Classy quotes for the strong & confident woman in you (2024)

Women’s history is full of strife and against-all-odds advancement. It’s the story of the courageous, inspirational female figures who paved the way to a more equitable future.

If you identify as a woman and woke up this morning feeling like the inspiration you are, we’re here to cheer you on. If you’re having a rough day, we’re here to bring you up and help you start feeling like yourself again.

Spark your ambition with some quotes from classy, strong, confident women to turn your day around and help you remember your strength. As an added bonus, these quotes are perfect for sharing on social media. You never know who else you’ll encourage with these classy quotes for women.

20 quotes for classy women

You’re a tough woman, intelligent, admirable and resourceful. When you share your life updates – that big promotion, your new gallery show, a sports win or the brilliant op-ed you wrote – accompany your posts with quotes that will remind other women how unstoppable they are.

Here are 20 classy quotes from inspiring women that are practically made for social media:

1. “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey
2. “Don’t let anyone speak for you, and don’t rely on others to fight for you.” – Michelle Obama
3. “If you don’t see a clear path for what you want, sometimes you have to make it yourself.” – Mindy Kaling
4. “There’s something so special about a woman who dominates in a man’s world. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness and the nerve to never take no for an answer.” – Rihanna
5. “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” – Maya Angelou
6. “Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” – Judy Garland
7. “Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got. There is no yesterday, no tomorrow, it’s all the same day.” – Janis Joplin
8. “You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them.” – Shonda Rhimes
9. “The beauty of being a feminist is that you get to be whatever you want, and that’s the point.” – Shonda Rhimes
10. “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” – Rosa Parks
11. “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” – Audre Lorde
12. “I just love bossy women. I could be around them all day. To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It means somebody’s passionate and engaged and ambitious and doesn’t mind leading.” – Amy Poehler
13. “I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be.” – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
14. “Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. When you stumble, keep faith. When you’re knocked down, get right back up. And never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.” – Hillary Clinton
15. “I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world. I run my world.” – Beyoncé
16. “Ignore the glass ceiling and do your work. If you’re focusing on the glass ceiling, focusing on what you don’t have, focusing on the limitations, then you will be limited.” – Ava DuVernay
17. “Don’t think about making women fit the world – think about making the world fit women.” – Gloria Steinem
18. “Once I learned to like me more than others did, then I didn’t have to worry about being the funniest or the most popular or the prettiest. I was the best me, and I only ever tried to be that.” – Issa Rae
19. “Learn to embrace your own unique beauty, celebrate your unique gifts and then have confidence around them. The imperfections are actually a gift.” – Kerry Washington
20. “I’d rather regret the risks that didn’t work out than the chances I didn’t take at all.” – Simone Biles

How to use quotes on social media

Here’s a fact: a woman in your circle is having a tough day. Perhaps she has a stressful meeting coming up. Maybe she’s struggling with self-esteem. Someone out there wants to feel seen today, and you understand because you’ve been there too. Here are a few ways to use quotes to encourage self-love on social media:

• Use an inspirational quote in your bio: It’s tough to describe yourself within a tight character limit. Sometimes, using a positive quip from a public figure does the trick. Show the world you’re a strong, powerful woman with a quote from another role model like Audre Lorde or Gloria Steinem. Don’t forget to use a call-to-action (CTA) after the quote, inviting followers to learn more by clicking the link in your bio. If you want to showcase everything you are, Linktree can branch out to multiple sites or social media accounts.
• Use motivational quotes as captions: One of social media’s greatest challenges is writing a caption that meets the energy of a photo or video you post. Turn to some of history’s wisest minds and greatest wordsmiths for the right text, and put a strong woman’s quote in your caption.
• Overlay videos and Stories with quotes: Quotes make the perfect caption for live content and Stories. Adding stickers and background music is okay, but don’t forget to give the post meaning and context with some insightful words.
• Give credit: Giving credit where credit is due is essential to women’s empowerment, so be sure to include attributions for any quote used on social media or elsewhere.
• Be sensitive: Remember that gender is a spectrum. There are brilliant, inspiring people of every gender identity. As inclusive a term as “female beauty” should be, it’s long been associated with harmful stereotypes. Classy quotes for strong, confident women don’t put others down or ignore gender diversity or body positivity. The whole point is to lift others up, so do your part to create a culture that supports all people.