When an opera star sings her head off, she usually improves her appearance.
—Victor Borge (1909–2000) Danish-American Comedian, Musician
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
For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that seem than by those that are.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
Beware, so long as you live, of judging men by their outward appearance.
—Jean de La Fontaine (1621–95) French Poet, Short Story Writer
Never frown because you never know who might be falling in love with your smile.
—Unknown
The cat is the mirror of his human’s mind…the dog mirrors his human’s physical appearance.
—Winifred Carriere
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
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
Nowadays those are rewarded who make right appear wrong.
—Terence (c.195–159 BCE) Roman Comic Dramatist
The best mirror is an old friend.
—George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh Anglican Poet, Orator, Clergyman
I have been very happy, very rich, very beautiful, much adulated, very famous, and very unhappy.
—Brigitte Bardot (b.1934) French Film Star
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
Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success.
—Christopher Lasch (1932–94) American Historian, Moralist, Social Critic
A hair in the head is worth two in the brush.
—Oliver Herford (1863–1935) American Writer, Artist, Illustrator
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
Things are seldom what they seem.
—W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) English Dramatist, Librettist, Poet, Illustrator
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
Never judge from appearances.
—Common Proverb
What had seemed easy in imagination was rather hard in reality.
—Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874–1942) Canadian Novelist
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
Woman cannot be content with health and agility: she must make exorbitant efforts to appear something that never could exist without a diligent perversion of nature. Is it too much to ask that women be spared the daily struggle for superhuman beauty in order to offer it to the caresses of a subhumanly ugly mate?
—Germaine Greer (b.1939) Australia Academic, Journalist, Scholar, Writer
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
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
Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist