Skirts to Sofas: How Fashion and Interiors Have Always Been Connected

Introduction

I was always the girl who loved baggy homes but lived in “daggy” clothes. Even though I've always felt put together, I think I’ve always just looked a little bit baggy as well, unsure how to dress in a way that actually felt aligned. It’s only now, stepping into a more visible role as the face of my business, that I’ve had to seriously rethink the role personal style plays, not just in my wardrobe, but in my home, my mood, and how I show up in the world.

The truth is, the same visual language shows up in both. If you love timeless interiors, chances are you're into classical dressing. If your wardrobe leans rooted and textural, your home probably does too. Here’s how fashion and interior design have always been linked and how I’m rediscovering my own style by looking at both.

A Shared History

Fashion has always responded to social and political shifts. Post-WWII, there was a surge of minimalism and utility in both fashion and interiors, clean lines, structure, function. In the 1970s, earthy tones, natural fibres, and bohemian rebellion in fashion eventually echoed in interior design. Then came the 1980s, where maximalism and boldness reigned.

We’re now seeing a return to the warmth and tactility of those earlier eras, especially post-COVID. Comfort, nostalgia, and intentional design are taking centre stage again. This pattern of fashion leading and interiors following has deep roots. Even as far back as the 1700s, during the reign of Louis XV, the ornate Rococo interiors reflected the decadence of aristocratic fashion, rich, excessive, and full of personality. Interior design has always been a reflection of what is happening in the world at the time.

Enclothed Cognition & Personal Rebuild

Since starting my business and leaving the daily corporate-vibe uniforms behind, I've had to rediscover how I dress and what that says about me. I've also had to understand what actually feels good to wear.

That’s where I came across the concept of enclothed cognition, the idea that what we wear affects how we think, behave and carry ourselves. Not just in confidence, but in focus, posture, and productivity.

It clicked. I was working from home every day, why did I still feel flat? So, I started experimenting. I finally got some classic pieces tailored (an absolute game-changer). I began to favour warm tones and soft natural fibres. That became a non-negotiable. And sure enough, when I felt in alignment with what I was wearing, my mood shifted too. And that began to reflect in my home. I didn’t want to be surrounded by loud, clashing things anymore. I wanted calm, clarity and warmth.

In my recent collaboration with Summer St Wine Room in Orange, Boards and Bubbles, this concept came to life. That your interiors, from the very start, should be about how you want to feel. Our homes hold our rest, our routines, our growth. They should support the way we live. And that begins with how they make us feel.

Rediscovery through Design

In my early 20’s, I was a student, and I used to buy sale items just to get by. They didn’t suit my shape, my colouring, or my lifestyle at the time. They washed me out. Or made me feel smaller than I was.

Honestly, the same could be said for the cheap Marketplace decor I used to cling to. It was all just fluff. Filler. Not intentional.

The turning point for me came when I learned I’m a True Autumn. Suddenly, my fashion made sense. Why I favoured gold jewellery. Why I never felt great in cool pastels. Why brass, walnut, bone all felt like home.

Because this is the type of style I love to embody in both my fashion and my interiors.

Now I’m consciously building both a timeless wardrobe and a timeless design philosophy. One that favours restraint, cohesion, and a sense of visual intention. Not because it’s trendy, but because it reflects me. The way I think. The way I feel. And I’ve taken that philosophy into my work.

I love that interiors feel warm, calm, classic, and lived-in. And I finally feel like my personal style is catching up to that.

Full Circle

I’m still learning the art of styling (and probably always will be). But I finally understand how deeply linked both fashion and interiors really are. And that realisation has been a really special one.

Whether I’m styling a hallway or styling an outfit, the goal is the same: to feel like I’m meeting myself.

That’s what good design is meant to do, on your body and in your home.

If you're feeling disconnected from your wardrobe or your space right now, maybe you're just waiting for the two to finally catch up with each other.