Mae West was more than just a Hollywood icon—she was a trailblazer, a wordsmith, and a symbol of confidence and sass.
If you’re searching for famous zingers, bold comebacks, or a witty pick-me-up, Mae West quotes deliver timeless humor and empowerment.
Her one-liners continue to resonate with audiences craving humor, strength, and unfiltered truth.
This collection brings together her most iconic, sassy, and inspiring sayings, plus a few insightful ones from namesake Gladys Mae West. No matter your mood—flirty, fierce, or philosophical—there’s a Mae West quote ready to uplift or amuse. Dive in and find your perfect line!
Famous Mae West Quotes

🔥 Classic lines that made her a legend.
- 💃 I generally avoid temptation unless I can’t resist it
- 🎭 Too much of a good thing can be wonderful
- 🌟 When I’m good, I’m very good, but when I’m bad, I’m better
- 🥂 A hard man is good to find
- 🎬 I used to be Snow White, but I drifted
- 💋 It’s not the men in your life that count, it’s the life in your men
- 🐆 Personality is the glitter that sends your little gleam across the footlights and the orchestra pit into that big black space where the audience is
- 🛏 I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond
- 💄 I like restraint—if it doesn’t go too far
- 🕶 I wrote the story myself. It’s all about a girl who lost her reputation and never missed it
- 🧨 I’ve been in more laps than a napkin
- 💼 Give a man a free hand and he’ll run it all over you
- 🎤 A man in the house is worth two in the street
- 📽 There are no good girls gone wrong—just bad girls found out
- 🧡 It’s better to be looked over than overlooked
Sassy Mae West Quotes

💅 Bold, cheeky, and full of flair.
- 💃 I’m no model lady. A model’s just an imitation of the real thing
- 👠 I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it
- 🔥 Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere
- 💄 I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it
- 🎩 When women go wrong, men go right after them
- 🖤 I’m the lady who shows up late and makes it look early
- 👄 I go for two kinds of men—the kind with muscles and the kind without
- 🍸 I feel like a million tonight—but one at a time
- 🧯 I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor—and rich is better
- 💃 I’m a woman of very few words, but lots of action
- 💋 Love conquers all things except poverty and toothache
- 🔮 You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough
- 🥂 A woman in love can’t be reasonable—or she probably wouldn’t be in love
- 💥 I’m single because I was born that way
- 💫 I like men who have a future and women who have a past
Mae West Quotes About Life

🌈 Wise, witty insights on living boldly.
- 🌟 Life’s an adventure—dress for it
- 🛣 You live once, but if you do it right, once is enough
- 🌅 It’s not what you do, but how you do it
- 🚪 Every man I meet wants to protect me. I can’t figure out what from
- 🌻 You gotta take the bitter with the better
- 🔧 I believe in goodness, but not too much—it tires you out
- 🌊 Don’t cry for a man who’s left you—the next one may fall for your smile
- 🌈 Life’s short—make it sassy
- 🧭 I never said life would be fair—I just said it would be fabulous
- 🪞 Living is like wearing lipstick—better bold than bland
- 🧠 Keep your heels, head, and standards high
- 🍀 You only live once—be scandalous at least twice
- 🌷 Every day is a show—make it entertaining
- 🍿 I’m all for live and let live—but don’t crowd my act
- 💡 Life is too short to blend in
Mae West Quotes Come Up and See Me

