There’s something electric about finally finding your personal style—that feeling when you truly know who you are and how you want to express it to the world. But for Aotearoa’s queen of dopamine dressing, Brodie—aka Elbee of @elbeefrivolousfashion—this isn’t just a philosophy; it’s a joyful way of both showing up in the world and inspiring others to do the same. Her iconic maximalist approach to style affirms that personal style can be as lighthearted and playful as it is powerful. And it’s catching on.
But beyond the unexpected colour combos and striking prints, what truly makes Brodie glow? With Revlon’s new Illuminance Glow Range as our guide, we muse on how she finds her radiance inside and out.
It all started when she landed back home after spending a couple of years living overseas. “I’d returned to New Zealand and had a baby, and felt like I didn’t know who I was anymore. Fashion became this way to connect with the outside world at a time when I didn't really feel like I had the words.”
A shift she effortlessly captures in her Insta video that’s attracted over seven million views, documenting her style pivot from corporate millennial to the vibrant, inspiring angel of style she embodies today.
Fashion Icon And Working Māmā: Lauren Brodie’s Take On Dopamine Dressing And Glowing From The Outside In
FEATURE
by Bel Hawkins
18 April 2025
“I get a lot of messages from women who’re reluctant to try something new because they’re afraid of standing out,” she says. “But on the other side of that fear is the glow that comes from pushing yourself
a little bit out of your comfort zone."
Because being true to yourself is really beautiful. But there's that extra step in pushing yourself where I think we really come into ourselves and become something more.
To help you on your journey to finding your inner-outer glow, shop Brodie’s favourite glow-getting product and the rest of Revlon’s Illuminance Range here.
Editor’s note: To read our editorial policy, click here. This article is sponsored by Revlon and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.
A true collab of top-tier Kiwi wahine, SYSCA’s Bel Hawkins chatted with fabulous style icon, Lauren Brodie, on connecting through fashion, nude bike shorts and finding your glow.
Losing someone close to her also made her see the world a little differently. Life felt shorter and more precious than ever, and the pressure to be thin and blend in felt reductive.“It was this realisation that life is really, really short. Way too short to worry about how big or small you look or if someone out there might look at you a bit funny if you’re wearing a pair of patterned pants. Who cares!” she says, the bows in her hair catching the light.
From there, things only got brighter, but it didn’t happen overnight. “I didn’t just spend a whole lot of money on a new wardrobe and look completely different immediately,” she laughs.
It was a slow process of making tiny little incremental changes and trying things out—I think
it’s those small explorations that help you find your glow.
For Brodie, style has always been about more than just clothing. It’s self-expression, confidence-building, and a celebration of the fun we often forget to have as adults. “People think maximalism is about being loud, but really, it’s about having fun with how you express yourself” she shares.
From the early days of experimenting with eclectic ensembles to now influencing thousands with her unapologetic style, she’s carved out a space where fashion goes beyond what you buy and how you style it. Instead, it carries a bigger message, encouraging women to experiment with a bit of bravery to find what truly makes them radiant.
When it comes to makeup and rituals, she likes to keep it simple but considered. Sunscreen is a must, “literally—at all times.” Currently, she’s a big fan of pairing Revlon’s new Illuminance Serum Tint, with her Illuminance Glow Wands. Together these products give her the ultimate dewy finish, whilst protecting her from the sun. And her go-to for an everyday glow-up? A gel blush. “I love blush everywhere. I’ll literally work out a way to use blush on my lips, on my cheeks, on my eyes... My daughter loves to play with it too. We sit down together, and it's like our little girly time rifling through my box of tricks. It’s special.”
Motherhood has also deepened her confidence with creativity. “There’s just something so joyous about the way that children embrace colour and patterns. They’ll never look at their reflection in an outfit they’ve chosen and say, ‘Oh, I look fat in this.’ Those sorts of things just don’t cross their minds. They dress truly for the joy of dressing. They dress to what they love. And I think that there's just something so beautiful about that.”
I’m just an ordinary working mum,” she adds, with her daughter just off-screen.
Being open to experimenting and failure—think nude bike shorts over tights—has been part of her journey, too. But for Brodie, it’s not the big-ticket items that make her wardrobe, but often the smaller, more sentimental things. Her chunky stack of silver rings. The Miu Miu handbag thrifted at the back of a Greytown op shop. The mismatched clips in her hair.
“Often, the smallest efforts make the biggest difference. Maybe that’s really nice advice for women starting out on their fashion journey and feeling hesitant about it—start small and build up from there,” she muses.
Words to live by.
Brodie’s approach to fashion is so rooted in self-acceptance and embracing the fleeting nature of life that there’s nothing disingenuous about it. Even when we chat about being judged by people watching her film fit checks on the street or even simply having a vivid social media presence in the first place, she’s joyfully philosophical about it. “It’s taught me to enjoy taking up space, and I hope it inspires other women to do the same. We just have to grasp these moments and celebrate ourselves.”
This mindset doesn’t just apply to her wardrobe but to everything in her life—especially as she reflects on the beauty of her own uniqueness. “I used to think there were things I wanted to change about myself, little pieces on my face or body. But then I looked at my family members and realised those so-called imperfections were reflections of the people I love. The little creases under my mum’s eyes or the same jaw as my dad—they were beautiful.”
I saw the same things I once wanted to change as being beautiful in the people closest to me. My make-up and style just enhance these things instead of trying to hide them.
