Written by Paddy Maddison in Fashion History on the 10th February 2017

Over the years many wise and wonderful people have either taken an interest in fashion, or have devoted their entire lives to it. Many of these people are no longer with us but their words are still poignant and can help us all to live our lives a little more stylishly. From fashion designers to legendary writers, many great minds have gone on record to pass down their style advice to us and it would be rude not to take it on board. These are our favourite quotes about menswear from a few brilliant people.

1. “The difference between a man of sense and a fop is that the fop values himself upon his dress; and the man of sense laughs at it, at the same time he knows he must not neglect it.” – Lord Chesterfield 

2. “If people turn to look at you on the street, you are not well dressed, but either too stiff, too tight, or too fashionable.” – Beau Brummel

3. “Style is the answer to everything. A fresh way to approach a dull or dangerous thing. To do a dull thing with style is preferable to doing a dangerous thing without it. To do a dangerous thing with style is what I call art.” – Charles Bukowski 

4. “I often take a brand-new suit or hat and throw it up against the wall a few times to get that stiff, square newness out of it.” – Fred Astaire

5. “To achieve the nonchalance which is absolutely necessary for a man, one article at least must not match.” – Hardy Amies 

6. “A man must face the world with sprezzatura. It literally means detachment, but a better way to think of it is quiet confidence or low-key style. The most forceful statement is understatement.” – Luciano Barbera

7. “Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not.” – Oscar Wilde 

8. "Being perfectly well-dressed gives one a tranquillity that no religion can bestow." —Ralph Waldo Emerson

9. "Dressing well is a form of good manners." — Tom Ford 

10. “You can never be over dressed or overeducated.” – Oscar Wilde

11. “It is both delusional and stupid to think that clothes don’t really matter and we should all wear whatever we want. Most people don’t take clothing seriously enough, but whether we should or not, clothes do talk to us and we make decisions based on people’s appearances.” – G. Bruce Boyer 

12. “To adapt a phrase from Le Corbusier, the suit is a machine for living in, close-fitting but comfortable armour, constantly revised and reinvented to be, literally, well suited for modern daily life.” – Cally Blackman

13. “The boor covers himself, the rich man or the fool adorns himself, and the elegant man gets dressed.” – Honoré de Balzac 

14. “Style is when they’re running you out of town and you make it look like you’re leading the parade.” – William Battie

15. “Know first who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.” – Epictetus

We list some of the most famous and inspirational fashion and style quotes to live by from the likes of Oscar Wilde and Tom Ford.