Mary Hoppe
Navigating Financial Matters in Style
A veteran financial professional working within one of the most prestigious investment organizations globally, Mary Kralis Hoppe provides investment solutions to wealth management firms and financial advisors. “My typical day entails a lot of movement, a lot of walking from one client location to the next, usually running late,” quips Mary.
For Mary, choosing the right shoes for the day is her biggest style challenge, especially when facing tricky Boston weather. Each morning, she asks herself if her shoes can stand up to pounding the pavement and the city’s notoriously harsh weather. “Are my shoes going to get trashed walking from one meeting to the next, whether it be snow or rain?” Mary asks herself. She needs shoes that are comfortable and durable.
“How often have you been running from one to the next and your heel gets stuck in a crack in the sidewalk or you throw a shoe because you're moving too fast?” Mary wondered, “That doesn't happen with Scarlett Chase shoes, and I've tried many.”
For decades women have been told to wear sneakers during their commute and change into their heels before stepping into the office, but we all know this is easier said than done. “Even if I did have the time and wherewithal to change my shoes, there’s no room in my bag to carry another pair of shoes,” Mary said, adding “It's hard enough to schlep around a laptop and materials that I need for a meeting, I need an outfit and shoes that look professional right when I walk in the door.”
Mary recalls long days spent not wearing Scarlett Chase shoes and feeling the painfulafter-effects. She explained, “At the end of the day, I'd come home and wonder what is wrong with my back? What is wrong with my neck? My feet hurt so bad I can't even begin to talk to my family. On the other hand, I feel like I'm wearing running shoes when I'm walking in your Scarlett Chase shoes.”
Finding comfortable shoes for office days is one thing, the all-day-on-your-feet conferences pose an even greater challenge. “My business is very male-dominated and as a woman in this business, you must look put together. You have to strike that perfect balance of looking confident but still looking fairly conservative.” Mary doesn’t care to wear “frumpy” flats all the time, “They’re just not a good look on me and yet super duper high heels, which would be fantastic, are just not practical.”
How we present ourselves at work matters—even if we wish our wardrobe had no effect on our professional success. “You know, I was always told to dress for the job you want one day, not the job you currently have,” Mary said, “And for a young woman who maybe isn’t making a ton of money, that can be really hard.”
Mary understands the importance of investing in good footwear. “There are plenty of options to get less expensive shoes that look fantastic, but they don't last,” she said. To save time and money, she turns to Scarlett Chase shoes. “They work for dressy, dressy occasions, and they work for work, and they're comfortable,” Mary said. Working in finance, she is all too aware of the importance of cost per wear when spending money on clothing and accessories.
“If I can wear them a lot, have them look good, and most importantly, feel good— the math works. The math absolutely works.” she explained.
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