Style Council > Mayo Sinn Féin's Thérèse Ruane in Saturday's 'Irish Times'

Excerpts from Deirdre McQuillan’s piece in Saturday’s Irish Times . . .

Fashion on the hustings

THÉRÈSE RUANE of Sinn Féin, deputy mayor of Castlebar, says becoming a public figurehead is a huge transition.

Presentation is very important in politics and you have to get used to seeing your face on a poster and having to get photos taken.

Persuaded to be made up professionally and have her hair blow-dried for a campaign poster, she tore up the photographs and had them taken again “because it wasn’t me”.

An experienced politician, she’s pragmatic in her approach.

People notice what women wear in public life. Men notice. And that puts pressure on you, but you move beyond that. I dress casually and I am very active. I play sports and cycle everywhere. I have a low budget and can’t spend a lot, so I often borrow clothes from friends or shop in secondhand shops or sales. I’ve always been fashion conscious, but not in a fussy way, and I almost always shop local.

For elections, she looks for coats that are casual but presentable.

I think there is something important about being yourself and not trying to be somebody you’re not. Most of the time I wear trousers or leggings with a long top, cardigan and boots. I dress very much for comfort. You can’t wear too much jewellery because it’s a distraction, and out canvassing you need to show respect for others.

She likes colour, loves scarves and interesting hand-made textiles picked up from her travels and voluntary work in Latin America.

I choose carefully, because I like a smart casual look, but there is awful pressure and some feel it more than others and just wear the suit. I like being in public life and was always involved in community work, but there was not the same pressure.

Being in politics did change her style a bit, she says.

There is learning, that there are certain colours you can’t wear, like black. You need to think about those things and think about photographs. I could be out canvassing, then going to a civic reception, so a good coat and something presentable is important. Image is important for politicians; we have no choice and the public is very judgmental.

CANVASS CONSULTANTS: ‘SEVEN SECONDS’ TO IMPRESS

According to image consultants Fiona McKeon and Sheila McNeive, who work with political-party supporters and canvassers, first impressions are made in seven seconds and canvassers need to look the part to get a sympathetic hearing.

They point out that “55 per cent of the impression we create is determined by how we look – our clothing, our grooming and body language, a further 38 per cent of how we sound and only 7 per cent by what we actually say”.

Some of their tips, such as the importance of grooming and not too much make up for women, may seem obvious, but they also counsel against wearing black or very vibrant colours, such as red or deep purple, arguing that brown, camel, cream and navy evoke trust and approachability.

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THÉRÈSE RUANE and ROSE CONWAY-WALSH (right) are the two Sinn Féin candidates for Mayo.