( ENSPIRE She Did That ) Revolutionizing and Elevating the Way People Dress Through Her Comprehensive Approach
ENSPIRE Contributor: LaShonda Thompson
As a leading fashion expert, Lauren Messiah is changing how people dress by taking a holistic approach to uplifting one’s life through style from the inside out. Messiah links personal styling with life coaching to design a closet and look that elevates and supports one’s goals. She takes the stress and self-doubt to look one’s best with her trademark way of merging style and personal growth. With her unique patch of self-discovery through fashion and years as one of the most sought-after celebrity stylists, she, as an educator and digital influencer, has trained over 5,000 customers globally through her online course.
Lauren’s new book, Style Therapy: 30 Days to Your Signature Style (Abrams, April 2021), is a 30-day active method to developing a personal style and releasing emotional baggage. She empowers readers to shop like a stylist, find elevating and support goals, and gain confidence to confront any scenario with the proper appearance and attitude with her book, which includes a notepad and stickers.
ENSPIRE Magazine had the pleasure of asking Lauren a few questions on her coaching and asking for a word of advice for our readers that may help elevate their approach of being a better person from the inside out.
ENSPIRE: Why did you decide to become a personal style coach?
Lauren: I started my career as a celebrity stylist, and to be honest, I didn’t get a ton of fulfillment from that particular career path. It wasn’t until a woman came up to me and said, “I wish I were a celebrity so you could be my stylist.” That is when everything changed. I took her on as a client and saw the impact style had on everyday women. With a bit of coaching and a new wardrobe, her confidence instantly increased. We kept in touch after our time together, and a short time after, she got a promotion, a new man, and is now engaged!
ENSPIRE: What do you love about coaching the most?
Lauren: Witnessing the internal transformations. I love a good before and after outfit pic as much as the next girl, but those internal shifts are magical. The fashion industry gets women to buy clothes by making them believe they aren’t good enough, not thin enough, not rich enough, not cool enough. So the woman who comes to me in need of a new look has a lot of emotional baggage that needs to be dropped. This is where the coaching comes in. Once they realize the power within themselves, dressing the part becomes the icing on the cake.
ENSPIRE: You mentioned a “comprehensive approach to elevating one’s life through style.” How would you describe the approach, what does it involve?
Lauren: The way I approach style is from the inside out. Before the shopping and styling come the internal work. I start all my transformations with my 7-Day Selfie Challenge. This is where women get the opportunity to see themselves, their whole selves. Then we deep dive into the messages they are sending to the world through their appearance, personal and professional goals, and then build a look that supports the woman they are becoming. It’s all about finding your most authentic self and dressing accordingly.
ENSPIRE: What is the biggest challenge you helped one of your clients through?
Lauren: Many of my clients discover that they hide behind baggy clothing to avoid the “male gaze” due to past trauma. My client Debra (you can watch her story on my YouTube channel) was regularly harassed by older men starting at 11 years old. To the point where she hid inside a bodega for hours after being cat-called by actual pimps! Debra didn’t realize she was carrying that trauma through the way she dressed to this day as a 52-year-old woman. The process I lay out in my book Style Therapy allowed her to release that pain and move on with a style that expresses her current self.
ENSPIRE: I believe one of the biggest things one wonders when working with a person in a profession that provides guidance is “Does the coach have a coach?”. Do you have a coach or a resource that helps you better service others?
Lauren: Oh yes! I am part of the Entrepreneurs Organization, which supports me through my business growth and the personal challenges we face as entrepreneurs. I participate in masterminds, am constantly taking courses, attending seminars, and one of my best girlfriends is a coach – I pay her for her services, and she pays for my services. I don’t have a style coach, but I use my books and programs to upgrade my style as needed.
ENSPIRE: Is there any advice you can share without giving away all your secrets with the ENSPIRE Magazine audience?
Lauren: Anything you want in life is yours if you do the work. There is no magic bullet that will give you style, success, and confidence. The tools are there (and in my book!); you have to be willing to pick them up. Do the work, get the results.
Named Google’s #WomenToWatch on YouTube, Lauren has been featured in Marie Claire, Vogue, Elle, VH1, The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wall Street Journal, WWD, Refinery 29, plus many other prints and digital media outlets for her style expertise.
For more information on Lauren Messiah and her coaching, visit her website HERE.
