DO YOU WEAR A LOT OF BLACK?I wear it too much because it's easy. Both my twin sister and I wear a lot of black. Until last January we had a combined wardrobe as we have the same taste, though she thinks skirt suits are too girly. I would wear 70 per cent trousers and 30 per cent skirts suits to work, the latter more often in the summer.
WHAT'S THE MOST YOU'VE EVER SPENT?I spent more than €2,000 on a Louis Vuitton handbag, as a treat, and I have three pairs of designer shoes all costing more than €400, from Gucci and Stella McCartney. I have horrible toes, so I don't like peep-toes. I don't spend a lot of money on my suits, so it is nice to dress them up with a good pair of shoes.
DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE: I would never go too casual. I never wear runners with jeans, and even though I have been on crutches three times in the past five years I still wear high heels. I have a pair of black Puma runners I bought in America, which I only wear if I am in a rush. I am probably not very girly.
DO YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME SHOPPING?Yes, I shop at least three Saturdays a month and three lunchtimes a week, generally on my own. I never come back without having bought something. I have never bought anything online. I never try on clothes, and I never return anything. My wedding dress was one of the first things I ever tried on. It's a terrible habit, but I can't stand the hassle of changing rooms and queues.
ANY BIG WEAKNESS?Yes, shoes!
DO YOU LIKE TO SHOP AROUND?No, I make decisions quickly and I act quickly and don't have too much time for deliberations. If I see something I like, I buy it.
HOW DO YOU DRESS CASUALLY?Generally, in jeans and tops, and I really like dresses if I am going out. I never wear hats, and I would never wear red shoes or white jeans, or pastel coloured suits when working because I am out on building sites.
WHAT'S YOUR APPROACH TO BUSINESS DRESS?I wear dark suits because I think a girly look gives a slightly weaker impression. You don't want to look girly if you are going to do a powerful negotiation, potentially involving millions of euro. I like to look as if I am in control of things, and black and dark colours are more businesslike.
DO YOU LOOK AFTER YOUR CLOTHES?I get my clothes dry cleaned. If I find something I really like, I usually buy two of them because my work clothes can get wrecked.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE ITEM?I have a black and white dress by a New Zealand designer that I got in a boutique in Greystones. I have worn it to about four weddings and I have had so many compliments about it.
