International Women's Day
In honor of National Women's Day, we wanted to celebrate the strong women that we respect and look up to at Wadsworth House.
We don't often jump onto every holiday or opportunity to "virtue signal", because we only want to make a statement when we have an authentic and truthful value to speak on. However, at Wadsworth House fashion house, our number one value is not just the women who shop with us, but ALL women. If you follow us online then you know that female empowerment is at our forefront.
We celebrate womanhood and everything that makes us unique as women. We believe that our softness and femininity is not a weakness, but a super power. A woman's ability to give life to another being while juggling the other responsibilities in life; A woman's ability to leverage her sexuality to control a room; A woman's ability to multi-task. These are just some of the traits that make women unstoppable!
We have hand picked some of the most inspirational women of our day.
1. Anna Wintour
Dame Anna Wintour DBE (/ˈwɪntər/; born 3 November 1949[1]) is a British[2][3] journalist based in New York City who has served as editor-in-Chief of Vogue since 1988 and Global Chief Content Officer for Condé Nast since 2020; she is also the artistic director of Condé Nast and the Global Editorial Director of Vogue.[4] With her trademark pageboy bob haircut and dark sunglasses, Wintour has become an important figure in much of the fashion world, praised for her eye for emerging fashion trends. Her reportedly aloof and demanding personality has earned her the nickname "Nuclear Wintour".
Her father, Charles Wintour, Editor of the London Evening Standard (1959–1976), consulted with her on how to make the newspaper relevant to the youth of the era. She became interested in fashion as a teenager. Her career in fashion journalism began at two British magazines. Later, she moved to the US, with stints at New York and House & Garden. She returned to London and was the editor of British Vogue between 1985 and 1987. A year later, she assumed control of the franchise's magazine in New York, reviving what many saw as a stagnating publication. Her use of the magazine to shape the fashion industry has been the subject of debate within it. Animal rights activists have attacked her for promoting fur, while other critics have charged her with using the magazine to promote elitist views of femininity and beauty.
A former personal assistant, Lauren Weisberger, wrote the 2003 bestselling roman à clef The Devil Wears Prada, later made into a successful 2006 film starring Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, a fashion editor, believed to be based on Wintour. In 2009, Wintour was the focus of a documentary film, R. J. Cutler's The September Issue.[5]
Why we love her
Anna Wintour needs no introduction. She is notorious for her decisive decision making, being notoriously "tough", and being the last word in the fashion industry. We love her strength and believe that all girls growing up should be taught that it's okay to be the boss. It's okay to know what you want and to go for it!
2. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Gail Winfrey (/ˈoʊprə/; born Orpah Gail Winfrey;[2] January 29, 1954) is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast from Chicago, which ran in national syndication for 25 years, from 1986 to 2011.[3][better source needed][4] Dubbed the "Queen of All Media",[5] she was the richest African-American of the 20th century[6][7] and was once the world's only black billionaire.[8] By 2007, she was often ranked as the most influential woman in the world.[9][10]
Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a single teenage mother and later raised in inner-city Milwaukee. She has stated that she was molested during her childhood and early teenage years and became pregnant at 14; her son was born prematurely and died in infancy.[11] Winfrey was then sent to live with the man she calls her father, Vernon Winfrey, a barber in Nashville, Tennessee, and landed a job in radio while still in high school.[4] By 19, she was a co-anchor for the local evening news. Winfrey's often emotional, extemporaneous delivery eventually led to her transfer to the daytime talk show arena, and after boosting a third-rated local Chicago talk show to first place,[12] she launched her own production company.
