Wear It Out: amazing sense of style at bargain prices

This week, we meet the fabulous Catherine Rutter. Catherine is the former manager of Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin and currently works with GCN(Gay Community News). Her amazing sense of style only gets better and better.

Tell us about your outfit

From the top down, I’ve been getting my haircut with Dan in the Hair Box for more than 20 years for about €50. It’s naturally like this, I love having curls, and having them has definitely contributed to my style over the years, so I consider it a part of my outfit. Just please don’t touch it.

My coat is from the men’s range that Kenzo did recently for H&M. It cost €180 and I’m mad about it. It’s reversible and the bottom zips off so four permutations for the price of one – what’s not to love?

I bought my necklace from Jam Art Factory on Patrick Street [Dublin] for about €15, I really enjoy that it utilises 3D print technology to make the word.

My sequin scarf and earrings are pressies from my very lovely sisters: they encourage my accessory addiction. My dress is from Cos and I bought it in the sale for about €20: I adore the colour and I love a bargain. My culottes were bought in a Zara sale for €13 and are wonderfully versatile; you can dress them up or down. My Adidas were my birthday present to me this year and I got them online for €50, again with the bargains.

My clutch is by Furla, it was a gift from an ex, bought as a thank-you for joining him at a Kiss concert in the Verona amphitheatre, so I don’t know the price. I had a surprisingly great time at the gig and I got a cool bag, win-win.

My rings are Alexander McQueen from the Brown Thomas sale for €95, Alexis Bittar from the Moma shop in Soho, NYC, for my birthday present to me a few years ago, for $150 (€141), and Swarovski from Kildare Village for €45.

And you can’t see it but my underwear matches, always have matching underwear.

Describe your personal style

I once described it as aul’wan meets rock chick, although now I think it would be aul’wan meets rock chick meets Lower East Side via Dublin. But I think the answer is in the question, it’s just that – it’s my personal style.

It’s one of the things I’ve enjoyed about getting older, the confidence and self-awareness that comes with it. I’ve always loved clothes, style, accessories, and mixing things up and putting things together.

Your style evolves: one item can send it off in a direction you’d never thought of. That happened with me when I got into runner boots – before that I was always in heels. I still love my heels but my first pair of Adidas nudged my sartorial choices in a direction I’m really enjoying.

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?

The long days of summer, all the amazing festivals that it brings, and sunny hang-outs with my pals.

Photographs: Katie McLaughlin Robinson