For half a century, Betty Halbreich curated wardrobes and bore witness to the vicissitudes of life as Bergdorf Goodman's original personal shopper. Of course, visitors to the store were awed by a 96-year-old woman who still held down a nine-to-five, let alone one in the youth-obsessed industry of fashion.

But age is only half the story: Betty built that career by giving encouraging yet deeply honest advice. Much of it was about what to wear, but her insight was by no means relegated only to matters of the closet. She was known for her good taste on many levels, from her immaculate Park Avenue apartment of 70-plus years to the fashion stars she helped discover and the looks she styled for iconic series like Sex and the City and Gossip Girl.

In short, Betty was in the unique position to dispense useful prescriptions on how to look good and live well at any age. This collection of her writings from the last five years of her life contains her signature firm and frank guidance on relationships, careers, style, etiquette, and keeping house, as well as eloquent reflections on aging, solitude, and modern life. The result is a definitive dispatch from a powerful woman who always held her head up high, inspiring you to do the same.