Hi,

I’m Michelle. I’m a professionally qualified Personal Stylist, Mentor & Coach, a Mum to one wonderful son and four much-loved furbabies 🐾 and a lifelong handbag 👜 lover with a deep passion for fashion and styling.

My journey with style truly began in 2014, over twelve years ago, nine months after my son was born to be exact. Before then, I was interested in clothes and fashion. I loved shopping and ‘retail therapy’, but I mostly wore what was ‘on trend’, not necessarily because I liked it, but because I simply wanted to fit in with other people. I didn’t put much thought into it.

When I returned to the office after having my son, getting dressed felt overwhelming. It was yet another thing on the list I had to think about. My body had changed, time spent on my needs was very limited, and standing in front of my wardrobe each morning trying to figure out what to wear left me feeling frustrated, stressed and upset. With many sleepless nights under my belt, it was far from the best way to start my day.

I had changed, my lifestyle had changed, my head was in a different space, but my wardrobe hadn’t come along for the ride and evolved with me. In fact, it was still full of my old maternity clothes, which I was hanging on to ‘just in case’ I got pregnant again (which I never did!). And my biggest fear was that if I looked a mess, people would assume my life was a mess and judge my parenting skills negatively based on this assumption. I learned quickly about the power of clothes and I had to do something about how I was feeling.

Then came my lightbulb moment 💡

While watching a TV show, I saw women transformed through simple, thoughtfully curated capsule wardrobes. Around 25 pieces that worked effortlessly together and outfits could be put together in a heartbeat and look incredible. Plus, the confidence it gave those women was remarkable, and suddenly, everything made sense… Style didn’t have to be complicated. It could be simplified and made easier.

That was my turning point and the first time I’d heard the term ‘capsule wardrobe’.

With limited money but a wardrobe bursting at the seams with clothes, I began creating my own capsule wardrobe. Like so many women, I had impulse buys, pieces that didn’t fit, cute occasion dresses, clothes still with the sales tag attached from 2010, colours that clashed, and outfits saved for “one day” which never came. Wasting money has always upset me, but now I could see the full extent. A wardrobe reminding me every day what I’d wasted my money on. Don't get me wrong, I still love shopping. I love fashion, I love a Zara sale, and if you ever watch my The Handbag Diaries videos on YouTube , you'll know I have a particular weakness for luxury handbags. Especially if they're sparkly, a limited edition, or just so ridiculously cute that they make my heart say, "You need me!" Do I always buy the most practical bag? Absolutely not! 🤣

The difference now is that it's a conscious choice. I know which bags work for my lifestyle and which don't. Sometimes I'll still choose the less practical one simply because it brings me joy and I'm completely okay with that. That's what intentional shopping is really about. It isn't about following rules or never making an emotional purchase. It's about understanding why you're buying something, knowing how it fits into your wardrobe and your life, and making that choice without regret.

Back to the story…

I chose a colour palette to base my capsule on that felt like me: black, white, and grey with pops of red, green, and my forever favourite colour purple, and I let go of everything else.

I wasn’t down to 25 pieces; to be honest with myself, I never intended to be, but I just needed a wardrobe which was manageable, all the pieces in it worked together without much thought and most importantly, it took some of the stress out of my morning so I could leave the house feeling comfortable and looking put together.

Some of my favourite pieces I couldn’t part with, so they were stored away, and others were donated. In case you wondered, the maternity clothes were donated too.

As a born horder, it really wasn’t easy to part ways with anything at all, but this process was truly transformative in more ways than I could ever have expected.

Getting dressed became simple ✅

My confidence grew ✅

I was getting daily compliments ✅

Management started to notice me ✅

Strangers asked me where my clothes were from ✅ (Answer: back of my wardrobe, but I didn’t tell them that 🤣)

And I realised just how powerful style can be. Clothes aren’t just about how you look; they’re about how they make you feel, how you show up, and how you move forward. I wanted to look good, feel good and get ready in a hurry, and this made all that happen and more.

Funny story: a friend in the office at the time complimented my outfit (as she often did), and I told her it fell out of the wardrobe. She looked a bit shocked, but I kid you not, I was in the usual hurry that morning, open the door and the outfit literally fell out, and because everything worked together, I was able to chuck it on, head out and get a compliment to boot! Happy days! 😊

Since then, I’ve experienced my other major life transitions, including a long-term relationship separation and a significant career change. I’m now experiencing the joys of perimenopause, and all the fun which comes along with it 😳

Each time, I’ve leaned on style as a way to ground and reconnect with myself, rebuild my confidence, and step into the next chapter with strength and authenticity.

Since this experience in 2014 I’ve fallen hook, line and sinker in love with fashion and become utterly obsessed with styling. I’ve gone on and gained multiple personal styling and coaching qualifications, including from the British College of Professional Styling, the Centre of Excellence, and the world-renowned London College of Fashion. I’m also a graduate of Lauren Messiah’s Style Boss Academy, have taken other Lauren Messiah Personal Stylist training courses, I’m part of Penny Bennett’s Alumni Club, and I am a proud member of the Federation of Image Professionals International (FIPI).

Recently, I started my own female empowerment clothing brand called PositiveHug and also a small YouTube channel, ‘The Handbag Diaries’, dedicated to my love of handbags.

Today, styling is a real passion for me. I understand how horrible it feels when you don’t know what to wear, but still, somehow you have to be dressed and look put-together in a heartbeat. What’s more, information online can be overwhelming, complex and leave you more confused than when you started.

I started Beyond The Trends Personal Styling because I want to help other women like me learn the skills I wish I had when my son was born, ditch the stress, be able to get dressed and look great whilst juggling a busy life at the same time to experience the same life-changing transformation. This is also the reason why I’ve created an ever-growing number of free guides and workbooks, so I can help as many women as possible.

Our lives can be messy, they never stop changing; we grow and evolve, but our wardrobes don’t always follow the same path.

My mission today is to help women ditch the stress, feel calm, discover who they are through style that feels authentic and truly them, know what to wear, get dressed quicky with ease, shop with intention and look and feel great in their own bodies.