A regular at the city’s charitable galas and events, Sue Anne Valentine appears to have an instinct for elegance. Yet, she says she was surprised to be recognized for her wardrobe. Her career is in real estate (she’s a partner in the real estate agency Rooney Cronin + Valentine), she notes with razor-sharp directness, not fashion. But Valentine concedes that she has been aware of styling since childhood: “I never played with Barbies; I didn’t want to pretend to be somebody else,” she says. “But I decorated the Barbie house, and I styled the dolls.”
Inspired by equal parts old-world elegance and ’60s mod style, Valentine is drawn to vintage jewellery, shift dresses and chunkier shoes. Her wardrobe isn’t vast or frivolous, rather, from denim to evening gowns, she invests in quality pieces. With an eye for a good cut, Valentine says her rule is to dress with intention. Also, to actively avoid T-shirts. And sweatpants. And Gore-Tex. “I’m never casual,” she says. “And I’m never in a flat shoe.”
