10 Sharp, Inspiring Women with October Birthdays

The famous women born this month emit personalities full of charisma and determination. Each is skilled in their own field, allowing them to have influenced society in some way. So as October starts, and the work grind gets back on track from summer, take inspiration from the following sharp, smart ladies.

Julie Andrews (born October 1, 1935)
After moving to New York City from her native Britain, Andrews began her Broadway debut on the evening before her nineteenth birthday in The Boy Friend (1954). Throughout the years following, she was cast in a variety of successful musicals and was given many award nominations.

When Walt Disney was casting the star of his musical film, Mary Poppins, he himself insisted on Andrews being cast in the role – even though this was her first time in a motion picture – and she later won an Academy Award as Best Actress.  A year later she was cast in The Sound of Music, listed today as one of the most successful films of all time.

For over half a century, then, with generations now able to view those and other films at the push of a button, Andrews has been winning the hearts of fans of all ages worldwide with her natural elegance, grace, integrity, and talent. Not only has she triumphed in the entertainment industry as an actress, singer, dancer, and director, she has also become an author of numerous children’s books. She is also involved in several charities, including the United Nations International Fund for Women, which promotes women’s  rights, economic and political empowerment, and gender equality.

Words of Wisdom: “Perseverance is failing nineteen times, and succeeding the twentieth.”


Donna Karan (born October 2, 1948)
This native New York City fashionista was born to fashion-forward parents; her mother was a showroom model and fashion sales rep while her father was a tailor. She attended the Parsons School of Design during which she landed a job at Anne Klein, where she was an assistant designer for ten years, working her way up to the head of the design team.

Then, in 1985, Karan launched her own label with the aim “to design modern clothes for modern people.” It was also founded with the concept of “Seven Easy Pieces” – i.e.  interchangeable items that can be paired together for a wardrobe that transitions into any time of day, season to season.

Since then, she has been the recipient of numerous awards in the industry, and The Council of Fashion Designers of America has saluted her six times. Influenced by her husband’s death in 2001 from lung cancer, Karan co-founded the Urban Zen initiative which “creates, connects and collaborates to raise awareness and inspire change in the areas of preservation of culture, Integrative Healthcare and Education.” Urban Zen is a philanthropic effort that also includes collections of apparel and handcrafted accessories by artisans and craftsmen from around the world.

Words of Wisdom: “Delete the negative; accentuate the positive!”


Kate Winslet (born October 5, 1975)
Winslet was raised in an average family setting in Berkshire, England by her barmaid mother and swimming-pool contractor father, along with her three siblings. She began studying drama at age eleven, appearing in a commercial a year later.

Her actual film and singing debut occurred in the award-winning Heavenly Creatures (1994), and two years after that, she pleaded, campaigned, and finally convinced James Cameron to cast her in Titanic. Winslet holds an Academy Award, Emmy Award, Grammy Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. Her philanthropic efforts focus on autism, animal rights, and being outspoken on women having a sane, self-compassionate, and natural body image.

Words of Wisdom: “Life is short, and it is here to be lived.”

Eleanor Roosevelt (October 11, 1884 – November 7, 1962)
Considered one of the most widely admired people of the twentieth century, Roosevelt was an outspoken and influential leader. She crossed the typical norms of the time with her power and opinion, fighting for her beliefs. Her humanitarian efforts led to expanding women’s roles in the workplace, and participating in the civil rights movement.

In addition, she was one of the United States’ first United Nations delegates, and was good friends with Amelia Earhart.  Another fun fact: during her twelve-year stint as First Lady, Roosevelt held hundreds of press conferences with a ban on male reporters, so that newspapers were obligated to employ women in order to cover them. She went on to remain active in social stances after her husband’s death, and passed away from cardiac failure at the age of 78.  A monument now stands in her honor at Riverside Park in New York City.

Words of Wisdom: “It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself.”


Margaret Thatcher (October 13, 1925 – April 8, 2013)
Not only is Thatcher the only woman to have held the title of British Prime Minister, she is also the longest- serving Prime Minister of Britain during the twentieth century. Her leadership style and uncompromising beliefs were an unwavering aspect of her character, and led to many controversial views of her (with perhaps the most recent from the author of the current smash-hit TV series Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel,  who penned a short story about Thatcher’s imagined demise while in office).

