Oscar Wilde1854–1900Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.
“The Philosophy of Dress”, The New-York Tribune, 1885. For an analysis see Fashion a Form of Ugliness, oscarwildeinamerica.org (retrieved 9 May 2026)Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.
- A Woman of No Importance (1893)
The man who could call a spade a spade should be compelled to use one.
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), Chapter XVIIIn contextReally, if the lower orders don’t set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them?
The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), First Act, spoken by AlgernonIn context- The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), First Act, spoken by AlgernonIn context
Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can’t get into it do that.
The Importance of Being Earnest (1895), Third Act, spoken by Lady BracknellIn context
