The Courage Coalition

The Magic Mirror: How Style Helped Me See Myself with guest Jessica Papineau

Corree Roofener Season 2 Episode 73

There’s a quiet kind of courage in the way Jessica tells her story: a little girl in a house without electricity, pulling Salvation Army pieces from a closet and stepping into a “magic mirror.” Clothing wasn’t status—it was sanctuary. It was imagination when life felt unsafe. It was the first tool she used to see a future bigger than her circumstances. That muscle—imagination—became her superpower. And so did empathy. When you’ve known invisibility, you recognize it instantly in others: the way we hide behind long tops and safe choices, the way a fluorescent-lit fitting room can make a woman forget who she is. Jessica’s gift is not fashion for fashion’s sake; it’s helping women remember. I think of her “Cathy” moment—the fitted outfit, the duster, the breath held in front of the mirror—and the tears that came when a woman finally saw herself as beautiful. That is transformation.

What I love most is that Jessica doesn’t preach rules; she invites remembrance. She asks women to color outside the lines, to use imagination on purpose, to practice visibility in the mirror before they practice it on a stage. The clothes are only the tool; the work is belief. Because beliefs shape what we allow ourselves to see. When a client sat down, looked at her midsection, and said, “I feel awful,” Jessica didn’t retreat—she gave her an assignment: wear the outfit all day, keep returning to the mirror, keep looking until your eyes learn a new truth. Twenty-four hours later, that woman wasn’t the same. Not because the fabric changed, but because the belief did. That’s what aligned living looks like: choosing alignment over approval, expansion over safety, possibility over fear. Nothing changes if nothing changes—and sometimes the smallest brave step (tuck the shirt, add the belt, meet your own eyes) is the doorway to everything else.

If you’re reading this and feeling the nudge, consider this your permission slip. You don’t have to wait to “earn” visibility, worthiness, or beauty. You’re not required to meet a benchmark before you invest in the version of you that’s already calling. Start with curiosity: one color that makes you feel alive, one outfit that fits the future you’re building, one honest look in your own magic mirror. Suit up and show up—not to impress the world, but to serve it from your whole self. When we see ourselves clearly, we lead differently. And that is the power of style with purpose.

Find out more about Jessica and CSJ Styling: https://csjstyling.com/

Contact Corree about a podcast question or conversation here: correeroofener@gmail.com

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Until next time, keep shining bright!

- Corree