For many women, getting dressed used to be simple. Not because it was easy, but because the rules were clear. There was a template, a uniform, a version of “professional” that promised safety, credibility, and belonging if you followed it closely enough. But somewhere between leaving corporate roles, starting businesses, working from home, and stepping into leadership on our own terms, those rules quietly disappeared. And in their place came this vague, unsettling directive to “just be authentic.”

In this episode of The Visibility Shift, I explore why that instruction feels so confusing (and sometimes downright unsafe), especially for women who were trained early in their careers to prioritize executive presence over individuality. I unpack the tension between performative style and authentic style, ask where you might still be dressing to appease, fit in, or avoid risk, and define what it would mean to choose alignment instead.

2:25 - The unspoken rules many women are still following long after the workplace that created them is gone

4:06 - Why authenticity feels liberating in theory but terrifying in practice

6:53 – The meaning of executive presence in today’s work environment

8:08 - The hidden comfort of templates (and the quiet cost of relying on them)

10:48 – What makes authentic style so hard to nail down and what it takes to find yours

14:44 - How to bridge the gap between performative, dress-for-success style and authentic style

16:41 - Why being seen clearly matters more than being universally approved

18:57 - A reminder you may want to return to the next time playing it safe feels tempting

Mentioned In When Executive Presence Stops You From Showing Up Authentically

Stop Dressing to Fit In and Start Showing Up Authentically

Are You Dressing Like the Face of Your Brand or Who You Used to Be?

Why Playing It Safe With Style Keeps You Invisible as a Personal Brand

The Hidden Style Rules Holding You Back (and How to Break Them)

The Compliment Trap and How to Reclaim Your Personal Style

The Visibility Edit

Standout Style Kick-Starter

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The waitlist for my Standout Style Kick-Starter program is officially open. This is my signature one-on-one styling experience where we align your style with your overall brand strategy. If you're ready for more than just another shopping haul that leaves you with a stuffed, chaotic closet, then this is for you.

Get on the waitlist today.

You've worked hard to craft a personal brand that makes you recognizable. Often, a piece of your style (whether it's bold glasses, a signature color, or a stack of bracelets) becomes your thing. It's your personal shorthand, the visual cue people instantly associate with you.

But then, when you consider evolving your look, fear starts to surface: “Will people notice? Will they still recognize me? Will they still value me without my ‘thing’?” What happens when that once-loved signature piece starts to feel less like a strategic asset and more like a comfort blanket?

In this episode of The Visibility Shift, I confront the universal struggle of letting go of the style element you’re known for, even when something tells you it no longer feels authentic. You’ll hear my personal story about a style element that kept me stuck for years and how I wrestled with the fear of losing value and followers. I’ll also give you the three crucial questions to ask to determine if your signature style is still an asset or the very thing keeping you from the next version of yourself.

This isn't about ditching your favorite accessories overnight. It’s about questioning the stories we attach to these objects and realizing your impact and presence rest on far more than just one visual cue.

2:47 - How your signature style element became a shorthand for other people

4:13 - How a daily creative practice became a massive source of resentment

8:46 - How my brain tried to talk me out of letting it go (and what happened when I did)

11:57 - Practical questions to decide if your “thing” is in alignment with you moving forward

17:17 - How a client discovered she could be more than just her crazy earrings

19:23 - Your overall brand is the sum of many things, not just one visual component

Mentioned In When Your Signature Style Doesn't Feel Like You Anymore

Why Sticking to One Signature Color Can Hold Your Personal Brand Back

The Visibility Edit

Standout Style Kick-Starter

Work With Ellie

Follow Ellie on Instagram and LinkedIn

Leave a rating and review

The waitlist for my Standout Style Kick-Starter program is officially open. This is my signature one-on-one styling experience where we align your style with your overall brand strategy. If you're ready for more than just another shopping haul that leaves you with a stuffed, chaotic closet, then this is for you.

Get on the waitlist today.

You know the feeling of that panic cycle spiral that hits the moment a high-stakes event looms on your calendar? Your stomach drops, and suddenly nothing in your closet feels right. Before you know it, you’re speed-scrolling, overnight-shipping, and hoping that one of 10 random packages will magically feel like “you.” It’s exhausting, and more importantly, it’s disconnecting.

But there’s a deeper truth: your style hasn’t kept pace with your evolution. And when your identity shifts but your wardrobe doesn’t, those high-visibility moments shine a spotlight on the gap.

In this episode of The Visibility Shift, I break down why this cycle feels so inevitable, why it fails to work, and why it has nothing to do with not being “good at style.” I discuss the emotional triggers behind last-minute shopping, reveal the real cost of following hidden rules and letting your clothes be an afterthought, and offer an empowering alternative rooted in clarity and confidence.

2:29 - How the panic shopping cycle unfolds

5:06 - Three reasons why this pattern keeps happening

10:54 - Why last-minute shopping almost never works

12:46 - How a style strategy becomes your roadmap to break the cycle (and makes the styling process easier)

16:22 - A peek into what it means to have a style strategy

20:22 - Why you should prepare your strategy now (not put it off until later)

Mentioned In Why You Keep Waiting Until the Last Minute to Shop

How to Create a Style Strategy That Aligns With Your Personal Brand

Why Sticking to One Signature Color Can Hold Your Personal Brand Back

How Natalee Shimerdla Broke Free From the Style Rules

The Visibility Edit

Standout Style Kick-Starter

Work With Ellie

Follow Ellie on Instagram and LinkedIn

Leave a rating and review

The waitlist for my Standout Style Kick-Starter program is officially open. This is my signature one-on-one styling experience where we align your style with your overall brand strategy. If you're ready for more than just another shopping haul that leaves you with a stuffed, chaotic closet, then this is for you.

Get on the waitlist today.