Looking the business in fashion

Ever wondered what the fashion set spend on their clothes? Annmarie O’Connor takes a look inside their wardrobes.

When it comes to working in fashion, it’s what’s on the outside that counts.

Looking the business, however, isn’t just window dressing, it’s a clever career strategy that can pay dividends.

Those in the know understand that going the distance is less about labels and more about a sustainable return on investment. With that, we sent out style spies to discover how the fashion set spend money on clothes.

Prepare for some insider trading…

Emma Kelly MD at Elevate PR

www.elevate.ie

How do you spend money on clothes?

I am trying to shop my wardrobe and to buy very little these days.

As my shopping is sporadic, I like to check in with the new season (especially, my favourite, autumn), in the shops, in person.

I do end up shopping client press days and shoots.

I make my own choices and hopefully know at this stage of life what works for me.

Is there a certain expectation of you to maintain your wardrobe?

I am not sure. Work apparel has become so much more casual and it feels like only lawyers and bankers have to be formal in their workplace dress anymore.

Plus, in PR you need to be in the background at events. I do feel that I need to support Irish designers and prefer to shop in a real store as opposed to online, which I mostly find to be disappointing.

What’s your wardrobe weakness?

I am horribly practical. I used to shop for my fantasy life, but now I just shop for my real life.

At the moment I love Helen Steele, Simone Rocha, Vivetta, Ganni and Dries Van Noten, but would wait for the sales for those kind of investment pieces.

I recently have had to start to wear glasses for reading, so I chose a statement pair of frames from Vision Express.

Do you have any particular go-to brands for work?

Mint Velvet denim just works for me, with a blazer or jacket. I also am a fan of the black dress for work events and have a range of them. Both uniforms feel comfortable. Pockets are a must for work events, to keep a pen, phone, etc.

What is your Return on Investment?

I have been selling a lot of black tie stuff, bags and jewellery with Siopaella, but I never buy anything with resale in mind. I am just at a stage of life where I want to have a lot less, so just one handbag, one winter coat etc and am getting rid of everything else.

What’s your financial strategy for maintaining your clothing portfolio?

Cost-per-wear for frequently worn items like coats, bags, and shoes makes sense. As a graduate of economics, I see clothing as an expenditure that immediately depreciates, and an irrational expense, given that in the West we all have more than enough of any wardrobe item.

I am a high street shopper but am increasingly concerned about ethics in manufacturing and consumerism.

Justine KingFashion Stylist

www.justineking.com

How does what you wear impact what you do for a living?

Being a fashion stylist does mean you’re not only constantly around beautiful clothes but also expected to be dressed well in many elements of your work.

You can’t turn up to pitch a fashion campaign to a client looking like you just got out of bed or go on camera telling viewers to buy into a certain trend when you don’t look like you know what you’re talking about.

At the same time, a lot of my days are spent in isolation sitting at a computer screen and I’m definitely not wearing high heels and makeup.

How much do you spend per month on clothing?

I’d say I spend €300-€400 a month on average which I don’t think is too bad considering the daily temptation I’m faced with. I’m lucky in that I do get gifted clothes and vouchers in my job.

What’s the most expensive item you own?

I don’t really splurge massively on designer goods. I have loads of beautiful pieces that I really love but most are high street, vintage or items that were gifted to me by designers and brands.

I am about to buy my first designer handbag which my friends have very kindly contributed towards for my 30th birthday and that’s costing in the region of €2,000.

Can you re-wear your clothes or do you need to regularly replenish your wardrobe?

I’ve become much better at making smart purchases and buying pieces I really love, which I wear over and over again.

I’ve had some items for over 10 years and I still love them. Other purchases that weren’t so smart unfortunately don’t last in my wardrobe longer than a year or two so I’ll donate those to charity and restock as I go along.

What’s your financial strategy for maintaining your clothing portfolio?

I’m more likely to consider an expensive or designer purchase for a long time whereas I impulse buy high street pieces all the time.

