---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My style says, 'Look at me, don't look at…"
description: "\"My style says, 'Look at me, don't look at me.'\" — Patti Smith"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/patti-smith-394_fashion_my-style-says-look-at-me-don-t-look-at-m_2572881.jpg"
---

#  My style says, 'Look at me, don't look at me.'

![“My style says, 'Look at me, don't look at me.'” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/patti-smith-394_fashion_my-style-says-look-at-me-don-t-look-at-m_2572881.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/patti-smith-394_fashion_my-style-says-look-at-me-don-t-look-at-m_2572881.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/patti-smith-394_fashion_my-style-says-look-at-me-don-t-look-at-m_2572881.jpg)

> “My style says, 'Look at me, don't look at me.'”

[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.

The speaker's style is paradoxical, demanding attention while deflecting it.

**In simple terms:** A style that seeks attention but also avoids it.

Key Takeaway

Balance visibility with humility.

Themes

selfexpression paradox attention

Mood

conflicted thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- performance art
- public speaking
- media presence

Key Concepts

artistic identity public persona

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you manage being seen and unseen?
- What does 'look at me' truly mean?

A Different Perspective

Such paradox can confuse audiences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Don Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-look/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says/) [Says Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-look-517278/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) [Style Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style-says-791838/)

## Related quotes

> [Yes, you need substance in politics - but I think your style also says something about how you arrive at some of your conclusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/yes-you-need-substance-in-politics-but-i-think-your-style-also-says/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [Fashion says 'Me too', and style says 'Only me'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-stutz/fashion-says-me-too-and-style-says-only-me/)

[Geraldine Stutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-stutz/)

> [Personal style says so much about who you are. What you wear can entice different things from within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-welteroth/personal-style-says-so-much-about-who-you-are-what-you-wear-can/)

[Elaine Welteroth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-welteroth/)

> [“is wondering if the queen pulls the duvet up so you can only see her head, then says "Look Philip i'm a stamp!".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-gregory/is-wondering-if-the-queen-pulls-the-duvet-up-so-you-can-only-see-her/)

[Mike Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-gregory/)

> [She says it has nothing to do with what you look like, or what you have. It has only to do with what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/she-says-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-you-look-like-or-what-you/)

[Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/)

> [O'Connor lives by the following words: You don't look back. When people ask O'Connor now, "Aren't you sorry you resigned because everything you voted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hirshman/o-connor-lives-by-the-following-words-you-don-t-look-back-when-people/)

[Linda Hirshman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hirshman/)

> [“Why are you doing this? – I ask. Doing what? Being so nice to me I don't know,”he says. “You look like you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-m-zeises/why-are-you-doing-this-i-ask-doing-what-being-so-nice-to-me-i-don-t/)

[Lara M. Zeises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-m-zeises/)

> [I go on YouTube when somebody says to look something up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-go-on-youtube-when-somebody-says-to-look-something-up/)

[George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/)

> [“First of all is the fact that I have some rather good turns of phrase. I don't say that pridefully ... it's just that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-heffington/first-of-all-is-the-fact-that-i-have-some-rather-good-turns-of-phrase/)

[Rachel Heffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-heffington/)

> [“When someone says you can't, look at where they are sitting. Perhaps they meant they can't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-fargo/when-someone-says-you-can-t-look-at-where-they-are-sitting-perhaps/)

[Tim Fargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-fargo/)

> [Everyone always says, 'When you look at a boy band, one of them has to be gay.' No, they don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-mclean/everyone-always-says-when-you-look-at-a-boy-band-one-of-them-has-to/)

[A. J. McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-mclean/)

> [“When you don't know what you're searching for,” he says, “you have to look absolutely everywhere.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-searching-for-he-says-you-have-to/)

[Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/)

> [When one of us says 'look, there is nothing out there,' what we are really saying is, 'I cannot see'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/when-one-of-us-says-look-there-is-nothing-out-there-what-we-are/)

[Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/)

> [My brain says look up, my body says get up &amp; my heart says dont ever give up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-r-bailey/my-brain-says-look-up-my-body-says-get-up-my-heart-says-dont-ever/)

[Terence R Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-r-bailey/)

> [“You okay there, Stiff?” he says. “You look like you’re about to cry. I might go easy on you if you cry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-okay-there-stiff-he-says-you-look-like-you-re-about-to-cry-i/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

## 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 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": "My style says, 'Look at me, don't look at me.'",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Patti Smith"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/my-style-says-look-at-me-don-t-look-at-me/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fashion"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/my-style-says-look-at-me-don-t-look-at-me/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/patti-smith-394_fashion_my-style-says-look-at-me-don-t-look-at-m_2572881.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/patti-smith-394_fashion_my-style-says-look-at-me-don-t-look-at-m_2572881.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7a/patti-smith-394_fashion_my-style-says-look-at-me-don-t-look-at-m_2572881.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“My style says, 'Look at me, don't look at me.'” — 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": "My style says, 'Look at me,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/my-style-says-look-at-me-don-t-look-at-me/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/my-style-says-look-at-me-don-t-look-at-me/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
