Edith Head Quotes

Powerful Edith Head for Daily Growth

About Edith Head

Edith Head (April 28, 1897 – October 28, 1981) was an American costume designer who left an indelible mark on the world of film and fashion. Born in San Francisco to Italian immigrant parents, she displayed a talent for drawing from an early age, leading her to study at the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art. However, a family tragedy forced her to abandon her art studies and seek employment to support her family. Head's career began in the 1920s when she started working as a sketch artist at the Fox Film Corporation. Impressed by her talent, director Cecil B. DeMille offered Head a position at his studio, where she would work on silent films starring Hollywood legends like Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino. In 1937, Head joined Paramount Pictures as a designer, eventually becoming the studio's head costume designer. Over her four-decade career at Paramount, she dressed some of the biggest stars in Hollywood, including Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, and Audrey Hepburn. Known for her innovative designs and ability to adapt costumes to fit the characters onscreen, Head won a record-breaking eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design. Head was also known for her sharp wit and biting humor, earning her the nickname "The Queen of the Movies." In 1967, she became the first woman to be inducted into the American Academy of Achievement. Throughout her life, Head remained a trailblazer in the male-dominated world of filmmaking, proving that women could excel in any field they chose. Today, Edith Head's legacy continues as an inspiration for fashion designers and filmmakers alike. Her innovative designs and groundbreaking career serve as a testament to her unparalleled talent and enduring impact on the entertainment industry.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The woman's dress should be like a barbed-wire fence: serving its purpose without obstructing the view."

This quote by Edith Head emphasizes simplicity and functionality in women's fashion, suggesting that clothing should serve its intended purpose (modesty and protection) while not drawing unnecessary attention away from the woman herself. The use of a barbed-wire fence as an analogy symbolizes this idea - it serves its purpose efficiently without obstructing or detracting from the landscape around it. In other words, Edith Head believed that women's fashion should be tasteful and practical, yet allow the individual beauty and charm of the woman to shine through.


"You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it."

This quote by Edith Head emphasizes that one's appearance can significantly impact their confidence, which in turn influences how they interact with others and approach opportunities. Dressing appropriately for a situation or role can create an impression of competence, professionalism, or authority, thereby increasing the chances of success and achieving desired goals. It suggests that presenting oneself well is essential for reaching one's full potential and living a fulfilling life.


"Always design a thing by considering it as part of a whole, never as an isolated form."

This quote emphasizes the importance of understanding that every aspect of a design or creation is interconnected and should be considered in relation to the overall context, rather than focusing solely on individual elements. In other words, it's crucial to think holistically when designing or creating something, taking into account how each part will complement and interact with the rest of the whole. This approach often leads to a more harmonious and cohesive end result.


"Fashion changes, but style endures."

This quote by Edith Head emphasizes that while fashion trends come and go, a personal sense of style - the unique way one expresses themselves through their clothing choices - remains constant. Fashion is transient and influenced by various factors such as cultural context, seasons, and popular culture, but a genuine style reflects an individual's personality, taste, and confidence. In essence, Edith Head encourages us to cultivate our style, allowing it to be a timeless reflection of who we are.


"I don't design clothes - I design dreams."

Edith Head, a renowned American costume designer, expressed that her work transcended creating clothing; she crafted dreams. This quote signifies that she wasn't just shaping garments but rather, weaving illusions and ideals into the fabric of her designs – offering her clients an escape into their aspirational selves or fantasies. Head's artistry lay not only in aesthetics but also in the emotions, stories, and identities her costumes evoked.


Even the most beautiful legs - Marlene Dietrich's, for instance - look better when the kneecap is covered.

- Edith Head

Look, Most, Instance, Marlene

As women, we all have certain weaknesses. I know one who can't resist pretty shoes but has nothing suitable to wear with them. Others adore frilly lingerie but never have any money to buy outer clothing.

- Edith Head

Lingerie, Wear, Buy, Clothing

Couture has copied my things for years, in addition to countless other costume designers, claiming theirs were the original ideas. It's all part of the business, unfortunately.

- Edith Head

Original, Other, Designers, Claiming

Before you are interviewed for the job you want, try on the complete outfit you intend to wear.

- Edith Head

Outfit, Want, Before, Intend

Many women have asked me if it is possible to have a well-built wardrobe on a limited budget. 'Money,' I tell them, 'is no guarantee of taste, and an overstuffed wardrobe is often as bare as a skeleton when it comes to wearable apparel.'

- Edith Head

Tell, Taste, Guarantee, Budget

Your dresses should be tight enough to show you're a woman and loose enough to show you're a lady.

- Edith Head

Woman, Show, Should, Loose

I always wear beige, black or white. For one thing I look good in them. For another, when I'm beside a star at a fitting, and she looks into the mirror, I don't want to be competing in any way.

- Edith Head

Mirror, Wear, Black Or White, Beside

Many faux pas of fashion can be avoided if you curb your instinctive desire to buy things with your heart instead of your head.

- Edith Head

Desire, Buy, Your, Faux

What a costume designer does is a cross between magic and camouflage. We create the illusion of changing the actors into what they are not. We ask the public to believe that every time they see a performer on the screen, he's become a different person.

- Edith Head

Magic, Believe, Screen, Costume

If you hunger for certain types of clothes, for which you have little use, put yourself on a diet. Just as you resist too much whipped cream and French pastry to keep your figure in shape, you can say no to those yearned-for but unneeded purchases that lead to a wardrobe that is shapeless and without form.

- Edith Head

Use, Your, Put, French

My motto is that the audience should notice the actors, not the clothes.

- Edith Head

Audience, My Motto, Should, Notice

We don't make glamorous movies today. Everything now is very realistic, artistic - and depressing. When is the last time you you saw a wonderful musical or a fabulous fantasy?

- Edith Head

Fantasy, Last, Very, Depressing

Growing old gracefully used to begin at about 35, but today women prefer to 'stay young gratefully' with thanks to designers, beauticians and plastic surgeons.

- Edith Head

Young, Designers, Prefer, Gracefully

There's no such thing as a standard size movie star, or woman for that matter.

- Edith Head

Woman, Size, Standard, Movie Star

With women, there's a basic female instinct of caring deeply about the way they look; women stars have a narcissist complex.

- Edith Head

Instinct, Narcissist, About, Female

Some people need sequins, others don't.

- Edith Head

People, Need, Some, Some People

A designer is only as good as the star who wears her clothes.

- Edith Head

Design, Star, Her, Clothes

Fashion is a language. Some know it, some learn it, some never will - like an instinct.

- Edith Head

Learn, Never, Some, Fashion

I've dressed thousands of actors, actresses and animals, but whenever I am asked which star is my personal favorite, I answer, 'Grace Kelly.' She is a charming lady, a most gifted actress and, to me, a valued friend.

- Edith Head

Asked, Kelly, Whenever, Gifted

Building a proper wardrobe is like building a home. Indeed, you should think of it like a home, because it is something you're going to live in. It must be comfortable and suit all your needs.

- Edith Head

Think, Like, Needs, Comfortable

You can lead a horse to water and you can even make it drink, but you can't make actresses wear what they don't want to wear.

- Edith Head

Horse, Want, Even, Lead

Every different director has another language - for instance, Hitchcock does not like any bright color ever, unless the story says 'there goes the girl in a red dress.'

- Edith Head

Dress, Color, Instance, Director

I have yet to see one completely unspoiled star, except for the animals - like Lassie.

- Edith Head

Star, See, Like, Animals

I have yet to see one completely unspoiled star, except for Lassie.

- Edith Head

Star, See, Except, Lassie

You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.

- Edith Head

Life, Want, You, Dress

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