Joanna Cluskey has a keen eye for fashion and personal style - she uses this gift to empower and inspire women all across Ireland. Specialising in image consultation and wardrobe edits, Joanna is a private stylist that strives to make every person feel their absolute best.
She knows personal style is just that - personal. Embodied with true kindness and a sharp sense of style, Joanna works alongside her clients ensuring a wardrobe revamp that inspires self-confidence. We are delighted to have a chat with Joanna about her business, what she loves about fashion, and how helping others feel their best is a truly nourishing thing for her.
Ever since Joanna can remember, fashion has always played an integral role in her life. “All of my life I’ve been obsessed with fashion…I was just totally and utterly drawn to it.” This adoration for style only continued to develop. Fervent with a desire to pursue a space in the world of fashion, Joanna made the decision to train as a personal stylist and to grow her platform just after her 40th birthday. “I wanted to have something for myself that's a passion of mine,” she says. “I trained with Dublin Design Institute and a company called Style Savvy… I did it online a few summers ago and I gobbled up the information.”
Once she was certified and made her Instagram public, there was no stopping her. On her account, @stylebyjo.ie, her following quickly grew, as she tailored her feed to inspiring and helping others find their own sense of style. Now with over 12k followers, Joanna has fostered a community of people built on support and empowerment. “It’s a big achievement for me. I suppose it might be a part of my story that I suffer from anxiety, and have since my teens. So when I made my Instagram public, both my husband and my mom said ‘Jo you’re mad please don’t do this…’ I said ‘no I am ready for this now. I know I’m in a good place.’” She continues, “I have met so many lovely people and I've only come across kindness, and supportive women which has been amazing.”
Joanna is also a Galway Ambassador for Mum Talks, a company that strives to support, inspire and empower mothers through events all across Ireland. Having three kids herself, Joanna works closely with Mum Talks to put on events across Galway. “The first Mum Talks in Galway, I was on the panel speaking. I don't think I was ever as nervous for anything in my life. I had to stand up and kind of give my life story, you know about my past and a little bit about me… And after that morning I was like ‘this is class. There is something in this…’ We laughed, we cried, the babies were there. It was just so special.”
What is it about personal styling that Joanna is so enamoured with? She says, the people. “I get to go into people's homes and in their wardrobe. It's like the story of their life…there is just emotion behind all these clothes.” This deeply personable aspect of her business shines through everything she does. As she grows this community on and offline, her goal is to help her clients look and feel their best. From hosting styling events across Galway, to personal shopping trips, to ‘style-tip’ videos Joanna’s authenticity creates a space for people to feel comfortable exploring their own unique style.
Photography by Ciarán MacChoncarraige
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