yesterday, i spoke to career women.  i want to continue in that trend and talk today about modern women influencers—women trailblazers.  we’re all familiar with historically great women like Marie Curie and Susan B. Anthony  their contributions to the modern science & medicine and women’s suffrage are profound. but what about (potentially) less-known women like Grace Hopper, who profoundly changed computer programming and STEM more generally.  women have and continue to shape the world each and every day in all domains and industries.  and with each and every day, their stories are coming to the forefront more and more. 

i take it we all have women in our lives—some we know and some we don’t—who have influenced us.  i take it that we all have women in our lives who set an example and showed us that, although scary, we too can venture down less trodden paths.  who are those women for you?  your mother?  sister?  Grace Hopper?  someone else entirely? 

modern women influencers

those of us interested in fashion—and i take it all my readers are—are no doubt familiar with the modern female titans of industry:  Vera Wang, Donna Karan, and the like.  women like these not only shape the way we dress, but oftentimes, the direction of our society more generally as Miranda from The Devil Wears Prada reminds us.  

blazer |sweater | boyfriend jeans | similar belt 

denim is one of the most integral parts of our wardrobe.  and it’s difficult to get right.   this fall, i’ve broken out of comfort zones and (potentially) norms and sported everything from wide-legged jeans to skinny jeans.  however, one of the most versatile pieces of denim to incorporate into your fashion repertoire is the boyfriend jean.  you can wear them lounging at home.  or you can roll them up, throw on a pair of pumps, and head out for cocktails. 

fall blazers 

fall is all about the layering. and one of the best ways to layer is with a blazer. you all know how integral blazers are to my wardrobe.  they’ve been featured heavily on the blog over the years.  (see older posts here, here, and here.)  and they’ve also made several appearances on this month’s fashion flash over on YouTube.  (also see the above video.)  

 i’m sporting a regent blazer from J.Crew.  but i’ve also compiled a list of blazers i’m in love with from Ann Taylor and the like below.   

which one is your favorite?  tweed?  plaid?  a more neutral black? 

blazer |sweater | boyfriend jeans | similar belt 

versatility is one of the keys to any wardrobe with longevity.  blazers are perfect because you can throw them over anything from a tee to a sweater like the one from Nordstrom i’m sporting today.

those shoes! 

shoe 1 | shoe 2 | shoe 3 | similar handbag (similar, high-to-low) 

i’m a big believer in neutrals—blacks, whites, grays, and beiges.  but i’m also a big believer in color pop.  oftentimes, as we get older, we stop wearing a lot of colors and err on the side of neutrals.  but there’s a lot of ways to introduce color into your daily outfits.  i’ve chosen to accentuate my black sweater and blazer with a pair of blue-stripped pumps.  (similar shoes here, here, and here.

all right, gang!  tell me about your influences:  personal, professional, or fashion.  who has been a trailblazer in your life?  are you one?  what ways do you like to leave the beaten path and try something new?   

many of you know, mr. style lost his battle to cancer in july.  the outpouring of love and support from you, my readers, was moving.  it forever changed me. and in reading through your emails and comments, i was particularly struck by the fact of just how many of you have dealt with or are dealing with cancer.  i don’t think there’s a single one of us who does not have direct experience with this heinous disease.  

it would be impossible to put into words what we all have gone through in our own individual battles;  at least in any meaningful sense. but i do know that even when we feel powerless and like we cannot go on, we must—and do—wake up each and every day and continue our fight.

when Talbots reached out to me to partner against the fight against breast cancer, i immediately agreed.  breast cancer is something that affects 12% of women a year. i know statistics can be abstract and impersonal, but i want you to think about that for just a second.  

1 out of every 10 women you know will be directly affected by this disease in their lifetime.  women like you and i; our mothers; our sisters; our daughters; our aunts; our cousins; women from our jobs; from our book clubs; from every aspect of our lives will face their own personal battle.  and that battle will forever change us and everyone we come into contact with.     

today, i’m proud to announce that i’m working with Talbots to raise money to support women in their personal battle against breast cancer.  Talbots partnered with six internationally renowned female artists to create a limited-edition collection of one-of-a-kind scarves. In the spirit of helping women, Talbots will donate 20% of the net proceeds from each scarf sold from September 23, 2019 to October 31, 2019 in support of the Susan G. Komen Breast Care Helpline.

i’m wearing Caroline Melis’s scarf. designed in Cagliari, Italy this scarf displays lotus petals opening, one by one, to represent strength and determination.  and it’s exactly our individual, but more importantly, collective strength and determination that we must trust in to see us through our darkest moments. it’s important to continue to fight against breast cancer.

i’ve paired this beautiful scarf with a pair of high-waist, straight-leg jeans.  as we move into cooler weather, it’s all about the layers. (it always is.) i’ve pulled in a beautiful blue heather sweater and double-face wool jacket.  don’t you just love the yellow color pop? and the clean lines of the jeans and mid-cap pumps pair perfectly with this layered combination. 

today—maybe more than any time i can recall in recent memory—i want to hear from you.  no doubt our battles with cancer are highly personal. but if you’re willing to share, even in part, i know it will serve not just as inspiration to me, but for others as well. and don’t forget we aren’t in this fight alone. i love the fact that Talbots is helping with the fight against breast cancer.

denim | sweater | c/o jacket | c/o scarf | shoes | similar handbag

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