---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I went through a Billy Idol phase. I had…"
description: "\"I went through a Billy Idol phase. I had white hair when Peter Rizzo hired me at Barneys.\" — Nick Wooster"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/nick-wooster-7632_hair_i-went-through-a-billy-idol-phase-i-had_2806928.jpg"
---

#  I went through a Billy Idol phase. I had white hair when…

![“I went through a Billy Idol phase. I had white hair when Peter Rizzo hired me at Barneys.” quote by Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/nick-wooster-7632_hair_i-went-through-a-billy-idol-phase-i-had_2806928.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/nick-wooster-7632_hair_i-went-through-a-billy-idol-phase-i-had_2806928.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/nick-wooster-7632_hair_i-went-through-a-billy-idol-phase-i-had_2806928.jpg)

> “I went through a Billy Idol phase. I had white hair when Peter Rizzo hired me at Barneys.”

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He reflects on a youthful, rebellious style phase marked by bleached hair during his early career at Barneys

**In simple terms:** He recalls a bold, edgy personal style early in his career

Key Takeaway

Embrace bold self‑expression while staying authentic

Themes

fashion identity rebellion

Mood

nostalgic confident

Type

personal anecdote fashion industry

When to use this quote

- career start
- personal style evolution
- industry networking

Key Concepts

personal branding cultural trends

Questions to Reflect On

- How did that phase influence your later image?
- What risks are worth taking in personal branding?

A Different Perspective

Style phases can be fleeting and may clash with professional expectations

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Billy Idol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billy-idol-216155/) [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) [Hair Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair-peter-3491588/) [Hired Barneys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hired-barneys-3491587/) [Idol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idol/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peter/) [Went Billy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-billy-3491589/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-hair/)

## Related quotes

> [OK, I dated Jordan Knight from New Kids on the Block, I dated a 'Baywatch' boy named David Charvet, and I dated Billy Idol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shanna-moakler/ok-i-dated-jordan-knight-from-new-kids-on-the-block-i-dated-a/)

[Shanna Moakler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shanna-moakler/)

> [I'm a huge fan of Billy Idol. I spiked my hair every day like him in 7th and 8th grade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dierks-bentley/i-m-a-huge-fan-of-billy-idol-i-spiked-my-hair-every-day-like-him-in/)

[Dierks Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dierks-bentley/)

> [This is exactly what I thought - that I didn't have enough hair. Peter Jennings. Tom Brokaw. Dan Rather. Beautiful locks, beautiful heads of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/this-is-exactly-what-i-thought-that-i-didn-t-have-enough-hair-peter/)

[Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/)

> [Let me tell you a little story about a guy called Johnny. He's got the 2.25 kids, the washer, dryer, he's livin' the dream.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiga/let-me-tell-you-a-little-story-about-a-guy-called-johnny-he-s-got-the/)

[Tiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiga/)

> [Is Billy Idol just doing a bad Elvis pout, or was he born that way?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/is-billy-idol-just-doing-a-bad-elvis-pout-or-was-he-born-that-way/)

[Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/)

> [I think I was six when I discovered the song "White Wedding" by Billy Idol, and that was the first time I thought I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-loveless/i-think-i-was-six-when-i-discovered-the-song-white-wedding-by-billy/)

[Lydia Loveless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-loveless/)

> [I started going to Madame Louise's, the lesbian club where all the punk bands used to go - the Sex Pistols, the Clash. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boy-george/i-started-going-to-madame-louise-s-the-lesbian-club-where-all-the/)

[Boy George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boy-george/)

> [Have you listened to Eyes Without a Face by Billy Idol? Perfectly good pop song ruined by the worst bridge of all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/have-you-listened-to-eyes-without-a-face-by-billy-idol-perfectly-good/)

[John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/)

> [I like the way Billy Idol sings. Mommy turned me on to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willow-smith/i-like-the-way-billy-idol-sings-mommy-turned-me-on-to-him/)

[Willow Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willow-smith/)

> [ Wisdom and white hair might not be as valued \[in our society\] as in different cultures. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karla-souza/wisdom-and-white-hair-might-not-be-as-valued-in-our-society-as-in/)

[Karla Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karla-souza/)

> [“The old man must have stopped our car two dozen times to climb out and gather into his hands the small toads blinded by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bruchac/the-old-man-must-have-stopped-our-car-two-dozen-times-to-climb-out/)

[Joseph Bruchac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bruchac/)

> [I had white hair when I was 19. I think bleach can be addictive, and before long, you've gone too far with it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-ryan/i-had-white-hair-when-i-was-19-i-think-bleach-can-be-addictive-and/)

[Katherine Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-ryan/)

> [I feel I want to be wise with white hair in a tall library in a deep chair by a fireplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-corso/i-feel-i-want-to-be-wise-with-white-hair-in-a-tall-library-in-a-deep/)

[Gregory Corso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-corso/)

> [Wrinkles and bones, white hair and diamonds: I can't wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/wrinkles-and-bones-white-hair-and-diamonds-i-can-t-wait/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [I hated myself totally white. So now I cheat. It's my white hair, and I put color there. My grandson says I'm punk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-hated-myself-totally-white-so-now-i-cheat-it-s-my-white-hair-and-i/)

[Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/)

