Lifestyle Inspiration: Betty Halbreich at 95
Happy Monday, everyone! Today I want to introduce to you my lifestyle inspiration…Betty Halbreich at 95 years of age.
I have followed Betty Halbreich for a few years, and want to share with you why she inspires me so much going into age 70.
I look for women who age is just a number to them and are continuing to live life fully and with purpose.
Betty Halbreich is one of those women; plus, she works a profession that I would now consider to be a dream job.
I hope she will inspire you as well.
LIFESTYLE INSPIRATION: BETTY HALBREICH STILL WORKING AT AGE 95
Betty Halbreich has been a personal stylist/shopper at Bergdorf Goodman’s in New York City for well over 50 years.
She is known to be fiesty, funny and wise. Well respected by her many famous clients and the head of the Solutions Personal Shopping Service at the store.
The pictures I am showing you today are from her Instagram page (simply called @bettyhalbreich) where she posts from her office and on the job.
Betty writes, “Idle hands and brain make for unhappiness…one exorcises the bad in pulling the heavy wagon.”
As I enter the seventies, I plan to keep blogging and writing to keep my mind active and engaged….and to hopefully inspire others.
Betty Halbreich is such a great lifestyle role model for this….we stay young and healthy by continuing to go forward as we always have.
I love to listen to her words of wisdom from her office.
LIFESTYLE INSPIRATION: BETTY HALBREICH, A WRITER
I learned more about Betty Halbreich several years ago from reading her books.
It was sent to me for review before it was published and arrived in a Bergdorf bag! Such fun…..
“I’LL DRINK TO THAT” is a memoir and where we learn of the hardships and the perseverance in her life.
One reviewer wrote, “This is not a book about fashion and style alone, but the story of a woman who overcame difficulty and challenges her entire life and did not allow herself to become a victim.”
That is what first drew me to learn more about Betty Halbreich.
I was raised by a mother who was a victim her entire life. She had such potential, but allowed her victimhood and whining to hold her back.
I compare me to my mother at age 70 and there is very little commonality in the two women.
She considered her life over and much harder as she aged, and I look at my life now and what’s ahead as exciting with more potential to achieve my dreams than ever before.
Looking at Betty Halbreich, I know that potential exists for many of us.
I am here for a purpose and I want to seek it and live it every day.
This is her first book, and I am a certain it is out of print, SECRETS OF A FASHION THERAPIST.
Published in 1997, many of the references to shopping in-store with experienced help, and using magazines for inspiration, for example, are out of date now.
However, there is much wisdom in this book and I am going to adapt some of it and share with you on Thursday.
Betty reveals that dressing daily is as much about the mind as it is about the body.
This is one of the reasons I believe so much in considering what our clothing speaks about us to others…the style adjectives.
She doesn’t talk specifically about my method, but she does discuss how we need to look at our wardrobes with intellect.
I love that at age 95, Betty is still writing. She is working on a book right now and keeps a pad of paper near her to jot down thoughts.
I am old school in that respect as well…love a blank notebook ready for words.
And, if the Lord allows, I desire to be writing well into my nineties or beyond.
LIFESTYLE INSPIRATION: BETTY HALBREICH, THE OVERCOMER
I love to follow women like Betty Halbriech, Iris Apfel, and Betty White, when she was living.
They show us that we can really do anything if we put our minds to it…and take care of our overall physical and mental health.
The little bit of work I did in retail was very rewarding.
I love to see a woman light up and experience joy when you assist her to see new possibilities.
I wish there were more Betty Halbreich’s in stores, ready to help women over 50 with their experience and wisdom.
For now, I will use her as my lifestyle inspiration to continue to do this very thing through blogging.
She is a treasure…even to those of us who do not shop high end fashion, but desire to look and feel our best every day.
On Thursday, I will take Betty’s wisdom about sale shopping and create some tips for you as we look at July Sales.
I hope you enjoyed meeting this inspirational woman…..
KEEP SMILING!!
Dillards Summer Clearance New Markdowns Taken
Rockport Footwear Fourth of July Sale
Jack Rogers Footwear Star Spangled Sale with code SPARK
LOFT – 40% off everything. Code USA
WAYFAIR – Fourth of July Clearance with savings up to 70% off
Kohls Epic Deal Sale through July 4
Talbots Fourth of July Celebration – 40% Off entire purchase
Great post today, such inspiration. Looking forward to Thursday’s!
Love todays message! Thank you Pam. I do see you as somebody who will be writing with intelligence and with heart –way into your 90s. You are such an inspiration!
Wow, she looks vibrant, engaged, and gorgeous. I’ve worked retail, and unfortunately didn’t find it rewarding, and I think it would be worse now with people acting entitled and stores so poorly stocked. I’m grateful our little community consists of so many polite, caring women. I too look forward to you writing well into your seventies and beyond, though I think it perfectly fine (I know it’s difficult because of the business model of social media) to take a vacation now and then.
