32 Inspirational Coco Chanel quotes about life, style and womanhood

One of the most influential designers of all time, Coco Chanel quotes are words to take note of. As a designer, Chanel changed the face of fashion but she was also particularly astute and offered plenty of pearls of wisdom during her time in the spotlight.

When it comes to some of the best fashion quotes of all time, we can rely on Coco Chanel to offer some serious words of wisdom. Her best quotes cover everything from design and sartorial style to life and womanhood and the outspoken fashion leader did not mince her words. Well known for making some of the best designer shoes and best designer bags, if you're going to listen to anyone when it comes to style, Coco Chanel is a good choice. 

While Coco herself might not be with us anymore, the best Chanel bags are still one of the wisest fashion investments you can make. Chanel as a designer brand remains one of the most sought-after in the world, and its runway shows and collections regularly pay homage to the early years of the French clothing brand. While Chanel's clothing, perfume, and accessories lines remain at the height of fashion, well-loved Coco Chanel quotes also help the woman behind the brand to live on. Whether you're looking for some personal inspiration, a stylish quote for Instagram, or new wall art, you'll find it hard not to be inspired by this powerhouse of design. 

32 best Coco Chanel Quotes about life, style and self 

1. On age

One of the best Coco Chanel quotes of all time is her empowering message on ageing, claiming that "a woman does not become interesting until she is over 40." Reminding us that youthfulness is not the be-all and end-all, she said, "You can be gorgeous at thirty, charming at forty, and irresistible for the rest of your life." 

2. On the power of hair

Hair trends and styles often come in and out of fashion, but one thing that remains the same is the transformative power of a haircut. You may have heard this one before, but did you know it was initially Coco Chanel's words? "A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life." 

3. On success

Despite living in a male-dominated era, Coco Chanel was one of the most successful women of her time. The entrepreneur opened her own store at 27 years old, and over 100 years later, her brand is still thriving, so her words of wisdom on success are ones to live by: "Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable."

4. On men

Coco Chanel, despite making couture fashion for women, still operated in an arena heavily dominated by men, and the glass ceiling was very much intact. So what were her words of advice back then? "As long as you know men are like children, you know everything!" 

5. On makeup

"If you're sad, add more lipstick and attack," a well-known quote attributed to the designer. But it was taken from this longer quote, "If you're sad, if you are disappointed in love, put on your makeup, give yourself some beauty care, put on lipstick, and attack."

6. Motivational Coco Chanel quote

As one of the most well-known female designers of her lifetime and ours, Coco Chanel sure has some words of wisdom when it comes to motivation. "My life didn't please me, so I created my life."

7. On love

What celebrates love and also cures a broken heart? Champagne. "I only drink Champagne on two occasions: when I am in love and when I am not," Coco Chanel famously said. Still, decades later, there are posters and Instagram posts of these words worldwide. 

8. On the best things in life

We've all heard that the best things in life are free, and while Coco agrees, her take on it has become one of the best Coco Chanel quotes of all time. "The best things in life are free. The second-best things are very, very expensive." The second best thing would probably be a brand-new Chanel bag then...

9. On luxury

"Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty. It is not. It is the opposite of vulgarity," the wise woman once said. One of the best Coco Chanel quotes on luxury is this piece of wisdom: "Luxury must be comfortable. Otherwise, it is not luxury." 

10. On perfume

Chanel No. 5 is arguably one of the most iconic fragrances of all time, so it's no wonder that the woman behind its launch back in the 1920s had strong views on the power of a strong scent. "A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future," Coco once said. A fantastic fragrance was of the utmost importance to the designer, hence the notoriously good perfumes made by the fashion house. 

11. On the richness of life

"There are people who have money and people who are rich," said Coco. People who are rich in love, kindness and, of course, style. But Coco also touched on the importance of being authentic. "Hard times arouse an instinctive desire for authenticity."

12. On life

Forget 'live, laugh love', Coco Chanel's best quote is one we live by: "You live but once; you might as well be amusing." Because it's always better to look on the bright side of life, right? And what is her advice on wasting time? "Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door."

13. On how to leave the house in style

One thing is sure: Coco Chanel did not believe in a simple get-up-and-go makeup look or style. "Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off" is one of Coco Chanel's best quotes that stylists still live by decades later. Less is more, after all. The designer simply couldn't understand not living in this way. "I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little—if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny."

14. On style

If there are any words to live by when it comes to style, it will surely be Coco Chanel's wise words. When choosing a colour to wear, the answer is always the shade that suits you; ignore the latest colour trends if they aren't for you. "The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you," said Coco. 

