Podcast May Series #2
===
_1_05-19-2025_085506: [00:00:00] Okay. Let's be honest. Most women I work with don't need more clothes, more options, more shopping. They're not circling style support because they're. They don't know what to do. They're really circling because They've outgrown what once worked and now their wardrobe, their presence, even their confidence hasn't caught up.
So in today's episode, I really wanna take you behind the scenes of a real leadership style transformation and what personal style actually looks like in real life for high achieving impact driven women. This isn't about dressing up for fun, although that is something that. Is always nice to inject a little bit into, but it's actually about refining how you show up so your outside finally reflects who you've become.
If you have ever stood in front of your [00:01:00] closet thinking, I love this outfit, but it feels off, or I've changed, but my wardrobe hasn't.
I've stepped into a bigger role and I'm still dressing for ~like ~who I used to be. Then this episode is for you.
Welcome to the Style and Strategy Podcast, where personal brand meets leadership and style. I'm Sonya, a personal brand and style coach who's been exactly where you are juggling career and business success. Personal growth and finding a style that truly fits. After decades in corporate leadership, I've learned that showing up isn't just about what you do, it's about how you align who you are and how the world sees you.
This season, I'm bringing you practical strategies, bold insights, and honest conversations to help you amplify your presence, unlock your next level, and lead with clarity and confidence. Let's dive [00:02:00] in.
_1_05-19-2025_085506: So last week I actually,~ uh,~ had the pleasure of spending the day, shopping in,~ uh,~ the Sydney CBD,~ uh,~ with two private clients who were doing a VIP ~uh, ~experience with me. And these women are incredible. They are leaders in their field, they're established, they're respected. But they were also ready for something a lot deeper.
They were ready for recalibration, right? So when we got to the,~ uh,~ shopping, it was actually that we had gone through a whole lot of deeper recalibration before we did that.
So many times,~ uh, many, ~many people think that I just go straight into the stores and I know I've touched on this before, but I really wanna bring it home because we had actually already spent five weeks together,~ um,~ doing the strategy work, [00:03:00] the leadership identity. Mapped clear their visual brand and leadership identity, mood board done, mapped and validated
~ their,~ their leadership system and capsule defined and clear. So this really became the moment where it all came together in real life, because here's the truth, Style isn't the first step. It's actually the final layer that reinforces everything else. It's that part where clarity becomes visible.
We weren't just choosing clothes, we were building a leadership wardrobe system for them, a repeatable structure that says, I know who I am, I know what I wanna say, and now my presence is going to say it before I do.
When I have a client come to me and say, I have a wardrobe, but nothing to wear. [00:04:00] What? What is really going on under the surface is I've changed, but I don't know how to dress for this version of me. It's not about a lack of options. It's about that lack of clarity. And when we don't spend the time, we don't feel clear.
We default. We default to those outfits that feel safe, but not strong in who we are to pieces that fit. But don't really speak to styles that may have worked in a different role season or chapter in our life, but don't fit this one.
And the result really is. You walk into a meeting, you walk into a room and you feel slightly off. Not because the outfit's wrong, but because it no longer reflects who you are now
or where you are going next.
~So let's, ~So let's make this practical. Here is three [00:05:00] shifts I want you to think about and see if one of these resonates with you. So from shopping as a fix. To styling to really express. So most women I know shop reactively. It's, I've got an event, I need a last minute outfit, I've got an upcoming keynote.
I need to,~ um,~ go and buy something for that. But when you shift into style as an expression, not something that needs to be fixed, you actually start building outfits that reinforced your brand. so number two, I want you to shift from thinking, I'm just gonna go pick what looks good to what actually reflects me and where I'm going because there are a million ways to dress well, but there's only one way to feel fully you in what you wear. That's what I work with clients together so that we can actually build [00:06:00] a wardrobe that mirrors your leadership identity, not the latest trend.
Yes, we can inject that in, but fundamentally, the foundation becomes your leadership identity. And then number three is from too much choice or potentially not enough to thinking about intentional structure. So when I think of a capsule wardrobe, I don't think of that as its entirety. I think of it as shopping your own wardrobe to craft a capsule, a leadership capsule that'll take you from work to weekend because you want. To really understand well, what are my go-to combinations? What are my go-to frameworks here that I can use on a regular basis so that this starts to become something that I no longer have to think hard about?
But over time just becomes something [00:07:00] that's natural, that connects the dots together. Because when you actually have a little bit of structure around this, you eliminate the decision fatigue. You've got enough to worry about. You have enough micro decisions to make in a day.
So the clothes that you put on over time, You want this to curate a wardrobe that is gonna work really hard for you so you don't have to make those decisions in the future. So that style becomes a tool, a leadership tool, and a skill, not a time drain for you.
So if you've outgrown how you are showing up. And if you are circling those same few outfits that really feel fine but not aligned to you, if you really know that your presence could be so much more powerful and impactful, but you're still second guessing every outfit, it's time to stop tweaking and [00:08:00] start to transform, Whether it's a private one-on-one experience or an express session to recalibrate that direction. This is the kind of work that's not just about clothes. It's about taking back your mornings. It's about walking into those key moments and knowing you're not just prepared. You are fully embodied as you, and most of all, it's about showing up like the woman you already are on the inside.
So if that's you, let's talk. 'cause you don't need to figure this out on your own. If this episode sparks something, whether it's a realization, oh my goodness, yes, that's me, or just the desire to feel clearer and stronger in your presence, let me know. Book in for a complimentary call, or DM me on Instagram or LinkedIn.
Because if you've been sitting in that space, I talked about last week, this in-between space, [00:09:00] this might be your sign that it's time to step forward. I'll see you next week with another episode of the Style and Strategy Podcast. Until then, stay curious about your style. Stay curious around the decisions you're making and keep showing up as a version of you not someone else's.