Thank you for introducing me to this inspiring “ young” lady! I’m reminded how often people will say that you’re as young as you feel, but sadly, most often people respond as they are OLD. I seriously doubt that this would be Betty Halbreich’s response. I often say that I’m old ( almost 77) but I’m still walking daily, going to yoga twice a week, trying to eat well, and concerned with how I look. As a high school teacher I was on my feet for more than 12 hours a day at school and home so though I’m retired now, I still participate in several organizations and volunteer at our local HELP Agency. I think back to how both of my grandmothers were sickly at this stage of their lives and rarely went anywhere, but I’m determined to keep moving as long as I can. I want to “BE LIKE BETTY!”
Thanks Debbie!
You are so sweet, Paulette. Thank you for the encouragement!
That is the challenge, Linda…time off is rarely an option. But, I do love producing these posts. Thanks so much.
Wow…Celia, you are doing awesome. Keep it up…age is just a number…and that number is not in control. I think I will put a sign in my office that says….BE LIKE BETTY!
Absolutely love today’s blog! You and Betty are both inspirations to me. I’m turning 65 this week and studying for the RE exam. It terrifies me to be starting a new career at this age. Who will hire me at this age? Your blog today is just what I needed to start a new career with confidence. I CAN do it. Thank you, Pamela!
You are my inspiration Pamela! From the first time I read your blog I knew it was more than about clothes. I could see the positive philosophy you were trying to show women. Women of a certain age who thought their life was over. You inspired me and do so every day! Kudos to you!
It’s always interesting to learn about people who find the right career for them and keep growing in it for decades. It’s also a good reminder to stop and smell the roses periodically and be intentional about our lives. Happy 4th!
Pam, what a beautiful post. I am glad to know this inspiring lady. Looking forward to learning more. YOU are an inspiration to all of us, thank you. You are a treasure. 🥰
This is a great and inspiring post. I need to find a place to volunteer! It has been a full time job, though, this past year as my husband has had multiple surgeries. Even though they went well for the most part, it has been emotionally draining and the extra assistance needed for months after each has required “more” physically. We are on the upside now (or is it on the downhill?? — mixing my metaphors!!) so ow it is time for me to find a place outside the home to expand.
Thanks Pam for the post! Truly inspiring. And while I loved reading and found it it very uplifting, many women including myself, as we get older develop physical limitations. I have arthritis and have had a foot surgery, knee and hip replacement. While I’m so thankful for medical intervention and solutions, these surgeries not only take a toll on your body but on your mental health as well especially with someone who has been active all their life. And playing a victim at times, does “creep in” to my mindset. In saying all that, and while I certainly don’t know her health history, being blessed with good, strong bones certainly helps in keeping active and moving forward as we age. And I know we all face challenges as we age. However, pain is a real thing! So while I would absolutely love to be working and doing what fulfills me, hiking, horseback riding, yoga, gardening, at 95, we have to understand many of us we’re not blessed with bodies that will carry us there. And at 63, there is so much life ahead. Maybe in one of your posts, address women who have overcome these challenges and are moving forward despite what life has thrown at them. I often find these stories so inspirational because they have walked through difficulty and have persevered. Thanks Pam!
I love your blog!
Thank you for introducing us to Betty! This is a truly inspiring post!! I’m going to try to look for her book. Also looking forward to reading what you have to say on Thursday.
You inspire me as well. But anyway you can learn from other is always good.
“I wish there were more Betty Halbreich’s in stores, ready to help women over 50 with their experience and wisdom.
For now, I will use her as my lifestyle inspiration to continue to do this very thing through blogging.”
I believe you are doing that in more ways than you can imagine. Not only do you spread your positivity and joy, you have given readers a safe place to share their insights, feelings, trials and tribulations. You have created a community which is another necessity to live a happy life which became so evident through our Covid years.
Yes you can, Susan!! Believe in yourself…I am so impressed that you are doing this! Thank you for sharing.
That is so kind, Beth. Comments like this keep me keeping on. It gives me such joy to know I have inspired and encouraged you.
Yes, Maeve…intentional living can happen no matter what your daily schedule holds. happy 4th!
Thank you Marcia…I consider this audience to be a treasure in so many ways.
Kim, we all go through times when adjustments happen. Sometimes we simply have to wait for our moments…it sounds like your moment is about to arrive. I hope you find something that really fuels you as well as the people you help.
Hi Kelley, I am so sorry you have had to endure extra doses of challenges. Betty Halbreich is a cancer survivor and that is one of the reasons she inspires me. I will look for more ladies like her to write about. I work sitting at a desk most of the time, so there are ways to find your passion and not be working an intense job like retail. I am not looking forward to my foot surgery which must be done before the end of the year, but hopefully I will persevere through and keep a healthy mindset. I do experience pain right now with the foot, so I understand how discouraging that can be.
Thank you for sharing your story and for being here.
