In this episode of the Powerful Stories Podcast, Tory Archbold interviews former journalist, turned blogger and fashion designer, Nikki Parkinson. ‘Styling You’ started when Nikki stepped into the world of blogging. ‘I now have an amazing community and when you open up a little bit of yourself and put out meaningful content that sparks conversations, you connect’ says Nikki.

Age is just a number. Nikki says we should ‘own it’. ‘My mother died at age 51, so I am now older then what she ever got to be - so every year is a gift and I don’t shy away from that celebration.’ As the styling queen, Nikki reveals her tips for managing our wardrobe as our body changes through our 30s, 40s and 50s. ‘I’m a big believer in getting up and dressed for the person we are today.’ If an item of clothing doesn’t serve a purpose for Nikki then it goes. ‘If those items are front and centre in your life, reminding you of who you were, it is only going to make you feel worse.’ We need to stop punishing ourselves for being different to who we were. ‘It’s about who you are today.’

Women of all ages struggle with body image and size. ‘When I was a personal stylist, I worked with women from size 6 through to size 26, and all of them had body image issues. It was a real eye-opener for me as I thought everyone smaller than me would be confident in their body - no– body image is universal.’  As we age, or after children ‘the tummy’ becomes a concern. ‘Again, it is about loving the stage our body is in. It’s not about ‘what you should do about it’ but about ‘how we can dress to feel confident.’ This is why Nikki started her fashion label ‘Styling You, where all items are created for women with curves. ‘My community has taught me to look at what we do have – rather than what we don’t.’

Nikki’s business was built on social media and she shares her tips for managing our self-image. ‘Fill your feed with people who align with your values. You need to edit that part of your life. Then, when we mindlessly scroll, we are only going to see things that fill our cup.’

We are starting to see a switch in the conversation around women’s health. Everything from periods, iron, peri-menopause and hormones changes are being brought to light. ‘My best advice is to seek a medical professional who will listen and helps you live your best life. If we are not feeling 100% don’t settle for it.’ For Nikki, it is about feeling the best we can feel – the clothes are an outward reflection but we need to ask ‘what can we do on the inside to feel the best we can feel.’

So, sit back and enjoy this powerful story with the extraordinary Nikki Parkinson.

Links:

Sign up to the Powerful Steps #coffeechallenge to gain Tory’s proven formula for building a global network, with three coffee dates a week. It’s how she connected with the guests on this podcast. Each one is an authentic and trusted connection 

Powerful Steps

Follow @powerfulsteps on Instagram

Powerful Steps on LinkedIn

Styling You

Shop the Styling You Label.