Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, actor, describes his style
DESCRIBE WHAT YOU'RE WEARINGI got this striped top from my sister - I have three sisters, and they are the main influence on my fashion because they buy all of my clothes at Christmas and on my birthdays.
THOSE TROUSERS?They are part of my costume for Arturo Ui, part of a beautiful three-piece vintage suit in heavy grey wool from the 1940s - the braces come with it. I am wearing suspenders on my socks - they make you feel sharp and the audience can't see them.
AND THOSE GREEN SOCKS?I get a lot of grief about the green socks. I cycle a lot and I wear them cycling - they keep my calves warm in the winter, but people react to them, it's really odd. They are Irish football socks and I wear them above the knee.
THOSE TRAINERS?They are skateboard runners by Adidas. I do like shoes and the most I've ever spent on any item of clothing was on a pair of Barker brogues bought for €160 in Arnotts.
DO YOU SHOP?Honestly, I don't. If I have to buy an item of clothing, I hate it. I get frustrated if something doesn't look right, so I bring a friend or a girlfriend shopping. I haven't a clue.
HOW DO CLOTHES AFFECT PERFORMANCE?You are always wearing clothes from different periods and the feeling and the cut of them are so important to the physicality of the part. But in normal life that is one of the reasons I am not especially fashion oriented, because you are always being dressed and quite beautifully by designers.
WHAT HAS BEEN SPECIALLY MADE FOR YOU?There are two suits and a coat specially made for me in this play by the tailor Denis Darcy - it was so amazing getting something tailor-made.
HOW IMPORTANT IS DRESS IN DRAMA?I think that what it gives you is physicality so that if, for instance, you are playing a Napoleonic soldier, you can't collapse, the outfit won't let you - you physically can't be but of the period. Even in rehearsal, it's important to wear something close to what you will be wearing on stage because it completely changes your relationship to the space.
FAVOURITE COSTUME DESIGNERS?Mike Britton. He did Three Sisters here and he is great in the way he engages with you as an actor. And Conor Murphy understands the cut of a suit and the importance of the feel of a suit.
HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE?Slapdash, in a word. When you are a teenager, you try to adhere to a social circle via clothes and it took three separate styles before I came to relax in myself.
DO YOU WEAR SUITS?The number of people wearing suits in this play who have been saying that they wish they could dress like this again - there is an inherent elegance in suits.
WHO HAS STYLE?I think that Cary Grant could wear suits well and Daniel Craig.
WHAT WOULD YOU NOT WEAR?Skinny jeans.
WHAT ABOUT GROOMING?I grew this moustache for the role for practical reasons because it won't fall off. With this I am Oliver Hardy, James Joyce, Hitler or Charlie Chaplin - they are the only people with whom you can be identified.
YOUR FAVOURITE ITEM OF CLOTHING?My striped blue Mod suit bought for me in Camden Town by a friend for a movie opening in London.
• Tom Vaughan-Lawlor is currently appearing in the title role in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Uiat the Abbey Theatre until December 6th