--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She had a womanly instinct that clothes…" description: "\"She had a womanly instinct that clothes possess an influence more powerful over many than the worth of character or the magic of manners.\" — Louisa May..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/louisa-may-alcott-318_character_she-had-a-womanly-instinct-that-clothes_2893831.png" --- # She had a womanly instinct that clothes possess an… ![“She had a womanly instinct that clothes possess an influence more powerful over many than the worth of character or the magic of manners.” quote by Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/louisa-may-alcott-318_character_she-had-a-womanly-instinct-that-clothes_2893831.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/louisa-may-alcott-318_character_she-had-a-womanly-instinct-that-clothes_2893831.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a8/louisa-may-alcott-318_character_she-had-a-womanly-instinct-that-clothes_2893831.png) > “She had a womanly instinct that clothes possess an influence more powerful over many than the worth of character or the magic of manners.” [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clothing can shape perception more strongly than personal virtues or etiquette. **In simple terms:** Appearance often outweighs character. Key Takeaway Mind how you present yourself. Themes appearance perception social influence Mood reflective critical Type observational analytical When to use this quote - job interviews - first impressions - social media profiles Key Concepts fashion psychology identity status symbols Questions to Reflect On - How does your wardrobe affect how others treat you? - Can you be judged by your character alone? A Different Perspective Appearance can be deceptive and superficial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) ## Related quotes > [How, without clothes, could we possess the master organ, soul's seat and true pineal gland of the body social--I mean a purse?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/how-without-clothes-could-we-possess-the-master-organ-soul-s-seat-and/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Young men often laugh at the sensible girls whom they secretly respect, and affect to admire the silly ones whom they secretly despise, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/young-men-often-laugh-at-the-sensible-girls-whom-they-secretly/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [There are two parts to influence: First, influence is powerful; and second, influence is subtle. You wouldn't let someone push you off course, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/there-are-two-parts-to-influence-first-influence-is-powerful-and/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [There is no influence so powerful as that of the mother, but next in rank in efficacy is that of the schoolmaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-josepha-hale/there-is-no-influence-so-powerful-as-that-of-the-mother-but-next-in/) [Sarah Josepha Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-josepha-hale/) > [No influence is so powerful as that of the mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-josepha-hale/no-influence-is-so-powerful-as-that-of-the-mother/) [Sarah Josepha Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-josepha-hale/) > [I think that social media influence is such a powerful presence in our society to the point where it's a little bit scary sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/i-think-that-social-media-influence-is-such-a-powerful-presence-in/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [“All human beings wield influence—a powerful sword granted at birth. Wield your sword with care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/all-human-beings-wield-influence-a-powerful-sword-granted-at-birth/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Woman's influence is powerful, especially when she wants something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/woman-s-influence-is-powerful-especially-when-she-wants-something/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [“For as men have fists and heads to defend themselves, so women have a gentleness of silence about them, a barrier built of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-llewellyn/for-as-men-have-fists-and-heads-to-defend-themselves-so-women-have-a/) [Richard Llewellyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-llewellyn/) > [A real woman understands that man was created to be the initiator, and she operates on that premise. This is primarily a matter of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/a-real-woman-understands-that-man-was-created-to-be-the-initiator-and/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“In Skala warfare is a womanly thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-flewelling/in-skala-warfare-is-a-womanly-thing/) [Lynn Flewelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-flewelling/) > [Give up the belief that mind is, even temporarily, compressed within the skull, and you will quickly become more manly or womanly. You will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/give-up-the-belief-that-mind-is-even-temporarily-compressed-within/) [Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/) > [Women are called womanly only when they regard themselves as existing solely for the use of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/women-are-called-womanly-only-when-they-regard-themselves-as-existing/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [I love Vivienne Westwood - she designs for womanly shapes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goldman/i-love-vivienne-westwood-she-designs-for-womanly-shapes/) [Jane Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goldman/) > [It has always been thought perfectly womanly to be a scrub- woman in the Legislature and to take care of the spittoons; that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/it-has-always-been-thought-perfectly-womanly-to-be-a-scrub-woman-in/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) ## More by Louisa May Alcott > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“At three o'clock in the afternoon, all the fashionable world at Nice may be seen on the Promenade des Anglais—a charming place, for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/at-three-o-clock-in-the-afternoon-all-the-fashionable-world-at-nice/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Please could I say one word?" was the question three times repeated before a rough head boobed out from the grotto of books in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/please-could-i-say-one-word-was-the-question-three-times-repeated/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Elegance has a bad effect on my constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/elegance-has-a-bad-effect-on-my-constitution/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“…the child's heart bled when it was broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/the-child-s-heart-bled-when-it-was-broken/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“She would make a man of me. She puts strength and courage into me as no one else can. She is unlike any girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/she-would-make-a-man-of-me-she-puts-strength-and-courage-into-me-as/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“I read somewhere that every inch of rope used in the British Navy has a strand of red in it, so that wherever a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-read-somewhere-that-every-inch-of-rope-used-in-the-british-navy-has/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Chance words spoken in kindness often help amazingly; and that's what old people are here for -- else their experience is of little use.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/chance-words-spoken-in-kindness-often-help-amazingly-and-that-s-what/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“Tired of my own company, I suppose, now I've seen so much better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/tired-of-my-own-company-i-suppose-now-i-ve-seen-so-much-better/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Oft in the silence of the night, When the lonely moon rides high, When wintry winds are whistling, And we hear the owl's shrill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/oft-in-the-silence-of-the-night-when-the-lonely-moon-rides-high-when/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [But buds will be roses, and kittens, cats - more's the pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/but-buds-will-be-roses-and-kittens-cats-more-s-the-pity/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“I'll try and be what he loves to call me, 'a little woman' and not be rough and wild, but do my duty here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-ll-try-and-be-what-he-loves-to-call-me-a-little-woman-and-not-be/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“If you feel your value lies in being merely decorative, I fear that someday you might find yourself believing that’s all that you really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/if-you-feel-your-value-lies-in-being-merely-decorative-i-fear-that/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“ "I do not ask for any crown But that which all may win; Nor try to conquer any world Except the world within." ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-do-not-ask-for-any-crown-but-that-which-all-may-win-nor-try-to/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Some books are so familiar that reading them is like being home again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/some-books-are-so-familiar-that-reading-them-is-like-being-home-again/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) [Explore all 681 Louisa May Alcott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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