“How you dress matters. What you wear affects your mood, how you feel about yourself and how others think about you.” Dawnn Karen, Fashion Psychologist 

 

Let’s be honest, getting dressed isn’t just about covering your body and getting on with the day. Whether you realise it or not, every outfit you wear is a message. It’s a visual cue to the world about who you are, how you feel, and (more importantly) how you want to be seen. You’re communicating something before you even open your mouth. 

 

The good news is YOU are in control of that message. 

 

Most of us learnt how to dress ourselves before we even started school, yet for the majority of use we weren’t really taught how to express ourselves through what we wear. We picked up rules and judgements along the way from our parents, siblings and friends. Dopamine dressing wasn’t often encouraged unless it was time to play in the dressing up box. We got caught up in trends as teenagers, not wanting to stand out from the rest and be seen as different. All of those influences mean that these days for many (especially in midlife) we’ve lost the thread that connects who we are to how we show up. 

 

That’s where dressing with intent and Image Alignment comes in. This isn’t about following fashion rules. It’s about reclaiming your identity. It’s about saying “this is me” with your clothes. Loudly, proudly and stylishly, in a way that suits you. 

Let me take you back to a time when I felt anything but confident in my clothes. 

 

Pregnant with my son, I gained a lot of weight and became hyper-aware of my size. My solution for a long time was to hide in black. Baggy tops, shapeless tunics, anything that didn’t cling. I stopped dressing for joy and started dressing to disappear. I told myself it was temporary. That I’d lose the weight and fit back into my “real” wardrobe. So I kept all those pre-baby clothes hanging in my wardrobe. For seven years. 

 

Seven years of starting my day with a visual reminder of what I felt was failure. Clothes that didn’t fit, a body I hated and didn’t want to look at in the mirror, and zero joy in getting dressed. 

 

The turning point came in the summer of 2007. I’d had enough. I decided I couldn’t put my life on hold any longer waiting to be a smaller version of myself. I cleared out the ‘someday’ clothes and started dressing the body I had, not the one I wished for. I put my clothes on the diet instead of me and started buying things that actually fit, flattered, and made me feel good. 

 

And do you know what happened? I looked better. I felt better. I stopped hiding and started expressing myself again more and more over time. Bolder colours. Fitted shapes. Print. Joy. I started dressing with intent, not in tents. 

So let’s be real about this stuff – my work goes deeper than surface-level styling. It’s about identity, self-worth and visibility. Here’s what some of my clients discovered when they stopped playing small with their wardrobes and started getting intentional. 

 

 

“It’s easy to think clothes are simple. But dig a little deeper and you uncover something powerful. For years, my clothes mirrored my emotions - dark and baggy when I wanted to hide, loud and bold when I needed attention. I didn’t even realise I was still emotionally relying on clothes, treating shopping as therapy. I thought working with Lisa would be surface-level, but she saw straight through that. Now it’s about discovering who I really am - and expressing that with playfulness, style, and joy.” 

 

Clothes aren’t the end goal. They’re the tool for transformation. 

 

 

“I’d retired, lost my mum, moved house, and my identity was lost somewhere in the middle of all that. No structure. No reason to get dressed up. I lived in joggers and wellies. I caught myself one day, looked in the mirror, and thought - what happened?I was starting a new business but had no clue how to show up. My experiences were valuable, but my appearance didn’t reflect that. I needed help aligning how I felt on the inside with what people were seeing on the outside.” 

 

Sound familiar? It’s not about vanity. It’s about visibility. If you’re stepping into a new chapter, your wardrobe needs to evolve with you. 

 

 

“I was getting ready for a big presentation. I had a lovely outfit on - a floral skirt and lace blouse I knew looked great. But my partner’s offhand comment, ‘Are you wearing that?’ triggered a wobble. I changed. I put on a bold pink belt, a sharp grey skirt suit, and heels. I instantly felt ‘in control’- not in a corporate way, but in my way. I walked in and owned that room. That outfit didn’t just look the part. It made me feel the part. And that changed everything.” 

 

Your clothes don’t just reflect your energy - they create it. That’s enclothed cognition in action. When you feel aligned, you walk taller, speak louder, and take up space without apology. 

Let’s talk about comfydence. One of my favourite made up words. It’s that delicious blend of feeling comfortable and confident. It’s what happens when your outfit doesn’t just look good - it feels right. Not restrictive or performative, just authentically, unapologetically you. 

 

The best way to get there is to create your own style recipe 

 

*WTF = Wardrobe That’s Failing 

 

 

Think of your style recipe like your personal flavour profile. It’s a few powerful words that capture your essence, vibe and aesthetic - how you see yourself, how you want to feel, and how you want to be perceived. From there, you can build a wardrobe that expresses that identity in a way that’s totally aligned. 

 

Mine include: 

 

 

And this runs through everything. My wardrobe, brand colours, social media and my tone of voice when I write. When people land on my page or meet me in real life, there’s no disconnect. What you see is what you get. 

 

That’s the magic of a Style Recipe - it’s not just about clothes. It’s about congruence. When your insides and outsides match, it’s powerful and magnetic. 

There are loads of stylists out there. But nobody else brings my specific energy or expertise. And the same goes for you. When you get clear on your identity and dress in alignment with it, the right people will feel it. You’ll attract the kind of energy, clients, and opportunities that are in tune with you. 

 

So here’s your challenge for this week - take a look at your wardrobe and ask yourself: 

 

Are my clothes supporting who I am becoming? 

 

Am I hiding or expressing? 

 

What message am I sending when I walk into a room? 

 

If the answers are out of sync with who you really are, it might be time for a reboot. 

 

If you’re curious about developing your own style recipe, aligning your wardrobe with your next chapter, and starting to show up as the fully expressed version of yourself, you should register for my upcoming free masterclass. 

In this masterclass, I’ll guide you through my EVA Method—Energy, Vibe, Aesthetic. 

 

You’ll discover how to define your personal style blueprint in three powerful words that reflect the woman you are today and the one you’re becoming. 

 

·         We’re not doing fashion trends. 

 

·         We’re doing identity. 

 

·         We’re doing self-expression. 

 

·         We’re doing the work. 

 

This masterclass is for you if: 

 

✅️ You’re craving clarity in how you show up 

 

✅️ You want to be seen, recognised and respected for the powerhouse you are 

 

✅️ You’re done with shrinking, blending in, or playing it safe 

 

 By the end, you’ll have: 

 

🩷 A solid understanding of your unique style DNA 

 

🩷 Practical tools to start editing your wardrobe with intention 

 

🩷 A joyful new lens for getting dressed every day 

 

Because when your wardrobe reflects your true self, you stop asking “what should I wear?” and start saying, “this is who I am.” 

 

Join me and EVA the Duck - register HERE now. 

 

And in the meantime ditch the tents, dress with intent, and remember, how you dress does matter. You deserve to be seen and celebrated.