Welcome to my Substack!

Who am I and what is Fashion Psychology?

We live in a world full of juxtapositions.

A world where individualism is both praised and judged.
Where we’re told to stand out—but only if we fit in.
Where diversity is the fabric of nature, yet society insists we squeeze into narrow boxes.

Hello, I’m Jennifer Heinen.
At the time of writing this, I’m 31 years old, living in London.

I’ve moved through many seasons of life to get here—and I know I’m not done. Growth, adaptability, and change are part of who we are as humans. They’re part of me.

I grew up in a small town in Germany.
A town that taught me early on that fitting in was survival.
That blending in meant safety. That conformity earned favor—and once favor was lost, grace was hard to reclaim.

I survived. Even when I didn’t always believe I could.
Even when it felt like the odds were stacked against me.

I’ve made mistakes.
Some of them big enough that I’ve felt the weight of judgment and shame. I’ve paid the price—in the whispers at school, the misunderstandings left unresolved, the conflicts that never fully healed.
I’ve paid the price through fragmented memory, with parts of my story blurred by my mind’s own fierce defense mechanism—a way to protect my sanity when the pain was too sharp to hold.

And yet—here I am. Living a life I love.

How?

By learning to be unapologetically myself.
Because what I discovered—after years of trying to squeeze myself into the tiniest corner of someone else’s box—is that I never had a seat at their table. My voice was always muffled there. Screaming into the abyss wouldn’t make me heard.

So I stopped.
I stopped trying to be heard by the people who never wanted to listen.
Instead, I looked outside the box.

And I realized—especially for those of us who are neurodiverse—that there is no box. There never was.

We live in a world full of possibilities.
We just need to figure out where to look.

For me, that place was the body’s largest non-verbal language: clothing.

I started as a custom tailor. I became a designer. Then a personal stylist.
But the deeper question kept lingering:

Does what I wear shape who I am?

The answer?
Yes. Unequivocally, yes.

Because fashion is a language.
And I’ve dedicated my life to learning and speaking that language—to helping others learn it too.

Today, I am a fashion psychologist.
I work as a public speaker, writer, and coach, supporting people in finding their voice through what they wear.

I believe clothing is so much more than fabric.
What we wear influences not only how others see us, but—more importantly—how we see ourselves.

Fashion is more than self-expression.
It’s a psychological tool.

At its core, fashion psychology explores the profound link between clothing and cognition—between what we wear and how we think, feel, and behave.
It’s not just about style. It’s about identity. Confidence. Emotional well-being.

And for me, it’s personal.
Fashion psychology is the lens through which I’ve come to understand my own evolution, resilience, and sense of self.

Like many, my journey with fashion started as something personal—before it became my professional calling.
I spent a decade as a designer and stylist, living and breathing product, fabric, construction, trends—always chasing that elusive feeling of something looking and feeling right.

But something deeper was always at play.

I remember the first time I wore a bright red suit to New York Fashion Week.
I felt bold. Terrified. Utterly myself.
After years of being told to shrink, to fit in, that moment of standing out wasn’t just about clothes—it was about reclaiming space.
That’s the power fashion holds.

And that’s what I explore now, whether I’m working with clients, conducting research, speaking on stage, hosting the Style My Mind Podcast, or writing this very column.

My mission is simple:

To help people see fashion and style for what they truly are—tools for self-discovery and transformation. A language worth learning.

Because sometimes, the right outfit is more than just clothes.
It’s a reminder of who you are—and who you have the power to become.

Fashion is more than aesthetics.
It’s survival.
It’s resilience.
It’s healing.

And while it took me longer than I’d like to fully wield that power, I’m here now.
And I won’t waste a second helping you learn how to wield it faster.

This Substack will be the home of my work—and my reflections.
The hub where my experiences, research, and insights come together.

You’ll find supporting pieces from the Style My Mind Podcast, where I host industry experts and thinkers to explore topics through the lens of fashion psychology—empowering each listener to become the best version of themselves.

I’ll share reflections from my client work, where fashion psychology comes alive in real time.

This space will also be home to my “Behind the Headlines” series and my monthly column from ELETOM Magazine—where I’ll have more room to dive deeper into the topics I cover, whether written or spoken.

And I’ll invite you—every month—to check in with yourself through my Wellbeing Wardrobe Check-Ins.
Because reflecting on the uncomfortable is the only way to grow into the future—and into yourself.

We live in a world filled with contradictions.
But that doesn’t mean you have to be one.
Just because society asks you to live inside a box doesn’t mean you have to stay there.

Here, we’ll build a bigger box together.
A space open to individuals who want to be recognized as whole.
A community where you can be yourself—and explore what that looks like, inside and out.

I’m so glad you’re here.