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Beauty Quote by Rabindranath Tagore

“Amit likens fashion to a mask, and style to beauty of countenance. Style, he feels, belongs to the literary elite, who live by their own wishes. And fashion is for the ordinary lot, who make it their business to please other people. . . . You may view a professional dancing girl beneath the awning…” quote by Rabindranath Tagore
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““Amit likens fashion to a mask, and style to beauty of countenance. Style, he feels, belongs to the literary elite, who live by their own wishes. And fashion is for the ordinary lot, who make it their business to please other people. . . . You may view a professional dancing girl beneath the awning of a public marquee; but for the first glimpse of the bride’s face during the shubhodrishti ritual, a veil of Benarasi fabric is required. The marquee belongs to fashion, the Benarasi veil--which reveals the special one’s countenance shaded by a special hue--to style.””

Rabindranath Tagore

About This Quote

Source Essay: The World of Fashion and Style, Rabindranath Tagore, 1910

Fashion is a social costume meant to please others, while style is a personal expression of inner beauty reserved for the discerning few.

In simple terms: Fashion pleases crowds; style expresses self.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate personal style beyond trends.

Themes

self-expression identity class culture art fashion

Mood

reflective critical contemplative

Type

philosophical cultural observational

When to use this quote

  • weddings
  • public performances
  • daily attire
  • media representation

Key Concepts

aesthetic theory social signaling cultural ritual

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does societal pressure shape your clothing choices?
  • Can you separate personal taste from cultural expectations?
A Different Perspective

Style may be inaccessible to those lacking resources or confidence.

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