Joy Hysteric

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Joy Hysteric

Designer, writer and founder of Joy Hysteric. Sharing stories of starting over, creativity, reinvention and life at 46. Currently becoming. stayed tuned.

Joy Hysteric was established in 2004, founded by creative director and stylist Mel Tan who opened the first Joy Hysteric boutique on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. After 11 years of bricks n mortar retail, Joy Hysteric moved online exclusively mid-2015.

Joy Hysteric is synonymous in representing Mel's aesthetic and attitude - a juxtaposition of high end vs bad ass femme. The Joy Hysteric name being a juxtaposition in itself, inspired by two major emotions that run through Mel's veins when it comes to fashion; Joy and Hysteria.

2024 welcomes a highly anticipated relaunch of a brand that is 20 years strong. Joy Hysteric Studio - Vol. 1 is a carefully curated studio, showroom and concept space for creators. A space where [Mel's] dreams come to life..

04/11/2026

Just found this one sitting in my drafts since February. Seems like a good time to share now that these leather jorts are available at JOY HYSTERIC 🖤

03/11/2026

I’m not a trainer. I’m the case study.

46 years old. 15 months of lifting. 10kg in each hand and feeling good.

I started strength training at 45 with absolutely no idea what I was doing.

Still learning. Still growing. Getting stronger day by day.

Best thing I’ve ever done for myself. It’s incredible what you can do when you stop telling yourself you can’t.

It’s never too late to start. 💪🏽

28/10/2026

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about my transformation, especially my skin, my body and how I’ve changed my life.

And to be honest, I can’t tell you it was any one product, treatment or program that got me here.

It’s been a two-year journey of slowly rebuilding myself from the inside out. Changing the way I think, the habits I’d formed, the patterns I kept repeating and, ultimately, the choices I was making for myself.

And that journey is still going.

I don’t have all the answers. I’m still learning, still growing and very much a work in progress.

But one thing I can tell you from my own experience is that it’s never too late to choose yourself. To start healing, to change your life or to become someone you never imagined you could be.

We can live lighter than our darkest days.

And I believe the glow starts from within.

Mel x

27/10/2026

I love my outfit. Even more so because I designed it to fill a gap in my own wardrobe. And it has.

Almost 12 months wearing these very first samples. Across cities, countries, climates, winter into summer and back again. They’ve only gotten better with wear.

At this point, they’re literally my uniform. If I’m not in bikinis or gym clothes, I’m probably wearing these.

What more could I want? JOYHYSTERIC.COM 🖤

25/10/2026

An excerpt from my latest piece on Substack.

“For the better part of the last two years, I’ve been working towards changing my life. Not in one dramatic, overnight transformation, but through a series of decisions, some big, some seemingly insignificant, but all of which have eventually brought me here.

I’m 46. I’ve moved to a new country. I’ve confronted decades of trauma, including generational patterns I didn’t even realise I was carrying. I’ve started speaking openly about my struggles and my experiences of surviving domestic violence, twice. I’ve let go of the shame I carried for so long and found a voice I’d spent years suppressing.

I’ve reconnected with my body, changed my habits, stopped drinking and numbing, started weight training, allowed myself to be truly seen (bare-faced and all) and relaunched a business I first started over twenty years ago. I’ve slowly rebuilt myself and created a life that, not so long ago, I couldn’t have imagined for myself.

And yet, here I am, sitting in Bali, wondering what the f**k I’m supposed to do now.”

…to continue reading, head to the link in my bio or visit substack.com/ 🙏🏽

25/10/2026

One whole month of Jerry by my side. Still feels surreal having my little buddy and shadow with me everywhere I go on the island. ❤️

Settling into tropical life real well. Thinks he’s a big dog now, hanging with the locals down at the beach. Enjoying the best of beaches, massages, hair baths and cute coffee shops, just as much as the backseat of a Grab ride.

He pretends he doesn’t but he also loves getting around in my tote bag when he’s tired and in full final boss passenger princess mode.

Everyone around here knows his name now. I’m just Jerry’s mum when we’re out and about, and I love it. 🐕🌴

22/10/2026

Couldn’t choose a photo but these are my new JOY HYSTERIC samples in SAMBAL RED 🌶️

A delicious, wavy, anemone-meets-croissant sculptural oversized clutch / carry-all situation and a matching hybrid leather tie-back bonnet scarf cap thing I’ve always wanted but couldn’t find.

Both coming soon in multiple colours. Sky’s the limit, really. I’m thinking I personally need this in a deep tan or cognac suede too.

What colours would you love to see? And while we’re at it, what should I call this bag? Drop your thoughts in the comments, I’m open to suggestions! ❤️‍🔥

Address

Sydney, NSW

Website

https://linktr.ee/bymeltan

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