By the mid-1990s, Winfrey had reinvented her show with a focus on literature, self-improvement, mindfulness, and spirituality. Though she has been criticized for unleashing a confession culture, promoting controversial self-help ideas,[13] and having an emotion-centered approach,[14] she has also been praised for overcoming adversity to become a benefactor to others.[15] Winfrey also emerged as a political force in the 2008 presidential race, with her endorsement of Barack Obama estimated to have been worth about one million votes during the 2008 Democratic primaries.[16] In 2013, Winfrey was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama[17] and received honorary doctorate degrees from Duke and Harvard.[18][19] In 2008, she formed her own network, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
Credited with creating a more intimate, confessional form of media communication,[20] Winfrey popularized and revolutionized[20][21] the tabloid talk show genre pioneered by Phil Donahue.[20] In 1994, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.[22] Winfrey has won many accoladesthroughout her career which includes 18 Daytime Emmy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Chairman's Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, including the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, a Tony Award, a Peabody Award and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, awarded by the Academy Awards and two additional Academy Award nominations. Winfrey was elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2021.[23]
Why we love her
We love Oprah because of her ability to interview with a softness and touch on sensitive topics with people. She is also one of the first women to carry the torch of success at the level that she has. Many inspirational quotes and memorable interviews come from Oprah. The legacy she leaves behind is hard to beat.
3. Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime and was head of state of 15 realms at the time of her death. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any British monarch and the longest verified reign of any female monarch in history.
Elizabeth was born in Mayfair, London, as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother). Her father acceded to the throne in 1936 upon the abdication of his brother Edward VIII, making the ten-year-old Princess Elizabeth the heir presumptive. She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, a former prince of Greece and Denmark, and their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in 2021. They had four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward.
When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth—then 25 years old—became queen of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon (known today as Sri Lanka), as well as head of the Commonwealth. Elizabeth reigned as a constitutional monarch through major political changes such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom, the decolonisation of Africa, and the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities and withdrawal from the European Union. The number of her realms varied over time as territories gained independence and some realms became republics. As queen, Elizabeth was served by more than 170 prime ministers across her realms. Her many historic visits and meetings included state visits to China in 1986, to Russia in 1994, and to the Republic of Ireland in 2011, and meetings with five popes.
Significant events included Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, Diamond, and Platinum jubilees in 1977, 2002, 2012, and 2022, respectively. Although she faced occasional republican sentiment and media criticism of her family—particularly after the breakdowns of her children's marriages, her annus horribilis in 1992, and the death in 1997 of her former daughter-in-law Diana—support for the monarchy in the United Kingdom remained consistently high throughout her lifetime, as did her personal popularity. Elizabeth died at Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, in 2022 at the age of 96 and was succeeded by her eldest son, Charles III.
Why we love her
Queen Elizabeth was a woman of the people. She took her duties incredibly seriously because she truly cared for her people. This showed in her dedication to her work up until death. She treated everyone kindly and with respect. She was a woman of unique grace and class.
4. Rose McGowan
Rósa Arianna "Rose" McGowan[note 1] (born September 5, 1973) is an American actress and activist.[5][6][7] After her film debut in a brief role in the comedy Encino Man (1992), McGowan achieved wider recognition for her performance in the dark comedy The Doom Generation (1995), receiving an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Debut Performance. She had her breakthrough in the horror film Scream (1996) and subsequently headlined the films Going All the Way (1997), Devil in the Flesh (1998) and Jawbreaker (1999).
During the 2000s, McGowan became known to television audiences for her role as Paige Matthews in The WB supernatural drama series Charmed (2001–2006). She went on to star in Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's double-feature film Grindhouse (2007), for which she was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Actress and the Scream Award for Best Scream Queen. She played the role of Josie Acosta in the action-thriller series Chosen (2014).
In 2017, Time recognized McGowan as one of the Silence Breakers, the magazine's Person of the Year, for speaking out about sexual assault and harassment, specifically in regard to the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse cases and the Me Too movement. She has released a memoir, Brave, and starred in the four-part documentary series Citizen Rose, both in 2018.
Why we love her
Rose McGowan was the start of real change for women in the workforce by being the first actress to speak up against sexual harassment against one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. She is unapologetically authentic, and we love that.
