Tyra Banks Quotes

From offstage until the moment I walk onstage, I constantly tweak my talk show and 'Top Model', but at the same time, I often leave my private life by the wayside.

Flaws are awesome - so, flawsome! I love making up a word.

Love me or hate me I promise that it will never make or break me...<3

Its so important to understand your good attendance ups your chances of graduating.

I know how to dress for my body to give off illusions, and I like to teach women about it - it's important for women to have that power and that arsenal... tricks that make you feel good when you walk outside.

I know this is weird... I am a Black woman and I am not mixed with any Asian blood or Chinese blood at all, but for some reason, as a child, the movie, The Last Emperor, had a serious affect on me. I can't understand why. But there's something that the movie did to me.

Paris is one of the most beautiful places in all the world. Unfortunately, I was so homesick I couldn't appreciate its beauty.

I kind of like the wind in my face. If it wasn’t there, I don’t know if I would push as hard.

My aunt used to call me light bulb head because my head is small at the bottom and bigger at the top. But it was a term of endearment.

As my mom wiped the tears from my face, she said, 'Tyra, you know what we’re going to do about this? We’re going to go eat pizza.' We sat in a tiny pizzeria in Milan and strategized about how to turn my curves into a curveball. In a way, it was my decision not to starve myself that turned me into a supermodel, and later on, a businesswoman.

The runway symbolizes something in society that's very intimidating to women.

In high school I definitely had a clique of friends. And what I loved about it was that we were healthy and good girls.

I am totally against plastic surgery. A lot of people think I have breast implants because I have the biggest boobs in the business. But I was a 34C when I was 17...They stay up when I wear a push-up bra. But if people could see me when I come home and take off my bra, how could they think these are fake?

I'm not just retiring from the runway, I'm retiring from all modeling. God, I love saying that! When I was 18, my mom said I have to have a plan. I decided I'd leave on top. I want to be like the athletes who seem stuck in time. When you see them at 50, you say they probably can still run like a champ.

In terms of bullying, there are so many new laws in America, I am not sure about worldwide, but in America, the laws for bullying are getting strict. And I am really excited of how strict they are and I think it has cut down on a lot of bullying. As a kid I was a bully and I was bullied. I lived both sides of it. To see what is being done with bullying now is super important.

I'm a perfectionist. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it's okay if there are flaws here and there.

I had had an extroverted personality with a lot of friends, but when I lost the weight and grew so tall, I withdrew within myself.

A smart model is a good model.

I love food and feel that it is something that should be enjoyed. I eat whatever I want. I just don't overeat.

Love every part of yourself. Even the things that frustrate you. They make you who you are!

I love being able to go to a store, let's say... a store like Topshop or Zara or maybe even Macy's, depends on what department, and not have to look at the price tag.

I've made millions of dollars with the body I have, so where's the pain in that? If I was in pain, I would have dieted. The pain is not there - the pain is someone printing a picture of me and saying those horrible things.

Smiles come naturally to me, but I started thinking of them as an art form at my command. I studied all the time. I looked at magazines, I'd practice in front of the mirror and I'd ask photographers about the best angles. I can now pull out a smile at will.

I have so many goals.

When I was a young girl, I lost a lot of weight over one summer - involuntarily - and was just really depressed and sad. There was nothing I could do to gain weight. I would look in the mirror and call myself disgusting every day.

I always feel great when I don't have clothes on.

I enjoy doing fashion shows and transforming myself into different looks for photo shoots.

I don't like looking at awards everyday because I feel like they can make you lazy. So, I give them to my Mom and let her look at it everyday. They are symbols of the hard work she put into me. Her sacrifices allowed me and my team to win those awards. But I don't look at any awards everyday.

It's not like I want to hop on a bandwagon, because I said it 15 years ago - bringing a child into your life who is not genetically yours is one of the most beautiful things you can do. But I'm also interested in having my own baby, too.

My mom never taught me to be waiting for some prince on a white horse to swipe me off my feet.

A lot of young girls think that the opposite of fake is rudeness. And just as ugly as fake is, so is saying whatever is on your mind because it's the truth.

I want to be like the athletes who seem stuck in time. When you see them at 50, you say they probably can still run like a champ.

I think I'm too young to be a mogul. I think I'm too young for that.

As a model, you're so used to taking your clothes off that you just don't care.

I haven't seen the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre. I haven't seen anything. I don't really care.

Hotness to me is scary. I don't want to be hot. I just want to be a staple. I want to be something that's trusted.

A smile is the most important thing you wear.

Love is an excuse to be stupid

Self-love has very little to do with how you feel about your outer self. It's about accepting all of yourself.

I actually don't miss modeling and I think the reason why is because of America's Next Top Model.

Perfect is boring, human is beautiful

I talked about adopting a baby when I was 20 years old, before it became 'hip.'

I think it makes women feel better to find fault with other women. I do that, too.

Black women don't have the same body image problems as white women. They are proud of their bodies.

I would not recommend a teen getting into modeling if they're not solid when it comes to their grades and school. That comes first.

Don't make excuses - make improvements!

I've made millions of dollars with the body I have, so where's the pain in that?

I went from being very popular and the head of the clique in the sixth grade to having, like, kid depression in the seventh grade. Not leaving the house. Not looking people in the eye... My body made me feel bad at everything.