15. On class

If there is one person we can trust to know about class in-depth, it's the late Coco Chanel, whose take on true classiness goes way beyond what it looks like on the surface. "It's not the appearance, it's the essence. It's not the money, it's the education. It's not the clothes, it's the class."

16. On dressing up

Some of the best Coco Chanel quotes are iconic in the fashion world, but a universal favourite? "Dress like you are going to meet your worst enemy today," said the fashion icon. And to Coco, that's every day. Don't save your best outfit for a special occasion because "it's not fashion if no one has seen it."

17. On bringing back fashion trends

Over the years, we've seen 70s and 80s trends come back, but the Queen of fashion herself once said, "Fashion is going forward, not backwards. We don't move back, we don't "sugar up" things. We have to live with our own time," and Coco knows what she is talking about. "Fashion is made to become unfashionable," said the designer. 

18. On the power of being well-dressed

Take this as your reminder that the best outfits are always the ones you feel most comfortable in. "I wanted to give a woman comfortable clothes that would flow with her body," the designer once said. "A woman is closest to being naked when she is well-dressed," said Coco. 

19. On elegance & fabulousness

"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous." Oh, the classic, it's one of the most famous Coco Chanel quotes ever. From Instagram captions to wall art and mugs, you would've heard it somewhere. But Coco's take on elegance slipped under the radar: "Elegance is not the prerogative of those who have just escaped from adolescence, but of those who have already taken possession of their future."

20. On doing as you please

As well as being classy and fabulous, one of the best Chanel quotes of all time is Coco empowering women to do exactly as they please. "A girl should be two things: who and what she wants." We wouldn't expect anything less from the powerhouse designer. 

21. On the power of good shoes

"A woman with good shoes is never ugly". It might seem a little frivolous, but the designer simply wanted women to understand that dressing well would make women feel good and build confidence. You can never underestimate the power of a great heel. 

22. On the power of a fabulous dress

Coco Chanel knew about power dressing. "Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman." Remember this Coco Chanel quote when deciding on a dress for your next big occasion: "We need dresses that crawl and dresses that fly. Fashion is at once a caterpillar and a butterfly; caterpillar by day, butterfly by night."

23. On being overdressed

According to Coco Chanel, turning up anywhere overdressed is not the same as being over-elegant. "A woman can be overdressed but never over-elegant" - words to live by. Another great Coco Chanel quote? "Adornment, what a science! Beauty, what a weapon! Modesty, what elegance!" This is why Coco Chanel is such a fashion icon. 

24. On trends

Coco gave us words to live by throughout her life, and if there is only one lesson that we take away from the designer-turned-entrepreneur, it's that style is of utmost importance. Although we look to Chanel to help set the fashion trends season after season, in reality, Chanel has always championed timeless style over trend-led dressing. "Fashion changes, but style endures," she famously said. "Elegance does not consist in putting on a new dress"; instead, it's all about style and a dash of elegance. "Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance."

25. On fashion

Coco Chanel, AKA the Queen of Fashion, set the standard for the fashion industry: "Fashion has two purposes: comfort and love. Beauty comes when fashion succeeds." More words to live by? "Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions." One of the best Coco Chanel quotes are her words on the power of fashion - "Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."

26. On being yourself

Coco Chanel started her business years before women had laws in place for them at work. "Be who you are, not who the world wants you to be" are inspiring words from Coco. "I feel that to live is a wonderful thing," she also said, but as your authentic self. 

27. On what others think

On that note, not caring what others think is another sound piece of advice from Coco. "I don't care what you think of me. I don't think of you at all" are words to live by. Because "how many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone."

28. On dreaming big

"To achieve great things, you must first dream," said Chanel. But one of the best Coco Chanel quotes you may not have heard of, but is just as beautiful? "If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing." Now, that's how you dream big. 

29. On women

Living in a male-dominated era with glass ceilings to shatter, Coco Chanel always knew that women are stronger than they believe. "Women have always been the strong ones of the world."

30. On speaking up

Real courage may come from doing as you please, dressing as you wish and being yourself, but Coco says, "The most courageous act is to think for yourself. Aloud." Words to remember for the next time you're worried about standing up for yourself. 

31. On routine

We know by now that a daily routine is good for our wellbeing, but in the words of Coco Chanel: "There is no time for cut-and-dried monotony. There is time for work and time for love. That leaves no other time." 

32. On being different

When we think of Coco Chanel, originality comes to mind. "Only those with no memory insist on their originality," said Coco. But the the best Coco Chanel quote to live by? "In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different."