In this episode of A Styled Life, Alex sits down with Dani Diosi (menopause support coach, hypnotherapist, NLP Master Coach & trauma therapist) to unpack what really happens during perimenopause and menopause and why it can feel so disorientating.

Dani explains the neural side of menopause, why confidence and body image often take a hit, and how years of conditioning around “thin = good” collide with a changing body.

Together, they talk about the fashion industry’s age gap, the pressure to look younger, and why confidence isn’t a “look” it’s a practice. They also share practical mindset shifts: moving from cardio-and-calorie obsession to strength, longevity, and self-worth, plus why tracking symptoms can help you advocate for yourself with a GP.

Episode highlights

02:34 Dani’s career pivot: from pregnancy/postnatal to menopause support
05:00 “It’s not just hormones” why menopause is neural
06:57 Beauty standards, body change, and the midlife “double whammy”
09:00 Why the “ideal body” keeps changing (and why it messes with us)
12:18 The upside: the freedom of caring less and people-pleasing less
16:19 How menopause can change how you dress (comfort vs hiding)
19:15 “My wardrobe hasn’t caught up with my mindset”
20:20 Fashion’s ageism problem + “where do I shop now?”
24:20 Weight-loss jabs: why they don’t solve the root confidence story
28:10 What women struggle with most: self-doubt, body image, brain fog
33:15 Why old fitness rules stop working (cardio, cortisol, weight retention)
34:41 Senior women doubting themselves in meetings: confidence impact
39:00 The oxygen mask truth: self-care isn’t optional
43:20 Alex on shifting from “calories burned” to strength + longevity
49:10 “If you’re mid-40s, you’re likely perimenopausal” (even without hot flushes)
50:30 Dani’s menopause symptom tracker: how it helps you advocate at the GP
54:45 Quickfire style Qs: jeans, beige neutrals, the gold birthday dress

Connect with Dani:

https://www.instagram.com/danidiosicoaching/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dani-diosi-coaching/

Download the menopause symptom tracker:

https://danidiosi.com/menopause-symptom-tracker

Book a free style strategy call with Alex:

https://www.alexandrastandley.co.uk/service-page/style-strategy-call

What happens when the career that once defined you…stops fitting?

In this episode of A Styled Life, Alex Standley Personal Stylist is joined by Rosie Nixon, founder of Rosie’s Reinvention Retreats, author of the Stylist novel series, and former Editor-in-Chief of HELLO! Magazine. They talk about the moment Rosie came close to burnout, how perimenopause and “always on” culture collided, and why reinvention isn’t a one-time pivot, it’s a mindset for the rest of your life.

They also dive into style: how clothes can support your mental health, why dressing “too power dressed” can change the tone in a room, and the freedom that comes from understanding what truly works for you (not what the job, the trend cycle, or social expectations say you should wear).

We cover:

• Burnout as a breakthrough (and what changed after)
• The “pause, reflect, organise” formula Rosie now teaches
• Identity beyond your job title
• Why confidence and clothing are more connected than we admit
• Sustainable style shifts: pre-loved, investment pieces, and letting go of “outfit repeating” shame
• How to start a reinvention when you feel stuck: begin with joy

Episode highlights

• 00:34 Rosie’s magazine career journey (Red, Glamour, Grazia, HELLO!)
• 01:23 The “perfect storm” that led to burnout (2022)
• 03:46 Stress, nervous system burnout, and perimenopause overlap
• 06:59 Why “busy” became a badge of honour (and why it’s breaking us)
• 08:00 “Reinvention mindset” navigating change over and over again
• 10:51 The swan effect: looking fine on the surface, flapping underneath
• 14:36 Who am I if I’m not editing a magazine? (identity beyond a role)
• 17:46 Rosie’s Reinvention Retreats + the PRO method: Pause, Reflect, Organise
• 22:26 Rosie’s style evolution: colour, storytelling, confidence, and dressing for the room
• 25:24 Dressing for authority without feeling inaccessible
• 30:38 Confidence, trends, and the rise of sustainable style (and why outfit repeating is cool now)
• 35:56 Where to start if you’re ready for change: start with joy
• 40:23 Quickfire: most-loved item in Rosie’s wardrobe
• 42:48 Quickfire: what Rosie has “too much of” + the wardrobe detox
• 46:07 Quickfire: trend regrets (Camden market, grunge, the “smelly coat” era)
• 47:47 Rosie’s new book on reinvention (late Aug / early Sept)
  

Connect with Rosie:

Find out more about Rosie and her reinvention retreats:
https://www.rosienixon.co.uk/

Follow Rosie on socials

https://www.instagram.com/rosiejnixon/

Book a free style strategy call with Alex:

https://www.alexandrastandley.co.uk/service-page/style-strategy-call

Capsule wardrobes are everywhere, but most advice doesn’t work for high-achieving professional women and female founders whose lives, leadership roles, and visibility have evolved.

If your wardrobe feels full yet frustrating…
If you’re buying outfits for moments rather than your real life…
If getting dressed feels harder than it should, despite being competent everywhere else…

This episode explores how to build a capsule wardrobe for high-achieving women that supports identity, presence, and real life, without restriction, dullness, or conformity.

In this episode, Alex Standley Personal Stylist & Sustainable Fashion Consultant, reframes the concept of a capsule wardrobe through an identity-led, strategic lens. She explains why traditional capsule wardrobe advice often fails professional women, leaders, founders, and speakers, and how to create a wardrobe system that works for work, visibility, Zoom, travel, and everyday life.

You’ll learn why capsule wardrobes aren’t about having fewer clothes, but about having the right foundations, how personal style archetypes transform a capsule from generic to powerful, and how colour, structure, and sustainability play a key role in creating ease and confidence.

Episode Highlights

00:01 — Capsule wardrobes for high-achieving women (why the usual advice doesn’t work)

01:20 — The real problem: wrong foundations, not too many clothes

02:40 — What a capsule wardrobe actually is

03:12 — Why capsule wardrobes fail without identity
The missing piece most capsule wardrobe guides ignore.

03:45 — Style archetypes and identity-led styling

05:32 — Buying for events vs buying for real life

06:45 — When your life has changed but your wardrobe hasn’t

07:47 — Getting your neutrals right in a capsule wardrobe

09:30 — Foundations first, personality second

10:15 — Do you need to get rid of everything?

11:10 — Sustainable capsule wardrobes for professional women

12:35 — Capsule wardrobes for Zoom, speaking, and visibility
13:55 — The real point of a capsule wardrobe

Ready for Your Wardrobe to Match Who You’re Becoming?

If you’re stepping into bigger visibility: leadership roles, speaking, media, or simply being seen more, and you want to be remembered for your unique presence, not a polished version of everyone else…

The Luxe Style Formula is Alex Standley’s 1-to-1 strategic and transformational styling work for high-achieving women stepping into visibility and leadership.

This is high-level, intimate work, which is why Alex works with just three private clients per month.

👉 Book a free Style Strategy Call below to find out more

https://www.alexandrastandley.co.uk/service-page/style-strategy-call

Connect with Alex on Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/alexandrastandley

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=500777031

www.tiktok.com/@alexandrastandley

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-standley-personal-stylist