Lena Dunham; writer, director, actress and all round VIP (that’s Very Impressive Person for the uninitiated).

Here at Stylist we have no shame in admitting that since the first episode of Girls hit our screens, we’ve been smitten with it’s creator who – as an aside – was just 26 years old when she wrote the show.

The witty, sharp writing in Girls has resonated with women of every generation. And, both on her show and in interviews, Lena has won legions of fans with her candid answers, outspoken support of other women and by calling out critics and questioning double standards.

The writer, who was mentored by the inimitable and much missed Nora Ephron, has shared many of her personal life lessons on topics as varied as wearing pants to the legacy she’d like to leave behind.

We picked the best of her pearls of wisdom for your reading pleasure – notebooks at the ready, these make for pretty brilliant reading.

Life lessons and pearls of wisdom from Lena Dunham