Last week, we took a look back at some Manchester street style photos from 1978 and loved taking a trip down memory lane with the black and white photos. But this week, Steal Their Style returns in full colour as I set out to ask shoppers in the Arndale Centre about their outfits.
Half of the people I stopped this week all happened to be women over 60, all of which gave us some fantastic fashion tips and advice having lived through decades of trends.
Some of these tips include never throwing anything away, always own a pair of black boots and knowing how to dress for your body type - all incedibly valuable nuggest of information.
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As well as our glamourous older women, I also caught up with some stylish shoppers in their 20s and 30s, finding out what fashion means to them, and getting all the goss on the best places to shop.
So, if it's New Year, New Look for you, maybe this week's feature will help give you some inspiration. Here are the six best-dressed shoppers we spotted this week, and how you can Steal Their Style.
Nancy Lois Feltell
In a vibrant orange jacket and colourful Nike trainers, from behind, Nancy Feltell looks like any stylish 26 year old, so when she revealed her age to actually be 62, I was stunned - immediately asking for her exact skincare routine.
The mum-of-one, from Clitheroe, was just visiting Manchester and had been checking out the Homesense store in the Arndale.
She talked me through her outfit, which included a vintage Prada bag and Nike trainers, as well as a Zara blouse and £8 Primark scarf - a dupe of the Acne Studios oversized pieces that retail for £240.
She added: “I don’t know who’s paying £240 for a scarf, but these ones are £8 from Primark and they’re almost an exact copy. My daughter bought me two of them.
“My coat was from Massimo Dutti and cost £449, but I never have it off my back, so it’s worth it.”
When it comes to style inspiration, Nancy loves colour and coordination, and never throws her clothes away. She added: “I’ve always tried to be bright. I love a bit of colour and trying to coordinate it. We didn't have a lot of clothes growing up so now my wardrobe is bursting at the seams. I also keep everything - I still have clothes from the 80s and 90s.”
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Imane Hussein-Keyre
Originally from France, Imane moved to Blackburn eight years ago, but was visiting Manchester because she loves ‘the vibe and the fashion’.
The 21-year-old wore a multi-layered look full of interesting shapes and textures, inspired by French and British street style.
She wore Ugg trainers with tights and a pair of pleated Adidas shorts that look like a skirt, as well as three tops layered over one another from Next and PrettyLittleThing, completing the look with a jacket from Pure and a Primark hat.
She said: “I love to layer and play with colours and textures. I go on Pinterest and I mix a bit of everything from various outfits I like. I like to mix French style with city street style - Manchester is really cool for fashion.
“My biggest piece of advice is to try everything. You never know if you might like it. If you see a style you wouldn’t normally wear but quite like it - just try it!"
Christine Berry
I’ve loved gathering snippets of advice from my Steal Their Stylers, and Christine’s is that ‘everyone needs a pair of black heeled boots’.
The 60-year-old, from Worsley, was wearing her black Dune boots which she’s had for a few years now, adding: “They’re really nice and you can’t go wrong with a black boot.”
She paired the shoes with a black mock croc Ted Baker bag, an orange coat from Topshop - originally £90 - and an orange patterned scarf.
“I’ve always been into my fashion since I was very young,” Christine said. “I look everywhere for inspiration, I do a lot of research online, on social media and get recommendations from friends and family.”
Christine proved her eye for fashion when asking me if my own coat was from Urban Outfitters - and it was, around 12 months ago, too. She added: “I clock people in the street and know where things are from.”
And while black boots are a wardrobe must, Christine’s biggest piece of advice was to ‘know your body shape’.
She said: “I don’t think some people look in a mirror and you’ve got to work with what you’ve got to make yourself look more flattering. You don’t have to buy something really expensive. If you buy expensive clothes in the wrong style it can look cheaper than if you go to Primark.”
Harry Bainbridge
Feeling fresh after a night out at Filthy Gorgeous the previous night, 24-year-old Harry was out in the Arndale Centre with a group of friends he was visiting after moving out of Manchester before Christmas.
He wore a mix of new and thrifted pieces, with the bargain of the day being the real leather jacket he bought for £25 in a charity shop in Withington.
He said: “I get a lot of inspiration from going to charity shops. A lot of my wardrobe is from charity shops because they’re so cheap.”
Alongside the jacket, Harry wore a pair of Dr Martens, charity shop trousers and necklace, followed by a top and cardigan bought new from ASOS.
He said: “I feel like I have to push the boat out and dress more cosmopolitan in Manchester. I come from a small town though, and while this outfit isn’t that ‘out there’ for Manchester, back home people would be looking at me funny.
“Manchester is really accepting, which means I can be a bit more myself. Fashion means a lot to me, I think it lets people know about my vibe before they've met me - but that could work both ways. I’ve always had quite a positive reaction to the way I dress, though.”
Catherine Whyley
Out shopping with her daughter-in-law, Catherine Whyley says ‘confidence is key’ when it comes to looking your best.
The 63-year-old styled a pair of M&S boots with trousers and a jumper from Zara, with a light blue coat and scarf to keep warm.
Echoing what Christine Berry said earlier, Catherine is also a big believer in knowing what works for you, your age and your shape.
She said: “I look at younger celebrities and then work out what I like and how I can make that work for me, and make it feel like my style and identity.
“Wear the right things for your body - I see bigger women wearing leggings and wonder if they’ve looked in the mirror. They've got great bodies but it’s about wearing things that accentuate that.”
In particular, Catherine likes to take inspiration from the Instagram influencer and model Grece Ghanem, who is 58.
Catherine added: “I like Grace on Instagram. I love everything about her, the fact she is flamboyant and just doesn't care. Her style is really out there but I get a little bit of inspo there as well as pinterest and sunday magazines. Stylist is a really good one.
“Get inspiration from the things you like and then go and see what’s in your own wardrobe. I adjust my own clothes, too, to make them fit properly, which I think is important.
“And finally, confidence makes a world of difference too, confidence is key. Going out with Rosie, my daughter-in-law, gives me confidence to dress up, too.”
Rebecca Carney
Birthday girl Rebecca swapped Salford for Scotland, but had returned to the city to celebrate her birthday with family.
The 31-year-old hotel worker told me about her outfit, which gives a nod to her 90s influences. Her jumper dress cost around £20-30 from Boohoo, paired with an animal print scarf, Primark coat and Missguided boots she snagged for £10 on eBay.
Describing her wardrobe in three words, she said: “Grungy alternative, but also ladylike.”
Rebecca added: “I used to love a chequered shirt and pencil skirt in the 90s/00s. Fashion is a form of self expression so I admire people like David Bowie and Annie Lennox - anyone with a bit of an edge that tells the world who they are through style.
“I follow Fearne Cotton on Instagram, too - she’s great - and also draw inspiration from people in the street. That’s why I love coming back to Manchester, because it’s so diverse and alternative.”
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