What a poor appearance the tales of poets make when stripped of the colors which music puts upon them, and recited in simple prose
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
To establish yourself in the world a person must do all they can to appear already established.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.
—Kurt Vonnegut (1922–2007) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
A little man often casts a long shadow.
—Italian Proverb
A golden cage is still a cage.
—Mexican Proverb
It’s nothing to be born ugly. Sensibly, the ugly woman comes to terms with her ugliness and exploits it as a grace of nature. To become ugly means the beginning of a calamity, self-willed most of the time.
—Colette (1873–1954) French Novelist, Performer
I do not think I had ever seen a nastier-looking man. Under the black hat, when I had first seen them, the eyes had been those of an unsuccessful rapist.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
There are no greater wretches in the world than many of those whom people in general take to be happy.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Think not I am what I appear.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
Clothes and manners do not make the man; but, when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Things are entirely what they appear to be and behind them … there is nothing.
—Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–80) French Philosopher, Playwright, Novelist, Screenwriter, Political Activist
Appearances can be deceiving.
—English Proverb
A large nose is the mark of a witty, courteous, affable, generous and liberal man.
—Cyrano de Bergerac (1619–55) French Soldier, Duelist, Writer
Everybody has that thing where they need to look one way but they come out looking another way and that’s what people observe. You see someone on the street and essentially what you notice about them is the flaw. It’s just extraordinary that we should have been given these peculiarities. Something is ironic in the world and it has to do with the fact that what you intend never comes out like you intend it.
—Diane Arbus (1923–71) American Photographer
The most winning woman I ever knew was hanged for poisoning three little children for their insurance-money, and the most repellent man of my acquaintance is a philanthropist who has spent nearly a quarter of a million upon the London poor.
—Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) Scottish Writer
No person who is well bred, kind and modest is ever offensively plain; all real deformity means want for manners or of heart.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
A good man often appears gauche simply because he does not take advantage of the myriad mean little chances of making himself look stylish. Preferring truth to form, he is not constantly at work upon the facade of his appearance.
—Iris Murdoch (1919–99) British Novelist, Playwright, Philosopher
The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Against the beautiful and the clever and the successful, one can wage a pitiless war, but not against the unattractive: then the millstone weighs on the breast.
—Graham Greene (1904–91) British Novelist, Playwright, Short Story Writer
Barring that natural expression of villainy which we all have, the man looked honest enough.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
There is nothing in machinery, there is nothing in embankments and railways and iron bridges and engineering devices to oblige them to be ugly. Ugliness is the measure of imperfection.
—H. G. Wells (1866–1946) English Novelist, Historian, Social Thinker
Trust not to much to appearances.
—Virgil (70–19 BCE) Roman Poet
More often than not, things and people are as they appear.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
Appearance rules the world.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Do not judge from mere appearances; for the light laughter that bubbles on the lip often mantles over the depths of sadness, and the serious look may be the sober veil that covers a divine peace and joy.—The bosom can ache beneath diamond brooches; and many a blithe heart dances under coarse wool.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
God loveth the clean.
—The Holy Quran Sacred Scripture of Islam
Great feelings will often take the aspect of error, and great faith the aspect of illusion.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Half the work that is done in this world is to make things appear what they are not.
—Elias Root Beadle (1812–65) American Clergyman
Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success.
—Christopher Lasch (1932–94) American Historian, Moralist, Social Critic
There’s one thing about baldness, it’s neat.
—Don Herold (1889–1966) American Humorist, Writer, Illustrator, Cartoonist
Appearances are not held to be a clue to the truth. But we seem to have no other.
—Ivy Compton-Burnett (1884–1969) English Novelist
When disposition wins us, the features please.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
The nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of summer and winter seasons.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
The beggar is the only person in the universe not obliged to study appearance.
—Charles Lamb (1775–1834) British Essayist, Poet
He that has a great nose, thinks everybody is speaking of it.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
We see things as we are, not as they are.
—Leo Rosten (1908–97) Russian-born American Humorist, Teacher, Academic, Short Story Writer
If one wishes to become rich they must appear rich.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Wide will wear, but tight will tear.
—Common Proverb
The best mirror is an old friend.
—George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh Anglican Poet, Orator, Clergyman
First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible professions or studied actions. A man’s look is the work of years; it is stamped on his countenance by the events of his whole life, nay, more, by the hand of nature, and it is not to be got rid of easily.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
‘Tis very certain that each man carries in his eye the exact indication of his rank in the immense scale of men, and we are always learning to read it. A complete man should need no auxiliaries to his personal presence.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
How things look on the outside of us depends on how things are on the inside of us. Stay close to the heart of nature and forget this troubled world. Remember, there is nothing wrong with nature; the trouble is in ourselves.
—Parks Cousins
The secret of ugliness consists not in irregularity, but in being uninteresting.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Don’t judge men’s wealth or godliness by their Sunday appearance.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
What had seemed easy in imagination was rather hard in reality.
—Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874–1942) Canadian Novelist
Appearances are often deceiving.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory.
—Arthur Ashe (1943–93) American Tennis Player
Keep looking below surface appearances. Don’t shrink from doing so just because you might not like what you find.
—Colin Powell (1937–2021) American Military Leader
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor