---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know fashion is a material thing, but…"
description: "\"I know fashion is a material thing, but we live in a material world and I love clothes.\" — Patti Smith"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/patti-smith-394_clothes_i-know-fashion-is-a-material-thing-but-w_1265085.jpg"
---

#  I know fashion is a material thing, but we live in a…

![“I know fashion is a material thing, but we live in a material world and I love clothes.” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/patti-smith-394_clothes_i-know-fashion-is-a-material-thing-but-w_1265085.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/patti-smith-394_clothes_i-know-fashion-is-a-material-thing-but-w_1265085.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/patti-smith-394_clothes_i-know-fashion-is-a-material-thing-but-w_1265085.jpg)

> “I know fashion is a material thing, but we live in a material world and I love clothes.”

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

## About This Quote

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

It acknowledges fashion’s material nature while recognizing its cultural significance and personal passion.

**In simple terms:** Fashion is material but meaningful.

Key Takeaway

Balance appreciation of style with deeper values.

Themes

fashion materialism culture

Mood

thoughtful creative

Type

cultural personal

When to use this quote

- shopping
- design
- personal expression
- career in fashion

Key Concepts

aesthetics consumerism

Questions to Reflect On

- How does fashion reflect societal values?
- Can material love coexist with minimalism?

A Different Perspective

Material focus can distract from ethical concerns.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Material things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material-things/) [Material world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [The trouble is that the expression 'material thing' is functioning already, from the very beginning, simply as a foil for 'sense-datum'; it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/the-trouble-is-that-the-expression-material-thing-is-functioning/)

[J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/)

> [There is no such thing as material covetousness. All covetousness is spiritual. ...Any so-called material thing that you want is merely a symbol: you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-is-no-such-thing-as-material-covetousness-all-covetousness-is/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [All thought, good and bad, is creative and tends to lead to a material thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/all-thought-good-and-bad-is-creative-and-tends-to-lead-to-a-material/)

Senoraroy

> [The first thing I did in the studio was to want to tear that camera to pieces. I had to know how that film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buster-keaton/the-first-thing-i-did-in-the-studio-was-to-want-to-tear-that-camera/)

[Buster Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buster-keaton/)

> [“Left-wing ideas are predicated on Marx’s materialist understanding. Whether or not an individual who espouses Left-wing ideas considers himself a Marxist—and few have since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/left-wing-ideas-are-predicated-on-marx-s-materialist-understanding/)

[Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/)

> [We live in a material world, not a dramatic one. And truth resides not in melodrama, but in the precise measure of material things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/we-live-in-a-material-world-not-a-dramatic-one-and-truth-resides-not/)

[Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/)

> [“Germany had been united in empire for only eight years when Einstein was born in Ulm on March 14, 1879. He grew up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rhodes/germany-had-been-united-in-empire-for-only-eight-years-when-einstein/)

[Richard Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rhodes/)

> [Material things are not to be despised-without them there can be no manifestation in the material world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/material-things-are-not-to-be-despised-without-them-there-can-be-no/)

[Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/)

> [“Algebra applies to the clouds, the radiance of the star benefits the rose--no thinker would dare to say that the perfume of the hawthorn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/algebra-applies-to-the-clouds-the-radiance-of-the-star-benefits-the/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [We create our moments. it's not actually what the material world has to offer that will make things change. it's us and will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-create-our-moments-it-s-not-actually-what-the-material-world-has/)

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

> [Please, no matter how we advance technologically, please don't abandon the book. There is nothing in our material world more beautiful than the book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/please-no-matter-how-we-advance-technologically-please-don-t-abandon-2/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [The artist seeks contact with his intuitive sense of the gods, but in order to create his work, he cannot stay in this seductive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/the-artist-seeks-contact-with-his-intuitive-sense-of-the-gods-but-in/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [Please, no matter how we advance technologically , please don't abandon the book. There is nothing in our material world more beautiful than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/please-no-matter-how-we-advance-technologically-please-don-t-abandon/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [“Please, no matter how we advance in technology please don't abandon the book-there is nothing in our material world more beautiful than a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/please-no-matter-how-we-advance-in-technology-please-don-t-abandon/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [I have loved books all my life. There is nothing more beautiful in our material world than the book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-have-loved-books-all-my-life-there-is-nothing-more-beautiful-in-our/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

