Five things I know about style: Erin O'Connor

1) Clothes are like a suit of armour when you're young. I was quite a shy teen, so I wanted to make aggressive statements with the way I looked. I'd say my goth/indie stage was the worst: there was a lot of experimentation involving pink food dye in my fringe. 2) My style has been nurtured over time. It's more about knowing what doesn't suit you. I love suits and anything sharp, and I know that shape suits me. I don't feel feminine in floaty dresses with spaghetti straps – I feel more like Freddie Mercury in drag. 3) You don't have to reveal too much to be sexy. I'm all about sensuality, but I don't like to dress overtly sexually. 4) Winter is my favourite season. Good winter coats are essential – this year I invested in a beautiful Kinder military jacket, and I also found a gorgeous olive-green coat in an Edinburgh charity shop for £50. It's all about the outer layer for me. 5) I love vintage clothes. But they don't love me very much. It is difficult to find anything that fits me because of my height, but if I do fall in love with something I'll buy it and display it like a work of art at home. Erin has just launched Fairy Clean & Care with Olay ( softerhandsecrets.com )