International Women’s Day: The Women Who Inspire My Style Story
International Women’s Month always feels like a moment to pause.
A moment to say thank you.
I am so grateful to know so many incredible women in business — women who show resilience, grit, creativity and drive every single day. Women who juggle responsibilities, who build from nothing, who keep going when it would be easier to stop. Your work ethic and determination inspire me more than you probably realise.
But as a personal stylist, I couldn’t let this day pass without talking about the women who shaped my style story — the icons who gave me permission to be bold, expressive and unapologetically myself.
Madonna
Image by Kim Erlandsen's on flickr
I loved Madonna from a young age. I had all her albums growing up — back in the era when CD covers were everything and we bought Bliss magazine to learn about fashion, pop culture and, of course, boys.
I was drawn to the girl who broke every boundary women faced.
She made being sexy empowering, cool and completely unapologetic. She challenged the idea that sexuality was taboo. In my eyes, she was a rock chick — fearless and rebellious.
From romantic pink ball gowns to the iconic gold cone bra, to her bold Erotica era, she evolved constantly. That evolution is what I love most. She never stood still.
And even now, whatever your opinion of the 67-year-old legend, she is still pushing boundaries. She continues to show the world that no matter your age, you can be whoever the hell you want to be.
As someone whose style felt repressed at school, I am completely here for that.
Gwen Stefani
Image by Illinois Entertainer's on Flickr
Then came the moment Gwen Stefani entered my life.
I was 16, watching TV with my first boyfriend, when the Orange County girl hit number one on Top of the Pops with No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak.”
I won’t lie — her voice and lyrics drew me in first. But her quirky, fearless style quickly followed.
Pink or blue hair. Sparkly bindis on her forehead. A mix of ska influences and 90s punk energy. She didn’t just wear clothes — she created a character.
As a fellow bleach blonde, I felt like I could relate to her. Through college, my outfits were heavily inspired by her — wide-leg and cargo bottoms, sheer tops, pink hair. I still hold onto a black-and-white striped fitted blazer because it reminds me of her.
She showed me that you could be feminine, edgy, playful and strong — all at once.
Iris Apfel
Iris Apfel came into my life much later.
In recent years, many of us watched the fabulous centenarian icon light up social media. What a woman.
She got louder as she got older.
A true creative dramatic, she only found mainstream fame after retiring from interior design. Her signature oversized glasses, eccentric layers of jewellery and fearless colour combinations were utterly unapologetic.
She reminds me that if I leave the house worrying I’ve “overdone it,” the answer isn’t to tone it down — it’s to smile and own it.
Style does not have an age limit. If anything, it gets better with time.
Moira Rose from Schitt's Creek
(Played by Catherine O'Hara)
Images taken google
Moira Rose is fictional, but her impact on me is very real.
Her style was playful, dramatic and unapologetically loud. She expressed her mood through every look and never dressed down. Most of the time I watched an episode, I was simply waiting for her next outfit reveal.
But what really holds me is her age.
She didn’t fade into the background. She didn’t become smaller. She became more.
That matters.
The Bigger Message
Any woman who breaks boundaries and does something unexpected — especially as she gets older — makes a powerful statement to me.
No matter our age, background, skin colour or finances — we are here. We are strong. We deserve to be seen and heard.
I hear so many women say they feel invisible as they get older.
How is that possible?
As we age, we often care less about what others think. We know ourselves better. We’ve survived things. We’ve built lives. We’ve given so much to others.
Why shouldn’t this be the moment we show up fully for ourselves?
After years of caring for everyone else, your time often begins when you’re a little older, a little wiser — and maybe with a little more disposable cash to finally dress the way you’ve always wanted.
This International Women’s Day, I’m celebrating the women who inspire me — in business, in life, and in style.
And I hope you give yourself permission to take up space too.
