Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, 1936. Rex
Today marks the 139th anniversary of the late Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s birth, and over a century later, we still turn to her witticisms for Instagram captions and motivational posters. In honor of the legendary couturier’s birthday, we highlight nine pithy Mademoiselle Chanel quotes to live by.
On style:
“Fashion is ephemeral, but style is eternal.”
On originality:
“In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.”
On taste:
“Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. It is the opposite of vulgarity.”
On men:
“As long as you know men are like children, you know everything.”
On being carefree:
“You live but once; you might as well be amusing.”
On beauty:
“I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little—if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.”
On the best things in life:
“The best things in life are free. The second best things are very, very expensive.”
On time:
“There is no time for cut-and-dried monotony. There is time for work. And time for love. That leaves no other time.”
On being the one and only:
“Everyone marries the Duke of Westminster. There are a lot of duchesses, but only one Coco Chanel.”
