How Personal Style Builds Confidence and Success with Jackie Wheeler

In this inspiring episode, host Dionne Malush sits down with Jackie Wheeler to explore the powerful connection between personal style, confidence, mindset, and success. Jackie shares why style is not about chasing trends, but about showing up authentically, understanding your best colors, dressing for your body type, and using clothing as a tool to communicate who you are before you even speak.

Together, Dionne Malush and Jackie Wheeler dive into the emotional side of style, from feeling underdressed in professional rooms to learning how the right outfit can shift your confidence, presence, and opportunities. This conversation is a reminder that what you wear is not about perfection or judgment. It is about alignment, self-worth, and stepping into the next version of yourself with confidence.

Connect with Jackie here:

Website: www.thejackiestyle.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thejackiestyle

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thejackiestyle

Transcript

Why Presence Gets You Noticed

SPEAKER_01 0:02

What if the way you show up is the reason you're being overlooked? Not your skills, not your experience, but your presence. Today we're diving into something most people underestimate, and it's costing them opportunities, confidence, and even income. I'm sitting down with the founder of The Jackie Style, a brand built around helping people elevate how they present themselves and step into who they're meant to be. This isn't all about clothes. It's about identity, confidence, and how you show up in every room you walk into. So let's get into it. Hi, Jackie. I am so excited to have you on today. How are you doing? I am excellent. Thank you for having me. Oh, you're very welcome. So I'd like to start with this. What is one thing people don't know about you that's not on your resume?

SPEAKER_00 0:46

Um, those that are very close to me know that, but most people don't know, is that my husband and I took fencing during that first year that we met. And it was just at the local college. It was the junior college. But my boys are always surprised because they found my trophy because I won one of the tournaments between the the at it too, and I was not a young peep then.

SPEAKER_01 1:12

Oh, I love that. That is so fun. I never did that before, so I have no idea. It sounds interesting, but I think very powerful. I think I probably should try it. So that's very awesome. Thank you for sharing that. So I didn't ask you about style. We're gonna start there because that's who you are, right? With the cool glasses and the purple going on. I mean, I always have cool glasses too, so I love that idea that you have those. Are those the ones that come off? Yep. You're the one talking about that. And last thing I thought, yeah, that's super cool. So, what's one thing people assume about style that's completely wrong?

SPEAKER_00 1:45

Oh, they think style is all about trends uh or what's happening in the in the fashion industry like right now. And really, style is is all about who you are and how you show up.

SPEAKER_01 2:00

Sounds sounds amazing. So when did you realize that style wasn't just about clothes, but it was about confidence?

Feeling Underdressed And Stuck

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Oh, I started my style journey when my poor mother, I was like two, and I could tell her what I wanted to wear. And from then on, it was all about like what I felt good in, right? I started styling my girlfriends in junior high and high school, and that talk about like uh places that you need to feel confident. And I always felt like I knew if I looked good, I felt good, like and then how I wanted to look, not necessarily what I thought other people wanted to see on me, but how I felt in the clothes that I was wearing. And then it just kind of built on there. Not to say that I always felt great every single time I put on a great piece of clothing or a great outfit, but it is a great place to start. And that's a like knowing it's kind of like I don't know if you've ever felt this, but you get done at the hair salon and you know your hair looks great that day, and you're just like walking around looking great. It's that's what an outfit can do for you. And it's all about how you feel in it versus what other people are telling you what you should be wearing.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

