Manchester is a city bursting with colour, from vibrant street art to decorated storefronts. And it’s set to be even brighter this weekend as people flood the city streets with colour for Pride Weekend.
One way in which people express their identity is through fashion, so this week, I set out to speak to shoppers, residents and workers on their lunch breaks about their outfits, and how their style reflects their personality.
Fashion is a huge part of many people’s lives, whether we like to admit it or not, and it’s fascinating to hear of the different ways people have developed their own style over the years - from growing up with 80s icons, to being in a city environment filled with other quirky, individual souls with killer taste.
READ MORE: I wore Rochelle Humes’ EXACT Karen Millen dress and I never want to take it off
In the Northern Quarter this week, I’d dressed in my brightest pink trousers and matching top, complete with a pink fedora for a fully monochrome but vibrant look. I hit the streets to scout out the best dressed city-dwellers, and it certainly didn’t take me long to find them.
This week I’ve chatted to men, women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, and discovered shoppers who only buy second-hand and shop their own wardrobe, while others have sported looks from brands like Zara and Warehouse. One even revealed the one fashion item she can’t leave the house without - and I absolutely agree with her.
Here are the six best dressed people I spotted in Manchester this week, and how you can Steal Their Style.
Matty Davies
Matty - who goes by they/them pronouns - says being openly trans means they’ve increased their fashion opportunities and can ‘wear what I want’.
The 29-year-old, from Manchester, sported dungarees from Lucy and Yak, over a t-shirt from Northern Quarter business, Thunder Egg.
They said: “I got the dungarees on Depop as there was a slight fault so they were cheaper and cost about £35. My t-shirt was from Thunder Egg and my shoes were online from Converse.
"I like colour and prints, as you can probably tell - I also like comfort and individuality. I wear what I want, because being trans that wasn’t always available to me. I mix it up a bit, sometimes I dress quite femme and others quite androgynous - it depends on how I’m feeling on the day.”
Sarah Neder
Originally from Germany, Sarah has been living in Manchester for five years, and works at Tib Street’s Nordic Muse - a lifestyle and fashion store.
She was out on a photo shoot for the brand, visiting other Tib Street businesses, wearing their popular jewellery pieces.
The 32-year-old said: “The blazer is borrowed from a friend and was originally from a charity shop and my dress is from Rouje which is a French brand. I got it off Vinted and it cost me about £95.”
With the blazer and dress combo, Sarah wore New Balance trainers with socks, jewellery and a bag all from Nordic Muse.
She added: “I check Pinterest a lot and I’m always saving pins. I like a Scandi style so I also follow a lot of French and Scandi people on social media.”
Then, she said something that really resonated with me: “I think jewellery really completes an outfit,” Sarah said. “I feel naked when I don't wear jewellery and this morning because of the shoot, I left without it and I felt so incomplete. Gold jewellery makes me feel really comfortable.”
Nikki Helley
Stylist and fashion-lover Nikki, from Didsbury, as been learning to shop her wardrobe, and not just wear items once.
The 37-year-old was spotted wearing a blue dress, from Warehouse, that she’d originally worn for a wedding, and has dressed it down for work.
She added: “My blazer is from H&M and the dress is from Warehouse. I bought it for a wedding last year and literally haven’t worn it since so I’m just trying to re-wear my wardrobe.
“I wore it with heels so I’ve dressed it down and I’m looking to shop my own wardrobe now.”
Working in fashion, Nikki has to keep up with trends, but at home, she’s more selective about what she buys. She added: “I don't really buy into fast fashion and it’s important to shop your wardrobe, wear what you already own and don't be throwaway with it.”
Originally, Nikki paid around £40 for the dress, and paired it with a chequered bag from Mango. She added: “I love to shop on the high street, vintage and on Vinted and eBay.”
Lauren Charlesworth
After moving to the city for university, Lauren recently relocated from Chorlton to Ancoats to be closer to the city vibe that’s helped define her style.
She said: “I don’t really look to celebrities for style inspiration - I scour Instagram and sometimes get inspiration from my friends and other fashion brands. Being in Manchester definitely helps, and it’s one of the reasons I wanted to stay here.”
Lauren, 26, was donning a £20 Zara jacket that she’d snapped up in the sale, along with a plain white top and trousers from Uniqlo. The look was rounded off with a pair of beige Birkenstocks, that cost around £80 at the time.
She added: “I’ve gone for an all neutral look today. I like colour blocking so I’ll often go for all-beige days and sometimes I go for all blue or all green - I always go for those three colours, which take up most of my wardrobe.
“Fashion has been a very big part of my personality since high school. I've gone through phases like a vintage phase and now I love an oversized street style. Comfort is key, definitely.”
Ben Cornish
Birthday boy Ben was in town celebrating his 56th birthday, and looking very dapper doing so, indeed.
Originally from London, Ben now lives in Warrington, and was visiting the city for a spot of shopping and a bite to eat. I’d actually spotted his fantastic outfit while chatting with Lauren (above), and had to practically chase him down the street.
Ben says he gets some of his inspiration from ‘people who were around in the 80s’, namely Kevin Rowland from Dexy’s Midnight Runners and veteran DJ Chris Sullivan.
He talked me through his outfit, explaining: “My boots are Whites from eBay and cost about £80. These [trousers] are Doublewear and were about £90. Mt top is from Collective, that was £17 in the sale, and my hat was from Dave Carroll London, online.”
He added: “Fashion’s a big part of my personality - it’s my armour. My wardrobe is full of different colours and I try not to give it too much thought. But if I go out and I’m not happy with what I’m wearing, it annoys me.”
Kendra Groves
“This is me downplaying for the kitchen,” said Kendra, head baker at Northern Quarter’s Blackmilk. And if this is her idea of low-key, I’d love to see the rest of her wardrobe.
The 30-year-old, who lives in Spinningfields, loves thrifting and clashing bold patterns - a look that’s seen her baking TikTok account @kendragroves grow in popularity.
She said: “My outfit is all second hand from the thrift shops in Northern Quarter where I basically get everything from. The whole outfit probably cost around £15. I love thrifting and colour - my whole wardrobe is like this.”
Kendra wore a bold silk shirt under a crochet-style dress and bridge trousers, adding: “I don’t really look into trends. I love different colours, patterns and clashing is my favourite. I don’t like conforming to general fashion rules, I just do what I want.
"I have my own TikTok where I bake and people seem to love what I wear on there.”
READ NEXT:
- Holly Willoughby's Nobody's Child dress is now £12 as store launches summer sale
- I pitted Charlotte Tilbury against 'identical' Revolution’s £10 viral dupe
- Steal Their Style: Shoppers sport outfits from M&S, Primark and Topshop
- PrettyLittleThing launch beauty box with £60 worth of products for £15
- Shoppers ‘obsessed’ with £4 watermelon facemask with 800 five star Amazon reviews
