Secondhand, thrift shops, charity shops and apps like eBay and Depop have absolutely dominated the Manchester fashion scene this week, with only a couple of people I spoke with having bought new from brands like ASOS and Arket. Oh, and then there's the old-fashioned way of 'shopping' secondhand - raiding mum's wardrobe.
Once again I've hit the streets of Manchester - namely the Northern Quarter and Piccadilly Gardens - where I spoke to shoppers and workers about their outfits, including where they bought them, how much they cost, and what influences their sense of style.
For some, moving house often means packing light, while mum-to-be Deanna can only wear a limited amount of her wardrobe as her bump grows. Others have been conscious of their consumption, and have slowed down on their fashion purchases to wear vintage and pre-loved wears.
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We've seen a real mix of styles this week, from cool and casual neutrals to alternative grungy looks, followed by bright outfits with clashing colours and prints.
So if you're looking to refresh your own wardrobe and try something new, here are six outfits I loved in Manchester this week, and how you can Steal Their Style.
Grace Oni Smith
Grace, a self-confessed ‘country bumpkin’ from the Lake District was visiting friends in Manchester, styling some seriously cool vintage cowboy boots.
The 32-year-old says she’s a ‘thrifty girl’, and loves to shop secondhand, having picked her dress up from a vintage shop, pairing it with boots and a bag from eBay.
She said: “The dress is really comfortable and has nice fabric for the hot weather. I live in these boots - you put them on with anything and it just makes it all a bit more fun.”
Grace said she likes to use style as a tool to ‘express myself’, adding: “I don’t really follow fashion and I’m not on social media, either. There’s a big difference between fashion and style and I don’t think I know much about fashion but I think I know a lot about having style. I always just wear what feels most me that day.
“I think my style shifts around but it's always quite bohemian. Even if I wear something quite tailored I funk it up with some weird jewellery.”
Deanna Bailey
Mum-to-be Deanna is seven months pregnant, and as a result, has been wearing her most oversized pieces to avoid having to buy maternity clothes.
The 37-year-old illustrator, from Levenshulme, was heading to her studio in the Northern Quarter wearing a shirt dress and knitted vest over the top.
She said: “I’m seven months pregnant so I have like five things I can wear at the moment. My jumper is from Arket and cost about £60, the dress is from Cos.
“Everything oversized is easier because it’s comfortable, and I like linen because it keeps me cool in the hot weather. I've bought no maternity wear yet because I like these oversized things anyway and because it’s summer, I've been getting away with it. When we get closer to winter I may have to pick up some bits.”
Deanna loves a neutral colour palette, but fears when baby arrives it could end up covered in baby sick. She joked: “I don’t think my style has changed since being pregnant, other than the fact I can’t wear 90 per cent of my wardrobe at the moment. The only thing that might change is I don't know if I can get away with wearing neutrals when the baby is here because they’ll throw up on everything.”
Amelia Snape
Teenager Amelia had raided her mum’s wardrobe for a mother-daughter trip to Manchester from their native Sheffield.
The 18-year-old has been shopping exclusively second-hand for around two years, and said: “I don’t really like fast fashion and wanted to do my bit for the environment. The skirt and bag are both my mums, and the vest is from Depop. My shirt is from a dance show I did around four years ago, and I’ve repurposed it.”
Amelia said she enjoys looks from supermodel Bella Hadid and Manchester-based influencer idkimhaz. She added: “I do a lot of charity shopping and I’m on Pinterest a lot. I like Bella Hadid’s style, she always looks cool and effortless all of the time.”
Ihuoma Alichukwu
“I think my mood influences a lot of what I wear," said Ihuoma, who was in Manchester for a flat viewing. She’s planning on relocating from London to the city, where flats are slightly more affordable.
The 28-year-old wore a colour contrasting shirt with a zebra-print pant, both of which she ordered on Depop for less than £15 a pop.
She added: “Loads of my stuff is in boxes ready to move so I'm limited to what's available, but I like Depop and seeing what people wear out to raves as I quite like that too.
"I love a bit of everything really. I love clashing colours and prints, my whole wardrobe is a bit like this. I think I dress for my mood. When I’m feeling good and sassy, my outfits are more vibrant.”
Mirella Dedic
26-year-old Mirella loves to sew her own clothes, and has even made pieces for friends and family too. She said: “You can't go wrong with a crop top and cargos,” and often makes her own tops to wear with her ASOS trousers.
Mirella lives in Salford, and on her lunch break was seen wearing a look entirely from ASOS. She said: “ASOS is great because all of the brands are on there and they have great discount codes. My top is from Collusion and was about £10, and my cargo pants and shoes are also ASOS.”
She added: “I get a lot of my inspiration from the Instagram explore page. I love anything oversized, that’s how I feel most comfortable.”
Charlotte Turner-Morgan
Wearing a leather jacket and ripped jeans, Charlotte, aged 23, had either thrifted or was gifted her entire outfit. She moved to Manchester in February, and works in the local music venues like AO Arena and Victoria Warehouse, putting up video screens and light fittings.
She said: “I've accumulated a little bit of a wardrobe but it’s still small enough for me to be able to move if I need to. My leather jacket given to me - I added the badges from Afflecks and customised it with pins. My Guns and Roses t-shirt was thrifted for about £10, and my skinny jeans were from Primark, they came pre-ripped and cost about a tenner."
She styled the mostly black look with a pair of classic black Vans pumps, and wore fishnet tights under her ripped jeans to complete the look.
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