Emelia Morris On Style Ruts, Starting Over, And Slowing Down In Byron Bay
We chat with Style Educator, Personal Stylist and Fashion Writer, Emelia Morris. Sitting at her desk in a government job one day in her 30s, Emelia had an ‘aha’ moment. “I can’t do this anymore.” So she left – and enrolled to become a personal stylist. Today, Emelia works with women across styling, education and writing, driven by a genuine passion for helping them reconnect with how they dress. There’s a particular shift she looks for: the moment a woman starts to see herself again and actually enjoys getting dressed. It’s that warmth and enthusiasm that makes this conversation such a treat – read on to find out why.
Welcome to Byron, Emelia! It’s fantastic to have you and your little family here with us. We’ll dive straight in.
Before landing in the world of fashion, we understand you were working in government, surrounded by a lot of policies and procedures. What first drew you into becoming a stylist and educator, and how did that path unfold for you?
I’ve always had this underlying pull to help women feel more confident in what they wear. But growing up, I didn’t really see myself reflected in fashion, being a woman of colour and having a curvier body, for a long time I just hid in oversized, baggy clothes and kind of assumed fashion wasn’t for me.
Then later on, something shifted. I realised I actually loved getting dressed and how confident it made me feel, it felt really intuitive. I became that person friends would ask, “Where did you get that from? or “How did you put that together?” without me even trying. Fast forward to my 30s, I was sitting at my government job one day and just thought, I can’t do this anymore. It wasn’t lighting me up, but that desire to help women through the power of dressing was still there. The next thing I knew, I enrolled to become a personal stylist and that was about seven years ago now.
I genuinely couldn’t imagine doing anything else. What I didn’t expect was the content side of things, becoming a content creator and style educator kind of happened naturally, but I love it. It’s given me a way to connect with so many more women and have those conversations around style and confidence on a bigger scale.
What is it about styling that brings you joy, that lights you up?
I think it’s helping women who feel disconnected from style, the ones who’ve kind of written themselves off and think fashion and style isn’t for them. I’ve been there, so I get it. Seeing that moment where it clicks for them, where they start to understand the power of dressing for themselves.
It’s never about dressing for a body shape in a rigid way, but more about educating them on different silhouettes, why some things might work better than others, and giving them the tools to make those decisions for themselves and what makes them feel confident. And then watching that shift, where they start to see themselves again, feel more like themselves, and actually enjoy getting dressed, because it’s never just about the clothes, it’s how they make you feel. That’s what brings me the most joy.
For someone who feels stuck in a style rut, what’s one small change they could make that could make a difference?
I think a big reason people get stuck in a style rut is because they keep going back to what feels familiar, even if it’s not really working for them anymore.
There are a few different ways to start shifting that, but one of the easiest places to begin is with silhouette. For example, if you’ve worn skinny jeans forever and they’re starting to feel a bit off, for example maybe trying a straight leg or a wide leg can completely change the feel of your outfits. It’s those small changes that start to open things up, without needing to overhaul your whole wardrobe.
But there are definitely layers to it, and that’s often where people feel stuck. Knowing what to change, how to style it, and how to make it still feel like you can take a bit of guidance and that’s where working with a personal stylist can really help bridge the gap into that next evolution of your style.
Can we have a peek into some favourite pieces in your Byron Bay holiday wardrobe?
It’s been so nice leaning into those easy, one and done dresses. Coming from Victoria, you don’t always get the chance to wear dresses on repeat with how unpredictable the weather is. I’ve loved being able to just throw something on and go, no overthinking. I’ve been living in pieces from SIR, Mister Zimi, Alakai, Kinga Csilla and Rooh Collective which have been perfect for that.
Where have you loved spending time this trip – whether it be for eats, drinks, a shop, or time out in nature with the family?
I’ve actually loved spending time at The Lord Byron, we upgraded to a one bedroom apartment, and having that beautiful space to properly switch off has been so nice. The pool area has been amazing as well. My toddler has absolutely loved it, which just makes the whole experience that much more enjoyable.
And it would be remiss of me as a personal stylist not to take advantage of the shopping in Byron. I popped into Spell and Mister Zimi, both iconic Byron labels, as well as St. Agni, Deiji Studios and Nagnata. Nagnata and Deiji Studios are diagonally across from the resort, so it was really easy to pop in, and Spell is just around the corner. I didn’t get a chance to make it into Rowie this time, but that’s definitely on the list for next visit.
One night we had dinner at The Treehouse which I loved, the artist playing that night was incredible, and it’s such a great, relaxed, child friendly spot. We also did breakfast at The Farm Byron Bay, which is just iconic when you’re in the area.
Next time, I think we’ll mix it up a bit, maybe make it a bit more of an adults focused Byron trip and finally get to lunch at Raes and go for some cocktails at Marvell.
This winter, we’re celebrating our golden moments: savouring simple pleasures, being in the moment, and indulging in a season that’s splashed with a sunkissed joy. We’d love to know, what were some of the golden moments which made up your Byron trip?
The golden moments have definitely been the time spent together as a family, just slowing everything down a little. My husband and I both live quite busy lives, and with a very active toddler, it’s not something we always get to do. It’s been really special to make those memories together, especially in a place that was such a big part of my own childhood. I grew up on the far north coast in Casino, a small country town about 45 minutes from Byron, being able to bring our son back here and share that with him has been really special.
That wraps up our chat with Emelia! To discover more of Emelia’s advice for personal styling, you can find her @emeliamorrisstylist on Instagram, or connect with her online for a personal styling service.