Quote Of The Day By Diana Vreeland: 'We All Need A Splash Of Bad Taste...'

Having held prominent positions at both Harper's Bazaar and Vogue, Diana Vreeland was undoubtedly an extremely influential figure in the fashion world. Vreeland's personal style was so magnetic that she landed a gig at Harper's Bazaar without even applying for the job. Vreeland was at the St. Regis hotel, dancing with her husband Reed Vreeland, when then-editor-in-chief Carmel Snow asked her to join the magazine as a fashion columnist. It was Vreeland's look that helped land her the coveted position — she'd been wearing a Chanel frock with white lace and had adorned her hair with roses.

Even before her foray into the fashion world, Vreeland lived a lavish life. Her father was a stockbroker and her mother was a socialite, which placed Vreeland's firmly in New York's upper echelon of society. Once she began her tenure at Harper's Bazaar in 1936, she quickly made an impression with her unique and bold perspective. She wrote a column titled "Why Don't You?" in which she posed quirky questions such as "Why don't you tie black tulle bows on your wrists?" and "Why don't you put all your dogs in bright yellow collars and leads like all the dogs in Paris?"

She took on a full-time position at the publication in 1939 and was promoted to the role of fashion editor rather swiftly. Vreeland stayed in this influential position until 1962, when she left to work for Vogue. She became editor-in-chief one year later, and her maximalist sensibilities ushered in a new vibe at the magazine, setting many of the '60s trends that defined the era. Vreeland's stint was relatively short, however, as she left Vogue in 1971 and later became a special consultant to the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Diana Vreeland once said, "A little bad taste is like a nice splash of paprika. We all need a splash of bad taste — it's hearty, it's healthy, it's physical. I think we could use more of it. No taste is what I'm against." This was just one of many bons mots that Vreeland was famous for throughout her storied career in the fashion world. It seems Vreeland was advocating for personal style, even if it landed one on the questionable side of tasteful. Following fashion trends is fine, but real style has a personal feel. According to Smithsonian Magazine, this particular quote was preceded by, "Vulgarity is a very important ingredient in life. I'm a great believer in vulgarity — if it's got vitality."

Long after her passing in 1989, Diana Vreeland has remained an icon for both fashionistas and designers alike. In 2015, Marc Jacobs used Vreeland as inspiration for his fall/winter collection, referencing her famous "garden in hell" red apartment, as well as her carefully cultivated aesthetic, per i-D. Vreeland, a close friend of Coco Chanel, clearly had a sharply defined sense of style, but her quote about embracing a bit of bad taste highlighted her experimental nature. 

Vreeland also once said, "You gotta have style. It helps you get down the stairs. It helps you get up in the morning. It's a way of life. Without it, you're nobody. I'm not talking about lots of clothes." A closet full of clothes, even well-tailored designer clothes, does not necessarily equal style, Vreeland made clear. It's when you inject a bit of attitude, personality, or even just something experimental into your look that real style begins to emerge.

Then again, Vreeland is also quoted as saying, "Of course, one is born with good taste. It's very hard to acquire." We wouldn't dare contradict a force of nature like Vreeland, but we do have believe there are ways to cultivate personal style even if you have no idea where to start.

• "Style—all who have it share one thing: originality."
• "There's only one thing in life, and that's the continual renewal of inspiration."
• "Fashion is part of the daily air and it changes all the time, with all the events. You can even see the approaching of a revolution in clothes. You can see and feel everything in clothes."
• "I adore artifice. I always have."
• "Where would fashion be without literature?"