5. Megyn Kelly
Megyn Marie Kelly (/ˈmeɪɡən/; born November 18, 1970)[1] is an American journalist and media personality.[2] She currently hosts a talk show and podcast, The Megyn Kelly Show, that airs live daily on SiriusXM. She was a talk show host at Fox News from 2004 to 2017 and a host and correspondent with NBC News from 2017 to 2018.
During her time at Fox News, Kelly hosted America Live and, before that, co-hosted America's Newsroom with Bill Hemmer. From 2007 to 2012, the two reporters hosted Fox News Channel's New Year's Eve specials. Kelly also hosted The Kelly File from October 2013 to January 2017. Kelly also covered the 2016 Presidential Debate hosted by Fox. In 2014, she was included in the TIME list of the 100 most influential people. Kelly left Fox News in January 2017 and joined NBC News. She started hosting the third hour of the morning show Today with her program titled Megyn Kelly Today in September 2017. The show was cancelled in October 2018 after a segment discussing blackface, and she left the network in January 2019.
She went on to create her own media company called Devil May Care media, which subsequently got picked up by Sirus and quickly rose in popularity for her "no bullshit" approach to journalism and interviewing.
In July 2016, amid allegations of sexual harassment on the part of Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, Kelly was reported to have confirmed that she herself was also subjected to his harassment.[65][66] Two days after the report, Ailes resigned from Fox News and his lawyer, Susan Estrich, publicly denied the charge.[67]
The movie, Bombshell, was later released in 2019 with the main character portraying Megyn Kelly.
Why we love her
Megyn Kelly is a former lawyer and a tough, but fair journalist. She did not let her "cancellation" bring her down or stop her life. She has stuck up for what she thinks is right, from the Roger Ales sexual assault claims, to calling out both political parties when necessary, to cornering health officials on Covid "misinformation". Additionally, for those who listen to her podcast, we love the values she bespokes on women in regards to respecting themselves and not settling in life. Her book "Settle for More" eloquently depicts this message.
6. Tusli Gabbard
Tulsi Gabbard (/ˈtʌlsi ˈɡæbərd/; born April 12, 1981) is an American politician, United States Army Reserve officer and political commentator who served as the U.S. representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2021. Gabbard was the first Hindu member of Congress and also the first Samoan-American voting member of Congress. She was a candidate for the Democratic nominationin the 2020 United States presidential election,[2][3] before leaving the party and becoming an independent in October 2022.[1]
In 2002, Gabbard was elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives at the age of 21.[4] Gabbard served in a field medical unit of the Hawaii Army National Guard while deployed to Iraq from 2004 to 2005 and was stationed in Kuwait from 2008 to 2009 as an Army Military Police platoon leader.[5][6][7]While a member of Congress, she served as a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 2013 to 2016, and resigned to endorse Bernie Sanders' campaign for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.
During her time in Congress, she frequently appeared on major news outlets to bravely criticize the Barack Obama administration for refusing to say that the real enemy of the United States is radical Islam or Islamic extremism.[8] During her presidential campaign, she highlighted an opposition to military interventionism,[9][10] although she has called herself a "hawk" on terrorism.[11]
In March 2020, Gabbard ended her presidential candidacy to endorse Joe Biden and was succeeded by Kai Kahele in the House of Representatives on January 3, 2021.[15]
[20] In October 2022, Gabbard announced that she had left the Democratic Party altogether, citing their positions on foreign policy and social issues as the primary reasons for her departure, and as of that date is unaffiliated with any party.[21]
Why we love her
Although we admit that Tulsi was not very much on the radar during her run for President due to the media giving unfair coverage to cherry picked candidates; the more we learn about Tusli the more we love her. She not only fought for our country, but she continues to do so. She speaks up for what she believes in, regardless of the scrutiny she may receive for it if it goes against the grain. She always carries herself with class and makes her points based on facts and merit, rather than by attacking others. She is a class act.
