146 Quotes by Joan Crawford

If you think the dress is right for you, where are you going to wear it? Does it fit into the kind of life you lead? (If you live in the country, what are you doing with all those town suits and hostess pajamas?) Supposing the dress is all right. If so, what shoes do you wear with it? What hat, gloves? Handbag, jewelry? […] So many women fall in love with a dress, bring it home, and find absolutely nothing that will go with it.

Closets should be completely emptied twice a year. […] Then inspect every item in your wardrobe. Things you’re doubtful about are probably wrong. […] Give things away to someone they do compliment, or send them to charity or a thrift shop and resolve not to make the same mistake again.That old saw, 'When in doubt, don’t,' is never so true as when it comes to clothes. Or getting married.

Necklines usually need attention. A high neck just can't help getting powder smudges. For washables Mamacita lays the collar on the counter in the kitchen and uses a special spot cleaner along the soiled area. She lets it sit for ten minutes and then plunges the whole garment into cold water with cold-water liquid soap.

I love preshrunk cottons for traveling. Mamacita can wash and press them overnight — another space-saving trick. Whatever I’ve worn that day goes into the hotel bathtub for a good soak and some squishing back and forth, and then after a time Mamacita goes in and rinses them, rolls them in big towels, and irons them while they’re still damp.

My most important [wardrobe] rule is: Never put anything back soiled.

As for the other little amenities — yes, the lady lets the man light her cigarette, help her on with her coat, and open the door for her. Even if he’s the boss. Manners are manners, and success doesn’t mean that a woman has to forgo the courtesies that make life easy and pleasant.

[Joan's rule for dressing well] When you finish a creation, take something off. Diminish, diminish, diminish.

Often there’s no help in the home, but there are neighbors and friends and the people at nurseries and day-care centers. All of them help a child to learn to get along with all sorts of people and become more independent. Seeing people encourages him to make decisions for himself. When he sees his parents at his own special time of the day he enjoys them more than if they were underfoot all the time.

Don't fuck with me, fellas. This ain't my first time at the rodeo.