I love to learn from other women…especially those who are living the second half of life with joy and purpose. Thanks Paula.
Thanks Linda…your words mean the world to me.
Pam, thanks so much for this Betty tribute. I always felt that I was the only one to have read her books. I should have known you were aware of her, too! My first career was at Bloomingdale’s in NYC as an assistant buyer in 1974. Do you believe it was closed Sundays and only open 2 evenings? I have always been interested in retail career women, and am fascinated with Betty’s earlier life, drive, and finding her niche. I donated her two books years ago but put them on my kindle when we downsized. Time for another read! I never thought to follow her on Instagram. Thanks so much for the nudge. I am excited for this conversation. (As I write this I am awaiting my admission time to Karl Lagerfeld at the Metropolitan Museum of Art!)
Thank you for today’s post featuring an amazing lady. I look forward to your posts because they focus on the positive and that lifts my day. You are also an amazing lady. Thank you for all you do.
How much fun, Deborah. I wish I was with you there…would love to see it. When I traveled for work in my twenties, the places I visited first in each city were the retailers I had read so much about in fashion magazines. My first trip to NYC included visits to Saks, Macys, Bloomingdales, and Bergdorf’s. A keepsake to me was a small purchase at each store. Such fond memories. I miss when the retailers and storefronts were really special.
Betty is a true inspiration. She reminds me of my late mother-in-law. In her eighties, MIL got a job in the deli department of a big box store. She didn’t do it for financial reasons. She did it because she enjoyed being around people. She also played the organ & piano professionally at various local establishments. Her last job was at a funeral home. The director of the funeral home loved sharing the story of how she came flying in the door & told him that she was the best organist he would ever hear. She proceeded to sit down & play the organ for 15 minutes without any sheet music. He hired on the spot. Alas, dementia took its toll on her when she was in her mid-nineties. She was always well dressed & well-groomed until that point. Her musical ability was the last to go, & she still played for some time at the extended care facility.
I just ordered I’ll Drink to That through interlibrary loan. Thanks for the recommendation!
What a great lady! My mom was like that, beautiful, engaging, witty and fearless until she died at 96, after a few months of decline. She’s an inspiration. Relentless forward motion is a phrase I like. Keep your head down and one foot in front of the other. You’d be surprised how close you can get to the top of your personal mountain this way. I am a three time cancer survivor-breast cancer, skin cancer, and now myeloid leukemia. I had a stem cell transplant two years ago, and spent almost half of the year in the hospital in isolation. Yes, sometimes it is hard to put that 1 foot in front of the other, but you have to make yourself do it and find the strength somehow. I am retired from an active government job, years of volunteerism with neighborhoods, tree planting and garden societies, still an avid gardener, raising vegetables and fruits and flowers on almost an acre of yard with my husband, and no other help. Inner strength is sometimes hard to find but losing it is not an option. If you lose it you lose yourself.
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My mother-in-law also had a severe case of dementia but played her piano until the end.
You are welcome, Elaine. I believe you will enjoy the read.
This is such an inspiration, Susan. Thank you for sharing your journey. “inner strength is sometimes hard to find, but losing it is not an option.” Powerful.
Thanks for introducing me to Betty! I will follow her!
I am 77, I have some aches like most people . But I love her attitude towards life. You & Betty have lots in common.
I do believe in a positive attitude to life every day and I try to be grateful!
Thanks again
Thank you for this posting on Betty. I will get her book. You are 8 years younger than me but I so look to your blog everyday for that dose of inspiration and joy. You are our Betty.
She is is a women of note and certainly a life force which I love to see, Pam, thank you for reminding me about her. I really thought I would be much like she but I’ve developed a very leaky mitral heart valve that has changed my very active life to a very limited one. I’ve been through many tests, some invasive, and will be looking at heart surgery this summer. I really can’t believe it since I was super active all my life — sometimes stuff happens without positive thoughts, exercise etc.
I hope you can still be doing just what you want to do as my father did! He was 98 and loved and embraced every moment.
I meant to say with positive thoughts and exercise!
Betty is an inspiration! Seeing Bergdorfs in NYC made me a bit homesick! Thank you for introducing her to us! I ordered both books!!
What a wonderful habit! Such memories. My husband and I lived in many places. When we moved, we would buy art as a remembrance. By the way, the Karl exhibit was awe inspiring. It is wrapping up here in 2 weeks. Maybe it will go on the road! I went by myself; I would have loved to have you along!
Hi Lois, I am so sorry you are facing this procedure soon. Be of good cheer…there really are statistics that show a positive outlook is helpful for any type of illness. I may face the same someday because both parents had congestive heart failure. I do not know what tomorrow holds but I know who holds it in His hands. I prayed for you last night and will continue to pray that your surgery is successful and God guides the doctor’s hands. Prayer is the best weapon anyone has for a joyful life.
I’m always looking for a good read and ordered both her books on Thriftbooks. Love and appreciate your blog. Happy 4th!