7. Amal Clooney
Amal Clooney (née Alamuddin; Arabic: أمل علم الدين; born 3 February 1978)[1] is a Lebanese and British barrister.[2] Her clients include Filipino and American journalist Maria Ressa;[3] former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed;[4] Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks;[5] former Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko;[6] Egyptian-born Canadian journalist Mohamed Fahmy;[7] and Iraqi activist Nadia Murad.[8]
She co-founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice with her husband, American actor, George Clooney.
- Clooney was chosen as Barbara Walters' Most Fascinating Person of 2014.[44] At the 2014 British Fashion Awards, she was shortlisted for Best British Style alongside David Beckham, Kate Moss, Keira Knightley and Emma Watson.[45]
- 2016 World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.[4][46]
- 2018 United Nations Correspondents Association Global Citizen of the Year Award.[47][48]
- In 2019, Prince Charles launched the Amal Clooney Award to celebrate 'incredible young women'.[49]
- The Simon Wiesenthal Center honoured Amal and George Clooney with its Humanitarian Award at its 2020 virtual gala.[50]
- 2020 Committee to Protect Journalists Gwen Ifill Award for "extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom".[51][52]
- 2021 Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press' 'Freedom of the Press Award'.[53]
- American Society of International Law 'Champion of the International Rule of Law' Award.[4]
- In 2021, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center's recognised Amal and George Clooney for their work in social justice and modern-day freedom efforts at the International Freedom Conductor Awards Gala.[54][55]
- 2021, Fellow of The Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet (known as the WS Society)[56]
- 2022, Time magazine, Woman of the Year.[57]
- 2022, Article 3 Human Rights Global Treasure Award.[58]
Why we love her
We love Amal Clooney not only because of her list of accomplishments, but Amal is such a wonderful example that you can really have it all. You don't have to sell yourself or over sexualize yourself to get the man or the career. She is the role model that every parent would want for their daughter.
8. Kelly Cutrone
Kelly Cutrone (born Kelly Blanding circa 1965) is an American publicist, television personality and author.
Having tired of the PR life, Cutrone sold her half of Cutrone & Weinberg to her co-founder and spent a year and a half as a tarot card reader.[1][4]Cutrone founded People's Revolution in 1996.[5]
On September 11, 2002, People's Revolution broke the record for the most shows produced in one day during New York Fashion Week.[6]
Cutrone has appeared on three MTV shows: True Life; The Hills, on which she allowed Whitney Port and Lauren Conrad to film in her office; and The City, where she served as the professional and personal mentor to and consulted on Port's clothing line.[7]
In February 2010, Cutrone executive produced Bravo's Kell on Earth, an eight-episode reality TV show about Cutrone and People's Revolution. The series followed Cutrone as she balanced running her own company and producing Fashion Weeks in New York and London with being a single mother.[8]
In November 2010, Cutrone signed on as a contributor to the Dr. Phil Show.[9]
In 2011, she became a judge on America's Next Top Model for seasons 18 to 22.[10]
In February 2010, HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins, released Cutrone's memoir, If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You.[11][12] The book is co-authored by Meredith Bryan, and is a New York Times bestseller. Cutrone's second book, Normal Gets You Nowhere, was published on May 3, 2011.[13]
Cutrone appeared in Terrence Malick's film, Knight of Cups, in 2016.[14]
Cutrone has spoken at two TEDx events: at the University of Oxford's independent event, TEDxOxford, where she gave an 18-minute talk about her career; and at TEDxAmsterdamWomen, where she spoke about her journey as a woman in business.[15][16]
Why we love her
Kelly Cutrone embodies the tough, New Yorker woman working in fashion. Our founder at Wadsworth House went from living in a small town to living, interning, and working in New York City. The city is known for being incredibly competitive and cut throat competing in fashion. Cutrone embodies what it takes to be a success not only in New York, but in the industry.
