Celebrating Style with Substance: A Conversation with Cathy O’Connor

As part of our recent B Corp Celebration Day, we had the absolute pleasure of welcoming Irish stylist and fashion consultant Cathy O’Connor to the shop. Not only is Cathy one of Ireland’s most respected voices in fashion, she’s also a passionate advocate for inclusivity, sustainability, and the visibility of women over 40 in the style world.

Cathy joined us in Clifden for an afternoon of conversations, styling, and celebration, bringing her signature warmth and wisdom to the day. Her approach to fashion is rooted in confidence, self-expression, and helping people reconnect with who they are through what they wear. It’s what makes her such a brilliant fit for everything we believe in at Ohh! By Gum.

She’s also the driving force behind Women Unbranded  alongside Karen Pappin, a movement that challenges outdated ideas of ageing and champions the beauty, energy, and relevance of women over 40. In a world that too often sidelines older women, Cathy is helping rewrite the narrative with style and strength.

We asked her a few questions about fashion, confidence, and sustainability and her answers were pure gold:

1. To start us off, what does “style” mean to you, beyond just what we wear?

Style is about self expression. It’s a wonderful, instant way to say to the world “this is who I am.”

2. What’s the most rewarding part of helping someone discover their personal style?

Very often my clients are women who’ve lost their mojo.  They have a wardrobe full of clothes but feel like they’ve nothing to wear, they have a somewhat negative body image and are uncertain about what suits them.  All of that impacts their confidence.  It is such a privilege to be part of transforming that story - where women re-connect to their sense of themselves, have a renewed certainty about their style and that change allows them to engage with the world in a very different way. 

3. A lot of people struggle with confidence when it comes to clothes. Where do you think that comes from, and how do you help people move past it?

Some of that negative self-talk comes from their past; they might have been teased or made feel self conscious about their body image or style. My personal shopping service is about re-discovery, it’s about clarifying how you want to show up in the world,  and embracing who you are RIGHT NOW.  

4. You work a lot with women over 40, what are some of the biggest misconceptions about style and ageing, and how do you help shift that narrative?

Unfortunately, most brands that the 40+ woman supports, are brands that don’t support her. All too often, inappropriately young models are used in campaigns, making many women feel invisible. We’re living longer, living better and are experiencing age in a different way than previous generations. The brands haven’t kept up and don’t know who we are.  That’s why Women Unbranded started.  Our mission is to highlight the innate value of the 40+ woman and change the perception about ageing. 

5. What are three styling tips you find yourself giving again and again?

Know yourself and how you want to represent yourself through your style. In a world of wannabes, cultivate YOUR sense of personal style. That comes about by asking yourself pertinent questions. 

6. Can you share one or two wardrobe pieces that you think work for just about everyone, those real go-to’s that always deliver?

I’d lean more into choosing pieces that make YOU feel confident. The greatest thing you can have in your wardrobe, isn’t the little black dress or indeed, the perfect white blouse, it’s attitude. It’s all about owning your own style. 

7. At Ohh! By Gum, we love fun prints and bold shapes. What advice would you give someone who wants to try something braver but isn’t sure how to pull it off?

Introduce those prints or shapes in a subtle, inexpensive way to see if they sit well with your sense of style. Style is about experimentation and there’s a joy in that. You don’t have to get it right all the time and like everything in life,  it’s an evolution. 

8. Do you have a favourite styling moment or an outfit that’s really stuck with you over the years?

I'm very lucky to have so many of them. I hosted makeovers on television for years and it was such a privilege to help women reconnect with themselves, their style and their confidence. 

9. If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the fashion industry, what would it be?

It would be a game changer if the fast fashion brands took responsibility for the harm they are doing to the planet. Don’t get me started… 

10. More people want to shop sustainably, but often don’t know where to begin. What small steps would you suggest for someone starting out?

When you understand your personal style, you naturally become a more conscious shopper as you know exactly why you’re buying any item. Of course, supporting sustainable brands is key or shopping in consignment shops and charity shops makes such a positive change. 

11. And finally, what’s one piece of advice you’d give someone standing in front of their wardrobe, feeling totally stuck?

Get help.

Cathy's work with Women Unbranded, alongside Karen Pappin, continues to open up important conversations about ageing, visibility, and representation in fashion, conversations we are proud to be part of.

You can follow Cathy on Instagram @cathyocstylist and find out more about Women Unbranded at womenunbranded.com.