Quotes About Self-expression

The true essence of fashion is being able to reinvent yourself with what you have.

I've met people whose accents have nothing to do with where they were born or raised - they want to reinvent themselves.

This idea that in America you can be anyone you want - you can reinvent yourself. Well, I think that the Internet has maybe taken that kind of American idea and has democratized it for the world.

I just want to be a part of a band that will be able to reinvent themselves, you know.

My favorite thing about beauty and fashion in all seasons is that it's a way to reinvent ourselves.

What I do is I basically make records to please myself first and foremost, and so one of the most important things for me as a musician and a writer and a producer is to feel like there's always a sense of evolution and reinvention with each record.

Don't reject a shoe because you can't run in it. It's OK not to run.

I admire Madonna because she always did whatever she felt like doing. She went through some controversial periods when people rejected her, but she kept on reinventing herself.

So I was really excited when I came to America about meeting black people. But it was a huge culture shock, because I was rejected by the black community. They were like, 'You talk like a white girl.' People would call me an Oreo. All I wanted was acceptance.

I haven't really had any bad experiences coming out. No one's ever rejected me. There was me, running around in a sarong at the age of 16 - they probably knew.

You put yourself on the line as a performer, and when people reject you, it's a personal rejection.

Before the advent of the white man, black people were doing all kinds of things with their hair. The rejection of kinks and curls did come with the white man.

Really rejoice in being yourself. Have your own drumbeat.

When I started, I'd hear other people saying, 'God, she's so bizarre-looking,' because I didn't look like the girl next door. But I was just normal. I was the girl next door. There were people in high fashion I could better relate to who were doing something more interesting and not talking this sort of rubbish.

I became Fantastic Negrito, and I felt like there was a rawness and an honesty in that music that I could relate to. That I was ready, finally, in my life to be that honest with myself.

I mean, I kind of remember... I'm 36 now, so it's kind of hard for me to relate to what it was like when I was 25, or 24, but I do remember a period in time when that's how I defined who I was, by the music I listened to and the movies I went to.

A lot of people go through life trying to perform normalcy, and I think you can relate to that.

I think I just say what I'm thinking. And - you know, if people relate to it, they relate to it, but - I really - you know, if you really listen to me, I don't have my finger on any pulse.

Being biracial is so much a part of who I am that it's almost, 'Let it go already.' It's intrinsic to me. I think a lot of my fans relate to me because they felt different.

I write for myself; I'm trying to keep myself interested in the music. But at the same time, I want to make the songs relatable in a way; I want to keep melodies pretty simple and the lyrics open-ended so that people could maybe relate them to their own life in different ways. Something for everybody to have a piece of.

In preindustrial times, the idea of creating something was more related to your personality. Personality was something that you constructed; it's something you had to actively develop and work on. Now personality is something that you have.

I always wanted to do something related to the camera. When you are young, these are dreams you feel embarrassed talking about. You don't want to be made fun of. That would leave a scar on an young mind.

I hired a publicist once I got cast in 'Passing Strange,' and one of the first conversations we had was about how I wanted to handle talking about my sexuality. I said, 'It's never been an issue for me. I want to talk about my work, but if something about myself relates to my work, of course I'll talk about it.'

A woman should be less concerned about Paris and more concerned about whether the dress she's about to buy relates to the way she lives.