Five minutes chatting with style guru Mary Oh

We spent 5 minutes catching up with the gal who inspired us to ‘feel fab on Friday’ during the lockdown, style guru Mary Outram. Her accomplishes include having her own online store, heading up Designer Wardrobe for Christchurch and collaborating with International brands on social media.

Here’s what Mary had to tell us;

Tell us a little bit about what you do and explain what your week looks like?

I work full time for Designer Wardrobe. My role there is Christchurch Regional Manager + Growth Innovations. It’s extremely varied; I work across the management of our Christchurch rental retail store, social media, marketing, buying assistance and much more. I get to work across both sides of our business which is rental and marketplace which I love, and it’s exciting working with a start-up business that’s forever evolving and growing. 

I also run my own little business, the online shop - www.maryoutram.com. It’s best known for the T-Shirts I make and little add-on accessories. Retail is a pretty competitive space and financially it's been hard for me, but I love the mini drops I am able to create. I have some other new ideas in the pipeline I am working on at the moment which is exciting, so watch this space. Through the growth of my own brand/ website I am lucky enough to work with some amazing brands on my social media page - which I also love inspiring others on. 

What inspired you to set up your own brand / online shop/ What influenced your love for fashion?

I've always loved feeling inspired visually and through clothing so I wanted to put all that inspires me into one place. It started with social media and posting fun content to Instagram and later grew to the launch of my shop.  Clothing isn’t just something that you have to wear, it has the ability to change your whole mood and the way you approach your day, your life. It’s a feeling. I want people to feel inspired and empowered in their outfit choices the way I do. 

Can you describe your personal style?

I think everyone has parts of their body they love more, or things about themselves they like or don’t like, and dress to suit these. I definitely buy to suit my body type as it's what I feel best in and I think that's a big part of feeling good about your style; not dressing to be someone else but ensuring its a mix of what inspires you but also what suits your body.

My style is classic and clean but then sometimes a bit salty... I like to wear things differently or sometimes a bit random just to show people how you can pull something off. I wear a lot of block colours which I find bold and stand out. I often mix designer pieces with affordable pieces.

I am trying to shop smarter now and continue to tell myself "less is more Mary" because I used to just want loads of new things all the time which in a few months or a year I would no longer love, they weren't timeless. I shop smarter now and although sometimes buying a designer or expensive piece can take longer to save up for or feel like you've just sold your kidney for a jacket I think it's important to own those pieces that you will have for a lifetime.

Can you share a styling tip?

Sometimes less is more. Yes I mix and match pieces together randomly or like to dress over the top sometimes but nothing beats a sleek, polished look that's classic and simple. If your hair and makeup are fresh and done, putting together some simple basics will always make you feel finished.

What are some of your current fashion trends?

I am really loving oversized blazers at the moment, I think a blazer is so polished for any look. It can be worn casually with a pair of sneakers or be taken to evening dressed up with a cute dress and boots. 

Who is your favourite NZ designer?

Ahhh this is a hard one, I love Maggie Marilyn, Paris Georgia, and Georgia Alice but I am really loving all Ruby pieces right now and the snippet of what's to come in their new collections. I think Ruby is great also because they aren’t unaffordable and most pieces will be timeless season to season. 

What is the best collaboration you have done with a brand?

I’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing NZ and International brands over the years. One that's a real highlight and exciting for me at the moment is YSL. I am working with YSL beauty this year, who are known worldwide, they have such an amazing brand vision, sustainability changes, and products so I feel honored to be alongside them. 

What advice have you got for people who are shopping on a budget, but want to dress in style?

Classic, simplistic and basics are your friend! Like I said above in my styling tips, sometimes less is more. A look can be pulled together by putting effort into your hair, a bold lipstick, or fresh makeup look and that can make a big difference in feeling polished. Classic black jeans, boots, a white tee, and a blazer with put-together hair and makeup you can’t go wrong. I love Glassons, I buy all my black jeans from there and recently brought a turtle neck for $29, these items are affordable and easy to pull together a great look on a budget. 

How can people find you?

@MARY_OH_

@SHOP_BY_MARY

www.maryoutram.com

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