I didn't see myself in fashion- so I dressed anyway.

pictured above: Zoe 

 Fashion is supposed to be about expression. About visibility. About being seen.

But what happens when you don’t see yourself in it at all?

Mainstream fashion has always presented a narrow lens of beauty, identity and belonging. Runways, campaigns, magazines often celebrate the same faces, the same bodies, the same stories. For many the absence of representation isn’t subtle its loud.

But for Zoe, a plus size positive ambassador who has Lipoedema, she promotes to empower and inspire others; fashion was once something that quietly told her she didn’t belong.

“I remember being a teenager,” she says “and realising there was nowhere for me to shop apart from New Look or Evan’s. In New Look, you were shunned into the corner of shame trying to find your size. And in Evan’s I’d Walk out looking like a middle-aged businesswoman.”

Before she had the language for it, she understood something was missing. Not just sizing but imagination. Fashion didn’t feel made with her in mind.

Zoe lives with Lipoedema, a chronic condition that causes disproportionate fat distribution, most commonly in the legs. But in Fashion spaces, nuance rarely exists.

“People look at my body and either wonder what’s wrong with me or make assumptions about my lifestyle,” she explains. “The fashion industry seems to have an ‘ideal’ plus size body- big breasts, flat stomach, big bum. They also tend to not go above a size 24- and even then, it's like they should be rewarded.”

Many brands simply don’t cater to size 26 and above. And with Lipoedema clothing doesn’t always fit in conventional ways.

The result? A system that not only excludes but misunderstands.

For a long time, Zoe used clothing as protection, “I used to use my clothes to hide away and keep myself safe,” she says. “But I no longer hide away.”

Her split-dyed hair and piercings are constants- signatures of identity. But her clothing shifts with her mood. There isn’t a rigid aesthetic, there’s a feeling.

“My style depends on how I’m feeling that day.” And that fluidity is intentional, it reflects Zoe’s growth.

“The more I understand about Lipoedema and that it isn’t my fault, the less shame I have surrounding myself.” As her self-acceptance deepened, so has her style, hemlines rose, silhouettes became bolder, and fabrics clung rather than concealed.

“I wear clothes that show off my shape more. I allow myself to be seen. I don’t let the weight of other people's opinions weigh me down. I’m here to enjoy myself- and that includes fashion.”

Growing up in the 90s meant absorbing a constant stream of messaging about dieting, “flattering” shapes and what bodies should and shouldn’t wear.

“As I’ve understood Lipoedema more, I don’t conform those ‘fashion’ rules,” Zoe says. “I wear stripes, I wear bold colours, I wear patterns and crop tops and anything I want to.”

This isn’t accidental rebellion. It’s reclamation.

For Zoe, embracing fashion isn’t just about trends-it's about power. Choosing visible prints. Choosing statement trousers. Choosing not to shrink. And interestingly, she notes that some of the deepest judgement comes from within the Lipoedema community itself.

“People living with it carry so much shame. They feel like they’re not allowed to wear certain clothes. Like because they are in a larger body, they should hide away.”

She refuses that narrative.

For Zoe, dressing “anyway” no longer means defiance alone. It means freedom.

“It means I don’t necessarily have a style- more a vibe, I can wear whatever I like, and my personality will always come through, the clothes enhance my vibe.”

The shift from hiding to shining is profound.

“I hope for people to feel empowered. I hope they understand they are worthy. They deserve to be seen. They deserve to enjoy all life has to offer. No hiding away.”

Zoe opened up about moments stolen by body shame- avoiding beaches, skipping bikinis, holding back from experiences with children because of fear of judgement.

“I don’t want people to miss out on life because of this”

When asked what advice she would give someone who doesn’t seem themselves in fashion, her answer is immediate:

“Fill your feed with people who have a similar body type to yours, stop following anyone who doesn’t bring you joy. And if you can't see anyone representing your style or your body- be the representation yourself.”

In a world where fashion often waits to grant visibility, Zoe chose not to wait.

She dressed anyway, and in doing so she created a space- not just for herself, but for others learning that style doesn’t require permission.

It requires presence.