Sinead Keary: A week in my wardrobe

MONDAY

Deciding what to wear each morning is based around what I have on that day. Whether it’s a day spent in-store helping clients find capsule wardrobe essentials from my collection, working from home creating next season’s collection, or meeting friends for brunch, I usually try to plan my outfits a night in advance to avoid any unnecessary stress. I also choose my look each day depending on my mood and the fabrics I wear often reflect that. I adore soft-touch fabrics that feel beautiful against the skin like cashmere, bamboo jersey and silk. I choose the fabric in each piece in my collection with that in mind and want my customers to be comfortable in their clothing each day. Both the fit and feel of my clothes need to be just right in order to achieve maximum comfort. This outfit was definitely chosen with comfort in mind. I am a big believer that if you feel confident and comfortable in what you are wearing you will be able to face anything that the day throws at you. I use my wardrobe as a tool to express who I am and my clothing is my armour. For a dreary Monday, I opted for a casual luxe vibe with my Melanie soft touch jumper paired with my Orla satin mini skirt and my favourite new Sezane boots to dress it up a little and make me feel put together, ready to welcome my lovely customers into our 32 Wicklow street pop up shop.

TUESDAY

Navy is one of my favourite colours to wear and as a personal shopper, I know it suits so many different skin tones. It is particularly flattering on  Irish skin tones. One of my favourite colour combos is navy and biscuit. Today I am wearing the Orla skirt from my essentials collection in navy, this is one of the most popular designs in my collection as the fabric doesn’t cling to the body like many similar satin skirts. The slit on the left-hand side also ensures it works on a multitude of heights and does not swamp you. I added my favourite Sezane Gaspard knit and Toral boots to break up the navy and my trusty Dior saddle bag. Bags are my weakness! I like to buy vouchers each month and for any birthday or Christmas present I will ask for a voucher – after a year or so of saving, I’ll meticulously plan my purchases.  I always advise people when they are choosing a bag they love, to try and shop brands that hold their resale value like Dior, Celine, Chanel and YSL. That way, in a few years, you know you will have the option to sell it and make a chunk of your investment back… which you can then decide to put into a new bag! I also always consider what the bag will go with in my existing wardrobe. Does it suit my height and shape? I feel that a great bag will last the test of time and elevate any of your basics.

WEDNESDAY

Today was another day spent in-store helping customers choose from our collection of luxury basics. It was freezing outside but I had just applied fresh tan and felt like playing up that 70s vibe so decided to brave it with a bare leg! The most worn item in my wardrobe is my Sarah blazer which was completely inspired by my favourite fashion era of Studio 54 and the 1970s. I designed this soft tailoring blazer as the perfect alternative to the more structured blazer most of us already have in our wardrobes The double cuff bell sleeve was also inspired by one of my all-time favourite style icons Bianca Jagger. I absolutely love her fearless yet effortless style. The Sarah blazer has been the biggest hit of the year from my collection, the wrap shape has worked really well on a multitude of different body shapes. It’s my go-to hero piece in my own wardrobe this season. I love to style it with my Orla satin midi skirt.

THURSDAY

I knew I would be working all weekend in our 32 Wicklow Pop-up shop so carved out some me time today and booked a pedicure and met a friend for lunch. The last thing I bought was this Charlotte Simone jacket and I am absolutely in love. It is a standout piece that I know I will have for years and that will add some excitement and fun into my wardrobe especially when I’m styling my capsule wardrobe basics. I am a great believer that the key to a truly great functioning wardrobe is to invest in simple essentials that will mix and match in multiple ways but I also feel it’s super important to have fun with your wardrobe and your wardrobe can be a great tool to express your personality. It’s through fun standout pieces like this jacket and my accessories that I express my own individual style. Basics don’t have to be boring and the key to ensuring they aren’t, is to mix pieces that are fun with pieces that feel like you. I’m also wearing my favourite straight-leg jeans from &Other Stories.

FRIDAY

I met friends for dinner after work this evening which meant that I needed an outfit that would take me from day to night so, of course, I opted for my favourite Sarah blazer yet again – this time in black. I feel most confident when wearing a blazer, a cami, a pair of leather pants and boots or a heel on a night out. It is my ultimate go-to outfit formula and has been for years now. This exact outfit formula is actually one of the main reasons I started my essentials collection! For years, I would help my personal shopping clients make sense of their wardrobes and come up with easy go-to style formulae that they could go back to time and time again… just like this one. I would hit the shops each season for the best basics to help them build the foundations of their capsule wardrobe and pieces like the perfect flattering cami that was double-lined and bra-friendly were always a struggle to find, so I set about designing my own collection of basics that would be there for my clients to help them. When wearing an all-black outfit like this one I always play around and mix different fabrics and textures together to break up the look and prevent it from looking too corporate. The mix of silk on top, patent on bottom and suede boots helps to elevate the look.

SATURDAY

I was working in our Wicklow street pop-up today. Back in my personal shopping days in Brown Thomas and before that Topshop, I always dressed up a little more for work on Saturdays. It always helps to elevate my mood and gives me that energy I need to help customers. I decided to wear one of the newest pieces in my essential collection, The Jessica kimono. This is a piece I designed as I felt it was missing from my own wardrobe. It’s not as heavy as a blazer or as light as a blouse, but it’s the perfect cover-up over my silk camis. Great for dinners out with friends or styled down with jeans and boots. I dressed mine up with my Orla satin skirt and added my favourite Western-style Toral Boots in black.  When asked if I am a heels or flats kind of girl, I have to admit I am without a doubt a boot addict. For me, they are not just more practical for my daily routine but also  modernise my capsule wardrobe of basics. One of my favourite people to follow online for style inspiration is Justine Va and she has an impeccable boot game which often inspires me!

SUNDAY

I have to admit, I woke up feeling really tired and lacking energy today so I was drawn straight towards my go-to wardrobe combo of a blazer, a cami, my trusty Topshop jeans and boots. I also added lashings of my sister Sarah’s new highlighter, Higher Love BYSK, to brighten me up a bit.  I know I sound like a broken record but it’s days like this when tiredness hits and creativity may be lacking that I really do believe in the power of capsule wardrobe dressing and the importance of having great basics in your wardrobe to fall back on. I have met so many women over the years who have complained about having a wardrobe full of clothes but nothing to wear. I truly believe that if we try and stay away from constantly buying colour and print and the shiny things that we are instantly attracted to as we walk in the door of a shop, and instead focus instead on building up our wardrobes full of pieces we love and feel great in, and most importantly know how to style in multiple ways, we will always have something to wear.   Today’s outfit is the perfect example of how important my basics are in my life and wardrobe. I chose neutral tones to try and elevate my mood and it worked a treat! I had a wonderful day meeting clients and customers and helping them find the key ingredients of their dream wardrobes.

Photography by Sinead Keary, @sinead_keary_personal_shopping. We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site.