What beauty brands can learn from Miss Pettigrew…

A company’s culture is as important as what it sells. Everyone we work with at Smart Beauty gets sent a copy of Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day, a charming novel by Winifred Watson, published in 1938. 

We discovered it at Persephone Books in Bath, England a delightful shop that focuses on forgotten women writers from the interwar period. With many men away fighting, educated women seized the chance to write instead of having babies, which aligns beautifully with our feminist values at SBC. This particular story is like a fairytale that counters the ‘hustler’ or ‘girl boss’ trope: Miss Pettigrew, a middle-aged governess on the brink of poverty, transforms not by changing who she is, but by finding support from those who see her true potential. 

Her glamorous client, lounge singer Delysia Lafosse, adopts Miss Pettigrew into her glittering world, helping her discover an inner courage and confidence she never knew she had. Unlike traditional “rags to riches” narratives where characters are humbled by the end, Miss Pettigrew goes from strength to strength, showing that true success lies in authenticity rather than ruthless ambition. At SBC, we love stories like this that highlight uniqueness and personal connection. For brands needing a cheerleader to craft a captivating narrative around their products, our team is here to help you become the success story you always dreamed of being.

Let’s see how we can take your brand to the next level…

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