Dolores O’Riordan: A Fashion Icon to Remember

By Sinead Sheridan

A thunder of cheers rippled throughout the crowd as the very familiar opening of ‘Dreams’ blasted from the stage. The Cranberries performance at Woodstock 1994 highlighted a great peak in their career, in the same year their critically acclaimed album, No Need to Argue, was also released. All eyes were on the new Irish band as they continued to prove themselves again and again, hit after hit. The frontwoman, Dolores O’Riordan, commanded attention to herself through amazing vocals, creating a unique new sound within the music industry outside of Ireland. Dolores had a voice unlike any other, which she used to convey strong meaningful messages.

Dolores stood out, not just through her voice, but also her sense of style. When discussing how it began to develop both personally and professionally, she recalls at the age of 14 that her style was derived from the music she listened to. Bands such as The Smiths, Depeche Mode and The Cure helped shape her. Through makeup, she recreated popular gothic looks which are still popular today. Her bold, yet timeless choices that she used in her makeup were also seen in her wardrobe, though she admitted to following many cult fashion trends; Doc Martens and studded belts became essentials in her wardrobe. 

The transition to becoming a professional singer caused her to question her identity more profoundly. She exercised the fact that her individuality was important to her through her work as a musician and songwriter. In a 2001 interview with Fashion Zone, she stated, ‘I did not want to be some kind of a prop that people hang things on’. The want to separate herself from following trends became exceptionally clear as she explored her individuality through the medium of fashion.  

In the early years of her career, she had a cropped bleach blonde pixie cut and a dark vampy lip, completely fulfilling the grunge aesthetic at the time. Her clothing was incredibly masculine during this era, she self described her fashion choices as being ‘tomboy’ at the beginning of her career, although she favoured more masculine clothing as she often wore graphic tees, jeans, ties and shirts. She also experimented with her femininity by combining the two aesthetics in a single outfit. She fronted the cover of a 1995 issue of Rolling Stone, exuding grunge with a future-like aesthetic. The black vest top was paired with a silver skirt and black pants, made from rubberized fabric, which emphasised her daringness in the fashion world.

Again and again, she proved how bold she can truly be through the medium of fashion. On July 18th 1994, she married Don Burton in an alluring wedding outfit that was far from the conventional wedding dress. Covered head to toe in white, she wore a velvet crop top, and intricately detailed lace tights paired perfectly with knee high boots. A sheer veil with a pearl-like finish fell over the shoulders perfectly, being accessorised with an ethereal silver wreath of roses crowned on top of her iconic bleach blonde hair.  

After a short break from music to focus on her family, Dolores’ style changed drastically as she embraced her femininity to its fullest. In a 2001 interview, she discussed the impact that motherhood had on her view of the female body, specifically the empowering nature of what women create. She was a fashion icon, whose impact on the future of fashion was incredibly substantial, and her influence can still be seen today.