Insights and Life Lessons from Sharp Women Born in August  

The days are beginning to shorten, and in some parts of the country by late August a crisper chill is hitting the air; even so, the motivation of getting out of summer mode may be lagging. Solution: read this list of influential, August-born ladies — a mash-up of impactful, accomplished, strong personalities. And if you’re in a part of the country where it’s still very hot, and the dog days of summer are getting you down, read on to be inspired by these #SharpHeels females.


Martha Stewart (August 3, 1941)
Stewart was the second eldest child born to a large Polish family in New England. She began a modeling career at age fifteen which supplemented her income throughout college.

After marrying, Stewart and her husband restored a farmhouse built in the 1800’s, where later her catering business would blossom. Through networking, Stewart was introduced to the head of Crown Publishing Group, Alan Mirken, who assisted in the development of her first cookbook, Entertaining. The success of the book launched her blockbuster “hostess with the most-ess” career.  Aside from her celebrity title and tough demeanor, Stewart is a wildly successful businesswoman, television personality, and publisher, all of which has led her to become a household name worldwide.

Words of Wisdom: “The more you adapt, the more interesting you are.”


Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother (August 4, 1900 – March 20, 2002)
Queen Elizabeth was the mother to the present ruling queen of Britain, Queen Elizabeth II, and was known for her style, charm, wittiness, and international popularity. She was born to British nobility (in a family of ten children!) and later married Albert, Duke of York (known as George), the brother of King Edward VIII.  Far from being eager to join royalty, afraid of losing her independence and wary of living an “official life,” Queen Elizabeth initially turned down the Prince’s proposals twice, before finally accepting.

She gained the title of Queen unexpectedly when Edward VIII renounced the throne, and George became King George VI.  It was by all accounts a fairly happy marriage, with Elizabeth assisting George through his difficulties with a stammer, portrayed in the 2010 movie The King’s Speech (Helena Bonham Carter, an aristocrat herself, played Elizabeth in the film).

Throughout World War II, the queen and her husband became popular public figures for fighting fascism and refusing to leave embattled, rubble-strewn London during the daytime, when it was often bombed. Passing away many years later at the age of 101, she outlived her husband and youngest daughter, with her husband’s name living on in the present son of Prince William and Kate.

Words of Wisdom: “Your work is the rent you pay for the room you occupy on earth.”

Lucille Ball (August 6, 1911-April 26, 1989)
Growing up with a poor, unstable lifestyle but a yearning for the stage, Ball dropped out of high school at age fifteen and attempted drama school in New York City, before being told she was too shy to continue. Staying in NYC, Ball began a modeling career before uprooting to Hollywood in the 1930’s to follow her acting dreams.

Gaining small roles and a Cuban-born husband, Desi Arnaz, in California, Ball began to blossom in the CBS radio program, My Favorite Husband. The program was later developed into I Love Lucy, under the couple’s production company Desilu Productions. The show launched a number of firsts in television history: it introduced filming with a variety of cameras and sets in front of a live audience, and Ball was the first woman to head a Hollywood production company.

She was a great comedic role model and indisputably influential TV star (see this episode of the PBS series American Masters devoted to her) whose talent is still on view through countless reruns.

Words of Wisdom: “Ability is of little account without opportunity.”

Melanie Griffith (August 9, 1957)
Griffith was born in New York City, right into show business, as the daughter of actress Tippi Hedren (from The Birds) and a former child stage actor, Peter Griffith. Starting at age nine months, she appeared in television and film roles, and modeled until her award-winning performance in 1984 with Body Double.

She has dozens of films and television appearances to her name, and her daughter, Dakota Johnson, has become a recent Hollywood starlet with her breakout performance in Fifty Shades of Grey.  Although now known rather unfortunately for being a tabloid object of speculation re: plastic surgery, Griffith’s genuine comedic gifts can be seen any time in the 1988 film Working Girl, for which she received an Oscar nomination, and her Golden-Globe nominated turn in the Jonathan Demme-directed Something Wild.

Words of Wisdom: “I don’t walk around with fear. I walk around with strength. I believe in cause and effect.”

Betsey Johnson (August 10, 1942)
With a big personality, a creative-whimsical eye for design, and a business mind, Johnson has become a renowned fashion entity throughout decades. As a child, she was a dancer and acrobat, which she has used to influence her career by drawing on the elaborate style of dancers’ costumes, and ending her fashion shows with cartwheels. She studied at the Pratt Institute and Syracuse University in the 1960s before winning the Mademoiselle Merit award in 1970 that launched her into the fashion world.

