Stylist Emily O’Donnell on her favourite fashion finds

Award-winning celebrity stylist and fashion broadcaster Emily O’Donnell loves nothing more than a pop of colour, shopping local, and using her clothing to make a splash. Here, we get an exclusive glimpse into her enviable wardrobe.

How would you describe your personal style?

My personal style is classic with a twist, and I’m a less and better kinda girl! Mind you, if you saw the amount of clothes I have you might say it’s better and more!

I like to dress different to other people and express my creativity through my outfits. I love to source pieces abroad that other people don’t have and I adore Irish design and independent Irish boutiques for sourcing that something special you won’t see on the high street.

The go-to shoe/boot

My go to place for comfortable footwear in Ireland is always Nyles and Rafe in Dunboyne. They have the best selection of flat boots, which are a wardrobe essential for me as I spend a lot of time running around and on my feet!

I wore this pair to Milan Fashion Week and literally walked the city in them! They are by NeroGiardini and the gold hardware gives them an extra bit of edge so they really dress up a look so have fast become my go to boots.

The does-it-all coat

My must have coat has to be the Frances Trench Coat from Fairfax and Favor. It’s made from the finest quality suede and has a real heritage vibe, it looks equally well-worn equestrian style for a day at the races as it does styled in a boho way with a knitted dress and ’70s style boots for a more casual vibe.

It’s the type of coat that will take you anywhere and a real forever piece that takes pride of place in my wardrobe.

The perfect jeans

The perfect jeans for this season in my opinion have to be these silver coated Salsa jeans from Pamela Scott!

Metallics—particularly silver—are huge for the party season and these are so easy to style up! I sized up to give them more of a trouser look as I wanted them a bit looser! I plan on wearing them a lot over the coming weeks with knits, blazers and blouses.

For regular jeans, my first port of call is always Irish design brand Rant and Rave as their quality, size range and price points are always impressive. I’ve so many pairs of their jeans and they wash so well and always hold their shape.

The must-have knitwear

I love knitwear, especially traditional knitwear from Irish design brands. A good Aran jumper is a wardrobe staple for me, it’s such a great buy as it’s super cosy and chic and can be worn in so many different ways,

For day, they look great with jeans but can easily be dressed up with a tulle skirt and statement jewellery for night or a more dressy occasion. The vast majority of my knitwear is from Carroll’s. They are my go to place for quality pieces and stock a lot of my favourite knitwear brands, such as IrelandsEye.

The everyday jewellery

I wear a lot of jewellery from Irish designer Bláithín Ennis. Her pieces are really unique and she makes everything by hand, they are super lightweight too so perfect for when work takes me from day to night. They add an extra bit of edge to all of my outfits and are always a talking point.

I also love the slow fashion ethos behind her brand and the fact each collection is limited and transeasonal.

The wear-everywhere handbag

I’m a real handbag girl (bag lady) and always have been! I tend to spend more on bags than on clothes as I feel they are investment pieces I’ll have in my wardrobe for years and wear over and over again.

I just got a gorgeous new bag from luxury brand Fairfax and Favor! It’s the mini Fitzwilliam in plum suede and it is divine. I’ll get so much wear out of this piece as it’s a real classic and it has such a premium finish with the gold hardware and leather.

The Sunday cosy casual look

My Sunday casual cosy look is always from Human Collective! They are a super cool ethical and sustainable Irish Design brand that not only have the best quality and design features, but they also donate a portion of their profits to some very important charity partners.

Their clothes are both functional and fashionable and can be styled up in so many different ways! I’ve loads of their pieces and am always keeping my eyes peeled for their new launches. And they wash really well too!

The ultimate pyjamas

If you not already familiar with the Irish, female-owned Make It Personal Ireland, you need to be, as they do gorgeous custom made affordable personalised pyjamas.

And if like me you love a bit of luxury, it’s definitely worth investing in a silk pillowcase from another of my favourite Irish Designers, Meab Enamels. The benefits to your skin and hair are just incredible.

The party look essential

My party look essential has to be the June dress from Karen By Simonsen — I absolutely love it! It’s ticking all of the trend boxes this season with the crystal embellished mesh overlay which literally shimmers as you walk, and it’s super comfortable. This brand is great for mid-range designer pieces that you won’t see everyday.

I’ve styled it up with some jewellery from Irish Designer Bláithín Ennis, whose Topaz collection is perfect for the party season.

The most treasured piece

My most treasured piece has to be this Prada hairband. I wanted it for so long but it was impossible to get as it was constantly out of stock, so you can imagine my excitement when I eventually happened upon it in Selfridges during London Fashion Week last year. I pounced on it immediately and actually wore it to the Paul Costelloe show in London Fashion Week this year as it worked really well with my look.

I think it’s a classic wardrobe staple that will elevate any outfit and I tend to style mine with my vintage Prada bag that I’ve had since I was 19 when I worked in Brown Thomas during my first degree and spent more than I saved!

The wishlist item

My wish list item has to be anything from Ejay Griffin’s new collection. I discovered Ejay at Showcase this year, and immediately fell in love with her pieces, the way she uses different materials and textures is like nothing I’ve ever seen before and the way she cuts her clothes is really unique.

She is fairly new to the Irish fashion scene, so I was very happy to see her featured in Create in Brown Thomas this year and I am delighted I am now the proud owner of one of her dresses. It’s literally my Happy Dress, I wore it on TV recently and it nearly broke my inbox so many people wanted to know where it was from, so now everything from her new collection is on my wish-list!

The vintage shop to know

My favourite vintage shop for a feel good fashion find is The Fashion Relief Shop in The Frascati Centre in Blackrock. I’ve been a supporter of fashion relief for years ever since Lorraine Keane roped me in to model and donate my styling services to their runway show and auction in The RDS.

I donate a lot of my own pre-worn/never worn pieces to the shop, as well as keeping a hawk eye out for any gems donated by designers like this Paul Costelloe Dress. It was was brand new and fresh off the catwalk so I was absolutely delighted, as I bought it for a fraction of the original price.

There’s always something unique in the shop in Blackrock as many media personalities, brands and designers donate pieces regularly to the shop, so it’s well worth a look for anyone watching their fashion footprint, especially now that they have just announced a new charity partner Breast Cancer Ireland.

Who to follow for style on social media

My top three style follows on social media are:

Celia Holman Lee

Celia looks impeccable at all times. I love her style, her use of colour and the energy she brings to her social media, she’s a leading light in the business for all women and very supportive of others in the business too.

Jess Colivet 

I love following Jess as she wears and shoots a lot of the Irish designers that I love. She also does personal shopping in Kildare Village, so it’s a great way of spotting gems for yourself as she often posts pieces that are new-in and likely to move fast.

Lorraine Keane 

I really enjoy following Lorraine and have done for years as I think we have similar taste, so I’m always keen to see what she’s wearing and how she styles it.

The beauty essentials / self-care ritual

I have very little time to myself as I’m constantly busy running my own business, so I really look forward to a nice shower at the end of the day before bed. I am a L’Occitane lover and their almond shower oil always hits the spot every time. It’s so moisturising that it often saves me having to moisturise after if I’m in a rush!

I also wear the Immortelle Overnight Reset Oil-in-Serum, which makes me look like I’m well rested even for a 5am TV call time. I’ve recently started using the new neck serum too, as I’m not getting any younger and the Anti-Ageing Immortelle Divine Cream is a beautiful product I’m never without.

I have to say I just love all their products because of their natural ingredients and also their commitment to sustainability.