Nevertheless, her influence cannot be underestimated: originally studying to be a chemist, Thatcher soon got the itch for politics while serving as president of the Conservative Association during college. Two years after graduating, she began her first run for office.

In 1979, she was appointed prime minister, a title she held for eleven years. Thatcher’s health began to decline in her life after politics, causing her to live the end of her life peacefully out of the spotlight.

Words of Wisdom: “Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t”.


Suzanne Somers (born October 16, 1946)
Somers has held a variety of titles throughout her life: she began as a model in San Francisco when a young, single mother, and later became an actress best known for her role on the American sitcom, Three’s Company.

Since then, she has also been a singer, spokesperson, businesswoman, and author. After her role as a fitness spokesperson for the ThighMaster in the late 1980’s, nearly a decade later she published her first book on dieting.

In 2000, she suffered from breast cancer, but opted out of chemotherapy for a more homeopathic approach, and fifteen years later, is still going strong. She was most recently on Dancing With The Stars, and currently has a health website that focuses on beauty, health, and fitness.

Words of Wisdom: “Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.”


Katy Perry (born October 25, 1984)
Raised as a Pentecostal Christian by her pastor parents in California, Perry grew up listening to gospel music and singing along to cassette tapes. During her teen years she sang in the church choir, received her GED, and moved to Nashville to record demo tapes with Red Hill Records.

Her debut album, Katy Hudson, was a gospel record selling only a couple hundred copies. At age seventeen, she adopted her mother’s maiden name, moved to Los Angeles, and entered into the pop music genre.

Her breakthrough came in 2007, when she signed a contract with Capitol Records and released her second album, One of the Boys. Her songs often evoke themes of feminism and self-empowerment, and she embodies that, in a way: she was the first female artist to produce five number one Billboard Hot 100 songs, and was listed by Forbes as one of the “Top-Earning Women in Music.”

Words of Wisdom: “If you’re presenting yourself with confidence, you can pull off pretty much anything.”

Hillary Clinton (born October 26, 1947)
Before becoming popular as a U.S. First Lady and current Presidential candidate, Clinton was an influential lawyer holding a degree from Yale Law School.

After leaving the White House and First Lady title behind, Clinton was elected as Senator of New York, becoming the first and only woman to hold that position. Then, after losing to Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential election, she was selected to become the Secretary of State for his administration, a role she left after his first term.

She has written and published a number of books, and started her own foundation focused on childhood development. For the latest interview with her, see Lena Dunham’s chatfest, aimed at twentysomethings,  with both positive and negative views from the public about the results.

Words of Wisdom: “Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.”


Julia Roberts (born October 28, 1967)
Roberts dropped out of Georgia State University to follow her siblings in pursuit of an acting career in New York City. She later signed with a modeling agency, and began small film roles in the late 1980’s.

Though nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for her performance in Steel Magnolias, her breakout stardom came in 1990 with Pretty Woman (six actresses turned the role down before she was cast!).

Over the last two decades, Roberts has starred in a variety of movies ranging from dramatic to comedic characters. She is a top box-office earner and is noted as one of the most popular actresses worldwide. She practices Hinduism, to which she converted in 2010, and has a strong involvement in UNICEF charities.

Words of Wisdom: “You have to be smart enough not to dismiss where you came from. It may not be all we are, but it makes up for a great deal.”

Juliette Gordon Low, Founder of the Girl Scouts (October 31, 1860 – January 17, 1927)
Low grew up in Savannah, Georgia surrounded by a family of strong, independent women. With that as the backbone of her beliefs, she had a passion for fostering the growth and character of girls worldwide.

Then, while traveling in Scotland and England in 1911, Low became involved in the Girl Guides movement, a branch of the Boy Scouts focused on females. During that year — and with the close friendship that blossomed between her and Sir Robert Baden Powell (founder of the Boy Scouts) — the idea for the Girl Scouts was born. The first troop was eighteen girls in Savannah that spanned across class, culture, and ethnic diversity, which certainly broke the norms of that time.

Low was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1923, passing away four years later. Her legacy, however, has grown, and lives on throughout the decades with 2.8 million members involved in the Girl Scouts today. Their mission is the same as it’s always been: “to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place.”

Words of Wisdom: “Right is right, even if no one else does it.”


With October comes the turn of seasons; use the inspiration of these sharp ladies to turn over a new leaf!