There's a medium between painting the face and not washing it.

Meaning: Moderation in self-presentation avoids both vanity's excess and neglect's impropriety.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Challenge

• Cry you mercy, who killed my cat? — Blaming someone for a minor loss while ignoring your own serious wrongs reveals misplaced…
• Mettle is dangerous in a blind horse. — A horse without sight cannot safely channel its spirited strength, making boldness reckle…
• Milk which will not be made into butter must be made into cheese. — When one path to profit closes, resourcefulness demands you pursue an alternative use for…
• I can see as far into a millstone as the picker. — A millstone's opaque interior conceals truth equally from all observers, regardless of th…
• The lower millstone grinds as well as the upper. — Humble, ordinary work produces results as valuable as prestigious labor.
• If the mountain will not go to Mahomet, let Mahomet go to the mountain. — When obstacles won't move, adapt your approach rather than exhaust yourself demanding cha…

← Back to Proverbs

Loading the full interactive collection…