---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A proper lady should be able to smile…"
description: "\"“A proper lady should be able to smile pretty, wear sequins like she means it, and kick a man's ass nine ways from Sunday while wearing stiletto heels...."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/950/seanan-mcguire-972_stiletto-heels_a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pr_3063598.jpg"
---

#  A proper lady should be able to smile pretty, wear sequins…

![“A proper lady should be able to smile pretty, wear sequins like she means it, and kick a man's ass nine ways from Sunday while wearing stiletto heels. If she can't do that much, she's not trying hard enough. —Francis Brown” quote by Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/950/seanan-mcguire-972_stiletto-heels_a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pr_3063598.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/950/seanan-mcguire-972_stiletto-heels_a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pr_3063598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/950/seanan-mcguire-972_stiletto-heels_a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pr_3063598.jpg)

> ““A proper lady should be able to smile pretty, wear sequins like she means it, and kick a man's ass nine ways from Sunday while wearing stiletto heels. If she can't do that much, she's not trying hard enough. —Francis Brown””

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

## About This Quote

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

A confident woman can be stylish, fierce, and powerful, defying traditional expectations while embracing her own strength.

**In simple terms:** Strong women can be both glamorous and tough.

Key Takeaway

Embrace confidence and challenge norms.

Themes

empowerment gender roles confidence style strength

Mood

defiant inspirational

Type

motivational empowering

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- social activism
- personal branding
- self‑defense
- fashion industry

Key Concepts

feminism self‑expression resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance elegance with assertiveness?
- What societal expectations limit women's self‑expression?

A Different Perspective

May style be perceived as frivolous, limiting impact.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Smile Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile-pretty/) [Stiletto heels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stiletto-heels/)

## Related quotes

> [A proper lady should be able to smile pretty, wear sequins like she means it, and kick a man's ass nine ways from Sunday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pretty-wear-sequins-like-she/)

[Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/)

> [“Her feet were killing her. And it made her imagine traveling back in time, hunting down whoever had invented stiletto heels, and beating the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/her-feet-were-killing-her-and-it-made-her-imagine-traveling-back-in/)

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

> [“Now I'm standing in black stiletto heels in the middle of a Norman Rockwell painting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katja-millay/now-i-m-standing-in-black-stiletto-heels-in-the-middle-of-a-norman/)

[Katja Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katja-millay/)

> [All I want are high heels, high heels. If I was a girl, I'd wear a lot of high heels. High, stiletto heels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-mizrahi/all-i-want-are-high-heels-high-heels-if-i-was-a-girl-i-d-wear-a-lot/)

[Isaac Mizrahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-mizrahi/)

> [Once we are fed, heated, housed and healthy, our extra consumption inevitably has an element of luxury about it. And once luxury enters the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-davis/once-we-are-fed-heated-housed-and-healthy-our-extra-consumption/)

[Evan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-davis/)

> [“Not right now, baby,” he whispered, brushing his lips along my jaw and down my neck. “But one day I will have you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-mayer/not-right-now-baby-he-whispered-brushing-his-lips-along-my-jaw-and/)

[Maureen Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-mayer/)

> [“However,I suspect you aren't a proper lady so we should do well enough." Suzette suddenly came to an abrupt halt and this time even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/however-i-suspect-you-aren-t-a-proper-lady-so-we-should-do-well/)

[Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/)

> [I encourage women to wear color, wear stripes, wear sequins - just wear what makes you feel confident and strong. If it looks good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-nell-tipton/i-encourage-women-to-wear-color-wear-stripes-wear-sequins-just-wear/)

[Ashley Nell Tipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-nell-tipton/)

> [We don't wear sequins because we think we're great. We wear them because we think sequins are great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gram-parsons/we-don-t-wear-sequins-because-we-think-we-re-great-we-wear-them/)

[Gram Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gram-parsons/)

> [Throughout your career people will try to distract you. Some will scream at you, others will say things behind your back, and a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyn-alfonsi/throughout-your-career-people-will-try-to-distract-you-some-will/)

Sharyn Alfonsi

> [For anyone who has ever stood before a bathroom mirror and secretly thanked The Academy, a hilarious guide to becoming 'It' in an age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-fuller/for-anyone-who-has-ever-stood-before-a-bathroom-mirror-and-secretly/)