🚪 Flirty charm with legendary delivery.
- 🛋 Come up and see me sometime
- 🍷 I always say: keep a diary and someday it’ll keep you
- 🛎 Don’t just stand there, come in and make yourself comfortable
- 🎀 Come up and see me when you have no class
- 🧁 Bring your appetite—and I don’t mean for food
- 🎬 I’m home every evening—except when I’m out
- 🕯 I’ll be in my dressing gown—unless you prefer I’m not
- 🔥 Got a light? I’ve got plenty of heat
- 🥂 Come up and see me—and bring champagne
- 🛏 I promise not to keep my distance
- 💋 My couch doesn’t bite—unless I ask it to
- 🧸 Come up and see what kind of trouble we can get into
- 🍸 I make house calls—especially if they’re yours
- 💃 I’ll show you my etchings—after you pour the drinks
- 🧴 The view’s better from upstairs—especially with me in it
Mae West Quotes When I’m Good
😈 Iconic lines wrapped in confidence.
- 🦸 When I’m good, I’m very good, but when I’m bad, I’m better
- 🌟 I’m not always good, but I’m always fabulous
- 🔥 Good is boring—bad is unforgettable
- 💃 I do good on my own terms
- 🎭 I’ve done bad better than most do good
- 🎀 Being good is fine, being unforgettable is better
- 💄 I was never good at being good
- 💅 I made bad look classy
- 👠 My good makes your best look basic
- 💥 Even my bad days sparkle
- 🖤 I’m the original good gone glam
- 💋 I gave up being good—it was too exhausting
- 🍸 I didn’t come this far to be tame
- 🎬 When you’re bad with style, you’re still good
- 💫 Good girls get applause—bad girls get headlines
Inspirational Mae West Quotes
✨ Quotes to uplift, empower, and spark boldness.
- 🌈 You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough
- 🌟 Don’t let others dull your sparkle
- 💪 I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it
- 🧠 A woman in love can’t be reasonable—or she probably wouldn’t be in love
- 🛤 I took the road less traveled—and wore stilettos doing it
- 💄 Confidence is the best accessory
- 🔥 You’re never too much—just too bold for some
- ✨ Be the headline, not the footnote
- 💃 Walk into a room like you own it
- 🪞 Be the kind of woman who makes history
- 💫 I do it my way—with style
- 💼 Don’t follow the crowd—lead it
- 🎤 Speak your truth, even if your voice is covered in lipstick
- 🧲 Glamour is a state of mind
- 🛍 Real success is living on your terms
Mae West Quotes on Aging

⏳ Bold takes on growing older with grace and grit.
- ⏰ You’re never too old to become a legend
- 🪞 I didn’t grow older—I just got more interesting
- 💃 Age is just a number—and mine’s unlisted
- 🌹 I’m not aging—I’m ripening
- 🧴 Wrinkles are just laughter lines in disguise
- 🧠 Wisdom is sexy
- 🕶 I refuse to act my age—it’s too limiting
- 🥂 I’m vintage, not old
- 🎂 Getting older just means I’m worth more
- 🕰 I’ve aged like fine wine—with a splash of scandal
- 🌟 My beauty routine? Confidence
- 💼 Experience is the real glow-up
- 💋 I don’t do decades—I do drama
- 🛍 Style never retires
- 🔥 I’m not fading—I’m flaming
Mae West Quotes on Love
💘 Saucy and smart musings on romance.
- 💌 Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired
- 💘 I’ve loved a lot of men—each one a mistake I’d make again
- 💋 Love isn’t just blind—it’s a little reckless
- 🧲 When I fall in love, it’s always headfirst
- 💞 I flirt, therefore I am
- 💐 Men are my hobby—love is my art
- 🎁 Love with a sense of humor lasts longer
- 🪩 I never loved a man I couldn’t outwit
- 💔 I’ve had my heart broken—and made it fashion
- 🛋 Real love is showing up, even after the cocktails
- 🎀 I fall in love too easily—but recover in style
- 🥂 A kiss is just a promise in lipstick
- 🔥 Love me or leave me—but always remember me
- 💡 I don’t chase love—I attract it
- 📽 Love is life’s greatest scandal
Gladys Mae West Quotes
🌍 Brilliant thoughts from the real-world genius behind GPS.
- 🌐 I was just doing my job and never imagined I’d be recognized for it
- 🧠 If I did something wrong, I fixed it and kept going
- 📡 Sometimes you don’t know the impact of your work until years later
- 🧮 I believed in myself and in education
- 🔭 I was always curious about how things work
- 🎓 Perseverance is the key to progress
- 🧭 You don’t have to be seen to make a difference
- 🌍 Technology needs women
- 💪 Intelligence is powerful—but determination is unstoppable
- 💼 I stayed focused, even when I wasn’t welcomed
- ✨ Sometimes quiet work changes the world
- 🚀 I never planned for fame—I planned for excellence
- 🔬 Challenges are just part of the process
- 🧑🎓 Education is the bridge to opportunity
- 💡 I saw problems—and found solutions
Conclusion
Mae West’s quotes continue to resonate because they embody unapologetic confidence, wit, and resilience.
Whether you’re seeking sass, wisdom, or laughter, her words are timeless reminders to live boldly, speak freely, and sparkle unapologetically.