5 minute read

This week, we begin a new style series profiling women whose unique style we admire, enjoy and celebrate. Beginning with Heyday’s resident style expert Marie Kelly, each of these midlifers will explain how they have come to own their own look and they’ll reveal the essence of how, where and why they shop.

Describe your style in three words

Tailored, colourful, comfortable.

Do you have a signature piece?

Yes, a polo-neck. I like to be covered up, so roll-necks, especially with longer-length sleeves, tick that box. I also like to have a mix of textures in an outfit, so knitwear is important because it’s tactile and brings real warmth to a look. I own several polo-necks, some chunky and oversized, many of them fine-knit versions, which I layer under dresses, jumpsuits and button-front shirts. They add a kind of seventies-style chic to everything I pair them with, which I love. My favourite fine-knit versions are from arket.com and most of my chunky polos are from H&M. I have a couple of designer pieces too, which I was lucky enough to pick up in the sales at massively reduced prices.

Marie wearing a chunky polo-neck by MM6, bought at Beautiful South in Rathmines

How has aging influenced your style?

It’s streamlined my look, and for the better. When I was in my 20s and, to some extent, my 30s, I loved to experiment with trends and try different style personalities, as many women do. I think (hope!), I got away with most of those looks, but that’s not the same as feeling comfortable or like your best self. Certain items just aren’t for me. A trench coat, for instance, wrap dresses or V-neck jumpers. I feel more myself in roomy silhouettes (the jumpsuit, below, is an exception to that rule – I always feel amazing when I wear it) and clean, unfussy pieces appeal to me, especially if they have a slightly boyish hit off them.

Has fashion become more or less important to you as you've aged?

It’s always been hugely important to me. I’ve never needed an alarm clock to jump out of bed in the morning, just a great outfit to put on. Clothes have brought me so much enjoyment and helped me to build my confidence over the years. Some women get a kick out of travel, others from cooking, many from interior design, but for me it’s always been clothes (even more than handbags and shoes). I recall all the major moments of my life through the prism of what I wore.

One of Marie’s favourite fine-knit polo-necks worn with a Mango denim jumpsuit

Which brands do you shop most often and why?

From the high-street, I shop H&M (Conscious or Premium) and Cos mostly. I find the price and quality of both to be good, and the fit works for me. The aesthetic of Massimo Dutti appeals to me because it focuses a lot on good tailoring, but the trousers are always ridiculously long, so I tend not to browse there anymore. If money was no object, I’d shop The Landskein, Victoria Beckham’s premium line – I adore the silhouettes, colours and detailing – Joseph, Castanea cashmere, Cleo Prickett and Colin Burke. My go-to jewellery brands are MoMuse and Kaiko Studio. The latter creates contemporary pieces combining concrete and brass, which I love.

Eavan double-breasted coat, €898 at The Landskein

What changes have you made in recent years to be a more conscious consumer?

You’re probably familiar with Ann-Marie Bonneau’s quote: “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly, we need millions of people doing it imperfectly”. I am one of those people doing it imperfectly. I became involved in a swap shop last year, which has been great fun and yielded several new-to-me items from brands I wouldn’t usually buy from, such as Karen Millen and Coster Copenhagen. It’s also helped me to move items out of my wardrobe, which I’m no longer getting enough wear from.

I began charity shopping in London in my early 20s, so I’ve always appreciated what they can offer. I still have several items in my wardrobe bought then from Soho charity shops. In Dublin, I take a trip to Rathmines every so often to scour the secondhand and charity shops there as the quality of items tends to be excellent. I still buy from the high-street, but from brands I know produce pieces that will have longevity in my wardrobe. I’ve pulled away from Zara a lot in the last three years or so, but I still succumb occasionally.

Have you ever fallen out of love with fashion?