So for me, I'm not the most stylish person, and I always wish that I was more uh better at it because it's not my favorite thing. And I don't know, I know that I don't fit my clothes to my shape, and I don't really have a shape, it's like straight up and down. Like I don't know, I have that kind of no acetole syndrome. There's just nothing there. And so so it's hard to, it's really hard for me, but I do remember something that really affected me. So I and I grew up and we grew up in a trailer park, and it wasn't the you know, we didn't know that we did that we weren't rich, right? We didn't know that that was a bad thing until people started calling me trailer park trash and those kind of names. Yeah. So I remember one day feeling that feeling. So I walked into our it was a real estate function, and I walked into it and I looked around and everyone was dressed so nice, and I was like, wow, I'm I'm really underdressed for this. And it's and I didn't understand leaving that that was a problem. And so I don't know if you remember Kmart, but I felt like like I was like the Kmart special in the place, and it it really bothered me for a long time. I I just don't understand style, like I don't understand it, and it's so nice that I know somebody now that does because I think there's many women that really don't, they don't style to their body type. And we have our our COO here at our company. Boy, she can dress, and our even our brokers, they dress so well for who they are. And sometimes like I dress too big, like I have bigger shirts, and you know, I'm not I'm like 135 pounds, but I don't have an extra large shirt on, you know? It's just unbelievable. I have no idea. So, anyways, I wanted to share that story because I think many people out there probably feel the same way that you do when you walk into a room when everyone is styled and you're not, it's very uncomfortable. So it kind of took me back to that trailer park, you know. Yeah, you never get me out of there.

SPEAKER_00 4:53

Oh, well, I um I'll tell you that it doesn't matter if you purchase for the budget that you have, but there's really great pieces that you can find everywhere from Walmart, Target. And then if of course, if you can afford North Sherman, you can find some great pieces there. It's all about the confidence that you feel inside your clothes. It's really interesting to be that person that's in the closet and having those conversations. And I remember this week I literally sat across from this beautiful woman who is a fitness person and all of that. She just had her youngest is two. She's working off of those things. She's helping other women look great in their bodies through fitness and nutrition. And she literally told me that she didn't feel good in her clothing. And I was like, you of all people should be feeling great because you have the fit body and all those things. Right now it's mindset, and it's really where that place of with moms and different things like that. There's also a do I deserve to buy that new thing to help it to fit me well, and to remember that our bodies change all the time. So there's so much impact into that. I just feel like my heart is always like, let's figure out where you're at, where you feel your best, what looks best on you, best colors, best for your body type, your fashion personality, all those things. And once you figure that piece out, we can unwrap the rest that's in your closet.

SPEAKER_01 6:13

Yeah, that does make sense. And I'm also that person if I get something that actually fits, I'll buy six of them because I know you know what I mean. Sick every different color because I know it fits and it fits well. And I think I can, I'm comfortable in this. So for me, comfort has always been more important than how it looks. And but as a professional, right? I'm a I'm a professional. I own a company with 200 people in it, and I just don't have style, but I do a lot of other things good.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

The beautiful thing is when you feel like that's not your if that's not your place of expertise and or place of that you want to even like go into, that's where the people like me, image consultants, come in, and we can take care of it for you. Like, hey, you have enough decisions that you're making in your company and your life and all those things. Allow an image consultant to come in, allow me to come in to help you figure that out so that makes it easier, helps that decision fatigue, all of that helps it so much so that you don't have to worry about it and you're like, great, I love my six things that I find it, bought it, got it. And then now you know how to put it all together. And we just keep it simple for you.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

I do think that it a lot of style plays into deservability sometimes, and you know, you your mindset is affected by it, right? How you feel, and in those moments when you feel like that, it it's not a good feeling. And there's plenty of times, like I even this year where I went to a Christmas party, I had on a black shirt, black pants, and I had on my shoes that have like a leopard, which I always like to have shoes. But then I saw the pictures afterwards, and I was like, black didn't even match, right? It was wrong colors, and black is black, but it's really not black and clothes, right? So I could see that, and so then then I was when I saw the picture, I was like, oh my gosh, I like what am I thinking when I walk out of the door? You know, there's something as simple as a little jacket would have changed the whole look. No one would have paid attention because I was all solid black, right? Except for the shoes. So, anyways, I I I appreciate you talking me through that a little bit. And I do know that there's there's something to be said about feeling good about yourself when you're dressed nice and your makeup's on, makeup on, and you feel good. But yeah, so I I know some people out in the audience feel like I feel, I'm sure you do, because there's probably a lot of people that just they're comfortable, they're working on being comfortable and not and you can be both, right?

How Jackie Built Her Business

SPEAKER_00 8:36

You can be comfortable. Comfortable and stylish. There's plenty, plenty, plenty of ladies out there that are comfortable and stylish.

