Latest / Project Emerald Collective / When “I Have Nothing to Wear” Keeps You From Showing Up | Tanya Ellis
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- Tanya Suzanne Ellis: we also can hang on to something because of old rules or what affects our styling is old rules. Rules that we've had ingrained. from people can't wear a short skirt after 40. Well, certainly not something that I abide by, let me tell you. So there's just, that's just one rule. So pink and red can never be worn. That's something that I heard a lot growing up you can't wear pink and red together. So there's lots of different rules that they do, whether we know it or not, they are ingrained in us and they're in the back of our mind and they are still affecting what we wear and how we feel. Eve: Welcome to the Project Emerald Collective podcast. I'm your host, Eve McIntyre. Here we have honest conversations with women about who we are, what shapes us, and how we can live with more intention and trust ourselves. From identity and belonging to fashion, work, and the choices we make every day, we explore the ideas and experiences that help us come back to ourselves and our own innate wisdom. Let's get into today's conversation. Well, good morning and thank you for joining us today. I am here with Tanya Ellis, who is a fashion and identity stylist, the founder of SI Styling, and the president of the Tasmanian Fashion Festival. I've had the pleasure of working alongside Tanya and she's got such an interesting story, so I can't wait to dive into it today. she's originally from a grazing property in northern Tasmania and now she's built a career spanning personal styling, editorial and commercial work, runway production and fashion events. So contrasting. at the heart of her work is a belief that personal style is a reflection of who we are and how we want to feel. She's also deeply committed to creating opportunities for emerging designers and ensuring that living outside a major city is never a barrier to participating in or building a career within the fashion industry. I think that's awesome and amazing and well done, Tanya, and welcome. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Thank you, thank you for having me. Eve: firstly, can you talk us through the three pivotal moments that have led to us having this interview today? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: the three pivotal moments in my life that have led me to where we where I am today and we're sitting here with you would definitely be my upbringing. with a beautiful, loving family that provided a lot of support and parents that were very much probably before their time, even though they don't realise that, were very much before their time. They never stopped me from doing something just because I was a girl and that was something that boys did. I was really raised in a way to feel very capable. So definitely my family. and my parents who I just adore and I get emotional when I talk about them. And then the next thing would be poor body confidence and anxiety and going through my own mental health struggles. definitely my own mental health and the journey I've had with that. And then the third thing would be moving to a small rural outback town in New South Wales where I found myself living for many years after I got married to my husband and I just felt lost. I just did not know where I fit in and they would be the three major turning points in my life. Eve: that's so interesting. I actually got the pleasure of meeting your mum at the festival and she is so proud of you and you know, you're the f youngest of five and she just said that she is in awe of you as well. So that was special to hear that. and I think body confidence is something that we can definitely all relate to as women. I know I've experienced it in my life for many years as well. And it's something that I guess lessens over time and learning to love your body, which we'll touch on further in the interview. But also Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yes. Eve: I find the contrast of living in a in a town probably that you never anticipated that you would, and feeling lost is definitely something that a lot of women can relate to as well. So Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yeah, and it's a big change. Agriculture was something that I was born and raised with. And when I first moved to New South Wales, I didn't actually move to New South Wales. So I left Tasmania when I was 18, but I didn't move to New South Wales to study fashion. I actually left to study agriculture. So I did a diploma of agriculture and then went on to do a degree in agri business management. So agriculture was something I loved and it was very ingrained in me and always will be. But living in a rural community or on a farm in Tasmania where everything is quite close and small is very, very different to living in a very small isolated community in rural Australia. So in New South Wales, for example. So it was just so overwhelming and small communities have a life of their own. They can be a real battle to try and fit yourself into it. Eve: Yes, absolutely. I've experienced that as well. it's really hard to adjust to. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yes. Eve: So tell us then how did you get into the world of fashion? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: after I left school I did start working here in Tasmania. worked for I worked with somebody that was not a very nice man and that really messed with my mental health. I won't go into that too much but that really was the pivotal moment for me to say I just have to get out of Tasmania. So I left Tasmania and I I studied agriculture, I met my husband and then moved to where he was based, he did not grow up there, but where he was based in a little town called Hylston in New South Wales. So population was a thousand. So it was when I moved out there and I just felt really, when I was really struggling with my mental health I had had a long time battle with disordered eating and I had a very low opinion of myself and my image. and I just really struggled to fit in and I remember when I first the first outing I have ever had in Houston with my husband we were just going to one of his friends places for a barbecue and I said to him what do I wear and he said everyone just wears jeans and boots and I was like but I don't want to just wear jeans and boots can't I wear what I want to wear and it was I still remember that so vividly because it was sort of the point where it was like well do I have to dress in a way that I feel like I'm going to fit in or do I dress in a way that is truly me and I feel authentically me. So for a lot of years I really struggled with that where do I fit in and even going back to working and studying in agriculture I did feel like I had to dress in a certain way to make to prove my capability to prove that I could do what other people were doing whether that was men or other women in the agricultural industry but I soon learned over time that dressing up in a way doesn't prove your capability. Your capability is proven by your actions. So you can Eve: Mm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: dress however you choose. It doesn't determine your capability or whether you are smart or whether you're successful. It's just about how you want to feel and that's what dressing is. It's about how we want to feel. over years and having my three children, my style style and my confidence evolved and it just kept evolving and evolving and the more experimental I became and the more true to myself I was with my style, the more confidence I had and all of a sudden I just started feeling this confidence with my body, the way I looked, going somewhere, just dressing the way I wanted to dress. When you find that you are truly confident in your style, you all of a sudden don't need to ask other people what they think you should wear or Eve: Mm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: what they think of your outfit because at the end of the day, you really don't care what other people think because you are dressing for yourself and you're dressing to make yourself feel the way you want to feel. And that really clicked for me in my mid to late 20s and it was at that point there that I thought I'd always wanted to as a child maybe study fashion or interior styling. I loved both of those things growing up. But again, I just felt in Tasmania that it was so out of reach for me. I knew no one in those industries. So how on earth was I going to get into those industries? But with this newfound confidence, I just felt I can do this. So yeah, I went to Melbourne and studied my Masters of Professional Styling and decided that styling was where I really wanted to land because I wanted to help people no matter where they were to find that confidence that I now possess. Eve: Mm. That's so incredibly powerful, that story and your journey, to get to that point. were there any interesting comments from people as your style was evolving? