[Ads-l] Quote Origin: Elegance Is Refusal

[Ben Zimmer]

The transcription of the Vreeland passage looks legit, as it also appears
in an excerpt from _Allure_ that was reprinted in _Playbill_ in 1980:

https://books.google.com/books?id=F4dIAQAAIAAJ&q=elegance+refusal

On Fri, Nov 1, 2024 at 12:23 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Fascinating discovery, Ben. If this text is in the book "Allure" then
> it adds a new wrinkle because Vreeland seems to be disclaiming credit
> for the saying although she also says "I've known it all my life".
> Garson.
>
> On Fri, Nov 1, 2024 at 10:07 AM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Garson,
> >
> > While I don't have access to the book, here is the full passage, wherein
> > Vreeland responds to someone asking about "the difference between
> elegance
> > and fashion."
> >
> > ---
> > https://breaktheseal.substack.com/p/34-wheres-the-line
> > "You can't ask a question like that casually," I said. "Fashion is a
> > passing thing -- a thing of fancy, fantasy, and feeling. Elegance is
> > innate. It has nothing to do with being well-dressed. It’s a quality
> > possessed by certain thoughts and certain animals. Gazelles, I suppose,
> > have elegance with their tiny heads and their satiny coats and their
> little
> > winning ways . . ."
> > Once, years ago in Sidi Bou Said, a little gazelle jumped in my lap,
> > terrified. His greatest terror, of course, was being in my lap, but I
> felt
> > these tiny hoofs and this miniature face looked in my eyes as only a
> > woodland creature can . . . I've never forgotten it.
> > So I said, "Gazelles have elegance. And Audrey Hepburn -- magnificently."
> > Then I said something I’ve always known. I don’t know who it's a quote
> > from. I didn’t get it from you, shall we say, and I didn’t make it up,
> but
> > I’ve known it all my life.
> > "Elegance," I said, "is refusal."
> > -- Diana Vreeland, _Allure_ (1980) pg. 203
> > ---
> >
> > --bgz
> >
> > On Fri, Nov 1, 2024 at 9:11 AM ADSGarson O'Toole <
> adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > The opaque statement in the subject line has been attributed to
> > > fashion mavens Coco Chanel and Diana Vreeland. I received a request to
> > > determine the correct authorship. I was unable to find evidence that
> > > Coco Chanel employed this saying. She died in 1971 and received credit
> > > by 2000.
> > >
> > > The statement appeared in a 1980 "The New York Times" piece about a
> > > new book by Diana Vreeland titled "Allure". Apparently, the statement
> > > also appeared in the book, but I have not been able to verify that
> > > yet. If someone can access the book and find the phrase (together with
> > > a complete and accurate citation) that would be great. I think most of
> > > the book displays photographs.
> > >
> > > [ref] 1980 September 14, New York Times, Section: The New York Times
> > > Magazine, A Vision of Style by Francesca Stanfill, Start Page SM18,
> > > Quote Page SM74, New York. (ProQuest) [/ref]
> > >
> > > [Begin excerpt]
> > > Fame in all its forms is celebrated by Diana Vreeland. Some of her
> > > favorite subjects -- and her impressions of them in "Allure" -- are
> > > presented here. …
> > >
> > > "Elegance is innate. It has nothing to do with being well-dressed.
> > > Elegance is refusal." …
> > > [End excerpt]
> > >
> > > Here is a link to the Quote Investigator article:
> > > Quote Origin: Elegance Is Innate. It Has Nothing To Do with Being
> > > Well-Dressed. Elegance Is Refusal
> > > https://quoteinvestigator.com/2024/11/01/elegance-refusal/
> > >
> > > Garson
> > >
>

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