Her fun and eccentric designs are often made with bright patterns in materials such as vinyl and sequins, and her playful personality and signature quirky style have broadened her fashion repertoire from clothes to accessories, with Betsey Johnson stores all over the country.

Words of Wisdom: “Keep your sunny side up, keep yourself beautiful, and indulge yourself!”

Halle Berry (August 14, 1966)
Berry began her celebrity career as the first runner-up for Miss USA in 1986, and then moved to New York City to pursue acting. Her breakout role was in 1992 alongside Eddie Murphy in Boomerang, and she  became a well-known actress during the 1990’s, eventually becoming listed as one of the highest-paid actresses of the 2000’s.  She went on to win an Oscar for her leading role in the 2001 movie, Monster’s Ball, being the first and only woman of color to hold that title, and currently stars in the TV series Extant.

Words of Wisdom: “Don’t take yourself too seriously. Know when to laugh at yourself, and find a way to laugh at obstacles that inevitably present themselves.”

Julia Child (August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004)
Standing at six feet, two inches, Child is best known for making French cuisine popular in America. Before her success as a chef, Child served as a research assistant in the Office of Strategic Services during WWII. During her time with the OSS she met her husband, Paul Cushing Child, a fellow employee, who introduced her to French cuisine, and the two then moved to Paris.

While living in Europe she attended Le Cordon Bleu cooking school and studied with a variety of chefs privately; she was also a part of a cooking club and began an attempt to coauthor a French cookbook aimed at Americans. The success of the book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, was so immense that it is still in print and praised today.

She went on to star in a number of television cooking shows, published dozens of books, articles, and had a column in The Boston Globe. After death, her home kitchen was donated to be displayed at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., and she was portrayed by Meryl Streep in the 2009 film Julie and Julia.

Words of Wisdom: “Find something you’re passionate about, and keep tremendously interested in it.”

Madonna Louise Ciccone (August 16, 1958)
So popular in mainstream pop culture that she needs only to be addressed by her first name, Madonna broke the boundaries of music and society in the 1980’s, making her an international superstar. She is a singer/songwriter, award-winning actress, writer, fashion designer and businesswoman with her own entertainment company, Maverick.

She is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the best- selling female recording artist, with over 300 million records sold worldwide. Aside from her musical achievements, she holds a Golden Globe for Best Actress (for 1996’s Evita) and has been praised for her entrepreneur intellect.

Words of Wisdom: “I stand for freedom of expression, doing what you believe in, and going after your dreams.”

Coco Chanel (August 19, 1883 – January 10, 1971)
This French fashion designer is credited with freeing women’s fashion from the constraints of corsets with a chic, sporty, iconic look during the early part of the twentieth century. Her childhood was less glamorous than her later life, being born to poor parents, and she was shipped with her sisters to a convent in central France during her teenage years – however, it proved to be the beginning of her fashion expertise, as it was there that where she mastered the art of sewing.

Chanel was introduced to a lifestyle of entertainment, wealth, and abundance when she became the mistress of Étienne Balsan, a wealthy textile heir. During her time with Balsan, Chanel began making hats and selling them in a small store that later expanded to include clothing.  Her signature achievements became her timeless classic perfume Chanel No.5, along with her trademark suits, and introducing the world to the concept of “little black dresses” (LBD’s). Her legacy label was taken over by Karl Lagerfeld over a decade after her death, and it continues to thrive over a century after her birth.

Words of Wisdom: “Anything worthwhile is difficult.”

Mother Teresa (August 26, 1910-September 5, 1997)
Mother Teresa was founder of the Roman Catholic church branch, the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, a congregation of women devoted to helping the sick and poor. At the age of eighteen she joined the Sisters of Loreto in Dublin, Ireland as Sister Mary Teresa.

After her First Profession of Vows, Mother Teresa was sent to Calcutta, India where she taught girls from the poorest of families. Her true calling came in 1946 when she dedicated the rest of her life to aiding the poorest and sickest people in Calcutta’s slums.

Throughout her life she built houses of charity, including mobile health clinics, shelter for HIV/AIDS victims, orphanages, and nursing homes. In 1979, she was a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, recognized for “bringing help to suffering humanity.” Currently, her organization continues forward with over 4,500 sisters active in 133 countries. She was truly one of the most recognized humanitarians of the twentieth  century.

Words of Wisdom: “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

As summer nights begin to darken earlier, reflect on these inspiring women for uplifting rejuvenation to take your challenges head on. Happy Birthday, August ladies!

Photos courtesy of Martha Stewart Living and Wikipedia