From Senior Executive to Personal Stylist...

Why Rediscovering Myself Made Me Want to Help Others Dress

There is a particular kind of transition that happens in mid-life. For many women that is particularly acute. It is only now something that is being spoken about honestly – I think because those of us in our 50s are the vanguard generation which included a high proportion of us that had/have careers, and in a health and ‘life left to live’ sense, we have expectations that far exceed what our mothers and grandmothers might have had.

On paper, life can look very together. We may have a successful career. Financially things may be right where they should be a decade or so out from ‘retirement’. The children may be older. Perhaps we are happily married and enjoying empty nesting, or we are divorced and thriving alone or in the dating scene (with younger men, because we are fabulous!).

However, it is possible, even likely, that the person on the inside is now quite different to the person on the outside. We are at a pivotal moment in our lives, as our roles start to change, and our bodies REALLY REALLY start to change on us.

Now, that differentiation may be absolutely fine, might be exactly how you want it. Or, it can be a disconnect that makes you start to feel uncomfortable in your own skin.

That is how it felt for me. After years as a senior executive, I left the corporate world during COVID and after I lost my parents. Mixed into that was a tough time with the onset of menopause. As I emerged back into the world and started to find my way again, including starting my own consulting business, I couldn’t make the ‘Darth Vader’ suits and heels work for me anymore, and the complete lack of a smart casual style became a day-to-day issue.

All my clothes still fitted my body, but the reflection in the mirror didn’t fit the image in my head. I felt deflated and frustrated every time I tried to ‘look good’.

I retreated to mostly wearing my activewear.

In professional environments, the ‘uniform’ I was hiding behind was weighing on me instead of buoying my confidence. I knew how to present professionally. I knew how to command a room. But, I wasn’t being ‘me’, which I knew was the only way to really thrive.

Menopause for me was a level of personal change I had not fully anticipated - I thought because I was a mad gym bunny with a strong body it would be a walk in the park, with a few hot moments! I hadn't truly understood the physical changes, because we really are only just now understanding the 40-60 symptoms! And, we are only just getting started talking about the one real upside to the journey – entering your ‘no f$%ks era’.

As I travelled that path, my relationship with clothing changed entirely. This wasn’t about fashion. It was about identity and the confidence to ‘reveal’ myself to the world and not care what others thought.

When Your Outer Image No Longer Reflects Who You Are

I am not alone in this. Women are being more and more vocal about their experiences, and I also see this with clients. Many women reach a stage in life where they look into their wardrobe and realise they are dressing for a version of themselves that no longer exists. Or, that they no longer want to hide their real selves under clothes that conform to societal stereotypes like what ‘mothers should wear’.

Sometimes this happens after menopause. Sometimes after burnout. Sometimes after divorce, career change, redundancy, illness, becoming an empty nester, or stepping into leadership.

Sometimes it happens quietly over years.

Sometimes, you wake up one day and realise:

·      You don’t feel comfortable in your clothes anymore

·      You no longer recognise your personal style

·      You’ve spent years dressing for work, practicality or invisibility

·      You avoid mirrors, shopping or social occasions

·      You don’t know how to dress your changing body

·      Your wardrobe no longer aligns with who you are becoming

Why I Became A Personal Stylist

Recognising the disconnect between my clothes and the me on the inside led me down rabbit holes on Instagram where, fortunately, I found the likes of Trinny Woodhall and other women of a similar age who talk about style rather than fashion.

Trinny, particularly, spends a lot of time ‘playing’ in her wardrobe and is very consciously evolving her style year by year.

The knowledge and sense of confidence to experiment that I gained from these online spaces helped me get started, step by step, discovering my new sense of style.

In that process, the Facebook gods sent me the Australian Style Institute – repeatedly. I decided to explore what they offered, thinking it might help me. When I stepped through their doors though I felt an instantly that this would not only help me but allow me to help others in the same place in their lives.

Personal Styling Is Not About Trends — It’s About Alignment

One of the biggest misconceptions about personal styling is that it is about trends, rules, or expensive wardrobes.

In reality, the best styling is deeply personal.

I find that people seeking out a stylist are often asking: ‘How do I feel like myself again?’ ‘How do I dress this new version of me?’ ‘How do I feel confident in this changing body?’ ‘How do I stop feeling invisible?’ ‘How do I show up authentically in this next chapter?’

I understand what it feels like to navigate profound personal and professional change while also trying to rediscover your identity.

I understand the emotional disconnect that can happen when your wardrobe no longer reflects your life stage.

And I understand how powerful it is when that alignment returns.

When we feel aligned externally with who we are internally, everything shifts:

·      Confidence

·      Presence

·      Energy

·      Self-worth

·      Visibility

·      Comfort in your own skin

Clothing becomes less about hiding and more about revealing who you truly are. I bring all my life and professional knowledge and skills into the personal styling space when I work with clients.

Menopause, Body Changes and Style Confidence

Menopause changes more than hormones.

For many women, it changes:

·      Body shape

·      Temperature regulation

·      Skin tone and colouring

·      Sensory tolerance

·      Confidence

·      Energy levels

·      Relationship with ageing

·      Relationship with visibility

Clothes that once worked suddenly don’t. Colours can feel harsher - black might feel draining rather than empowering. Certain cuts become uncomfortable, fabric tolerance changes, structure can begin to feel restrictive rather than polished.

For many, there is also a letting go of other’s expectations and judgments, a sense of coming into your own. Freedom to be whomever and whatever you want – dressed as you damn well please! It is a moment, or at least an invitation, to evolve.

The Emotional Side of Personal Styling

What people often don’t realise is that styling is deeply emotional work.

A wardrobe holds stories:

·      Past identities

·      Past careers

·      Past relationships

·      Aspirational selves

·      Versions of ourselves we have outgrown

Part of my work as a personal stylist is helping people release what no longer serves them — physically and emotionally.

That may mean:

·      Letting go of clothes tied to old personal and professional roles

·      Dressing a body with compassion rather than criticism

·      Creating ease and clarity instead of overwhelm

·      Reclaiming personal identity after years of performance

You don’t need ‘permission’, but I can give it to you if that helps. And I arm you with knowledge for your next stage.

Can a Personal Stylist Help During a Life or Career Transition?

Absolutely — and often in ways clients do not expect.

Style can become an anchor point – for good. Old style can hold you back, but in the same way, discovering your new style can be how you reveal your new self, or even part of your aspiration. Whether you are:

·      Leaving a corporate career

·      Returning to work

·      Starting a business

·      Navigating menopause

·      Going through divorce

·      Re-entering dating

·      Becoming an empty nester

·      Stepping into leadership

·      Rebuilding confidence after burnout

When your external presentation feels aligned, authentic and comfortable, it reduces daily friction and emotional exhaustion.

Why Lived Experience Matters in Personal Styling

For people navigating major life transitions, technical styling skill alone is not always enough.

Empathy matters. Emotional intelligence matters. Lived experience matters.

I know what it feels like to rebuild identity after corporate life. I know what menopause can do to confidence. I know what it means to feel disconnected from your wardrobe. And I know how transformative it can be to reconnect with yourself through personal style.

I give you a foundation of skills and knowledge, and support you. No judgment. No ‘rules’.

Final Thoughts

Becoming a personal stylist after leaving the corporate world and navigating menopause was not a random career pivot. It was the outcome of my own journey to my new identity.

Today, I help people navigate their life journeys, with empathy, lived understanding, and practical expertise.

Feeling comfortable in your own skin changes how you move through the world. And sometimes, the right wardrobe is not about changing who you are - it is about finally allowing yourself to be seen - ‘Revealing' yourself.