Dear Corporate Girlies…
Stylish modern mature women wearing glasses looking fabulous and lettin’ the “Corporate Girlies” know what’s up…
A Love Letter and a Light Roast from the Gen X Women Who Walked So You Could Werk
Dear Corporate Girlies,
We see you.
Blazers pressed. Kitten heels clicking. Phones out. GRWM videos queued and conference calls on mute. You’ve made office style a moment—maybe even a movement. And honestly? You look amazing!
But let’s not forget who walked first
Before you declare yourselves the blueprint for corporate fashion, allow us to reintroduce ourselves.
We’re the women who wore pantyhose before they were ironic. Who walked into interviews with portfolios and quiet confidence. Who didn’t need a ring light or a trending audio to own a room. We’ve done the pantsuit thing; the skirt suit thing; the try-to-look-older-to-be-taken-seriously thing. We’ve been dressing for success since before you had a LinkedIn.
Some of us did it on city streets and subway platforms. I strutted up avenues and down stairwells, sometimes running in heels. I walked over 40 blocks on 9/11 in pumps because that’s what I had on. That’s how we moved through the world—dressed, ready, no excuses.
We showed up to internships in full suits while making barely enough to cover lunch. We navigated dress codes that weren’t written for us. We figured out how to look sharp even when we didn’t have the budget or the blueprint.
We’re not cosplaying professionalism, because we lived it
So while we appreciate the cute names, the blazers, the belt bags, the viral “corporate girlie” looks…we’ve been here.
We’re not new to this.
We’re not corporate cosplaying.
We are the reason the rules even got rewritten.
And truth be told? In my personal experience, a lot of what I’m seeing from the younger generation lately is giving casual, and not intentional. Too many are relying on youth, not showing up with presence. You can be expressive and still polished. You can be creative without looking like you rolled out of bed and hoped for grace.
This isn’t shade. It’s style wisdom
Here’s what nobody told us, and what we’re telling you now: it’s never just about the clothes. It’s about the way you enter a room when no one is watching. The way you hold your ground when no one is clapping. It’s the difference between dressing to be noticed and dressing to be remembered.
Professional style is more than a blazer or a great pair of heels. It’s how you move. It’s the quiet unshakable power that comes from knowing exactly who you are. And refusing to shrink.
So now that you’re here, welcome to the club. But bring more than your outfit. Bring the courage to take up space, the grace to lift others as you climb, and the wisdom to know that your style is only as powerful as the woman wearing it.
Love,
The grown women who make power look effortless
And as always…thank you for reading.
Be Fearless. Stay Fashionable. Have Fun!