Alice Keegan remembers the most iconic moments in Sinead O’Connor through her style.
Shuhada Sadaqat, known globally as Sinead O'Connor passed away last July at the age of 56. She left a legacy of standing up for those less fortunate and against the exploitative powerful in society. Her style was an integral part of her image, with her iconic signature shaven head. All the while, her clothing choices were decidedly non-conformist : a strong mix of punk and grunge, with leather jackets, denim jeans, boots and t-shirts as staples of her wardrobe.
Sinead O'Connor made her electric entrance onto the music scene in the late 1980s, with an intriguing and intense image. She was outspoken, never shying away from both controversy or critics who wished to silence her. Fearless, O'Connor also rebelled from what the music industry wanted to make of her. In her 2021 memoir 'Rememberings', O'Connor recalled when a record exec advised her to wear miniskirts and grow her hair long. She reacted to this by immediately shaving her hair off, forcing her image to become forever associated with her buzz cut. A protest singer, who found the idea of being a pop-star simply abhorrent, she rejected convention and defied traditional stylistic choices throughout her career, proving herself to be the ultimate “rebel girl”.
In her 2021 memoir 'Rememberings', O'Connor recalls when a record executive advised her to wear miniskirts and grow her hair long. She reacted to this by immediately shaving her hair off, forcing her image to become forever associated with her rebellious buzz cut.
Authentic and unapologetically honest, these aspects of her personality were clear from her understated yet edgy style. At one of her earliest performances at the Dublin Ballroom in 1988, O'Connor notably wore a black tutu skirt, tights, a biker jacket, and lace-up boots. At the Grammys in 1989, she arrived wearing a black leather jacket and t-shirt with pop art of the Virgin Mary, presaging the moment that would later come to define her career. When she headlined Glastonbury in 1990, O'Connor took the stage wearing dark sunglasses, a leather jacket, a Fat Slags tee, and denim jeans. She had a dry, tongue-in-cheek sense of humour. During one photoshoot, she wore a t-shirt emblazoned with the words 'wear a condom,’ while displaying her baby bump. She was also photographed wearing a white tee which displayed the words "Recovering Catholic”.
She expressed her views through her clothing, her feminism evident when she wore a female symbol necklace while performing. In 1999, Sinead O'Connor appeared on The Late Late Show dressed as a priest. She would return to this ensemble often, including when she performed in Amsterdam in 2013, she accessorised with a gold crucifix hung round her neck. She had even been ordained as a priest reflecting her complicated and fragmented relationship with religion and spirituality. During her 2019 appearance on Good Morning Britain, O'Connor proudly displayed her devotion to her Muslim faith by wearing a hijab, as well as publicly showing her support to the LGBTQ community by wearing a sweatshirt with a rainbow flag.
Due to her otherworldly voice, incredible energy and eclectic style, her legacy in fashion, music and Irish culture will undoubtedly live on.
Her distinct style has proven to be both impactful and enduring and made her into an inspiration to those who prefer their looks to be both understated and politically charged. Due to her otherworldly voice, incredible energy and eclectic style, her legacy in fashion, music and Irish culture will undoubtedly live on.