Although finding a personal style that reflects us authentically can be transformational for anyone, when I founded transformEd styling by Charlotte I wanted the name of the business to include 'trans' to show that being a trans ally is important to me, and that my personal styling and colour services are a joyful and safe space. It was therefore an absolute privilege to celebrate International Women’s Day 2025 by talking with Debi Saunders about her style as a trans woman, her gratitude to the sisterhood of women she’s a part of and about fashion sustainability.
Tell me a little about yourself, Debi.
I transitioned in June 2023 from male to female and started hormone treatment at the end of that month. Since then, I've started to live more and more authentically and have developed a whole life as me.
How would you describe your style, and has it changed?
My current style would be quite elegant, so I wear bodycon or A-line dresses and some skirts. I wear trousers occasionally, but if I can get away with a dress, I wear one. People say I'm good at co-ordinating, at putting outfits together. I'm not particularly conservative, so I probably don't dress my age! I'm very fond of lace and sheer. I went out on Sunday night for the first time in four inch heels, walked into the pub to do karaoke and my friends shouted, ‘Wow, you've got to wear those more! You look amazing!’ So a typical outfit would be a sheer or lace dress, heels and a fairly small handbag, my hair in a hairband and always some jewellery. I’ve started having my nails done because it finishes an outfit off and I feel that little bit better because my nails are looking fantastic, so it's probably the one thing I do as my little treat to myself.
When I first started hormone treatment, it was all A-line and a cut to give me a waist. I wore very push-up bras and was trying to maximise everything. But now that I'm a bit more confident, I'll wear bodycon because I have got a waist and I have got hips.
You wanted to talk about how being aware of your personal style has helped your confidence in engaging with the world.
When I first came out, I was completely scared of being seen as something I didn't want to be, but as time has gone on I realised that people watch you less than you think. Women are amazingly good at sitting down next to you on the bus and saying they like your dress, and that kind of sisterhood really, really struck home.
As I've lived longer authentically and as my body has become more like I want it to be, I've reached a point where now I’ll stick on a body-con dress, because I know I've got curves and I'm reasonably good in them, or I feel reasonably good. And that's the most important thing, isn't it? At Christmas, I picked up a pink Gina Bardoni dress for £15 in a charity shop and wore it to a dance. Suddenly I felt ‘pretty in pink’. I felt amazing, and I owned that word ‘pretty’ for the first time. I've reached the point where if I feel good wearing something, what other people think no longer matters..
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
It's an incredible privilege to do the interview because I'm being asked, ‘What's it like to be a woman?’
Given what's going on across the pond, it makes me happy that I'm in England and not in America. So this is a little bit of a stand for me, a bit of a political protest. It fits with 99.9% of the women I meet. On my second day, on the bus somebody said, ‘Oh, I like your trousers,’ and the very first time I went into the supermarket, somebody commented on my top. It gave that feeling of, ‘You're one of us. You look like one of us. You are one of us.’ On Sunday I was in a pub helping another girl avoid a man who was bothering her, and I feel the same kind of concerns other women have about security.
So this is a great privilege, and it fits with how I think most women view trans women. I've had very, very, very few women say anything horrible in that they tend to say nothing or avoid me.. I feel included in the world of women, so for me International Women's Day is on a par with Trans Day of Visibility. Visibility is important, and I stand up and say, ‘Yes, I am a trans woman’, but as a trans woman, I'm basically a woman who has a couple of extra things to worry about. Being a woman is as important as being trans.
Is there anything you’d say to someone starting out on their transitioning journey?
The thing is to find what makes you feel good, what makes you look good to yourself and not to worry about what the world says. They say that at my age, 64, I shouldn't be wearing short skirts. Well, today I've got one that's about 5 inches above my knee and I I feel great in it! But you have got to be a little bit careful. When I first met my mum and brother this time around, I wore trousers, showing ‘Yes I'm a girl, but I'm wearing trousers and I don't look too feminine.’ So there is something about being appropriate.
I think it's organic: trying things and then as your body changes asking, ‘I've always liked that style of dress, but does it suit me now?’ I had a couple of bodycon dresses and I’d try them, but, ‘No, still straight up and down. Still pipe cleaner.’ Then it was, ‘Oh well, if I wear a belt, they look a bit better, so I'll start wearing them,’ and then suddenly I'm walking upstairs and one of my colleagues asked if I’d lost weight as she said I’d got curves! I hadn’t lost weight, but my waist has gone from 34 to 31. It makes a difference in the way I feel that I look and therefore I feel more confident. I feel happier because I'm feeling confident and because I've been authentic. I've been myself.
Do you have a message for the fashion industry more widely?
The fashion industry could encourage people to do what I've started to do, which is to buy good quality, sustainable garments that have an ethical view behind them. I now support brands where I see that they are making a real effort to be sustainable and making a real effort to have some values. I'm a complete eco nut so I'm a member of Greenpeace and a supporter of the Green Party. I'm a sustainability leader at the college. I lead the eco club and I've gone vegan and dry recently. I do think that's where we need to go, and the fashion industry might actually get us to spend more money that way.
Is there anything else you’d like to say to my readers?
Just my feeling of gratitude to all the women who've helped me. There were times when I first came out, when I was sitting on a bus, petrified that everybody was watching me and thought somebody would shout something horrible at me or come and hit me…. And women just almost instinctively came and sat next to me and said something nice or held the door open or said, ‘OK, love’. Those little acts of kindness meant the world and they still do. I'm still astonished by how you get three women sitting at three tables in a cafe and within about 10 minutes we're all chatting, and it's so diametrically different to being a man in that same situation.
And it’s all those tiny things that women do that have made me feel wanted and welcome. So one reason for doing this interview is to say thanks for allowing me to be one of you. I've always been one of you. And fashion's the one thing that unites us, isn't it?
It’s been a privilege and a joy hearing Debi’s story. Please share this as widely and appropriately as you can.
You may also be interested to read Kelly’s story on my website: https://www.transformedstyling.com/kelly-s-story
Dr Charlotte Garbutt
Personal stylist and colour consultant transformEd styling by Charlotte
empathy. diversity. sustainability
East Yorkshire
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