The Groes Girls // Series 014 Izzy Utterson

I’m in a chapter of quite profound change. Losing my mum, alongside some other elements, has made me rethink so much about what matters to me and where I want to put my energy. There are really exciting things happening in my life, including getting married and building a business I love, and I’m learning how to hold all of those feelings at once. I think your late twenties and turning thirty is an incredible time for really getting to know yourself, building friendships and creating your life.

I think I’m becoming someone who trusts herself more, feels less pressure to explain every decision and really values the everyday moments to be grateful for. I still have huge ambitions, but I’m much more conscious of how I want my life to feel while I’m working towards them, rather than putting my energy or worth into only the outcome.

The Kate Blazer in black, the Indy Jacket, the Bryony Leather Skirt and the Andrea Leather Jacket are exactly the sort of pieces I love! What I adore about GROES is how beautifully designed everything is, while still being so wearable. The pieces fit so naturally into my wardrobe and feel like me, whether I’m dressing them up or down.

I love the blazer with a simple white T-shirt, jeans and a court heel or ballet flat. It makes even a very straightforward outfit feel intentional.

With the skirt, I love the contrast of leather with a cotton T-shirt and a flat or low heel. What I love about all of the pieces is that, whether I wear them together or pair them with something else from my wardrobe, I always feel super polished and elevated without feeling too done. That balance is something GROES does so well, and it’s why I reach for the brand so much!!

I find the relationship between what we wear and how we feel really interesting. Clothes carry associations, so you might have an outfit you connect with feeling capable, creative or completely yourself. Putting it on can become a little cue for how you want to approach the day! There’s a psychological concept called “enclothed cognition”, which suggests that the meaning we attach to clothes, alongside the experience of wearing them, can influence how we think and feel. 

For me, getting dressed is a way of asking, “How do I want to show up today?” Sometimes an outfit helps me access a confidence I haven’t quite caught up with yet perhaps. Feeling elevated and comfortable means I can stop thinking about what I’m wearing and be more present. I think that’s a huge part of confidence. When I feel confident or powerful in an outfit, I notice it in how I carry myself, I adjust my posture and hold my head higher and just feel better overall. Plus, who doesn't love wearing an outfit that makes them feel amazing! 

Probably how much I’ve had to work on my own confidence. People see the finished video or me speaking on a stage and assume I’ve always been super confident, but they don’t necessarily see everything that went into feeling comfortable enough to put myself out there. I used to be VERY shy, so much of what I share comes from things I’ve needed to learn myself, advice I needed along the way (and still need!). 

I’m still figuring things out, and I think you can be someone who encourages other people while also needing the occasional reminder yourself.

It has to fit well, feel lovely on and work with the pieces I already own. I love pieces that make getting dressed easier, that I can style several ways and that still feel like me when my mood changes! I love a jacket that works with a pair of knit pants and a T-shirt or with jeans and heels. Or a shirt I can throw on over a bikini and also wear with suit pants and court heels, which is why I love the Florence Shirt so much! That versatility is one of the things I love most about Groes, all of the pieces are ones I can see myself wearing in so many different settings, time and time again, they also always get a lot of compliments which is a bonus for the confidence levels! 

I also pay attention to how I feel once I’ve put something on. Am I comfortable? Am I constantly adjusting it? The pieces I reach for most are the ones I feel immediately at ease in. A beautiful cut and a fabric that wears well will always draw me back. 

1.⁠ ⁠Get clear on what you actually want.
Before changing anything, ask yourself how you want your everyday life to feel. What would make you feel healthier, more fulfilled or more confident? It’s very easy to pursue someone else’s version of a glow-up without ever defining your own.

2.⁠ ⁠Make the first step small enough to repeat.
My fiancé is a personal trainer, and something we talk about a lot is how tempting it is to go from zero to one hundred. I always say if you were handed everything you wanted right now, you wouldn’t necessarily know how to handle it, because the journey is where we learn how to sustain things! Pick one manageable promise to yourself: a daily walk, a more consistent bedtime, making time for a proper meal, or wearing a piece of clothing that feels like something the future version of you would wear! Give yourself the chance to build trust in your own consistency.

3.⁠ ⁠Pay attention to what you surround yourself with.
The accounts you follow, the conversations you have and the people you spend time with all contribute to what starts to feel normal and possible. Make more room for people and things that encourage you, interest you and help you feel like yourself. For me, that’s been one of the biggest parts of changing my life.