9. Julia Haart
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Haart worked as a Judaic Studies teacher at Yeshiva Atlanta; "staff who knew her at the time – when she went by the name Talia Hendler – recalled that she was beloved by students and known for her sharp style".[8] For years, Haart secretly sold life insurance.[6]
After leaving the Haredi community in 2013, Haart founded a shoe company, Julia Haart, with the goal to make shoes that were both fashionable and comfortable. She partnered with a ski boot engineer and a German company that creates a gel used by NASA to create a comfortable high-heeled shoe.[10]
In 2016, Haart collaborated with La Perla for their Spring and Fall 2016 accessory collections. The same year, she was named as the creative director for the brand by Silvio Scaglia, at that time owner and president of the brand.[11][12]
Following her appointment as Creative Director of La Perla, Haart launched a new approach to ready-to-wear for the company.[13] At La Perla, Haart created the first stretch Leavers lace, and launched a collection of ready-to-wear lingerie with built-in support. For her Fall/Winter 2017 fashion show, Haart constructed a "La Perla Manor" runway show, in which Naomi Campbell, Lindsey Wixson, Sasha Pivovarova and Kendall Jenner walked.[14]
Haart is known for her 2017 Met Gala dress designed for Kendall Jenner. The gown consisted of 85,000 crystals affixed to a single string.[15]
In March 2019, she became chief executive officer and chief creative officer of the talent media conglomerate Elite World Group (EWG), also in this case nominated by her ex-husband Silvio Scaglia, owner of the brand.[16][17][18] Under Haart's leadership EWG has re-focused the brand and added new divisions. Elite World Group prioritizes assisting models to monetise their brands and business projects.[19] Additionally, Haart is the creative director of e1972, a luxury fashion brand launched by Elite World.[20] The collection received a lot of positive media attention,[21] and was celebrated for its "innovation, inclusivity, and inspiring message of empowerment".[22]
Why we love her
Julia Haart, although new to our radar - thanks to her Netflix hit My Unorthodox Life, quickly became someone to be watching. She embodies the message that "it's never too late to start over". Escaping her Orthodox lifestyle and helping run the most successful modeling agency in New York is not a simple task. Her innovation and ideas expressed on her show make it clear why she is a rising star and a powerful woman
10. Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Rachel Osbourne (née Levy, later Arden; born 9 October 1952)[2] is a British-American television personality, music manager, and author. She is married to heavy metal singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne and came to prominence while appearing on The Osbournes (2002–2005), a reality television show that aired on MTV, which followed her family's daily life. Osbourne later became a talent show judge on the television shows The X Factor (2004–2007, 2013, 2016–2017) and America's Got Talent(2007–2012).
Osbourne is credited with reviving her husband's heavy metal career by founding the summer Ozzfesttour, which was held almost annually between 1996 and 2018.[3] From 2003 to 2006, she hosted her own television talk show The Sharon Osbourne Show, which was syndicated to various US channels and also shown in the UK on Sky One. In 2010, Osbourne was a contestant on NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice, and became a co-host on the CBS talk show The Talk, hosting until her termination in 2021. In 2022, she joined TalkTV, hosting a prime time show also titled The Talk.[4]
Osbourne has released three autobiographies and two novels. Her first autobiography, Extreme, debuted at number one on the Sunday Times best-seller list and went on to become the most successful female autobiography ever.[5][6]
Osbourne holds both British and American citizenship and has resided in the United States with her husband since 2002.[7]
Why we love her
Sharon completely turned her now husband, Ozzy Osbourne's career around. She helped him find success when he was about to throw in the towel. She is to credit for the Ozzy fest. Lastly, she is a spicy woman that knows how to stick up for herself. We like that. She doesn't mince her words. She says what she means and she means what she says. Authenticity is a rarity these days, so we will take a silver tongue over a people pleaser any day!
Thank you for reading our contribute to the women we admire. Have an amazing International Women's Day! We can be the best versions of ourself when we work together, lift each other up and support one another!
Credits:
All information was obtained from Wikipedia.com. Photos from Google.com
