By Politiquette’s Marissa Mitrovich: Politiquette is a place to be inspired by the art of fashion. Readers gain an understanding of the politics of why to wear–and the etiquette of when to wear–specific styles. Marissa Mitrovich founded Politiquette with the goal of bringing further substance to the dialogue surrounding style in DC.
Betty Liu is an anchor covering financial markets at Bloomberg Television and the founder of Radiate, a digital media company that helps entrepreneurs and professionals grow their careers. She also has the best glasses collection I have ever encountered.
She’s ruling the airwaves on weekdays with regular interviews with influential business, political and media leaders including two former U.S. Presidents – Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton – as well as Warren Buffett, Carlos Slim, Jamie Dimon, Elon Musk and many others. Needless to say Betty Liu keeps busy, but she has also found time to rule with her personal style.
I had the opportunity to connect with Betty Liu this week to learn more about the rainbow of glasses she wears on-air and her views on style in general. As she does so selflessly in all areas of her career, she shared some unique insights and valuable tips on these topics.
Q: At what point in your life did you begin wearing glasses and why?
A: I’ve worn glasses since I was a teenager. I hated them! You could blame it on a lot of reading and being nerdy in school LOL. Glasses then were not as fashionable as they are now – or maybe I just didn’t know how to work them!
Q: You are most notable for your many different pairs, yet you don’t always wear them – Why is that?
A: I like changing my glasses like changing my hairstyles. Sometimes I like wearing my glasses and sometimes I want to feel less hemmed in by them!
Q: What inspired your collection of glasses and how many pairs do you own?
A: It really all started by accident. I had a few pairs I always wore behind the camera but one day, I forgot to put my contacts in and I had to rush on-air. I left my glasses on and I got such a huge reaction that I thought, hmm, I should consider just wearing them all the time. After that, I did and that’s when my glasses obsession began.
Q: Do any of your pairs of glasses have significance? For example: a mood, the tone you want to set with an interviewee, the day of the week?
A: Some of my glasses are more comfortable than others so if I’m feeling tired, I’ll put on a light pair or if I feel like my outfit needs a little pop, I’ll put on a bright colored pair. The brighter the glasses the more comments I get!
Q: In addition to having a very stylish collection of glasses, you have an overall great sense of personal style. In fact, I have noticed that you aren’t afraid to be fashion forward. Have you always taken risks with fashion or do you feel more comfortable now that you have established yourself in your career?
A: Well, remember I grew up in the grunge era which was very anti-fashion so I don’t really consider myself fashion forward ;-). However, I have the help of some great stylists at Bloomberg who put together my outfits. They’ve really honed in on my personality and picked out pieces that speak to my brand and persona. They have brought items to me that I’m like, ‘what? I can’t wear that!’ and then after, I absolutely love. As far as styling over the years, I’ve definitely felt that the older I get, the more risks I take because I don’t care what anyone thinks!
Q: I publish a DC based style blog called Politiquette which views fashion as art, politics and etiquette (i.e. a time/place/mood), using this criteria how do you define your personal sense of fashion?
A: My personal sense of fashion is to be confident, express yourself with a few key items and don’t be afraid to wear bright colors and patterns! Expressing your personality through clothes makes a statement to anyone you meet and makes you more memorable.
Q: What advice do you have for others on achieving their best personal style?
A: I would say get inspiration from others around you and things you see, but don’t copy. Wear what’s most comfortable and beautiful for your body, not because it’s trendy. When you are working it with style, others can feel it and it makes them feel great too so go for it!
For those of you who don’t like meetings, and I think I am talking to the masses here, watch Betty Liu’s latest Radiate video that tackles the age-old management problem “How do I make meetings better so I get more out of my team?”
And visit www.radiateinc.com for more great videos!