SPEAKER_01 8:43

So talk about the beginnings of how you started this and you know how long it's been. Tell us a little bit about your story.

SPEAKER_00 8:48

Sure. Uh I I alluded to some of that. I my mother, Berth, the fashionista, and I had opinions about fashion and what I was wearing early, early. And then I started selling my um friends in junior high and high school. My mom gave me money. She says, I'm not shopping with you anymore. Here's the money. And I figured out how to budget that, how to get the most out of it, how to make sure I had most mix and match. And then when I went to college, um, my coup my degree is in clothing and textiles and business, it's also fashion merchandising or uh fashion, and uh with a minor in marketing. And I I fell in love. I couldn't figure out like this. I was working retail and I couldn't figure out the right word for this thing that I was doing. And I met, I was very ambitious, and there was um a local magazine that I had found in a business magazine, and there was this ad about this woman who did image consulting. And I was like, tell me more. I was brave and I was 19 and I called. Um, there were three of them, and I called all three, and one was kind enough to sit down with me at a coffee shop and tell me all about her business. Tell me about the use words for things that I like naturally knew, and I was like, oh, oh, this is so exciting. So I chatted with her. I learned some things from her for uh a couple of years and decided to start my own business when I was 21. I was even running and schooled, and I just like I was still going to school and just thought, okay, I'm gonna, I'm gonna figure this out. And I have not looked back. I've done stuff in between, but I have not looked back. I love, love what I do so much.

A Week Of Style Changed Work

SPEAKER_01 10:27

I started my business at 21 as well. So I've been pretty much an entrepreneur my entire adult life. I tried. I tried to work somewhere and I was like, I am nobody's telling you what to do. Forget it. I am not that girl. That's the problem with entrepreneurial spirit, right? We're like, no, do it yourself. No. So tell me about one of the biggest transformations you've seen in a client.

SPEAKER_00 10:50

Oh, I've seen so many biggest transformations. I love, oh, she was so. I have a client that I she's actually the one of my Zuri first clients. And her company had me come in to do an image presentation for all of the staff, and they just were ready to have everybody's up level. They they were looking to promote people, they were looking at what their staff was looking like and how they were and not that it was bad, but they just knew that there was another level that could be. So they brought um myself in to do an image workshop and then work with them individually. And um, Jamie was working with me and she's like, Listen, listen, listen. I show up on time, I am an excellent worker, I know what I'm doing. I do not need to worry about this, that, and the other, all this stuff that you keep telling me. And I'm like, okay. And so as we were working together, and I'm like, I totally understand what you're talking about. I get it. I I get it. It shouldn't matter, but it does. And so I want you to prove me wrong. And she's like, what? And I'm like, I want you to prove me wrong. Let's plan out the next week's outfits, what you're gonna wear, the makeup you're gonna wear with it, all the things. And you just give me a whole week, a whole week of just really showing up with all of this information that we just talked about. And then you can tell me on Friday how that worked out. And she was like, whatever, okay, fine. I'm gonna totally prove you're wrong. So I waited for her and I get a call on Thursday, not Friday, and said, Okay, first off, I can't even believe I'm saying this, but you were right. And I'm like, so Monday she goes in and she realizes all of her coworkers are like, hey, you showed up differently. And so that her, so her community, her community noticed. She had a couple other people like mentioned, they were in leadership and they had noticed and they were saying something. She noticed that she was walking differently into the workplace. And she says, But here's the thing, Jackie, that's not even the craziest part. And I'm like, Okay, tell me more. She's like, Yesterday I got called into my supervisor's office, and I was like, Oh crap, what's going on now? And I was told that they've been watching me for a while and they wanted to give me a promotion, but they weren't sure I was ready because I needed to show up, show up as that person in that position. And I'm like, okay, they gave her a promotion because she started showing up as a leader with it, but it was more than just like her clothes. It was like how she was holding herself, how she like walked into the building, how she was interacting with her co-workers, like all of that. And it all kind of stemmed from how she was showing up in her with the outfits and the looks that she was doing. So it that was so she she got a promotion and she's like, I can't even believe it. Like, I look I fully was gonna tell you you were wrong. And now here I am, I'm having to tell you you were absolutely right. And I we worked together for years and years and years um from that point on, and she's gotten multiple promotions for So what do you think actually changed for her?

