It's October so we are officially into 'coat-season' now. I dusted off my black teddy coat this week, and matched it with my 'Acne' dupe scarf from Primark for a pop of colour.
Heading out into the streets of Manchester city centre, I was looking for others using fashion to brighten up the drizzly day, and of course, the shoppers, leisure seekers and city workers didn't disappoint.
This week, I chatted to women in their 20s, 50s and even their 80s about their gorgeous outfits, and asked them all to describe their looks in three words. Taking the opportunity to ask some style advice from someone clearly far wiser than I, I learned a motto or two to live by, too.
READ MORE: The best autumn looks we spotted in the city centre from Afflecks, Asos and Zara
Each week, Steal Their Style sees me scouting the streets of Manchester from Peter Street to Tib Street, speaking to some of the best dressed shoppers and residents about their outfits, including where they find their inspiration, why they dress the way they do and how fashion makes them feel good.
So, if you're looking for a wardrobe refresh or are stuck in a styling slump, check out Manchester's best dressed below, and see how you could Steal Their Style.
Louisa Sergison
Louisa says she doesn’t own a single piece of black clothing, opting instead for a vibrant and colourful collection of clothes which she hopes makes other people happy.
The 24-year-old, who works at the newly opened Flying Tiger, in the Arndale Centre, said: “My wardrobe is all about colour - I don’t own a single black piece of clothing. My fashion has to make me happy and I hope it makes everyone else happy, too.”
Louisa’s bright colourblock trousers and orange jumper certainly made me smile, so she’s doing a pretty great job, I’d say. Louisa added: “My trousers are from Asos and there’s a matching jacket available which I also have. The trousers cost around £30, and my Zara jumper was £12 in the sale. I'm addicted to online shopping, and always looking for deals.
“My white patterned coat is from Monki, it was quite expensive but you do have to invest in a winter coat, I find.”
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Natalie Concannon
Galway girl Natalie works as a chef at Trove, in Ancoats, and was spotted wearing a chick coat and trousers combo. You’d never believe her entire outfit cost £50.
The 23-year-old, who moved to Manchester, explained how she got her outfit so cheap, saying: “My jacket is from a charity shop in Italy and was ten Euros, then my vest is from a flea market when I was about 14 and cost about a fiver. My trousers are from Uniqlo - they’re fab because if you buy trousers over £20 they’ll alter them for free - and my shoes are from Primark and cost £15.”
Natalie’s winter coat and checked trousers with clogs made for a really put-together look, with a bit of vintage flair thrown in with the red knitted vest. Describing her style in three words, Natalie joked: “Cool Granddad style,” but we think she totally pulls it off.
The Irish fashionista has a very specific inspiration for her fashion sense, commenting: “I love Diane Keaton in the film Annie Hall from 1977, I feel like I copy what she wears a lot of the time.”
Elaine Abberley
Visiting from Blackpool to celebrate her partner’s 50th birthday, Elaine wore a Next pink floral dress, costing £35, with a leather jacket from River Island.
She told me: “In Blackpool there’s not much choice for shopping - you’ve pretty much got Next and River Island so I get a lot from there.”
She styled the look with some shoes from Office and a bag from Next, citing This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby as a source of inspiration - and we can totally see it. We know Holly is a big fan of a floral midi.
She also loves the Instagram influencer @astridiwantyouinmylife, who has nearly 85,000 followers. Elaine added: “She wears some amazing clothes and I really like her account. I love a nice dress, but my style can vary, as I also like to go a bit rock-y, I like a leather jacket to funk things up a little.”
Georgia Breckin
Out shopping in the city centre, Georgia, from Sheffield, described her style as ‘street outdoorsy granny’ - not too dissimilar from Natalie’s description earlier! The 25-year-old said: “The jumper was a gift from my old job as used to work for a vintage company, so this is vintage Nike. This is a Gramicci skirt which I got in the sale for about £60, and my shoes are Timberlands and they were £140.”
She elevated the cool and casual look with some Vivienne Westwood jewellery and a necklace from the independent brand Neck On The Line.
Georgia added: “I love Basement Approved on Instagram, but I also love Bella Hadid’s style - she always looks so good. Any Korean or Japanese streetwear I like too.”
Georgia is now the third person in as many months to cite the supermodel as style inspiration to Steal Their Style.
Diana Barlow
Dining out with her equally glam friend, Diana and Lesley were dressed in near matching co-ords. Diana in pink, and Lesley in green. Best of friends, it’s the kind of outfit matching me and my bestie would also go for, which I totally admire for these women in their golden years.
Diana, aged 80, from Stockport, told me her outfit was from Marks and Spencer, including a pink trouser and blazer set, paired with a white blouse and some white heeled boots, from Jones.
She said: “I love this colour so I thought I’d just go for it. I do like neutral colours like chocolate brown and khaki, but you can’t beat a bit of colour. I picked this outfit today because I’m going for lunch at Gino’s restaurant with my friend Lesley and she’s always glammed up, so I knew I’d have to glam up too.”
When it comes to shopping, Diana has a bit of an ‘Ariana Grande attitude’, she said: “If i see it, I like it, I want it and I’ll buy it. I’m quite happy then!”
Typically, the 80-year-old shops at M&S and John Lewis, but said “you can’t beat places like Tesco - they do some lovely clothes too.”
Having enjoyed eight decades as a fashionista, I asked Diana if she had any advice for the younger generation, to which she replied: “If it suits you, wear it. Don’t follow the trends, if you like it, you buy it and you’ll be happy.”
Claire Story
Claire is an actress from London, currently living in Hebden Bridge, who was in town for a casting call where she was required to dress ‘stylish, quirky and eccentric’. She must have done a good job, because she managed to catch my eye with her urban, industrious outfit.
The 56-year-old wore Carhartt dungarees, which cost £150, with some Dr Martens and a shirt from & Other Stories. She finished the look with a bomber jacket from Zara, and a bag she’d got from Etsy.
Claire said: “& Other Stories is one of my favourite stores so I like to go in there and look at not just what’s in store, but the people that shop there too. I’m actually on my way there now!
“I occasionally go for these investment pieces that will last but I also like to pick things up cheap and do some bargain hunting. I look on Pinterest a lot, and when you put in a certain style you like the algorithm will show you more of that.”
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