How Your Personal Style Impacts Your Business (and What To Do About It)

What you wear shapes how you show up — and that matters when you're trying to grow in life or business.

In an ideal world…

What we wear wouldn’t matter. People would see our skills, our experience, our personality and judge us on that alone.

But the truth is, we don't live in that world. How you show up, the energy you give off, and the outfits you wear send signals. They shape how others see you — and more importantly, how you see yourself.

I work with women over 40 who want to grow in life and business. And to do that, they need to stop hiding and start showing up boldly. And do you know what one of the biggest, most often-overlooked tools is to help them achieve this is?

Their personal style!

Why What You Wear Affects How You Show Up

You know those days when you feel completely switched on, focused, confident, like you could walk into any room and own it?

If you think about what you were wearing, I’d hazard a guess that you liked — maybe even loved — your outfit. That’s the power of the right clothes. They shift your energy.

Style is a powerful business tool. It sets your energy. And whether you like it or not, your clothes play a big role in how you show up. That matters — especially when you’ve got things you want to make happen in your life.

Whether it’s building, running, or scaling your own business, getting the promotion, or finding a new relationship, what you wear can either reinforce your confidence or keep you playing small.

The Story That Proves My Point

I read about a woman recently who had been in the same career for years. She’d started strong, got early promotions, but then things just ground to a halt. And she felt (and had evidence to prove it) that she was being overlooked.

No big projects.
No invitations to lead.
No speaking opportunities, even though she was more than capable.

Annoyingly, she watched other (often/always less capable) people being given all the things she wanted. And after a period of feeling angry and frustrated (rightfully so), she did some self-reflection on how she'd been showing up and what the correlation could be.

And this is what she realised: over time, she’d become more uncomfortable being noticed. And the way she dressed and she showed up reflected that.

She wore boring, frumpy, nondescript outfits. When she saw herself in the mirror, she didn't like what what she saw and that impacted her confidence. She knew her energy at work was more standoffish than powerful or welcoming. And the way she carried herself was like someone who wanted to shrink into the background not someone who was ready to take up more space and lead.

So her wish to be less noticed had come true. Her bosses didn’t see her as someone to call forward for the next big opportunity, because that’s not how she was showing up.

So she made a change.

She worked with a stylist to create outfits that felt like her but carried the energy of the woman she wanted to become:

The woman who wasn’t afraid to be seen.
The leader.
The speaker.
The go-to expert.

And when she started showing up differently, everything changed.

People started responding to her differently because she was different.
Her confidence had changed. She was present and her energy was saying "I'm a leader"
As a result she got the promotion, the speaking gigs and in fact everything she wanted!

This Isn’t About Being Fake. It’s About Alignment.

When you start dressing in a way that feels like you, something clicks.

You stop holding back.
You stop apologising.
You start walking into rooms like you belong there, because you do.

If you're still dressing for a past chapter, you're missing out on one of the most powerful tools you have to support change. Your wardrobe can either keep you stuck or help pull you forward.

How to Start Using Style as a Business Tool

If your wardrobe feels disconnected from who you are now, or where you're heading, start here:

1. Choose a “visibility piece”

Pick something that helps you feel more seen. A bold colour. A standout accessory. Start wearing it regularly. Over time, stretch your comfort zone with bolder choices. It builds tolerance to being noticed and shifts your energy.

2. Dress for the version of you you’re becoming

Style can act as a bridge between who you are now and who you want to be. It lets you access a different energy, different confidence, and different results.

3. Use outfit recipes, not rules

I’m not here for rigid capsules or age-based fashion rules. I share outfit recipes you can remix again and again to make style feel easier and more like you, especially when it comes to getting dressed for real life.

Style Is Part Of Your Strategy For Grow

Style isn’t just about looking good.

It’s about being seen.
It’s a tool for confidence.
A tool for self-expression.
A tool for growth.(And even healing in some cases)

If you're ready to explore how your wardrobe could be working for you, not against you, here’s where to start:

➡️ Download 9 Free Outfit Recipes here
➡️ Check out my services here.
➡️ Book a free style strategy session here

Till next time.

Sarah

xx

Author Bio

Sarah Duff The Visibility Style Coach helping women over 40 stop hiding and start dressing like the bold, brilliant version of themselves especially when it comes to life and business Connect on Instagram @theholisticpersonal stylist or browse style tools