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Definitely, I think there was. There was probably a lot more behind my back than what I'm aware of, but that honestly doesn't, it doesn't affect me in any way now. And... Again, if people are making comments, and I can say this now from a point of view where I am very confident in my own style. That doesn't mean that I am confident in every single thing I do in life, because I am not, but I am confident in my own style and how I want it to make me feel. when you feel very confident in your own style, what other people think of it or what comments, they really just do just fly away. You actually really don't care what other people think because again you are dressing for yourself and you will find that negativity towards other people when you feel good about yourself just disappears you actually don't feel envious of somebody else's style you actually don't feel negative towards someone else's style you actually feel really positive like I can honestly say 100 % it is rare that I don't look at someone and say my gosh look at their whatever or look at the way they're wearing that they just look amazing because because I feel confident in my style, so then it gives me a positivity towards other people. And that hasn't always been the case, but that's definitely the case now. I 100 % know there would have been conversations had about what I was wearing and how out of... the realm of what everyone else was wearing in that time. But as I said, as my confidence grew, I just did not have, and I still don't care what other people think about my style. I care what other people think about me as a person, but I don't care what they think of my style because I love my own style and I feel confident in it. Eve: Mm, yeah, you absolutely can feel that when you're in your presence and that is certainly how I felt in the various different elements of the Tasmanian Fashion Festival, you always were showing up in these really amazing outfits. They were all completely different, but very all have the same theme of boldness and confidence and you can feel that. So talk to us briefly about your outfit choices for the festival and how you wanted to feel across the weekend. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Definitely across the Tasmanian Fashion Festival and I always do have a real focus on Tasmanian fashion. That is the phase of my career. mean, since moving back home to Tasmania, I'm heavily focused on supporting the Tasmanian fashion industry and creating those opportunities for young people or allowing people to see, young people to see that don't do what I did and think that it was too out of reach and you can't be part of that industry because you can. So that's a real focus for me now at this stage of my career. for so to wear something Tasmanian from a Tasmanian designer or a Tasmanian locally owned Tasmanian boutique is really important. every single outfit I wore at the 2026 Tasmanian Fashion Festival, I was wearing Tasmanian. So that is that was probably a key element. But I do that Eve: Yeah. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: every single day in my style anyway, because it's just something I believe in. You've got to practice what you preach, I can't tell other people to support Tasmanian designers if I'm not so that's heavily focused on that and then the other thing and this is this is will sound very strange but I actually don't overthink my outfits too much now because I am so confident in my own style in the sense of I know what I like and I know what I don't like. I know what parts of my body I want to emphasize or minimize or highlight or disguise and I can easily just find things that I know are going to make me feel really good and make me feel well put together and just make me feel like the way I want to feel on that days. that's how the outfits, yes there was a little bit of practicality because you are very very busy I do love a high heel so I Eve: Mm Tanya Suzanne Ellis: do wear stilettos nearly everywhere. So my Eve: mm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: feet definitely paid for it by the end of the weekend. But that is again another thing that just makes me feel very confident is a high heel. I love high heels. And I probably get that a little bit from my mum because growing up my mum always wore stilettos. I didn't realise it as a child, but how much I admired her in her stilettos. I know my friends used to joke that they always knew when my mum was coming to the school because I could hear her heels clipping up the hallway of Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: the corridors of the school. They're really not on trend anymore and most people are saying don't wear heels you don't have to wear heels for men you don't have to wear heels to impress anyone. I don't wear heels for anyone but myself I just love them. Eve: I'm so envious of how confident and how practical you can make stilettos feel because I certainly can't do that. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: the trick is I think now, I've learnt this very much later in life, that there's just a few brands out there that are good quality and they make a real difference to the comfort. So if you're going to wear them, make sure they are good comfortable ones. Eve: Yeah, okay. I'll keep that in mind. So Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Hehehe Eve: Tanya, how does clothing help us communicate parts of ourselves that we may not yet have words for? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: So clothing can be one of those things that you can really communicate what you want to tell the world about yourself from your style. But then it can also be a way, your style doesn't necessarily have to be your whole story. There is so much more behind people than what they're wearing. But... Sometimes if you don't have that confidence to start that conversation with somebody, they will never know. So you've got to make sure that you're feeling confident so that then you can approach someone and start telling your story more. so many people do hide behind the fact that, for example, people will say, I'm not going to go to that because I have nothing to wear. So they're missing out on opportunities. I hear all the time I can't go to that because everyone there is going to be dressed in a certain way and I don't fit in there. That's not the other people who are attending that function or event putting that onto the person it's how they feel about themselves. that's where our style really does need to be purely a reflection of ourselves. Eve: Yeah, it's so interesting. I haven't looked at it like that before that you actually are holding yourself back in some ways by not allowing yourself to express your style because you might be worried that you don't fit in somewhere that you've been invited to. