Tuesday Takeover: Abby Broyles
I’m proud to welcome Abby Broyles to take over this Tuesday. Many of us know her as a young politician who ran a competitive campaign for State Senate last year, but I also know her as a lawyer, a former reporter, and now as a friend. As a colleague, I most admire her confidence, tenacity, and her willingness to find solutions for working Oklahomans particularly in her new endeavor to protect voting rights and encourage new voters with “Grit for Democracy.” As a friend, I admire her loyalty, humility, positivity, and purpose-driven life. As a fashionista, whether it’s on-air as a reporter or appearing as a politician, she’s always camera-ready and has given me a few tips when I’ve needed to present well on camera. This Tuesday, we all get some fashion-forward pointers from the incomparable and resolute Abby Broyles.
As a lawyer with two jobs – running a voter registration nonprofit and practicing intellectual property and civil litigation – I rarely stray from the business casual look unless I’m wearing a suit to court.
My friends call my look “campaign Abby” but honestly it’s the most practical, easy way to dress and pack a suitcase. My go-to jeans are AG cigarette jeans from Neiman Marcus. I love classic pieces from Theory like this camel leather pencil skirt (pictured), but it’s also available at Neiman Marcus in Mulberry.
Balancing the Fashion Budget
As a politician, it’s my job to ensure each taxpayer gets the most bang for their buck. I make sure and apply those money-saving skills to my fashion choices so I can look professional and represent them well. Applying practicality to fashion is one strategy to not break the bank. I realize I’m hard on purses so I don’t carry super-high-end bags, but I do like a simple Brahmin bag from Dillard’s.
One area where I try to save money is on shells, tops, and tanks. I’ll hit Dillard’s when they have Calvin Klein or Antonio Melani tops on sale, or even Banana Republic (like the white one featured under my white blazer). During my Senate campaign, I bought cotton tees from Target so I could pack just one or two blazers on trips across the state. They pair wonderfully with a white L’Agence blazer.
For black pants, I really like the comfortable yet dressy trousers from Athleta. I also get comfortable black pants from White House Black Market.
Work with Comfort, but Make it Fashion
I love my heels, but when I’m walking throughout San Francisco or on my feet giving a speech in Oklahoma, I prefer a dressy pair of flats like these black leather ones from Ferragamo. One of my secrets to traveling is carrying a shawl (I have one in black and one in ivory) in my laptop bag, so if I’m going from a business meeting to dinner with donors, I can go to the restroom, swap out my blazer for a shawl, and look '“after 5 pm appropriate”. Here, you can find my black Ferragamo shoes.
Always Camera Ready
Antonio Melani blazers I pick up at the Penn Square Dillard’s, like the one at the podium in front of the Oklahoma Capitol (pictured), and black blouses from Trina Turk (pictured). The Trina top I got at Dillard’s is no longer available, but they typically carry a similar style each fall and winter.
You can find my black Antonio Melani blazer.
Neutral, but not when it comes to Politics
Since my color palette is typically neutral, I do add a pop of color with my glasses and lipstick. When I was running for U.S. Senate, I had plenty of male consultants telling me to trash my red lipstick. I begrudgingly took their advice but have reverted to mauve-to-red lip color and light pink dip manicures. I feel like the light pink is the 2021 version of French tips we all rocked in the early 2000s.
I don’t consider myself a trendsetter or style icon by any stretch of the imagination, but I always try to look put together, and having regular manicures and pedicures is definitely part of that.
Strategize Your Look
When I was a news anchor, I wore bright, bold colors like red or cobalt blue. Since I work in the political sphere, I try not to wear too much of either. I’ve also just found that a neutral color palette makes my life manageable. I’ve noticed that celebrities in LA (I say this as someone who works for a production company; I don’t mingle with movie stars on the regular) also stick to a neutral color scheme: jeans, black tops, black blazers, white tops, and gray scarves.
For me, I have to be “on” all the time whether I’m trying to secure a client or persuade a donor to invest in my nonprofit, so one of the ways I simplify my life and stay focused on the job at hand is by keeping my style classic and neutral. There’s a reason the LBD (little black dress) has always been a staple, and this summer I’ll be wearing the “summer black” – navy. I don’t take fashion too seriously, but I think feeling comfortable and confident is always the first step to finding success wherever your day may take you. - Abby
