For most of her life, Kristine was told what to wear and what not to wear.
"I'm a survivor of domestic and sexual violence," Kristine tells AAP.
"I didn't really know who I was and what I was capable of - I had that taken away by DV."
After leaving that relationship, the wounds stuck around in the form of low self-esteem and Kristine struggled to get a job to support her four children and four grandchildren.
But with the help of a local MP and support services, she knocked on the door of women's charity Dress for Success.
"They showed me what I'd never been shown my whole life," Kristine said.
"At first I was really nervous ... but when I went in there they were just so friendly, as if they knew me from way back."
The charity offers free clothing and styling to women looking to get back into the workforce.
Women in regional areas and those who can't leave home can access virtual styling, with clothes sent to them in the mail.
The service also offers free online and one-on-one career advice and resources.
Dress for Success says more women have been seeking help as cost-of-living pressures mount.
"Women are coming to us who haven't accessed services like ours before," Dress for Success NSW/ACT CEO Sonia Casanova told AAP.
While most of those who seek the service's help are migrants, refugees and women who have experienced trauma, an increasing number of women wanting to return to the workforce are reaching out.
After extended periods of caring for children, partners or elderly parents, many of these women need to return to paid employment but have no idea how to get started.
Dress for Success is aiming to raise $100,000 in November to help meet the increasing demand - a sum it estimates will allow it to help 5000 women.
"Our mission is to empower women to economic independence and that's through employment and earning a liveable wage and progressing in their careers so they can thrive in life," Ms Casanova said.
Financial independence is something Kristine does not take for granted.
"It's very important," she said.
"I hadn't seen that before being in a DV relationship and having finances controlled.
"It's taken a while to work through that," she said.
Kristine is now employed and confident, her wardrobe full of colour.
"I feel empowered to wear clothes I want, no matter what anyone says," she said.
She urged any women reluctant to seek help to reach out.
"Once you're in there, you'll just see how important you are," she said.
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