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yeah, and I want your audience to think about that just for a minute. be honest with yourself and think, has there been a time or multiple occasions where I've been invited to something exciting or there's been an opportunity come up and the first thing that runs through my mind is I don't fit in there, I have nothing to wear, everyone's going to judge me? Because if you're Eve: Mm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: thinking like that, then that's where you do need to look at. your own style and your own confidence and your own identity and see how you can improve that because that is holding you back or stopping you from doing what you really want to do and it's stopping you from going out and meeting people and having conversations and growing in your career or in your life or in whatever it may be whether it's meeting a partner, whether it's meeting new friends, whether it's advancing your career, whether it's standing up at an event and speaking or just standing up in a meeting and saying what you want to say. It is holding you back because it is almost our shield. This is the thing that protects us and if we don't feel protected in what we're wearing then we can't stand up and say what we want to say. Eve: Yeah, absolutely. that is really a good point to reflect on. I love that that it's so much more than just fashion or just clothing. what do you notice when a woman's wardrobe no longer reflects who she has become? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: So. Really, I think when I see a client, if they have come to me, they've already identified themselves that their wardrobe is no longer reflecting them. And that can be for many different reasons. as women, we go through seven different hormonal stages and with each one of those hormonal stages, our body changes, our emotions change. So that changes dramatically. Big major life moments or stages can change who we are or how we feel about. ourselves as well. So all of those things can change how we want to dress or how we feel about our style. So as I said most clients that I see they've already identified themselves but what they struggle with is they it's the letting go like sometimes it's really hard to let go but to actually let go you need to focus on the emotion. So when it comes to styling The starting point is never the clothes The close is always the end point. The starting point is always getting in touch with your emotions and connecting why you feel the way you do now and why that is affecting how you're dressing yourself. Sometimes we hang on to items because they have an emotional attachment. Well, we have an emotional attachment to them. They have a real story behind them. and we can't Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: let go. Sometimes we can't let go of the person we used to be and we are desperate just to get back there. they're living their life in sort of a limbo land, like a holding phase, because Eve: Yeah. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: they just want to jump forward or they want to go back. Whereas you can't spend your life living in that holding period. You've got to actually move forward all the time. You've got to keep moving forward because going backwards in life is not where we want to be. So that comes down to our body shape. I don't hang on to pieces and say, I'll get back to that one day. we also can hang on to something because of old rules or what affects our styling is old rules. Rules that we've had ingrained. in us all we've heard. from people say, can't wear a short skirt after 40. Well, certainly not something that I abide by, let me tell you. that's just one rule. So pink and red can never be worn. That's something that I heard a lot growing up that you can't wear pink and red together. So there's lots of different rules that they do, whether we know it or not, they are ingrained in us and they're in the back of our mind there and they are still affecting what we wear and how we feel. the other thing, can be just rules we place on ourselves as well. So breaking rules or just pushing the rules aside is probably a big one for me. people need to do that before they can find out what their wardrobe needs to reflect or how it needs to reflect them. But the key thing is getting in touch with your emotions and realizing why you feel the way you do and where you are in life and what you want your style to say about you. Eve: who came up with these rules anyway? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: right they're just there's lots of different reasons people put rules in our you know it they've been going for years so I've heard so many of them but you do just have to push them aside Eve: Yeah, or just, commit to breaking them, I think. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yeah. The other thing we can get caught in a trap and this is a big thing with people's wardrobes as well. So we all have a thing in the back of our brain remembering I'm not a doctor, called the reticulated activating system. what that is, can, it's like a memory thing that just when you hear something or someone mentions something, then you start seeing that thing all the time. if, say for example, if you've worn a white shirt and someone said to you, you look great in a white shirt, your brain will always take you back to that moment of the white shirt and that's how we end up with our pieces in our wardrobe that are basically exactly the same. So someone might end up with 20 variations of a white shirt because that is what Eve: yeah. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: they've been told they look good in. So they can't move beyond that. So when they go shopping or they're looking for items, they're only looking for the white shirt. because their reticulated activating system is saying that's what you look good in, you can only do that. And that's the same with rules. Those rules are in the back of our mind. And it does take time, but you really do need to almost erase all of that and then start to find your true style and your true confidence. I've been through it. I know this stuff and it does work and it takes time. that when you come out the other end and you really start liking yourself and liking your style, it's a game changer because you just no longer are second guessing everything, you're no longer seeking the opinion of other people, you are really just getting dressed every single day for yourself. Eve: how does a woman reset or just even get to that point where she's sick of wearing the same style and, have that awareness potentially that following those same thought patterns and then therefore buying the same kind of outfits because of something someone once said to you and then you've been subconsciously, activating that same behaviour the whole time. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: So you said there the awareness and that's what it is. It's actually self awareness. That is the very first thing you have to say and in life anything we do, we have to look and say and sometimes it's really hard to be honest with yourself and say, okay, I'm not happy where I am here. There's something going on and you might be happy but... It might just be this one thing that getting dressed is just such a hassle. You find yourself laying awake at night thinking about what you're going to wear the next day or wear to an event. It's just consuming all your time. You're second guessing everything. You're seeking the opinion of others. that's where you need to actually just stop and think and say, this is actually affecting me. This is important. My style is important. that's the first step, self-awareness. Once you've figured that out, then the next thing that you can do is, well, if I'm being honest, go to a stylist because they will work through those things through you. So all of my style sessions start with a style consultation. So that is an in-depth conversation. Complete privacy, you are welcome to say whatever you want, but it's a real way to open up and actually... get out how you're feeling and sometimes you, until you start talking about these things, you don't even realize that that's how you're feeling or how much Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: it's affecting you. recognize where the concern is coming from, what the issues are, and then find out how you can overcome those. And sometimes they may be really deep-seated emotions or concerns and you may need to seek medical advice. Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: you may just need help from a stylist or maybe you do have somebody that you can really trust in your circle who you can go to and say, I just want someone to talk to about this and then some help with it. But my advice Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: is normally if you go to someone who you're not emotionally connected to, it is so much easier to open up to them and it is so much easier to get an honest opinion because we all know that when we're having a conversation with a family member or a loved one, it's really hard to speak freely because we're always worried about hurting that person's feelings. So that's where going to somebody who you're not emotionally connected to and you're removed from is much easier to open up and having a conversation is the best way to be honest with yourself and really discover what it is that's holding you back in your style. Eve: yeah, the awareness but also having that guidance, from a neutral third party, and, seeking the help is always good advice. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yeah, it definitely Eve: And Tanya Suzanne Ellis: is. And I just think also with family members, I've seen it so many times where I spent a few years working in the bridal styling in the bridal industry, bridal styling. so often people come in and they would say, and often sadly it is mothers who would say, this is what they're looking for and they would describe exactly what the bride was looking for but yet the bride was telling me something completely different. So... Take my own daughter for example. I might have a view of what I think is really lovely on her, and I'm sure you're the same with your children as well, Eve, but that doesn't mean that that is what makes them feel good. And it's really hard when you're emotionally connected to someone to separate yourself from that. So that's where that third party is really, really handy. And my advice would be to seek the help of that third party because they aren't emotionally connected to you. Eve: Mm, yeah, that's true. how can a woman use her personal style to reconnect with herself without feeling pressured to constantly buy something new as well? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Well that's the beauty of knowing your true style is you actually do not buy that much stuff. I've got so many friends that have walked into my wardrobe and they're like, is this it? Is this your wardrobe? And I'll go, yes. And they say, we thought it'd be much bigger than this. But it's actually not. It's because when you know your true style, you are buying pieces or finding pieces and that doesn't always have to be new like I love pre-loved clothing and I love going to an op shop or a market and picking up something but you actually know what you like and you're not buying something because you've seen it on someone else. You're not buying something because you've seen it on social media. You're not buying something because you've heard that it's the latest trend. You are buying it because you truly love it. And that's when Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: if you are looking at something on social media, and I know the algorithm feeds us stuff, but if you are looking at something on social media or old school magazine, there will be a piece that just jumps out at you. When you know your true style, there'll be a piece that just jumps out at you and you look at it and go, that is me. And there'll be a reason for that. And for me, I love something that's got feathers on it or frill or a real, a high neck. So those things jump out at me. And I don't actually care if they're on like on trend that season or not. They're always going to be on trend in my wardrobe because they are my true style. So when you know your true style, you will always gravitate to those pieces and you will hang on to them for years. I've honestly got pieces in my wardrobe that I had before my eldest son was born. So he's 25 now. So I've got pieces in there that are over 25, 30 years old. And they can be jackets, they might just be accessories, but they are the pieces that I will wear year after year after year. So I don't need to buy lots of pieces because the pieces I've invested in will always be my true style. I love them and I will style them lots and lots of different ways. So that is the key finding your own true style and being true to what you love and stop following the trends stop following what you think you should be wearing that is how you find your true style. And again I see it with my daughter she is still at school and She definitely in her younger years wanted to dress like you'd have a casual day or a free dress day, whatever Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: you call it in whatever state you're in, but a casual day at school and I would drop her at school and it was quite amusing because it's like every single girl was a clone of each other. They all wear exactly the same thing and my daughter definitely followed that in her younger years but then I noticed the switch when she got to about year 10 where she started discovering her own style and she now wears exactly what she wants to wear and she is investing in those pieces that are her true style and she doesn't care if her friends are wearing it she doesn't care if it's you know on Instagram it's about finding your true style and again you won't care what other people think of it if you really love it yourself. Eve: absolutely. And I can attest she had some great outfits at the Fashion Festival as well. it's beautiful to see a younger person embracing her style from that young age. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: It is and it's really, mean, hindsight's a wonderful thing. It would be, I'd love to have that going back to her when I was her age. But I would also love to, if I could have a wish, I would love to instil that in every young person, not just female, every young person in the world where I am now, I would love them to be able to feel like that. Eve: Mm, yeah, absolutely. your daughter has the advantage of having you as a mother. she was always destined to find her style early on. she has found it, which is great. I think if you know your style then you're more confident when you shop and therefore you're willing to take chances. you will thrift shop and you will go to markets and you will feel empowered to make those decisions to broaden your wardrobe because you know what your style is and the things that jump out at you. Rather than being Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yes. Eve: going to a mall and, buying what everyone else is buying at the time. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: part of my job is obviously to follow the worldwide trends as such. So yes, I still look at those things. But what I find is not every trend resonates with me. if ever trend comes along. And I say, that's great. That's because I already love it. And that's why Eve: Yeah. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: if you're just following a trend simply because you've seen somewhere that that's what you're supposed to be wearing, it'll never feel right, ever. Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Whereas if a trend comes into your mind or you see it and it jumps out at you, it's because you already like that thing anyway. Like you've already been gravitating towards that. And that's where for me, if a trend does come along and I see a lot of it, you know, through the pages of magazines or on social media or, you know, through emails that I'm receiving. I will instantly be able to say, I love that because I've already loved it and chances are I've got it in my wardrobe or a version of it in my wardrobe anyway because that is the advantage of knowing your style and creating a wardrobe that reflects who you are and how you want to feel. Eve: Mm, absolutely. It makes getting dressed so much more fun as well. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yes, and that's what you should be having a bit of fun with it. You shouldn't have to be second guessing all the time. it really can hold people back. I, again, confidentiality with my clients is of the utmost importance to me, but I did have a client she came to me after she had lost a dear family member and she said, She was in the grips of grief, but still the whole time in the back of her mind she was awake every night thinking, what am I going to wear to the funeral? I've got nothing to wear to the funeral. I have to look right for this funeral. So that was in a time when clothing shouldn't be consuming any of your time or your emotion. It was. And that's when she realized, I need to do something about this because it's really affecting my life. what I'm wearing Eve: Yeah. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: and how I'm presenting is affecting my life. Eve: Mm, yeah, absolutely. And especially if it's keeping you awake at night. That's a sign. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yes, yes and it should be easy getting dressed Eve: Yeah. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: in the morning should be easy. Eve: I think if you really hone into how you want to feel that day, you're looking at it from a different perspective and you're focusing on yourself and then you can allow yourself to have fun and pick pieces that, come together based on how you want to feel. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yeah, and you can have fun. actually becomes getting dressed becomes fun, as you said, like you actually have fun putting outfits together because again, if you love it, that's all that matters. You can just have fun and be a little bit experimental really. and it's like anything we have our own styles in our home we have our own styles so that's fashion is exactly the same it's an individual style and you've only got to look at the Tasmanian Fashion Festival on the weekend for example there were so many different people in that room we had 1600 people across that weekend all wearing different styles all wearing different things I know I could not have looked at that event and said, this is 100 % what is on trend and what we should be wearing this spring summer. Because there were so many people Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: there in different outfits. So that's where you should be taking inspiration if that's what you want to do. Take inspiration from a few different things and you, when you stop and think about it, you will naturally gravitate to the things that you like. And it won't be that hard to find your true style because you'll naturally be thinking about them and gravitating towards them anyway. Eve: That's true. There was such a variety on the runway and there was, and and in people's outfits across the weekend. It was just so good to see. can you take take us back to the start of the festival and what gave you the inspiration? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: my husband and I and our children made a five-year plan to close our business, stop farming and moving back home to Tasmania, even though it wasn't my husband's home, it was the first time he's lived in Tasmania. we moved back here in 2020. COVID wasn't part of our plan, that didn't come into it, but it did come into it. I always wanted to create for Tasmania, a Tasmanian fashion fest or a fashion week, cause we were the only state that didn't have one and through my career I'd really become I'd got to a point where I was really sick of Tasmania being overlooked so I there were lots of different things that lots of different jobs that I did and I would say have you ever thought about taking this to Tasmania or would you ever do anything like that in Tasmania and they said no we're not doing that. Myer for example They did a runway series and went to every state in Australia and I asked the question, is it going to Tasmania? And they said, no, we're not going to Tasmania. We've got a monopoly down there, so we don't need to. So I just got really... irritated by people just overlooking Tasmania. my dear school friend came to visit me in New South Wales and we were out shopping. We went to the big smoke as such and we were out shopping and someone said to her, so what do people wear in Tasmania? And we just looked at each other and said, well, we're just another state of Australia. So people wear whatever they want to wear or the same thing that everyone else is wearing. So I really wanted to change the view that Tasmania was like another planet and that we were, Eve: Yeah. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: yeah, we were allowed to have the same opportunities here. So creating a festival was always in the back of my mind. So as I said, we moved during COVID and I wrote an email to the Launceston Lord Mayor at the time. And I said, I'd love to meet with you. I've got an idea to bring people back to shopping locally instead of online because online shopping took off during COVID. I wanted to bring people back into the community, get people shopping locally and supporting. locally. So I was fortunate enough that he replied to my email and I met with him and a few of his team and I pitched my idea of doing a fashion festival in Launceston and I got a grant from the city of Launceston for $3,000 and I hosted a one-day event in Brisbane Street Mall in Launceston. So that consisted of the Up and Coming Designer Runway which featured TAFE students. was the combined runway which was designers and majority of locally owned boutiques and retailers. dance performances and singers, dancers, musicians. So it was just one day. And then from there, I had, well, there were a couple of ladies that are still on our board now. So Sally was backstage for that event and Sarah who is now just left our board was at that event as well. they worked at that event and they said, what's the plan? What are you going to do? this is what I'd love to see happen. I'd love to make it statewide. In the audience were a couple of other ladies that approached me after that, and they said, We'd love to be part of this. I kept communicating and speaking with those people and we built a board. Then I knew that we had to make it a not-for-profit organization to, I wanted to do all of this very formally. So, created a not-for-profit organisation and then it's just evolved from there. each year we've fought for funding and support and sponsorship and then attendance and just getting the word out there and sometimes it's been very, very hard. for probably three years there, it would get to the event. and opening night and I still did not know if we were going to make the funds to cover the costs so it was hard to ever relax and enjoy those events so you're going into the actual event knowing that you're in the red and you don't know if you're going to have enough money to cover it at the end of the day so it's been really stressful there's a lot of work and a lot of just proving to people that there is a need for it and I think we've really seen that with the with the growth that we've seen with the emerging designer runway. I just love that runway. I love the fact that we are just getting the attendance and the participation sorry is just growing every every every single year and that just that makes me so happy because it really does show that there are so many young people out there that want to be part of this industry and whether they stay in Tasmania or move away to advance their career and their studies, at least they are leaving here with a taste of what it's like to do a large-scale runway or fashion event and they're not going in completely blind. They've got a little bit of knowledge and awareness of how it all runs and that's what we've created and that's what we can do. That just fills me with joy. Eve: you must be so proud of how it's evolved over the past is it four years this year? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Five years. I did the first one in Launceston. yeah, fifth one, we've just come off the back of it. So yeah. Eve: Yeah, it was it's amazing to see that it's just grown from, a one day event to, a two day event now at PW one in Hobart and it's a statewide event. just that you've managed to create that is is incredible. and the Up and Coming Designer Runway is a highlight. wonderful to see those young children, from eight years of old eight years of age, up to high school students, having their garments created. Some of them have no sewing experience at all. And they come along to, the course at Wild Stitch Studio and they're encouraged and their skill their creativity and their skills flourish. to see them have their designs on a runway and what they've been working on all year come to life is so So amazing. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yes. Also a big thing as well like Wild Stitch Studios, they've been amazing and they now run a specific course for students throughout the year to then the end goal is to showcase their pieces on the runway at the Tasmanian Fashion Festival. But you know yourself with your daughter doing that course this Eve: Mm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: year, how proud you are as a parent as well to be able to just sit in the audience and see your child's creativity on show because our children could be creating, the course could still be there, there's no doubt about that, they could still be creating that but then they would bring it home at the end of the day and I've seen this as a parent myself, they spend hours creating something and they bring it home, they hold it up, show mum and dad and their siblings and then it goes in the cupboard. Eve: Mm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: they don't get to show their skill and their creativity to the public. So to create that platform where they can now show that to the community, to the public, and get a taste of what the industry is like. That's the important thing for me. That's because then, like me growing up, thinking that is so far away from me, there's no way I could ever be part of that industry. There's no way I could ever do that. they may start thinking differently, they may start thinking well I've got a small connection there, I know what it's like, I know what I have to do to get to that point and that plants a seed for them to keep growing, keep embracing opportunities, they've made a connection with a few people in the industry and I know for a fact that the people that we have on our board with the Tasmanian Fashion Festival, which you are one of them Eve, we are all willing to help people out So we would take a DM or a text message, we would answer that person and say, let's help you out wherever we can. So it's not just about the festival on that weekend, it's what we do after that as well. It's the follow up and being there to provide support and guidance for those people. And that could be a student or it could be an older emerging designer who's just launched their own label. And that comes down to again, where I said about wearing TASMA. There is no point in putting those people on the runway and then never ever buying something from their label or wearing their label. You have to follow up by showing that support constantly and that's what I hope to do and hopefully people can see that that is what I'm doing. Eve: Yeah, absolutely. You are walking the talk with your outfits and being a stylist in Tasmania, promoting Tasmanian fashion, that's so important. And absolutely I was such a proud mum in the audience at the up and coming designer runway. yeah, I feel like there was lots of parents in the audience that day that, their heart was bursting. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yes. Eve: yeah, and it's great to see that it's growing every year as well. Tanya, what have you learned from watching the Tasmanian designers develop and gain their confidence throughout the festival? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: we've got some great emerging designers and labels here and seeing what they're doing on their social media and through their marketing is fantastic. But I think when you see the designer showcasing their collection and it's emotional for them, something that they've put their heart and soul into to see that come out on the runway. It's just a whole new boost for them. It gives them a real lift. then the feedback that they receive as well. Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: all, know, feedback is great. That gives us our drive. It keeps us going. So to be in a room like the Tasmanian Fashion Festival and to show your collection, if we are giving those designers a little bit of a boost to keep going and know that they are doing something great, then that's really important because we know that business can be a little bit lonely sometimes, especially when you're relying solely on social media. Because Eve: Hm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: social media, you put stuff out there and you might get three or four comments. But that's not because people don't like what you're doing, it's because they're just scrolling by or they're busy. But you get them in a room to watch a runway. their, how they really feel about it and their reaction is evident. And that may just be from the look on their face. It may be from feedback that they give you. I a hundred percent believe that there is nothing like human contact to make you Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: feel like you're doing something right and to give you that incentive to keep going. Or otherwise you can feel like just giving up and saying, this is really hard. that's where I feel that a place like the festival will always still have a place because you I 100 % believe people need that human contact and designers pieces deserve to be shown on real bodies in real life in real time rather than just on a screen on social media. Eve: Yeah, absolutely. there was such an energy, from being in the room and the depth of the brand, like seeing that come to life on all of the runways. So whether that be by the makeup choice or the music choice, that was a massive one. to you know, that was so emotive, like the songs that they chose, whether it be playful or dramatic or fun or, tribal even. it was really wonderful to see that personality I guess come through and they weren't just, items on a screen. you could feel the what the designer was trying to communicate. And I loved having Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yeah. Eve: those conversations with a few of the designers in the lead up to the Fashion Festival, bringing out more of their stories, and what went into the inspiration and their backgrounds that, have led them to create the designs that they created to put on the runway. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: And that brings me back to what I touched on before about the whole process, whether it's styling or whether it's designing, the clothing, the garment is actually the last step in the game because it's what comes before that. So when you're styling, it's about... finding, being in touch with your emotions. What do I want out of my style? When it comes to designing, there's such a story behind why that piece was created, why that collection was created. That all happened long before the actual garment was created. again, in a short, I don't even know now what we're meant to be doing on social media. I think it's like a three seconds that you capture someone's attention. How do you tell that story or capture that emotion in a three second clip on social media? It's absolutely impossible. that's where for me with a long form interview such as this, to be able to really, capture the emotion and how I feel about style and helping people can only be done in something where you're actually communicating with an individual and where it's a little bit you've got more time and I feel that's where designs and where designers benefit from something like the Tasmanian Fashion Festival as well because they're not telling their real story and capturing that emotion behind that collection in a three-second clip on social media. They need something where they can tell their story and And that story comes from, it might be narration of the runway, it might be the music, it Eve: Yeah. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: might be the makeup, as you said, it might be the choreography. All of that tells that story that came long before the garment did. Eve: Mm, yeah, absolutely. It was like it was bringing the clothes to life. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: in my view, runways and face-to-face events will always have their place. Eve: Mm, yeah, I agree. Tanya, fashion affects nearly all of us, yet women are still underrepresented in many of the industry's senior decision making roles. So why is it important, do you think, that women have a greater influence over the future Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Sorry, this is the one, sorry. Eve: of fashion? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: I think it's important that women have a greater or an equal representation across all industries, to be quite honest, but definitely Eve: Mm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: in fashion because... At the end of the day, we make up a big part of the world. Years ago, I know that it was male dominated industries, males made the decision, but that is no longer the case. Women are the ones who are out there making decisions still. running, you know, we are hopefully in shared roles. with family members and making decisions about life. So why shouldn't we be having the same input that men are having? Now I definitely don't think that it should be just women and men need pushing out. I think we need to work together as male and female and... non-binary, I think everyone's opinion has a place. So that's Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: where I feel it's really important that everyone's voice is heard and that needs to be at all levels. So senior levels, every single level is important. I think that equal rights and equal views and equal opinions across the board should be a standard thing. I don't even think it should be questioned anymore. So I hope that moving forward we can get to that. point where it isn't even an issue anymore it's just a standard thing that we expect equal number of people in the industry making the decisions. Eve: Yeah, absolutely. I think it's just been spoken about for far too long and it actually just requires that action and the decision making to make us all equal. there should never be a question and hurry up about it. So we can just Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yeah. Eve: move forward and we don't need to keep having the same conversations about what should happen. It should it is just a fact. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: And getting to the point where, as you said, like it's just, it's not even a question anymore. it doesn't even get thought about. It's just standard Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: procedure for it to be equal men and women. And I, a hundred percent, I'll be honest, I believe that the right person for the job should get the role. I don't think Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: that a person should get a role based on their gender, whether they are male or female Eve: Absolutely. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: or other. They should get it based on their ability. But. Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: The question of how do you identify should not even come into it. It should purely be assessed on your ability and what you have to offer to that role. Eve: yeah, absolutely. Ability, skill and attitude. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yes, yep. And if we Eve: Yeah. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: get to a point where every single person in the world is assessing somebody for a role in that view, then that would be a great place to be. Eve: Yeah, I agree. so who do you think we need to hear more from within the industry to make that happen, in your opinion? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: I think we need to hear more from everyone from all walks of life if I'm being honest because I think people of all walks of life bring different points of view and different aspects. So I think they all, their opinion should be valued because we can't just have people from the same demographic, the same location, the same lifestyle, the same scenario making all those decisions because they're only thinking about. how they live. They're not thinking about how Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: other people live or how someone else lives. I believe any board or any business should be made up from people from all different walks of life, all different scenarios, because that's how you get a real opinion. And again, Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: we see it lot where a lot of politicians only are making decisions based on city because they've only ever lived in the city they've never lived in regional rural Australia to see what goes on out there how can they have a view on a place or make decisions for people who live here when they've only ever lived here so you need to have people from all different areas all different walks of life all different demographics to come together and make those decisions because they will all bring their own views and their own opinions. And then that's how we come to a decision that will help everyone. Eve: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I guess everyone has their own point of reference that they're making decisions from. So if you have a variety of points of reference, then it's going to be more balanced in decision making. But I think we often underestimate the power of our own individual action against change that we want to see. if we all become more conscious and aware of, the power that we have. to make decisions that are aligned with our values that they then, all add up and would make collective change possible. It shouldn't just be from, a leader at the top. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: No, so many people in my life that have got... some really great viewpoints and they have real knowledge around certain things. But again, it comes down to confidence. They don't have that confidence to speak up or put themselves forward. Whereas I know that if they did, people would actually be really interested in what they had to say. Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: again, I think it's important that you allow yourself to have that confidence to let the world or to put your opinion across because not everyone's going to agree with that opinion. mean that's actually a good thing because then we can have different viewpoints. if you can see yourself in a way that your opinion does matter and your opinion should be heard, whether people think it's Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: right or wrong, it still adds value to a conversation. Eve: Yeah, absolutely. what does taking your power back mean to you, Tanya, in the context of confidence and self expression? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: It's about being true to yourself or knowing, who you are and how Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: you want to be in the world because it's not about, how everyone else sees me. It's about whether I am presenting myself in a way that I am happy with. It's about removing all the questions and the fog. And I can honestly describe it as fog going back many years ago. Like you question everything you do and every step because you're so worried about what someone else is going to say or you're so worried about whether you're going to fit in. When you find that power, and strength and that's what it is maybe more than confidence it's power and strength to just be who you are then Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: that is taking your power back and I think it's about I don't want this to come across in a way that I'm saying years ago we would have heard the attitude, I just don't care what people think. There's a very different tone to that because I do care what people think in the sense that I want to be portrayed in the way that I think I am probably a good person or a kind person and not everyone's going to agree with everything I do or say. That's okay, that's just part of the world. But it's about worrying all the time about what people think about what you're wearing or how you're styled or you've got to make those decisions for yourself but that doesn't mean that you don't care about others around you. I still care deeply about other people and their lives and how I am treating them but I don't care whether they look at me and think They don't have to always agree with me or always love what I'm wearing or always love how I style or it's not all about everyone else having to love me. It's Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: about me being a good person and me loving me. Eve: So if younger Tanya was sitting next to you, what advice would you give her? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Stop pretending that you're confident and, cause I was always quite a loud child, but it was a way of like hiding how I was a bit insecure. I would probably just say, trust your abilities. Listen to your parents more in the sense that, when they tell you you're a good person and you should love yourself, actually just listen to them. That is a hard question. Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: And do know I've never been asked that before ever? Yeah. Yeah. Eve: There he go. I love being the first one to ask you that. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: I think as a mother you say, gosh I would love to be able to instill the wisdom and knowledge and who I am now into my children. But you can't do that. You've just got to let, you've got to guide them and let them make their own choices and see the world the way they see it because it's also important to remember that they are not me. So I can't, they will not see everything Eve: Mm-hmm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: the way I see it. Eve: it's hard as a mother to do that. but you're absolutely right. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yeah. Eve: what would you like listeners to give themselves permission to do after our conversation? Tanya Suzanne Ellis: I would like them to give themselves permission to actually sit down. and really connect with their emotions and how they're feeling about their style. Like really take the time and think about it and even just jot a few things down like when was the last time I wore something that I felt amazing in and felt really happy in? When was the last time I could find an outfit that felt like me and I did it in no time at all? So take the time to connect with your emotions and why you are feeling the way you're feeling. And then if you connect with those and you feel like... I'm not sitting in a good place, I probably need some advice or some help, then give yourself the permission to take those steps to do that. And as I said, that may be working with a stylist or it may be a lot deeper and you do need to then seek medical advice and medical help because a lot of people may really be struggling with some mental health concerns and that's where they need to get the right advice for that. I'm a big advocate for mental health and making sure you are getting the right advice and the right help that you need. Eve: It's an investment in yourself to do that. And it always Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yes. Eve: pays off. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Yeah and when you are struggling with something and mental health can come and go It's just like we might get the flu and we might be struggling with the flu at that time. There's times in our life when we're really struggling with certain things. That doesn't have to be a lifelong diagnosis. You can come in and out of that and help yourself and find the right help that you need. And I'm a big advocate for Eve: Mm. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: people doing that for themselves. And still there's a long way to go, especially for men, men's mental health, to remove the stigma of it. We're doing so much Eve: Yeah. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: great work in that space, but there is still a massive, massive gap and we need to really remove that because there are a lot of people out there hiding or masking how they're really feeling and what they're struggling with. Eve: Hm. Yeah, there is. And one of our other podcast guests, Diane Summers, phrased it beautifully. When she was reflecting on what she would tell a younger Diane, it was always get the help. Just get the help. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: Hmm. Eve: in her twenties, in her thirties, in her forties, just get the help that you need. we only live once as far as we're aware. You've got to make it count and yeah, take the time to know yourself and reach out and invest in yourself to get the help. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: I couldn't agree with that more. And that's probably the answer I should have used because I actually agree Eve: Yeah. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: with that. that's probably what I would say to my younger self is get the help that you need when you need it and stop running away from things that you know are there, but you don't want to admit that they're there. Eve: Mm. Mm. Yeah, well thank you so much, Tanya. I've loved our conversation today. thank you for sharing your wisdom and your knowledge and your story. Tanya Suzanne Ellis: No, and thank you very much for inviting me on and I must say thank you very much to you Eve for joining the board of the Tasmanian Fashion Festival this year. The knowledge and the drive that you have brought to our board is amazing. even the interviews that you've conducted with our designers, it's brought an extra layer to the festival which is what we need. So yeah, it's been a real pleasure to get to know you over the last 12 months and work with you and Yeah, I look forward to working together as we move forward into 2027. Eve: Thank you for listening and a big thank you to our guest today for sharing her story and perspective with us. If something about today's conversation stayed with you, I'd love you to keep exploring it with us. We have the Project Emerald Collective community on skool where we continue these conversations, have monthly check-ins, Follow the moon and its cycles and explore different questions each month, raising our awareness and encouraging us to keep checking in with ourselves and developing our intuition. And it's a place where we can learn from one another. You'll find that link in the show notes. until next time, take your power back, one conscious choice at a time. If you think today's conversation would resonate with someone, please Take a moment to share it with them. Every like, subscribe or comment helps us grow the movement of women taking their power back. Thank you.