## More by Patti Smith

> [I had a really happy childhood - my siblings were great, my mother was very fanciful, and I loved to read. But there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-had-a-really-happy-childhood-my-siblings-were-great-my-mother-was/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [ Sometimes \[people\] seem to think I came out of the womb, you know, cursing, with an electric guitar. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/sometimes-people-seem-to-think-i-came-out-of-the-womb-you-know/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [“Inside it he inscribed a few lines of poetry, portraying us as the gypsy and the fool, one creating silence; one listening closely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/inside-it-he-inscribed-a-few-lines-of-poetry-portraying-us-as-the/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [Who can know the heart of youth but youth itself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/who-can-know-the-heart-of-youth-but-youth-itself/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [“I clawed through a thick web of the culture’s consciousness that I hadn’t known existed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-clawed-through-a-thick-web-of-the-culture-s-consciousness-that-i/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [Ultimately, we are not seeking others to bow to, but to reinforce our individual natures, to help us suffer our own choices, to guide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/ultimately-we-are-not-seeking-others-to-bow-to-but-to-reinforce-our/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [If I'm taking a picture of Brancusi's grave, I know that there's something of him, of his mortal remains, beneath my feet, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/if-i-m-taking-a-picture-of-brancusi-s-grave-i-know-that-there-s/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [I'm certain, as we filled down the great staircase, that I appeared the same as ever, a moping twelve years-old, all arms and legs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-certain-as-we-filled-down-the-great-staircase-that-i-appeared-the/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/in-art-and-dream-may-you-proceed-with-abandon-in-life-may-you-proceed/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [New York is the thing that seduced me. New York is the thing that formed me. New York is the thing that deformed me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/new-york-is-the-thing-that-seduced-me-new-york-is-the-thing-that/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [I don't wanna be equal with anybody. I wanna be above equal. I don't think most people are equal to me. I'd like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-don-t-wanna-be-equal-with-anybody-i-wanna-be-above-equal-i-don-t/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-think-i-m-constantly-in-a-state-of-adjustment/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [Somehow I started introducing writing into my drawings, and after a time, the language took over and I started getting very involved with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/somehow-i-started-introducing-writing-into-my-drawings-and-after-a/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [I'm okay with roaming around the world in my bunk for days on end. Maybe every third day I'll get a shower or stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-okay-with-roaming-around-the-world-in-my-bunk-for-days-on-end/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

[Explore all 595 Patti Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

## More Clothes quotes

> [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/)

> [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/)

[Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/)

> [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/)

[Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/)

[Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/)

> [Everyday happiness means getting up in the morning, and you can't wait to finish your breakfast. You can't wait to do your exercises. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/everyday-happiness-means-getting-up-in-the-morning-and-you-can-t-wait/)

[George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/)

> [I design some of my own clothes now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiernan-shipka/i-design-some-of-my-own-clothes-now/)

[Kiernan Shipka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiernan-shipka/)

> [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/)

> [Don't get too excited, but I'm naked under these clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/don-t-get-too-excited-but-i-m-naked-under-these-clothes/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/)

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

> [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. I can't stand scratchy clothes, I've got to have soft kinds of cotton against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/my-problems-are-sort-of-more-on-a-nuisance-level-i-can-t-stand/)

[Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/)

> [“Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/take-care-of-your-costume-and-your-confidence-will-take-care-of-itself/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [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/)

> [It's very important to me that I look good when I go out publicly. I like looking at my clothes rack in the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-i-look-good-when-i-go-out-publicly-i/)

[Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/)

[Browse all 4,888 Clothes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I know fashion is a material thing, but we live in a material world and I love clothes.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Patti Smith"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-know-fashion-is-a-material-thing-but-we-live-in-a-material-world/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Clothes"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-know-fashion-is-a-material-thing-but-we-live-in-a-material-world/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/patti-smith-394_clothes_i-know-fashion-is-a-material-thing-but-w_1265085.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/patti-smith-394_clothes_i-know-fashion-is-a-material-thing-but-w_1265085.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/patti-smith-394_clothes_i-know-fashion-is-a-material-thing-but-w_1265085.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I know fashion is a material thing, but we live in a material world and I love clothes.” — Patti Smith",
                "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": "Patti Smith",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I know fashion is a material...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-know-fashion-is-a-material-thing-but-we-live-in-a-material-world/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-know-fashion-is-a-material-thing-but-we-live-in-a-material-world/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
