I love that feeling when you've been looking for a particular item of clothing for ages and finally find it. For me, most recently, that's been a Wham Christmas Jumper on Depop that I regretted not buying when it was in Primark about three years ago, from Depop. I also picked up a Miss Selfridge jumpsuit I had bought before lockdown which, by the end of lockdown, no longer fit, but managed to find it in a bigger size on Vinted.
I also sell a lot of clothes on these secondhand marketplace apps, and it just feels like a very cute swap shop. It's also come in very handy when I've spotted something I love on a Steal Their Styler - that's what I'm calling them now, by the way.
For example, this week, I needed Zahra's top in my life, and a quick Vinted search saw multiple sizes of the exact same top pop up for a fraction of what it's RRP would have been. It was a bargain at £4.50 too - though not as cheap as Zahra had snagged it.
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I'd say 'you can't get much cheaper than that', but according to Iona Rodgers, you can! While she loves rumaging through charity shop rails, her cheapest find was a coat her grandmother gave to her, which has certainly come in handy with the recent drop in temperature.
With vintage becoming more and more popular, it's well worth asking nan and granddad what they're thinking of throwing out. My nan gave me a lovely cashmere jumper once, which would have been around £85 from M&S.
In the city this week, I chatted to shoppers and students in the Northern Quarter, who told me all about their outfits, often pairing affordable, high street or thrifted items with more luxurious pieces. I've often found people are willing to invest more in things like shoes and bags, where you'll get much more wear out of them. Dr Martins remain to be the most popular footwear among Mancs.
Here are the six most stylish shoppers I found this week in the city centre, and how you can Steal Their Style.
Evangelia Charalambous
Originally from Cyprus but studying management at the University of Manchester, Evangelia, aged 22, jokes that her Manchester wardrobe is very different from the one she has back home.
Wearing a bright green jumper and not one, but two jackets from Bershka, she said: “ The weather here is so unpredictable, so I have to dress for that and wear warm clothes. My wardrobe at home is much more colourful and summery with short dresses and short sleeves.”
She paired the Zara jumper (£20) with a pair of £150 Nike trainers and a pair of jeans she’d purchased in Cyprus around five years ago.
Evangelia added: “I look at TikTok and Instagram for inspiration, and if I like it, I’ll try it out. I love vintage shops and charity shops, too. I love a pop of colour, because I get excited to start the day.”
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Leah Homer
Fashion-forward 21-year-old Leah Homer was in the city centre for a job interview which, if successful, would see her make the move to Thailand.
Her interview outfit included a pair of Dr Martens from Anthropologie, paired with a £70 Zara skirt.
She said: “With the jumper I was aiming for Rory Gilmore in season one of Gilmore Girls. I was looking for something like this for years in charity shops and online and nothing was ever quite right but I managed to find this for £12 in Primark this year. I know it’s fast fashion but it just hit the spot.”
This look was a typical cosy winter look for the job hunter, who has recently been experimenting with her style more. Leah added: “Recently I’ve been trying on things I wouldn't normally wear and branching out a little, I particularly like Zara for experimenting.”
Jenni Buckingham
Hulme resident and Masters student Jenni, who is studying public history and heritage, is a big believer that fashion should be affordable and accessible for all.
The 23-year-old picked up her jacket and top from local charity shops, pairing them with jeans from TikTok viral Bare Necessities, and some Asos platform sandals.
She said: “It’s a mix of high street and slow fashion. I always used to say 'no fast fashion', but the more I think about it the more I realise that it’s so important for people of low income backgrounds to have access to that.
“It makes trends accessible to everyone because it’s important for people to feel like they fit in or belong. With the cost of living crisis now, people need access to affordable fashion now more than ever.”
Her friend, Iona, pictured below, said that Jenni’s outfit gave her ‘Notting Hill Julia Roberts’ vibes, while Jenni describes her own style as a mix of vintage, Y2K and modern trends.
Iona Rodger
Singer songwriter and BIMM graduate Iona snagged her coat for free after raiding her Grandma’s wardrobe. The 23-year-old, from Manchester, says she loves to make ‘ugly clothes look hot’, citing models Bella Hadid and Iris Law as her inspiration.
She paired her nans coat with a Calvin Klein top swiped in a charity shop for a fiver, as well as a long 70s style skirt which she paid under £10 for.
Iona said: “Charity shops are ace for these style of skirts and they’re much more affordable than similar designs on the high street. My shoes are Dr Martens and my bag is Diesel so it was quite expensive. Your bag and shoes you’ll wear with every outfit, so you can go more expensive and boujee for those I think. The bag is black and white so it goes with everything.
“I personally love really ugly clothes and make them look hot. I think Bella Hadid's style is so cool. She styles herself and not a lot of models do. Iris Law also breaks the boundaries of fashion - it’s like Adam Sandler fashion but it looks good on her.”
Zahra Iqbal
Zahra, who works in PR, was out shooting content of the city centre for social media when I stopped her looking like the fashion embodiment of Ancoats popular Jimmy’s bar.
Zahra, 23, from Rochdale, was wearing a red and black zebra print top which looks just like the bar’s branding, that she’d bought for £3 at Zara in the sale. I loved it so much, I've already hunted it down on Vinted and bought it for £4.50.
She added: “My shoes are Converse which I got from Spain for £30. My jeans are from Monki and were £30.”
Zahra picked up this French Connection jacket in a charity shop for £6, adding: “I had to have it, it was such a steal.”
She described this particular outfit as ‘toned down’ for the office, and prefers a more maximalist look, looking to influencers like Manchester’s own Megan Ellaby, who has her own fashion line.
She added: “I like places like Anthropologie and Free People then try to find it on Depop and Vinted. If I could only ever shop at one place for the rest of my life, though, it would be Monki.”
Maxine Riley
Mum-of-two Maxine Riley was in Manchester for a concert, and was visiting the city from her home in Scunthorpe.
She said: “My co-ord is from Boohoo two years ago and was only about £30. My boots are from Zara and then just a black roll neck, which I think everyone has.”
She finished the look with a River Island handbag which looks a lot like one from Prada, and claims it’s actually her partner of four years who helps her find her style inspiration.
She added: “My partner is really into fashion and he picks things for me. I'm more comfortable wearing heels and being a bit out there now. Before I would have worn long boots, leggings and a jumper, but now I’m more conscious of how I look.”
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