No, but I have never been as big a fan of summer style as I am of winter. I have to try that bit harder in summer because I’m very pale and my skin becomes irritated in the heat, although I’ve recently started using some Bare By Vogue fake tan, which could be a game changer for me come summer! Also, my aesthetic is anchored in rich autumnal shades and cosy winter layers, so summer involves a rethink of both elements. I tend not to buy much summer fashion, so at this time of year my look becomes more succinct. I'll rotate palazzo pants with satin joggers and mix in a couple of minimal dresses in bold, flattering shades. Fashion involves more thought and planning for me in summer.

Did it take you a long time to discover your 'style personality' or have you always had a strong sense of this?

I’ve always had a good instinct for it, but then when you have a real love and interest in fashion, you put time and energy from an early age into creating a coherent look that works for you. I don’t think it just happens without more than a few fashion mistakes along the way. It’s like anything; you get out what you put in. There’s time, effort and determination involved in discovering what suits you.

How do you use clothes to influence your mood?

Sometimes clothes reflect my mood more than influence it. Colour is my signature, and it can draw attention, so on occasions when I’m feeling subdued, I’ll choose navy or black and wear almost no accessories. But when I need a pick-me-up, I love how tailoring, even when worn with trainers, can make me look and feel as if I’ve made a huge effort, but in fact I’ve just thrown on a co-ord over a T-shirt. I have a DKNY suit, which I found in Kildare Village, and it’s ‘that’ piece I know I can pull on and look ready for anything.

Do you have a style icon?

Trinny Woodall is certainly one of them. Her understanding of how to wear colour is so nuanced and considered, she teaches me something every time I watch one of her Instagram videos. I also love how she takes tailoring from winter to summer so flawlessly. Nikki Creedon from Donnybrook boutique, Havana, always makes me think, ‘wow’. She personifies ageless style, choosing directional pieces and styling them in a beautifully unique manner, but without ever appearing try-hard.

Does your profession/job affect your fashion choices?

I’ve worked in magazines since my early 20s and they’ve always been populated by women who love style and fashion, so it makes sense to answer yes. But to be honest, I think whatever career path I’d chosen, I would have dressed in the clothes that excited me and made me happy. I always knew as a teenager that I would never enter a profession which required me to wear a uniform. It sounds frivolous and certainly it isn’t the wisest way to choose a career path, but that’s how much I love getting dressed each day!

Do you think traditional 'fashion rules' have merit or are they an out-of-date construct?

In certain areas of life, I take comfort from the fact that there are rules. I know several women who feel this way about fashion rules. They use them as a steer and it gives them direction and confidence in their choices. If you, on the other hand, know what you like and feel like your best self without paying a blind bit of attention to them, or indeed, by actively ignoring or contradicting them, then that’s great. Please yourself, because that’s what fashion is for. Some of the women whose style I most admire flout the ‘rules’ and look incredible, and you’ll meet a couple of them over the course of this series.

Which item of clothing/accessory that you own always makes you smile?

Probably the oversized ring I wear every day. A wonderful friend bought it for me in MoMuse in Dublin and I always feel it represents my style perfectly: textured, individual and statement, but not shouty. It’s become as much a part of my signature look as my short haircut.

One of Colin Burke’s exquisite coatigans. Price on request.

Is there one item of clothing or an accessory that you'd desperately like to own (money no object)?

I’m not especially interested in those big-ticket items which some women save up for or receive on significant birthdays, such as a Chanel handbag or Tiffany jewellery. The item I’m probably coveting most at the moment is a Colin Burke coatigan.

Is there any particular look that you would never wear yourself but love on other women?

I love that Phoebe Philo aesthetic of head-to-toe neutrals, but I tend to look a little like a dirty dishcloth in shades like oatmeal, biscuit and grey. I need the kind of oomph that colour provides.

What do you love most about your own style?

I think the transformative nature of it. I had a voucher for H&M and bought a dress last week, which arrived a couple of days ago. I have no idea when or where I will wear it, but it doesn’t matter because when I tried it on, I felt like a goddess. That is the power of fashion, and a persuasive argument for finding your own unique sense of style.