Something strange happens as we get older. We still feel like ourselves on the inside - maybe more so than ever - but when we catch a glimpse in the mirror, it’s like meeting a version of ourselves we don’t quite recognise. It’s someone unfamiliar.

Wrinkles appear in places we didn’t expect. Skin softens, curves shift, lines deepen. And although these changes are natural and normal, they can leave us feeling disconnected from the bodies we’ve lived in our whole lives. We know who we are, but we don’t always know who we’re looking at. And that can be disconcerting.

In an effort to bridge the gap, many of us try to hold on tightly to how things used to be. We cling to the same styles we wore in our 20s or 30s, chasing something familiar and hoping it will somehow bring us closer to the version of ourselves we miss.

But the truth is, this only highlights what’s changed.

The real solution? Reconnection. Learning to meet yourself where you are - in this body, at this stage of life - and choosing to embrace her fully. Saggy bits, soft tummies, smile lines and all. Because this version of you deserves love, too.

 Here are 3 easy ways to start reconnecting:

1.   Look at yourself - really look

Spend time in front of the mirror without judgement. Notice your shape, your features, your softness. Familiarise yourself with the version of you that exists today.

2. Dress for the body you have now

Forget the styles you think you should wear, or the ones you’ve outgrown. Choose clothes that flatter, support, and celebrate your body as it is now - not as it was.

Move in a way that feels good

This isn’t about punishing workouts. It’s about stretching, walking, dancing… anything that brings you back into your body and reminds you it’s yours, and it’s beautiful.

At Scarlett & Jo, we believe that your body isn’t something to battle with, or something to hide. Instead, we see it as being something to honour. And that’s why we do what we do. Our plus-size dresses are designed to work with your shape, not against it, to help you feel comfortable, confident, and completely yourself, at any age.

Reconnecting with your body doesn’t mean trying to be who you once were. It means loving who you are now, and realising that you’re still you, no matter what.