Goulburn personal stylist Andri Parlett shares why community is essential for confidence

"Women can tear each other down, I'm the opposite of that," Ms Parlett said.

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After spending 20 years working between marketing, sales and fashion, Ms Parlett is now focusing on breaking down the stigmas surrounding personal styling.

Ms Parlett started a Master's course with The Australian Style Institute in 2020 and fell in love with the way personal styling allowed her to connect to women on a personal level.

She said many people believed personal styling was just for the "rich and famous", but that was far from the truth. No matter who you are, Ms Parlett believed it played an important role in building confidence.

"I was always passionate about fashion but I never found my niche," she said.

"I ran a boutique store in Cape Town called La Dolce Vita but I never felt fulfilled."

Born in South Africa, Ms Parlett said she struggled when she first moved to Goulburn 10 years ago.

"When I first moved here, I felt lost, I had given up my whole life, even the weather was so different," she said.

"My whole life changed and then my body changed too."

It was at her lowest point that Ms Parlett began to seek out the support of other women and eventually found her "why".

Befriending women who worked in real estate, beauty, finance, events and photography, Ms Parlett began to build her "community".

"If you surround yourself with women who support you and aren't competitive you will flourish," she said.

Goulburn slowly transformed from a cold and windy town to a community of friendly faces fuelled by a buzz of creative energy.

Harnessing that creativity, Ms Parlett took an alternative approach to the final assignment of her Master's.

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Asked to complete an editorial photoshoot, none of the briefs struck a chord with Ms Parlett.

She said the briefs given involved styling models with high-end clothing brands and didn't reflect the women she was working with in her daily life who had helped her gain her confidence back.

"I rejected all the briefs given to us because I couldn't see how they would benefit my community," she said.

"I've met so many beautiful women along my journey and it's those local businesswomen that I wanted to shine a light on."

Ms Parlett pitched a "real" editorial photoshoot featuring local women she had met in Goulburn styled in clothing from their own wardrobes.

The project involved 12 women including local make-up artists and photographers, and centred around confidence, community and friendship.

"If you're confident in yourself and who you are, your whole life will change," Ms Parlett said.

"You'll make better friends and you'll make better decisions."

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Ms Parlett said personal styling helped women display that confidence on the outside.

"You should feel amazing every single day, it doesn't matter what your budget is, what you do for a living or where you're from," she said.

"Buying less but buying quality" is Ms Parlett's motto when it comes to styling and she said it didn't have to cost a fortune to look good.

"It's important to shop your own wardrobe and not continue to buy and buy," she said.

"If I can be the person that makes a woman feel good about herself and make her smile, that's why I do this."

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