ELTORIA on What It Really Means to Find Your Style

This is the second instalment in Hinton Magazine’s four-part series with ELTORIA, a voice reshaping how we think about fashion, beauty, and identity. In this conversation, Curtis Hinton sits down with her to unravel one of the most elusive concepts in personal expression: signature style.

Where fashion moves in seasons and trends, style is a constant undercurrent, deeply personal and quietly powerful. ELTORIA speaks with disarming honesty about navigating postpartum uncertainty, resisting the churn of fast fashion, and creating her own brand, STRETCHSUIT, from a place of lived experience. The result is a conversation that feels as much about authenticity and confidence as it is about clothes.

Style is often confused with fashion. What, to you, defines the difference?

Style is very authentic to you, whilst fashion is ever-changing and external. Fashion reflects trends and what’s popular at a given moment, but style is how you interpret those influences in a way that feels true to who you are. Fashion can be bought, but style is expressed - it’s your personal signature!

If someone feels adrift, what’s the first anchor they should look for in building a wardrobe that feels authentic?

When I had my first son, Roman, I felt completely adrift during my postpartum period. What really helped was finding online creators I genuinely connected with - not celebrities, but other mothers sharing realistic, everyday outfits. Seeing them made style feel attainable again. From there, I started to notice which pieces lifted me up and fit my lifestyle, and I built from that foundation. The first anchor, I think, is finding inspiration that feels relatable, then using it to discover what makes you feel both comfortable and confident.

What do colour, cut, and texture reveal about someone long before they speak?

This is a very interesting question! When I see someone wearing the latest colour trend, then I know they're a 'trend girly'. However, when I see someone gravitate toward timeless cuts or thoughtful textures, it tells me they’re more intentional. Colour shows us how bold or understated a person wants to feel, cut reflects how they carry themselves, and texture hints at the little details they care about. Together, those choices speak volumes before a single word is said.

Is signature style something you stumble upon, or something you curate with intent?

I think a mix of both! I'd say 60% stumble upon and 40% experimenting - but you need both. The things you stumble upon often reveal what feels most natural to you, while experimenting pushes you outside your comfort zone and helps refine what truly fits. Together, they create a signature style that feels effortless yet intentional.

How do you see the relationship between confidence and clothing — does one create the other?

Absolutely! This question is actually the reason I started my maternity clothing brand, STRETCHSUIT. When I was pregnant with my son, I felt so unsupported and unconfident in the clothing available to me. Most maternity wear wasn’t stylish, and oversized pieces only made me feel lost in my own body.

I wanted something that worked with me, not against me - so I created the STRETCHSUIT Maternity Jumpsuit. It’s designed to be like a second skin during pregnancy, with a built-in bra and adjustable straps that expand gently as your body changes. It’s double-layered for coverage, and the fabric grows with you through every trimester.

For me, confidence comes from feeling both comfortable and put-together. That’s why STRETCHSUIT is made to be layered with pieces you already own, so you don’t need to buy an entirely new wardrobe. Instead, you can stay true to your style, feel supported, and carry that confidence through every stage of pregnancy.

In a world obsessed with trends, what’s the art of resisting them?

For me, it starts with asking: “Am I being kind to the environment?” That simple question keeps me from getting swept up in trends. I’d rather invest in a few pieces that make me feel great and last for years, instead of filling my wardrobe with fast fashion that quickly loses its charm. It’s less about chasing every new look, and more about building a closet that feels authentic to me.

Do you believe a signature style is timeless, or should it evolve with each chapter of life?

I'm 32 and I really think elements stay, but they certainly evolve. I definitely don’t dress the way I did when I was 22! The core of your style, what feels most like you, remains, but the way you express it shifts with each season of life.

What are the tell-tale signs that someone has truly found their style?

You can tell someone has truly found their style when getting dressed feels easy. There’s a confidence and consistency to the way they present themselves - their outfits feel like a natural extension of who they are. In other words, they wear their clothes, not the other way around.

What emerges from this Conversation is a reminder that style isn’t bought, it’s lived. For ELTORIA, discovering your signature look is equal parts serendipity and intention, a balancing act of stumbling upon what feels natural and curating with care. It’s about confidence rooted in comfort, clothing that supports rather than constrains, and choices that align with both lifestyle and values.

In a world where trends shift at the speed of a swipe, ELTORIA’s perspective offers a rare kind of clarity. Finding your signature style, she suggests, isn’t about keeping up — it’s about slowing down, paying attention, and allowing your wardrobe to become a true reflection of who you are, in every chapter of life.