Owning Your Space: How Style Shapes Confidence and Connection As A Female Founder

For 25 years, Nova Cobban has been a Psychologist helping others unlock confidence, navigate challenge, and connect more deeply with themselves and those around them. As her career evolved from private practice into corporate coaching, and now to founding Confidante Global, a private members club for bold thinkers and honest conversations, Nova found herself in an unfamiliar space, one that demanded a new kind of presence.

“I’d moved from being in jeans most days to hosting candlelit dinner debates with CEOs and thought leaders. My world had evolved, but my wardrobe hadn’t.”

The transition brought with it a familiar challenge many women face, that in-between space between too casual and too corporate, where authenticity can easily get lost.

The Psychology of Style

As a psychologist, Nova knows confidence starts on the inside, but she also recognises the impact of how we present ourselves.

“What I wear affects how I show up in a room,” she said. “If I feel comfortable and aligned, I speak differently, move differently, I’m more myself.”

Working together through Style Trailblazers, we focused on creating a signature look that bridged her professional expertise and her creative energy, the grounded psychologist and the visionary founder. The process wasn’t about reinvention, but about reflection: making her outer presence match her inner evolution.

We explored what Nova calls her “missing middle”, the gap between everyday ease and elevated presence. She wanted a wardrobe that worked as well for a talk or retreat as it did for a dinner debate.

“I didn’t want to dress like everyone else in corporate,” she said. “But I didn’t want to feel out of place either. I needed a style that was me: confident, comfortable, and connected.”

Finding Confidence in Colour

Like many professional women, Nova had relied on neutrals for years, until colour became her quiet rebellion.

“I’d avoided red for so long. I’d worn it once, got compliments, and then never wore it again because I thought, ‘They’ve seen me in that already.'”

Together, we reintroduced colour intentionally, red, gold, navy, and mustard — weaving them through accessories and statement pieces that could be restyled and repeated.

“You showed me how colour could be part of my signature,” she said. “A red jacket here, a gold belt there, small touches that make an impact without feeling overdone.”

The result? A wardrobe that felt cohesive, expressive, and sustainable, built largely from pieces Nova already owned, simply reimagined.

Style as Self-Expression

In her Brand You Magazine feature, Nova described how the process wasn’t just about clothing, it was about connection. Seeing herself through the camera lens, styled with intention, unlocked something new.

“It helped me see the playful side of myself again,” she said. “The photoshoot brought that out, the mischievous side that’s a big part of who I am.”

The shoot revealed two sides of Nova’s personality — the poised professional and the woman who brings lightness to every room. Both were equally authentic.

“It reminded me that confidence isn’t one-dimensional. You can be grounded and joyful, serious and playful, it’s all part of who you are.”

The Power of Visibility

Visibility can be confronting, even for someone used to being in front of others.

“People had opinions about my photos, which ones they liked, what they saw in them. It made me realise that’s what visibility is. You can’t control how people see you, only how you show up.”

That awareness now shapes how Nova supports other women through Confidante Global, creating safe, inspiring spaces for unfiltered connection.

“I’ve learned that confidence grows when you stop performing and start showing up as yourself,” she reflected. “That’s what true visibility looks like.”

Your Next Step: The Luxe Style Formula

If, like Nova, you’re entering a new chapter, one where how you feel and how you show up need to align, The Luxe Style Formula is where that transformation happens.

This is more than a wardrobe refresh. It’s a full reset for the woman you’ve become.

Together, we’ll:

• Redefine your signature style so every outfit feels like you — elevated, confident, and effortless.

• Curate a bespoke colour palette and sustainable wardrobe that works hard for every occasion, from speaking engagements to everyday life.

• Create your Luxe Lookbook — 20+ styled outfits built from what you already own, infused with new, intentional pieces.

• Develop a strategic outfit formula from expert personal shopping and your own wardrobe, so you never second-guess what to wear ever again.

The Luxe Style Formula elevates your style confidence to meet your next level of success, translating who you are now into a visible, authentic presence that leaves a lasting impression.

🎧 This story was inspired by my conversation with Nova Cobban on the A Styled Life podcast. Listen to the full episode here.

✨ Ready to explore your next chapter in style? Book your Style Strategy Call to discover The Luxe Style Formula and what the best fit is for you..