SPEAKER_01 13:46

Like what what actually happened in this?

SPEAKER_00 13:49

Well, it's funny because it was not mindset because she was, like I said, she was going in, I'm gonna prove her wrong, but she was willing. I think there was the willingness to show up, and it's hard to not feel it when you look in the mirror and you know you look good and you're like, okay, I know I look good, but I know this is all about, you know, if you're thinking I can do my job really well, but then you show up and look good. The two the two together is amazing. So I think it's kind of a it's a combination. Like there's partially there's some mindset, and then it's that the confidence that's unspoken that shows up when you're when you're wearing the right pieces, the right colors, the butt for your body type, accessorizing, doing all the things.

SPEAKER_01 14:32

I do agree you walk differently too. Like when I'm dressed up, like and I feel like it's really good. Yeah, it feels better. You know, and I I feel, you know, I'm 57 and it's probably time for a new me. Everyone it probably had enough of me and my flip-flops and you know, my kind of look. But I, you know, I have these really cool boots. Like I always have cool shoes. That's one thing I'm really good at. I have really shoes, like they l'artiste, like the flowers on the boots. It's love it. I and I love that idea. But I also know that you know, just dressing in black as much as you might think it looks good, when you actually see it sometimes, it's not the right fit still. It doesn't matter if it's black or blue or orange, if it doesn't fit right, right, it doesn't matter. Black does not hide everything like you all think.

SPEAKER_00 15:19

Well, and if you're wearing extra large and you should be wearing a small, it also even if it's black, it's noticeable.

SPEAKER_01 15:26

Yeah, it'll definitely noticeable. And so why do you think so many people stay stuck in safe, like me, instead of stepping into your next level?

SPEAKER_00 15:34

Because it's easy. Because it's easy, it's so easy. Like, okay, how come I don't walk every morning? Because it's easy to stay on my bed. The reason why we don't have all kinds of millionaires is because it's easy not to, right? It's easy to not do the thing. But I want to encourage you, it's just as easy to do it when you know how. So once you get the information, once you have that support, it's just as easy to do it as as it is to not. So uh, which is the same for my bed and my walk.

Fit, Details, And The Right Colors

SPEAKER_01 16:08

So yeah, it makes sense. You know, sometimes like, I like I'm so tired of doing my hair, I'm just gonna shave my head off and just have no hair. So I stop and go through this every day. And then I'm like, but I have a square head, I don't think I will look so good. So, anyways, I I do make fun at it because it is funny. And I remember one time me and my dad were like measuring our head. I'm like, my hand's all as big as you. I have a big head, you know, for every little five foot three person. So we laugh about that. But what do you think are some of the biggest mistakes you see professionals making right now?

SPEAKER_00 16:42

Well, they're not uh there's not huge mistakes, but it's like the small ones. It's the not paying attention to fit. Like, great, you spent all this money on a on a beautiful suit or beautiful blazer or something, but it's not quite right. And or it's not the the fit is not quite quite right, but you're going for you like I spent a lot of money on it, so it must fit me great, but not having like a great fit, not paying attention to the details. Like, okay, you have a great suit on, but where where are the rests of it? Where's where's the icing on the cake? How are you putting it all together? How is it representing you? The biggest thing, I think, is that the messaging is not act always accurate. So um, a lot of people feel like I'm wearing this really great suit. And so my message is that I'm worth it and I'm professional. Well, that's is that the message that you really want to put out there? Is do you want to be approachable? Do you want to be that person that is knowledgeable? Do you want to be the go-to person? Is that outfit, is that look giving that message? And a lot of times I feel like people are just putting clothes on because they think it's the right thing to wear, but not thinking about the message that they're that they're wanting to say when they're walking into rooms, that silent message.

SPEAKER_01 17:56

That makes sense. So if somebody went into Alabango look right now, where do they start?

