Ballincollig woman Pamela Kiely has always had a flair for fashion and for life. From twirling in dresses as a child to building two thriving businesses by 30, she has turned her passion for style into a career that inspires confidence and creativity. Based in Cork, Pamela is the founder of PK Marketing Agency and a wedding content business, and she’s known for her love of elegant yet fun fashion, her positive outlook, and her ability to spot a bargain a mile away.
“Overdressed, yet elegant and girly,” is how Pamela Kiely sums up her style in three words. It’s a definition that captures not only her wardrobe but also her outlook on life and business. At just 26, she turned her lifelong love of fashion into a career by launching her own digital marketing agency. Now 30, she balances that business with her second venture in wedding content creation, all while keeping fashion playful, accessible, and confidence-boosting.
Asked about her favourite piece in her wardrobe, she doesn’t hesitate. “It’s a pair of Stradivarius trousers I bought three years ago,” she says. “They’re this creamy stone colour, straight-leg, and they go with absolutely everything. I can wear them with heels, trainers, even flip-flops. They bring me from summer right through to winter.” She explains that she loved them so much she bought a similar pair again from Get That Trend. “They’re my perfect trousers.”
Pamela admits that fashion is where a lot of her spending goes, though she balances it with bargain hunting. “I wouldn’t say I’m huge into designer bits yet,” she says with a laugh. “I was still in my 20s until earlier this year! But I go through waves of spending. If I have events coming up, I’ll want something new, and sometimes I’ll splurge on a gown for a big occasion. Other months, it could be very little.” She’s also become more mindful about rewearing. “I’ve so many clothes now, I’m trying to get more wear out of them. My friends borrow my things constantly, they definitely benefit from my shopping habits. Before my 30th, three or four of the girls came over just to raid my wardrobe for my 30th birthday party. I was skitting.”
Bargains, she explains, are her strength. “My mum is always saying, how do you find those prices? She’d walk into the same shop and never see what I do. I think I just have an eye for it. I’ll happily do a couple of laps around a store or spend hours browsing online, adding things to baskets, then coming back a day later. But I’ll never buy something just for the sake of it. It has to be right.”
That eye for style often gets her into trouble at work. “I work in fashion, so I have to try on pieces regularly. Then I end up buying them, it’s catch-22. I’m spending the money I make,” she laughs.
When it comes to where she shops, Pamela mixes it up. “For special occasions or when I have a vision in my head, I’ll go online. I’m a digital marketer, so naturally I’m drawn there, and online has such a huge range. But nothing beats walking into Penneys or Dunnes and just browsing. It’s like a day out, a treat.”
She makes a point of supporting local. “I love brands like Love Cherish and Mad for Style, and O’Flynn’s Footwear for shoes. I also love high-street stores like Bershka, Pretty Little Things, and Club L London for special occasion gowns. For my 30th I treated myself to an Old Muse dress. And lately, Dunnes in Bishopstown has become one of my favourites, people are finally realising how underrated it has been. They have gorgeous pieces, great quality and such reasonable prices.”
On trends, she’s clear about her thoughts. “I wouldn’t go near low-rise jeans or skirts. They look great on younger girls, but I’m 30 now, and I grew up with high-waist everything. Honestly, I’m traumatised by low-rise!” she laughs.
Her style inspirations also have a personal connection. “Lisa Jordan is definitely my icon. I love that she has similar style and colouring to me, her style is elegant, girly, and she’s not afraid of being over the top, very like myself. So that’s why I look at her for inspiration.”
Pamela’s love for fashion goes back to childhood. “I was twirling around in dresses from the age of four. I always picked my own outfits, and in secondary school I was going to fashion shows and watching what everyone wore at discos. It’s been there forever.” But it was only when she began working in fashion and beauty marketing that everything clicked. “Other jobs just didn’t light me up. As soon as I moved into fashion, I knew it was right.”
That passion eventually became a business. “I started PK Marketing during Covid. Suddenly, I had all this time at home and a head full of ideas. Lockdown accelerated everything. So many businesses had never been online before, like one of my clients, O’Flynn’s Footwear, who are 53 years in business. Now they’re thriving online and on social media, with orders coming in from all around Ireland and even Spain. It’s been incredible to see.”
Alongside PK Marketing, Pamela also runs a wedding content creation business, called TOAST. “That started two years ago, and it’s really taken off. I go along to weddings alongside the photographer and videographer, and I capture everything on my iPhone for TikTok and Reels. Couples love having those clips instantly, something to look back on the next day, and something to post on Instagram. I spotted the idea in Australia, and at the time there were only one or two people in Ireland doing it. Now it’s blown up.”
She’s building her team too. “I already have two girls freelancing with me on the marketing side, and I’m bringing someone in for the weddings soon. My priority now is growing the team around me.”
Pamela laughs that her love of fashion takes up as much space as her businesses. “At the moment, I’ve taken over three rooms in the house for clothes. That’s why I’m finally setting up on Vinted. I haven’t bought there yet, I’m just figuring it out and my friends say it is great.
Turning 30 has also brought a shift in style and confidence. “Over the past year I’ve definitely evolved. I feel better in myself and I just have more confidence. As your confidence grows, you care less about what people think and more about wearing what makes you happy.”
Fashion, she believes, is an extension of mood. “If I’m giddy and hyper, you’ll see it in my clothes. I’m more of a spring–summer girl at heart, so I love colour. In autumn, I’m getting used to the more muted shades of burgundies and browns, but I’ll always add a pop of something bright. It lifts your mood.”
Her advice to anyone looking for a new look is simple but practical. “Start by finding fashion influencers who look like you. There’s no point in me copying Kendall Jenner, she’s nothing like me. But if you find someone with your body shape, skin tone, and colouring, it’s a great guide. They’ll give tips that make sense for you. I share advice like, ‘This hides the tummy area’ or ‘This is great if you want to cover your arms.’ We all have something. The main thing is not to get caught up in trends or in what other people might think. Fashion should be fun.”
And for Pamela, fun is at the heart of it. From a childhood of twirling in dresses to leading two businesses built from her passion, her style just like her career is about expression, creativity, and joy.
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