I definitely look for quality in wardrobe staples - jeans, boots, coats, an everyday bag, then scrimp on the trend pieces to update my wardrobe each season.

I’ve always been a fan of vintage and have some real gems, particularly from thrift stores in New York. It’s definitely about balance. A gorgeous coat can make an entire outfit from Penneys look designer; it’s all about how it’s styled.

Sonia Reynolds Co-founder of STABLE of Ireland

www.stable.ie

What’s a typical day like and how does what you wear impact what you do for a living?

Since opening our store just over 18 months ago, my days are more structured and so is my approach to what I wear.

I have a pretty busy life between the business and family and so I try to keep things as simple as possible — multi-functional and purpose is key for me.

I’m also inclined to wear flat shoes (especially since a knee injury last year) so that influences my dress to some extent. I also love walking and cycling to work or around town.

Do you feel there’s a certain pressure to maintain an image or look for your role?

Presentation is important as I’m meeting customers every day and don’t want anything complicated for now. Tailored, simple, quality and of course fun are the order of the day. I’ve always been a strong believer in it’s how you wear clothes, not how they wear you.

What’s your wardrobe weakness?

My big weakness is scarves (naturally) and sunglasses, so I am grateful to have places like Optica in Dublin and Miss Daisy Blue in Cork for super vintage and special finds.

How do you spend money on clothes?

I’m not a routine shopper. I’m more of a ‘considered’ shopper and am not lead by trends, so my ‘eye’ is slightly different. I buy what I feel suits me and the environment I’m in.

What is your Return on Investment?

I’ve always had a great appreciation of quality textiles, interesting prints and good tailoring. I still wear clothes that I’ve had for years. As I get older, with a changing shape and frame of mind, I have clothes that I’ll be heading to a consignment store. I’m also a big fan of charity stores for recycling.

Do you have any particular go-to brands for work?

I wear COS for simple and easy-to-wear pieces mixed with brands past and present, such as Joanne Hynes, Peter O’Brien, Stella, Prada and Joseph.

Throughout my careers, I’ve managed to champion Irish designers and I’m proud of that.

Now with STABLE, I am working with Irish weavers and craftspeople creating beautiful, and timeless pieces from scarves (I was known for my head scarves years ago) to Irish linen robes, macs, raincoats, and our growing Art Series Collection with a new silk scarf being launched in August.

Niamh McCoy Owner of Gallery 9, Naas

www.gallery9.ie

What’s a typical day like and how does what you wear impact what you do for a living?

A typical day is spent in the shop, so I try to wear what we are selling in season, mixed with some older classic pieces.

Today I am wearing a Rejina Pyo skirt and shirt which I had bought for a friend’s wedding but have dressed it down with different footwear and accessories. I love when I can get wear from something long after the occasion for which I bought it.

What’s the most expensive item you own?

The most expensive item I own is my wedding dress from a brand we work with — Dice Kayek. I wasn’t really into wedding dress shopping, so when I saw it in a short version I asked can this belong too?

I worked with the designer on some tweaks and they made the dress for me. My architecture background has given me a love for structure and form, and that’s what I love about Dice Kayek’s designs.

Can you re-wear your clothes or do you need to regularly replenish your wardrobe?

Working in the industry I try to wear current season stock most of the time mixed with classics from the past. I wear the new season pieces over and over in the season mixing and matching so I can get plenty of fresh looks from the same pieces.

Is there a certain expectation of you to maintain your wardrobe?

Absolutely. My fashion image directly impacts my business so it is imperative that I represent the Gallery 9 brand in the correct way. I try to dress professionally but always with an edge.

Do you have any particular go-to brands for work?

For work I wear a bit of everything but I do love a bit of Victoria Victoria Beckham.

Her pieces make you feel great; the cut and quality are superb; and they generally can be re-styled and re-worn lots of ways.

I also love to wear Rejina Pyo — her silhouettes are amazing and there is a definite fashion edge to her pieces.

What’s your financial strategy for maintaining your clothing portfolio?

For each season I invest in a few key pieces; they can be classic staples or fashion-forward, dramatic pieces.