SPEAKER_00 18:01

Start with by knowing your best colors. How do you find that out? So um when you know your best colors through color analysis. Um, there's lots of different people doing it right now. I'm OG. I'm from the eight, I've learned in the late or early 90s. And so I'm OG with the color seasons and the color wheel and all that. And so when you find out what your best colors are, even if maybe you don't have like quite the right style for your body type or whatnot, immediately it is an instant change into your image because this box right here that we're on, zoom, whether it's podcasting on Zoom or whether it's you know, all of those things and communication focal point, like this is it, having your best colors on help helps your skin tone and um helps you look your best. Then we go into body type and then we go into what your best um what your personality is. And most people know what their personality is and what they're wearing, what they're willing to wear and what they want to wear. And then lastly is your figuring out what your brand message is, your personal brand, not just your business brand, your personal brand. How do you want to show up? But number one is that color, finding out where your best colors are.

Personal Branding That Raises Trust

SPEAKER_01 19:05

Yeah, I mean, I have to think I love navy, and I think one photographer once told me that when he photographs a woman, that's his favorite color to photograph them in, not black, because it it's navy. And it and so when I wear it, I actually I guess it kind of reminds he it's a reminder in my head that he said that, you know. So I do feel confident. I love wearing like blues. I think that's a good color for me. And I have like bluish gray eyes, and I don't know if that matters or not, but I do I do notice a difference in some colors. And the other day I had on a like a yellow shirt, and my husband's like, I really like that color on you. And I'm like, it only like yellow in my hair don't match. It doesn't look right. Like, I it's not my color, but he thought it was funny. So, anyways, we never know. I guess I should try that. That would be very, very fun to find out what's my color. So I think this is a really good question, and I hope that you love it too, because I want to know how much does personal style actually impact success, income, or opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 20:00

Girl, it hugely. I want to know if Warren Buffett or Jimmy Buffett were to go and sell you a house and he you want to buy a million, two million, three million dollar home, who are you gonna buy it from? I mean, are you gonna trust that the Warren the Warren Buffett? Probably. Are you gonna trust the Jimmy Buffett who's showing up in his foot flops and whatever?

SPEAKER_01 20:22

Yeah, well, yeah, and today there's more Jimmy Buffett's showing up, that's for sure in this business. And you know, I see a shift. I remember back in the like in the beginning of my career where Century 21 had those gold jackets, right? And that was remember those. And you got to a point and you got that gold jacket, it was a big deal. And I remember like I was so excited, but I got my gold jacket, and now I'm like, I would never put that gold jacket on, it's so ugly. But you know what, it was a thing. It was a thing, really big deal. So it they showed up more confident because of it. And I think that even though it was ugly, it was the ugly color gold, it was it was a thing. So, you know, I think that's that's interesting.

SPEAKER_00 21:01

There's different prestige behind different things, I suppose. But I do have, I also have a a really good friend who works with, we talk about it all the time, about how showing up and showing up professionally, and it doesn't, it doesn't have to be for it. Depends on what your line of work is. So if you're a creative and you're telling me you're an artist and do all these things, you're gonna show up your art show in a suit, that's not that doesn't fit, right? That doesn't fit. So I'm not saying that uh wearing a suit is how you're gonna make the money. It's showing up authentically, it's showing up with your message on on brand on target, right? You whatever that is. So if you're an artist and you're showing up in a suit, unless that's the message you want, right? That so, but if you're in finance and you're showing up in flip-flops and a t shirt and whatever, right? So that you have it has to be aligned. The messaging, your messaging needs to be aligned. And when your messaging is aligned, there's no like and trust factor in that. Which helps you with your income, which helps you which helps you with your sales, which helps you with income, right? It helps you with all of those things. It also helps with consistency in your marketing, in your social media, and your websites and all of those. Um when you have a consistent feeling, a consistent message, again, it doesn't matter if you're super creative and lots of color and like flowy fabrics or if you're consistently in that classic suit and tail tailor suit and outfit. It's is a message consistent. And that's the big thing. And with that consistent message, you have your no like interest factor. Like that just happens.

