“My Menopause Style Story - Why I Started This Journey”

There was a time when I felt like a stranger in my own body. One moment, I was a confident, stylish woman running my own business, and the next, I was waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, struggling to fit into my favourite clothes, and feeling like I had lost control of myself.

Menopause hit me like a storm I wasn’t prepared for. My trusty wardrobe no longer felt like it belonged to me, skirts that once sat perfectly on my waist felt too tight, my favourite blouses clung in all the wrong places, and my go-to power outfits no longer gave me the confidence I once had. At first, I thought, Maybe I just need to lose weight. Maybe I need a new style altogether. Maybe I just need to stop caring. But as a stylist, a designer and a woman who had spent years helping others feel good in their clothes, I knew that something bigger was happening.

That’s how The Menopause Stylist was born.

For years, I worked as a designer and personal stylist, a job I still love even today. I helped women feel their best in clothes that fit their body shape, lifestyle, and personality. But nothing prepared me for the way menopause would change the way I saw myself. My body didn’t feel like mine anymore. I kept telling myself that I just needed to “figure it out.” But no matter what I tried, I felt stuck. My wardrobe had always been my armour, my way of expressing myself, feeling strong, and stepping into my role as an entrepreneur. And now, I felt lost in it.

One day, I was getting ready for a networking event. It was an opportunity to meet potential clients, and I wanted to make a good impression. But nothing fit right. My usual go-to blazer felt too tight, and I was overheating before I even left the house. The reality of it all made me sit down and reflect on. what I was doing, which was I wasn’t facing my reality. I kept seeing the old me instead of the new me, I needed to be present!. So, instead of forcing myself into clothes that no longer worked for me, I decided to start fresh. I focused on three things, comfort, fit and confidence. I swapped stiff fabrics for breathable, cooling materials like linen and bamboo. Instead of fixating on a size on the label, I started choosing clothes that skimmed my body rather than clung to it. I ditched the all-black and started experimenting with mood enhancing colours that made me feel so powerful.

That night, I walked into that room with a new mindset, one that embraced my evolving body rather than fought against it, my present me. And let me tell you… it changed everything.

That event made me realise that if I was struggling to dress my changing body, countless other women must be feeling the same. Menopause remains a taboo subject for many women, due to cultural stigma, a lack of education, and generational gaps in open conversation. So many women feel invisible, lost in a body they don’t recognise, wearing clothes that no longer empower them.

I decided I wanted to create The Menopause Stylist Diaries because I wanted to help women embrace their bodies, not fight against them. Menopause is a transition, not a downgrade. We don’t have to fade into the background. We can show up boldly, confidently, and stylishly at any stage of life.

What to Expect from The Menopause Stylist Diaries

Through this series, I want to share:
✅ Real-life styling transformations for female entrepreneurs in menopause.
✅ My best tips for dressing your changing body with confidence.
✅ Easy, practical ways to build a wardrobe that supports you.
✅ Stories from other inspiring women navigating menopause while running businesses.
✅ Interviews with menopause experts to cover health, mindset, and style.

I want this to be a conversation, so if you’ve ever struggled with menopause and style, let’s talk about it! Have your clothing struggles changed since starting menopause? What’s one thing you wish you could wear more often?

💌 Drop a comment or email me at stylewithme@gloriasmythe.com. I’d love to feature some of your stories in future posts!

Stay Stylish, Stay Strong

G x