October has seen a lot of layers and some fabulous coats while I've been out and about in town, and heading into November, we're likely to see even more knitwear, chunky boots and hopefully some woolly hats and scarves. I'm a big fan of a beret, myself.
It's not quite hat weather yet, but I imagine that when the Christmas markets kick off next month, we'll start seeing the winter warmers more and more.
This week, I've been chatting with stylish students, fashionable mums, and a stunning mum-to-be, with some extremely affordable outfits, from £20 dresses to secondhand bargains, as well as more investment pieces like designer trainers and coats.
READ MORE: I tried Dani Dyer’s comfy £12 Matalan bodysuit perfect for autumn styling
I've also been asking these fashionistas for their top tips when it comes to shopping and styling. One charity shop volunteer revealed the best way to spot a bargain, while I might find myself taking a leaf from a stylist's book when it comes to minimalist wardrobes.
So if you're stuck in a style rut or just need some autumn styling inspiration, here are the six best looks I spotted in Manchester this week, and how you can Steal Their Style.
Tegan Baggaley
Graduate Tegan is keen on sustainability, and so, her entire outfit was secondhand. The 21-year-old, who lives in the Northern Quarter, is hoping to start a Masters degree in wildlife conservation soon.
The student loves to look at brands like Urban Outfitters for inspiration, sourcing similar preloved pieces for her wardrobe. She said: “My skirt was secondhand but is originally Urban Outfitters skirt, costing about £15. I do like to look at Urban Outfitters but not buy anything, I do that a lot.
“My top I got in a Chorlton charity shop the other day, my other top was from Vinted for £2.99 and the jacket was £15 which was quite good.”
She paired the layered look with a Uniqlo bag that fits ‘everything’ in it. I’ve seen viral TokToks of this over-the-shoulder bag, which recently sold out, where people are fitting all sorts inside - including full packets of jam tarts!
Tegan added: “I have quite a small wardrobe with a neutral colour palette so that everything goes together. I love winter dressing and layering up.”
As we were parting ways, Tegan complimented my green corderoy coat. "Thanks... It's from Urban Outfitters", I admitted sheepishly.
Want more Steal Their Style?
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Steal Their Style: Trendy shopper cops outfit for £14.50 in Manchester this week
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Steal Their Style: Mum-to-be among coolest looking shoppers in Manchester
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Most fashionable shoppers we spotted this week with outfits from H&M and Zara
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Steal Their Style: Shoppers sport outfits from M&S, Primark and Topshop
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Best-dressed city dwellers this week includes £500 outfit and a Primark bargain
Katherine Barr
Thrifty Katherine was on her way to the Bernardo’s store on Piccadilly, where she volunteers, when I stopped her in a smart woollen coat and dress combo - both of which she’d bought at said store.
Katherine, 31, joked: “It costs me money to volunteer in there - I’m always looking on the rails!”
The fashion fanatic snagged the coat for £7 and the dress for £6, pairing them with a cardigan from Monki and some boots she bought around a decade ago.
The Northern Quarter resident added: “I really like Kristen sSewart’s style which is a bit tom-boy. A lot of my friends are really stylish and as a queer person I also look to the community for inspiration, too.”
I asked Katherine for her best advice when searching for clothes in charity shops. She said: “I love to touch clothes because I want to know how they feel, so I do that a lot. I look for brands, too, because I won’t spend a lot of money on clothes. I won’t buy a Primark top but I look for brands I know won’t fall apart. I used to work at Selfridges so I’m always looking for brands that’ve been stocked in there.”
Lauren Deeb
Mum-to-be Lauren has been limited to what she can wear at 35 weeks pregnant, but was absolutely glowing in a green patterned dress and Ted Baker coat.
The 33-year-old, from Manchester, picked up the coat a few years back in the sale for £100, and pulls it out of the wardrobe year after year. She showed me how it just about still covers her growing bump, making it ideal for the remainder of her pregnancy.
She added: “My wardrobe has been limited, it’s all about comfort now and before I’d follow trends more but I’m just wearing what fits. I’ve bought some maternity clothes but some of them are quite ill fitting and there’s not a great deal of choice.
“This dress is from DLSB, and I paid about £20 for it in the sale. My trainers are from Chloe so were a bit more expensive, and being pregnant these are the only shoes I fit in at the moment. It was a bit of a Christmas splurge treat.”
Lauren M
Being a stylist, it’s important for Liverpudlian Lauren to know what’s on trend and what looks great. Having caught my eye on Deansgate, it’s safe to say that she’s got her finger on the pulse when it comes to fashion.
Aged 23, Lauren wore a sage green monochrome look, telling me it’s her ‘favourite colour’.
She said: “My sweater is from Kos and was £75, the trainers are New Balance and cost about £100. Blazer is Zara and was about £50, shirt is Arket for £45 and the trousers were also from Zara.”
Lauren told me she loves Hailey Bieber’s look, but also follows a lot of other stylists online, always staying on top of what’s the hottest new trend.
She added: “If I had to describe my wardrobe it would be green, minimalist and investment pieces. I like to get better quality staple pieces and then buy pieces around that.
“I love styling other people for specific occasions and putting together outfits to suit their style.”
Jenny Perry
Jenny, a musician from Stoke, but studying in Manchester, loves a layered outfit - no matter the weather. She said: “It’s a nightmare in summer, but I love wearing a silly amount of layers.”
This week, the 21-year-old wore a flea market coat, low waisted jeans for Bare Necessities for £3, and a chunky belt, adding two tops - one her mums and another second hand - with silver jewellery for a grungy look.
She added: “I got these Dr Martens when I was in second year at uni and I only had one pair of shoes. I was so skint, so I wore these to every single life event for two years.
“I’m a big fan of interesting floaty silhouettes, and I like to look to non-binary actors when searching for inspiration. I also really like Tilda Swinton from Dr Strange.”
Vicky Leach
Finally, I spotted 44-year-old Chorley mum, Vicky. When I say spotted, I couldn’t really miss her with her vibrant pink bob - a hair colour she’s sported for the last 15 years.
She told me: “I've always been a little bit different in the way that I dress, I just follow my own style, but I do probably wear quite a bit of pink.”
She’d matched her hair to a pair of pink polymer clay earrings and a marble effect blouse from ASOS, alongside a Selfridge coat and £35 Topshop jeans. Her shoes are from a brand called Heavenly Feet and are ‘dead comfy’.
She added: “I quite like the vintage style, like Affleck’s and places like that. I’m not boring with my style, or at least I don’t think I am. I wear a lot of animal print and things with animals on.”
Asking her young daughters what they thought of their mum’s look, they responded: “pretty cool” - and we all know how brutally honest kids can be.
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