SPEAKER_01 22:36

I have to tell you another funny story about how I was a graphic designer for many years and then I got into real estate. So total opposite. Sorry, we're talking about both of them. Yeah, right. So I come into my old office and I used to wear these funny shirts because I I I worked, I had a union shop. So my business was part of the Teamsters. I owned it, my own the business, but I was a Teamster at the time, our company. So we did a lot of work for the unions. That's why we were a union shop. So I made this shirt one time that says um local marijuana union, local 420. And I would wear it everywhere. And I thought it was funny because of the local 420. It was funny, and it's a marijuana union, right? And there's just a play on things. So I go into the real estate office with that shirt on one day, and my broker's like, Yeah, I don't think that's gonna work in real estate. Your creative side is a little too creative. I looked at him like, What are you talking about? Like, are you kidding me? This is who I am, I'm creative. He goes, You can't be both. And so that moment I was like, Oh, well, I guess I can be both on my own time, but on real estate time, I could, you know, I need to dress a little more appropriately. So we're everybody out there, you know. You can't, I am both sides now. I'm creative and I'm a professional, so I kind of mix it up with a little bit maybe of designs and patterns. Yes, yeah, but I don't wear the local, a local hair with the Picturity shirt anymore. It was just so funny. It was just such an eye catcher where I walk in, people would be like, oh, that's so funny. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00 24:04

I love that you got that they were willing to give that advice for you. And I love that you figured out ways to be creative with your shoes and your glasses, right? I love that. So you can have your papa creativity in there without having to, you don't have to give that up with uh to be professional.

Rapid Fire Advice And Next Steps

SPEAKER_01 24:22

Yeah, I love that. I love that too. And you know, it definitely is uh it's it's funny to talk about now. I am shocked at myself. I'm like, what were you thinking? Like, how do you think that perfect your business? But I'm dealing with labor unions, right? And lots of men they thought it was funny, and it's funny, anyways. Okay, so I'm gonna give you three quick rapid power questions. Okay, ready? Yep. One piece every person should own.

SPEAKER_00 24:45

One piece every person should own. A blazer, I think. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:50

One thing to stop wearing immediately. Non-fitting clothes. Best investment someone can make in their own parents. Hiring an image consultant. Oh, that was correct. Good thinking on that one. That's so funny. Because that was where where I live, a lot of people wear their PJs to Walmart. And I'm like, I was hoping you're gonna say, stop wearing your PJs out in public, because that's just unbelievable. So but you said one thing. That was your second thought. So, anyways, thanks for doing that. That I I just started doing that Robin Power. I thought that's kind of fun. So, on closing, what's one thing you want people to remember about you?

SPEAKER_00 25:26

Okay, so I am that person that wants you to truly show up in your most authentic and wonderful way. So I am not going to, I don't know, I just that and I love purple. So know that I will love you no matter where you're at and what position and what your closet looks like, and that I just really want to help you be your very best you. So, what's next for you? What's next for me? I'm working on an amazing trip, uh consistent. I'm it's my first one's coming up, but I'm working on a consistent trip to Paris. It's called Passport of Style to Paris, and it's a luxury shopping trip for our small group of women to go and experience Paris with their image consultants.

SPEAKER_01 26:08

Honestly, this has been fun. Actually, more fun than the first time. I loved it. And so you're reminding me that how you show up matters more than most people realize. So, how do how does our audience get in touch with you?

SPEAKER_00 26:19

Instagram is the best way at the Jackie Style. I of course am on Facebook and you can find me on LinkedIn, Jackie Wheeler with Jackie Style. And uh, if you want to try my website, it's a little hacky hacky right now. It's zajackystyle.com.

SPEAKER_01 26:32

Sounds great. It was a real pleasure getting to know you again, and I look forward to talking to you in the future because I definitely need a little bit of style help. And I love that you didn't, you know, didn't judge, right? You're not judging because I I feel like I'm not a good stylist of myself, but I know that I can get better. And I've seen sometimes when I walk in a room and I'm like, am actually dressed properly. One of my friends is like, that's how you're supposed to dress. She constantly smitches me. So I'm gonna make sure she what she listens to this and gets awesome. But I'm trying here. So thank you, Daddy. It's been a pleasure.