## More by Nick Wooster

> [When I was a kid, my parents were happy to buy me clothes; they provided for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/when-i-was-a-kid-my-parents-were-happy-to-buy-me-clothes-they/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [I always treat camo as a solid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-always-treat-camo-as-a-solid/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [Camo is almost like a solid. It is the perfect uniform: you can wear camo in any application and it is always right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/camo-is-almost-like-a-solid-it-is-the-perfect-uniform-you-can-wear/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [I'm so obsessed with Apple, and the chance to work with the people who really created Apple retail is the retail opportunity of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-m-so-obsessed-with-apple-and-the-chance-to-work-with-the-people-who/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [The Japanese are the ultimate students: they analyse things in so much detail... until they have pretty much mastered whatever they are studying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/the-japanese-are-the-ultimate-students-they-analyse-things-in-so-much/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [I grew up in the '60s and '70s when men were required to wear a suit, shirt, and tie every day to be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-grew-up-in-the-60s-and-70s-when-men-were-required-to-wear-a-suit/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [I've always dressed differently. I've always had my own deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-ve-always-dressed-differently-i-ve-always-had-my-own-deal/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [I always say that MTV cribs is what brought straight men into the fashion world. Once they sort of saw sports guys and music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-always-say-that-mtv-cribs-is-what-brought-straight-men-into-the/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [I never wear a black belt with a black shoe. It's always the opposite: a brown shoe with a black belt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-never-wear-a-black-belt-with-a-black-shoe-it-s-always-the-opposite/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [What I love about travel and shopping is seeing how different retailers in London, Paris, and New York interpret the same collection. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/what-i-love-about-travel-and-shopping-is-seeing-how-different/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [I truly find inspiration everywhere. I always tell students, and young people starting out, that the single most important skill, next to listening, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-truly-find-inspiration-everywhere-i-always-tell-students-and-young/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [Clothes and fashion should work in people's lives. Period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/clothes-and-fashion-should-work-in-people-s-lives-period/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [Men shop for problem solving. They want something familiar. So if it's a new version of something they understand, they are right there with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/men-shop-for-problem-solving-they-want-something-familiar-so-if-it-s/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [A gray flannel suit by Thom Browne or Tom Ford can be worn a billion ways. I'll wear a gray flannel jacket with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/a-gray-flannel-suit-by-thom-browne-or-tom-ford-can-be-worn-a-billion/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

> [I'm not just a designer; I'm not just a retailer. I'm not just a street style person, whatever that is. I can instead do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-m-not-just-a-designer-i-m-not-just-a-retailer-i-m-not-just-a-street/)

[Nick Wooster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

[Explore all 89 Nick Wooster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/)

## More Hair quotes

> [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/)

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

> [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/)

> [I think hair gel was invented to make it easier to identify assholes from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-think-hair-gel-was-invented-to-make-it-easier-to-identify-assholes/)

[Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/)

> [Being blonde, for me, means never having to say: 'I'll have the honey-striped half-head of highlights for £200,' to a bored colourist in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-johnson/being-blonde-for-me-means-never-having-to-say-i-ll-have-the-honey/)

[Rachel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-johnson/)

> [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/)

[Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/)

> [The color of somebody's skin or the way he wears his hair or clothes has nothing to do with anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-color-of-somebody-s-skin-or-the-way-he-wears-his-hair-or-clothes/)

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

> [“This challenge turned out to be brunette. Feisty. Just the way I like them. But innocent. Too innocent for me. Too innocent to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-torre/this-challenge-turned-out-to-be-brunette-feisty-just-the-way-i-like/)

[Alessandra Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-torre/)

> [I shot for French and British Vogue. The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/)

[Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/)

> [I've tried to have a regular haircut, but it just pops back up again, so this is the way it's going to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stewart/i-ve-tried-to-have-a-regular-haircut-but-it-just-pops-back-up-again/)

[Rod Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stewart/)

> [A beard is something that is almost like a mirror to the viewer. When someone sees you wearing a beard, they're seeing something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/a-beard-is-something-that-is-almost-like-a-mirror-to-the-viewer-when/)

[Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/)

> [I've got the long hair and kind of androgynous look. It's love-hate; it's sexy, but not sexy. So it's either you get it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrot-top/i-ve-got-the-long-hair-and-kind-of-androgynous-look-it-s-love-hate-it/)

[Carrot Top](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrot-top/)

> [I've always grown different types of facial hair like goofy type deals, but you know it really took off at Washington State when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-minshew/i-ve-always-grown-different-types-of-facial-hair-like-goofy-type/)

[Gardner Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-minshew/)

> [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [I know my hair is out of the '60's, my clothes are '50's and the shoes I wear are from the '40's. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-my-hair-is-out-of-the-60-s-my-clothes-are-50-s-and-the-shoes-i/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [I worked in a barbershop. I used to make the waves in the brother's hair, you know? Like, Nat King Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-worked-in-a-barbershop-i-used-to-make-the-waves-in-the-brother-s/)

[George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/)

[Browse all 7,334 Hair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I went through a Billy Idol phase. I had white hair when Peter Rizzo hired me at Barneys.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nick Wooster"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-went-through-a-billy-idol-phase-i-had-white-hair-when-peter-rizzo/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Hair"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-went-through-a-billy-idol-phase-i-had-white-hair-when-peter-rizzo/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/nick-wooster-7632_hair_i-went-through-a-billy-idol-phase-i-had_2806928.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/nick-wooster-7632_hair_i-went-through-a-billy-idol-phase-i-had_2806928.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/nick-wooster-7632_hair_i-went-through-a-billy-idol-phase-i-had_2806928.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I went through a Billy Idol phase. I had white hair when Peter Rizzo hired me at Barneys.” — Nick Wooster",
                "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": "Nick Wooster",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wooster/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I went through a Billy Idol...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-went-through-a-billy-idol-phase-i-had-white-hair-when-peter-rizzo/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wooster/i-went-through-a-billy-idol-phase-i-had-white-hair-when-peter-rizzo/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