[Bonnie Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-fuller/)

> [“How are you holding up?" "I'm good.And still untouched," she added. "Are you alone in that bed?" "Except for the six members of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/how-are-you-holding-up-i-m-good-and-still-untouched-she-added-are-you/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“I wanted to write an adventure story, not, it's true, I really did. I shall have failed, that's all. Adventures bore me. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-g-le-cl-zio/i-wanted-to-write-an-adventure-story-not-it-s-true-i-really-did-i/)

[J.M.G. Le Clézio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-g-le-cl-zio/)

> [“My Jimmy Choos!" Becca collapsed on the floor beside the pair of red patent leather stiletto heels. She gathered the shoes up in her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-r-reed/my-jimmy-choos-becca-collapsed-on-the-floor-beside-the-pair-of-red/)

Rick R. Reed

> [How can you live the high life if you do not wear the high heels?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rykiel/how-can-you-live-the-high-life-if-you-do-not-wear-the-high-heels/)

[Sonia Rykiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rykiel/)

## More by Seanan McGuire

> [“First, check your ammunition. Then, check your escape routes. Finally, check your hair. —Frances Brown”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/first-check-your-ammunition-then-check-your-escape-routes-finally/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“The Moors were beautiful in their own way, and if their beauty was the quiet sort that required time and introspection to be seen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/the-moors-were-beautiful-in-their-own-way-and-if-their-beauty-was-the/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“Technically this is assault and Henry would tell me to verbally request that you not file a sexual harassment claim against me,” she said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/technically-this-is-assault-and-henry-would-tell-me-to-verbally/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“Cats never listen. They’re dependable that way; when Rome burned, the emperor’s cats still expected to be fed on time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/cats-never-listen-they-re-dependable-that-way-when-rome-burned-the/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“You got out of bed. The universe does seem to take that as a personal affront.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/you-got-out-of-bed-the-universe-does-seem-to-take-that-as-a-personal/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“Jeff sighed. “Henry. You know as well as I do that any one of us could do a great deal of damage if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/jeff-sighed-henry-you-know-as-well-as-i-do-that-any-one-of-us-could/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“Love doesn't care what you want. Love doesn't care if it's convenient. Love pursues its own agenda, and there's no bullet in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/love-doesn-t-care-what-you-want-love-doesn-t-care-if-it-s-convenient/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“We can’t save them if they don’t want to be saved. It doesn’t work that way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/we-can-t-save-them-if-they-don-t-want-to-be-saved-it-doesn-t-work/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“Damn." "I know." "I mean seriously...damn." "Yeah." "When you decide it's time to up the ante on getting into deep shit, you don't mess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/damn-i-know-i-mean-seriously-damn-yeah-when-you-decide-it-s-time-to/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [It's very important to me that people get to see themselves in stories. When someone tells me they've never seen themselves, I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-people-get-to-see-themselves-in/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“I didn't look back. Sometimes, not looking back is the only mercy the world has left to show.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/i-didn-t-look-back-sometimes-not-looking-back-is-the-only-mercy-the/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“I’ve had rest enough to last a lifetime, and only a lifetime for the rest of what’s to be done,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/i-ve-had-rest-enough-to-last-a-lifetime-and-only-a-lifetime-for-the/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“The history of the human race has been one long quest to find new, novel things, and then kill, eat, or enslave them. There’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/the-history-of-the-human-race-has-been-one-long-quest-to-find-new/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [I made the choice not to have children, so I can spend my days just writing; there are no kids demanding my time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/i-made-the-choice-not-to-have-children-so-i-can-spend-my-days-just/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

> [“Fran blinked. Fran removed a biscuit from her bag, taking a thoughtful bite and chewing slowly before she swallowed. And finally, Fran asked the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/fran-blinked-fran-removed-a-biscuit-from-her-bag-taking-a-thoughtful/)

[Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

[Explore all 317 Seanan McGuire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/)

## More Stiletto heels quotes

> [How can you live the high life if you do not wear the high heels?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rykiel/how-can-you-live-the-high-life-if-you-do-not-wear-the-high-heels/)

[Sonia Rykiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rykiel/)

> [“Now I'm standing in black stiletto heels in the middle of a Norman Rockwell painting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katja-millay/now-i-m-standing-in-black-stiletto-heels-in-the-middle-of-a-norman/)

