Christian Nestell Bovee Quotes

New customs, Though they be never so ridiculous (Nay, let em be unmanly), yet are followed.

Nothing is more obstinate than a fashionable consensus.

The world chooses to think what the world thinks.

Fashions, after all, are only induced epidemics.

When Fashion hath once Established, what Folly or craft began, Custom makes it Sacred, and 'twill be thought impudence or madness, to contradict or question it.

If I cut my hair, others did. If I shortened my dresses, so did everyone else.

Fashion makes fools of some, sinners of others, and slaves of all.

Avoid singularity. There may often be less vanity in following the new modes than in adhering to the old ones. It is true that the foolish invent them, but the wise may conform to, instead of contradicting, them.

Judging from the ugly and repugnant things that are sometimes in vogue, it would seem as though fashion were desirous of exhibiting its power by getting us to adopt the most atrocious things for its sake alone.

Fashion is not public opinion, or the result of embodiment of public opinion. It may be that public opinion will condemn the shape of a bonnet, as it may venture to do always, and with the certainty of being right nine times in ten: but fashion will place it upon the head of every woman in America; and, were it literally a crown of thorns, she would smile contentedly beneath the imposition.

The majority have no other reason for their opinions than that they are the fashion.

Men are sheep. Where one goes, the rest will soon follow. -Lady Whistledown

We were born in this society, we grew up in this society. And we learn to be like everyone else, playing nonsense all the time.

A lady wants to be dressed exactly like everybody else but she gets pretty up- set if she sees anybody else dressed exactly like her.

Fashions are the only induced epidemics, proving that epidemics can be induced by tradesmen.

All powerful is the rule of fashion.

We ought always to conform to the manners of the greater number, and so behave as not to draw attention to ourselves. Excess either way shocks, and every man truly wise ought to attend to this in his dress as well as language, never to be affected in anything and follow without being in too great haste the changes of fashion.

Worship of society and popular opinion is idolatry.

Follow me, the wise man said, but he walked behind.

Our desire to conform is greater than our respect for objective facts.

The wise man should withdraw his soul within, out of the crowd, and keep it in freedom and power to judge things freely; but as for externals, he should wholly follow the accepted fashions and forms.

We live not according to reason, but according to fashion.

Ego is a structure that is erected by a neurotic individual who is a member of a neurotic culture against the facts of the matter. And culture, which we put on like an overcoat, is the collectivized consensus about what sort of neurotic behaviors are acceptable.

Custom will reconcile people to any atrocity, and fashion will drive them to acquire any custom.

Fashion, n. A despot whom the wise ridicule and obey.