If you're over 60, arms are not pretty, so I think you should stay covered up. But wear what's appropriate for what you're doing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/if-you-re-over-60-arms-are-not-pretty-so-i-think-you-should-stay/)

[Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/)

> [I don't happen to like pretty things. I don't like pretty dresses. I like more attractive. I like people that look a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/i-don-t-happen-to-like-pretty-things-i-don-t-like-pretty-dresses-i/)

[Iris Apfel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/)

> [I believe that pretty doesn't come with rules... you don't HAVE to be skinny you don't HAVE to have make up on to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly/i-believe-that-pretty-doesn-t-come-with-rules-you-don-t-have-to-be/)

[Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly/)

> [Just Because She's Pretty... Doesn't Mean You're Ugly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-because-she-s-pretty-doesn-t-mean-you-re-ugly/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Marvel hates her because she's pretty and doesn't have any kids to worry about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/marvel-hates-her-because-she-s-pretty-and-doesn-t-have-any-kids-to/)

[Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/)

> [I don't know. Just because someone's pretty doesn't mean she's decent. Or vice versa. I'm not into appearances. I like flaws, I think they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-don-t-know-just-because-someone-s-pretty-doesn-t-mean-she-s-decent/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [“And pretty,” my mom says. Pretty doesn’t fit Kit. It’s too small a word. Like her name. “Not pretty,” I correct her. “Beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-buxbaum/and-pretty-my-mom-says-pretty-doesn-t-fit-kit-it-s-too-small-a-word/)

[Julie Buxbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-buxbaum/)

> [Just because someone's pretty, doesn't mean she's decent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/just-because-someone-s-pretty-doesn-t-mean-she-s-decent/)

[Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/)

> [Becoming pretty doesn't just change the way you look," she said. "No," David said. "It changes the way you think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/becoming-pretty-doesn-t-just-change-the-way-you-look-she-said-no/)

[Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/)

> [Your PRETTY, but that doesn't count that I like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa/your-pretty-but-that-doesn-t-count-that-i-like-you/)

[ALYSSA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa/)

## 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 Fashion quotes

> [“I can either be a victim—or a winner. Fuck victimhood. I don’t wear it well; it clashes with my wardrobe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-can-either-be-a-victim-or-a-winner-fuck-victimhood-i-don-t-wear-it/)

[Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/)

> [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/)

> [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/)

[George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/)

> [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/)

[Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/)

> [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/)

[Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/)

> [Never in a million years would I imagine Calvin Klein flying me out to my first men's fashion show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-dallas/never-in-a-million-years-would-i-imagine-calvin-klein-flying-me-out/)

[Cameron Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-dallas/)

> [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/)

[Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/)

> [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/)

[Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [No one knows whom the shoe pinches - no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sholom-aleichem/no-one-knows-whom-the-shoe-pinches-no-one/)

[Sholom Aleichem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sholom-aleichem/)

> [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/)

[Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/)

> [I have always been too round to do fashion shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-klum/i-have-always-been-too-round-to-do-fashion-shows/)

[Heidi Klum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-klum/)

> [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/)

[Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/)

> [I've retired my sneakers for stilettos, baby!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivica-a-fox/i-ve-retired-my-sneakers-for-stilettos-baby/)

[Vivica A. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivica-a-fox/)

[Browse all 19,830 Fashion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You're not pretty, and you'll never be pretty. But, it doesn't matter. You have something much better. You have style.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Iris Apfel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/you-re-not-pretty-and-you-ll-never-be-pretty-but-it-doesn-t-matter/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fashion"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/you-re-not-pretty-and-you-ll-never-be-pretty-but-it-doesn-t-matter/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/iris-apfel-2319_fashion_you-re-not-pretty-and-you-ll-never-be-pr_523900.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/iris-apfel-2319_fashion_you-re-not-pretty-and-you-ll-never-be-pr_523900.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/iris-apfel-2319_fashion_you-re-not-pretty-and-you-ll-never-be-pr_523900.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You're not pretty, and you'll never be pretty. But, it doesn't matter. You have something much better. You…” — Iris Apfel",
                "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": "Iris Apfel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-apfel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You're not pretty, and you'll never...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/you-re-not-pretty-and-you-ll-never-be-pretty-but-it-doesn-t-matter/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-apfel/you-re-not-pretty-and-you-ll-never-be-pretty-but-it-doesn-t-matter/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