[Katja Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katja-millay/)

> [A proper lady should be able to smile pretty, wear sequins like she means it, and kick a man's ass nine ways from Sunday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pretty-wear-sequins-like-she/)

[Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/)

> [“My Jimmy Choos!" Becca collapsed on the floor beside the pair of red patent leather stiletto heels. She gathered the shoes up in her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-r-reed/my-jimmy-choos-becca-collapsed-on-the-floor-beside-the-pair-of-red/)

Rick R. Reed

> [“I wanted to write an adventure story, not, it's true, I really did. I shall have failed, that's all. Adventures bore me. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-g-le-cl-zio/i-wanted-to-write-an-adventure-story-not-it-s-true-i-really-did-i/)

[J.M.G. Le Clézio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-g-le-cl-zio/)

> [“How are you holding up?" "I'm good.And still untouched," she added. "Are you alone in that bed?" "Except for the six members of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/how-are-you-holding-up-i-m-good-and-still-untouched-she-added-are-you/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [For anyone who has ever stood before a bathroom mirror and secretly thanked The Academy, a hilarious guide to becoming 'It' in an age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-fuller/for-anyone-who-has-ever-stood-before-a-bathroom-mirror-and-secretly/)

[Bonnie Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-fuller/)

> [Throughout your career people will try to distract you. Some will scream at you, others will say things behind your back, and a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyn-alfonsi/throughout-your-career-people-will-try-to-distract-you-some-will/)

Sharyn Alfonsi

> [“Not right now, baby,” he whispered, brushing his lips along my jaw and down my neck. “But one day I will have you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-mayer/not-right-now-baby-he-whispered-brushing-his-lips-along-my-jaw-and/)

[Maureen Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-mayer/)

> [When I think of Britain, I don't think of these lofty ideals which once held sway like the stoic upper lip. I think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kele-okereke/when-i-think-of-britain-i-don-t-think-of-these-lofty-ideals-which/)

Kele Okereke

> [An hour before his world exploded like a ripe tomato under a stiletto heel, Myron bit into a fresh pastry that tasted suspiciously like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/an-hour-before-his-world-exploded-like-a-ripe-tomato-under-a-stiletto/)

[Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/)

> [Once we are fed, heated, housed and healthy, our extra consumption inevitably has an element of luxury about it. And once luxury enters the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-davis/once-we-are-fed-heated-housed-and-healthy-our-extra-consumption/)

[Evan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-davis/)

> [All I want are high heels, high heels. If I was a girl, I'd wear a lot of high heels. High, stiletto heels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-mizrahi/all-i-want-are-high-heels-high-heels-if-i-was-a-girl-i-d-wear-a-lot/)

[Isaac Mizrahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-mizrahi/)

> [“Her feet were killing her. And it made her imagine traveling back in time, hunting down whoever had invented stiletto heels, and beating the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/her-feet-were-killing-her-and-it-made-her-imagine-traveling-back-in/)

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

> [So what do people see when they read that well-behaved women rarely make history? Do they imagine good-time girls in stiletto heels or do-good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/so-what-do-people-see-when-they-read-that-well-behaved-women-rarely/)

[Laurel Thatcher Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-thatcher-ulrich/)

[Browse all 16 Stiletto heels quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stiletto-heels/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“A proper lady should be able to smile pretty, wear sequins like she means it, and kick a man's ass nine ways from Sunday while wearing stiletto heels. If she can't do that much, she's not trying hard enough. —Francis Brown”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Seanan McGuire"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pretty-wear-sequins-like-she-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Stiletto heels"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pretty-wear-sequins-like-she-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/950/seanan-mcguire-972_stiletto-heels_a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pr_3063598.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/950/seanan-mcguire-972_stiletto-heels_a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pr_3063598.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/950/seanan-mcguire-972_stiletto-heels_a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pr_3063598.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A proper lady should be able to smile pretty, wear sequins like she means it, and kick a man's ass nine ways…” — Seanan McGuire",
                "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": "Seanan McGuire",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“A proper lady should be able...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pretty-wear-sequins-like-she-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/a-proper-lady-should-be-able-to-smile-pretty-wear-sequins-like-she-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
