... AND WRITES
Last March, Iris Apfel released her book, Accidental Icon: Musings
of a Geriatric Starlet. An extremely entertaining read filled with fascinating stories, wise advice, and witty one-liners; it’s become my new bible. Here are some highlights and my favorite insights: ON BEING AN ICON:
“I never expected to be called a fashion icon. I never expected museums to exhibit my clothing and accessories. I never expected that anyone would want to make a documentary about my life, much less have it nominated for an Emmy award.” ON FINDING THE PERFECT PARTNER:
“Everyone he ever touched knows he was truly a Gentle Man,” Apfel writes of husband Carl, who passed away in 2015, three days shy of his 101st birthday. “His humor and generosity were legendary. We did almost everything together. His encouragement and unwavering support made this book possible. He pushed me into the limelight and then basked in my success. He got much more of a kick from the accolades I received than I did. I miss him madly. Sleep well, sweet prince.” ON AGING:
“There’s nothing wrong with wrinkles. When you’re older, trying to look years younger is foolish, and you’re not fooling anyone. When you’re 75 and you get a facelift, nobody is going to think you are 30.” ON STAYING YOUNG:
“When you get older, as I often paraphrase an old family friend, if you have two of anything, chances are one of them is going to hurt when you get up in the morning. But you have to get up and move beyond the pain. If you want to stay young, you have to think young. Having a sense of wonder, a sense of humor, and a sense of curiosity — these are my tonic. They keep you young, childlike, open to new people and things, ready for another adventure. I never want to be an old fuddy-duddy; I hold the self-proclaimed record for being the World’s Oldest Living Teenager and I intend to keep it that way.” ON MONEY:
“If you’re happy, have found love, are surrounded by good people, doing what you like and giving back to others, that’s success. Selling your soul for a buck is not worth the real price you pay — not to me, anyways.” ON INDIVIDUALITY:
“I never tried to fit in. It’s not that I went out of my way to be a rebel or do things that were not socially acceptable — unfortunately, I did have to learn how to play bridge when I was younger — but I learned early on that I have to be my own person to be content.”
“If you have to be all things to all people, you end up being ‘nothin’ to nobody.’ The way I dress may be ‘different’ or ‘eccentric’ to some who feel the need to label, but that’s of no concern to me. I don’t dress to be stared at; I dress for myself.” ON STYLE:
“You have to know yourself before you can find your own style. If I tell you what to do, it’s not your style anymore. It’s mine. Style cannot be bought or learned – it’s in your DNA. Style is not wearing expensive clothes. You can have all kinds of money and have no style at all. It’s not what you wear but how you wear it.”