It might not be obvious that being a DJ is a minefield of fashion hazards, but Mo Kelly has found out the hard way.
“Like, you can’t wear dangly earrings because they catch on needles and the headphones,” she begins. “So many earrings of mine end up flying across the bar when I try to take my headphones off. Also hats or hairbands are outlawed: you just have to accept that you’re going to get headphone hair,” she laughs. “And one thing I always do is carry flip-flops in my record bag – I’ve had too many bad experiences trying to carry two large record bags and a set of decks up stairs in heels!”
At 28, the DJ and artist is widely considered to be one of Dublin’s most eligible hot young things. But it wasn’t always that way for Mo.
“I was in the first year of school,” she recalls, “when I had this peach skirt and white top which I thought were absolutely gorgeous, gold pumps – which weren’t in fashion then but probably are now – and these earrings which were huge flowers. I thought I was hot shit, but I remember being chased around by one of the boys from school who was shouting about The Triffids.”
Having been taken away by the fashion police and served her sentence, her taste is now more refined – though she still displays her individuality in her outfits.
“I follow fashion trends eagerly, but I’m more cautious about what would suit me, and I try not to go for just one look,” she says. “I prefer to mix things up and put my own stamp on an outfit.”
To that end, she also makes her own handbags. She began by bringing a large number of silk bags back from Bangkok and customising them for presents. From this enterprising activity, she moved on to adjusting other garments to suit her tastes.
“I used to do my own T-shirts too,” Mo recalls. “When I started DJing I made one which said ‘Suck my decks’. But I’ve grown out of that phase – for the moment (laughs).”
When off-duty, she kicks back in Ugg boots and a Carhartt hoodie that she bought for $20 in New York (“and I came back to find them on sale here for €90”). She describes herself as someone who needs “any excuse to get dressed up.” In general, her look is bold and unapologetic, reflecting her work in visual art.
“I’ve had eight exhibitions so far, and the paintings I do are colourful. Similarly, when I’m buying bits for myself I’d always go for the more visual options, like bright yellow shoes – and then regret it afterwards when I’ve nothing that goes with it!”