A note from our Founder & CEO

I started Citrine Grey in the winter of 2017 when I realized that my corporate career in the energy industry, that I am usually one of two things; the youngest person in the room and/or the only woman. I am often times presenting or leading the meetings with C suite individuals and VPs.  As the saying goes, often times one is judged within the first 10 seconds of meeting someone. Whether this is your physical stance, your hair, your attire or makeup, each is fair game to be judged on. Because of this, I understood if I was to be taken seriously in these settings, I would need to look polished, professional, and confident in my demeanor and approach.

However, when I went looking for workwear in the market at stores like JCrew, Express, and Banana Republic, there always seemed to be something missing from their collections. Some were poorly made, did not fit well, and very rarely were they flattering to a woman’s figure.  Further, most clothing from these stores would look one way in the morning, and by evening time, look wrinkled and like yesterday’s clothing.  The higher end brands like Theory and Vince did in fact have higher quality materials, but there was nothing unique about them to justify the premium price over the other brands. Even with the higher quality fabrics, the wrinkle issue and the fact that most pieces would only really be worn at work, made it hard to justify the premium price.  This is not always the case, for example Theory blazers can be worn at any time and last all day, but more often this is not the majority of their products.  Essentially, I wanted clothing that made me feel beautiful, comfortable and feminine while providing me the confidence to achieve my day.  If women feel this way, whether it be through their favorite pair of power heels or flattering top, she will exude them. In my experience, confidence is essential to success, however one defines that.

For me, this was imperative when I had yet to start my career and was only just a sophomore in college. I was headed into my second year at University of Delaware, and because of family issues, I had no money to finish school, let alone live at school with day to day expenses. What ensued was an empowering woman in my life showed me that nothing was impossible, truly. Armed with this knowledge, and the nicest dress in my closet I could find, I went alone to meet with the dean of UD and tell them my story. From that day, we were able to set a plan for me to return to school where I earned a scholarship (based on my grades and work ethic), and started my career in energy part time while going to school full time. 

I want to give women the confidence they need to go after exactly what they want out of life. Like my white dress in my closet that was my armor that day, nothing is impossible as long as you dress for it.

xoxo,

Christine Grey