Manchester's freshers week brought a wave of distinctive fashion to Oxford Road, where passers-by dressed too well to ignore. Among them were the owners of a thrifting business, an actor meeting an online friend for the first time, and a wedding celebrant whose outfit was a gift from her husband.
Thrift shop owners lead with second-hand style
Erin Thomas, 28, and Lucy Jane, 27, run Beg Steal & Borrow, a second-hand clothing business with locations in Withington and Afflecks. Both wore entirely second-hand or handmade pieces.
Lucy pointed to her bloomers from Happy Sunday, a vintage and handmade clothing shop, and a denim corset from Magic the Label. Her shawl came from their own shop. Erin's outfit included Vinted shoes, skirt and vest, a green top from Beg Steal & Borrow, badges she made or bought from small designers like Cucu Cubana, and a necklace from their shop.
Their styling inspiration comes from each other and their customers. Lucy said: "People with unique individual style - colourful style. There's not enough colour injected in people's wardrobes anymore. Anyone that you see down the street and think OOH! - that's the inspiration!" Erin added: "We're definitely heavily inspired by people who express themselves authentically and have their own sense of personal style."
Online friends meet in person
Muna, 21, a customer service worker, and Dario, 23, an actor, met in person for the first time after connecting online. Dario wore double denim, with pieces from ASOS, H&M or Next, and jeans and shoes from boohooMAN. Muna's outfit was mostly from Bershka, with an Urban Outfitters bag featuring a plush boba tea charm. Her necklace, displaying the Guinea-Bissau flag, was a gift, and she noted that September 24 is the country's independence day.
Both cited Tyler the Creator as a subtle style inspiration. Dario praised his "mixture of casual formal styles" and use of colour. Muna said: "I'm a big fan of colours for example. Colour coordinating, then sometimes breaking that rule."
Vintage finds and a kimono gift
Ben, 34, an NHS worker, wore a vintage top costing about £10, UNIQLO cords, a Drôle de Monsieur hat from END. for £70, Marks & Spencer shoes, and a Zara coat. He said he is inspired by "walking about the street, seeing what people wear," and prefers dressing to suit himself rather than following trends.
Sam Mercer, 53, a wedding celebrant from Northern Ireland, wore a full outfit from 'I Love a Kimono', a small business launched by a friend on Instagram. She bought the outfit to support women and small businesses, and later received another piece after appearing on the BBC's House of the Year. Her Moschino shoes and kimono were bought by her husband, who she joked: "I don't buy them darling, my husband buys them for me and then I wear them!"
Her style draws from the 1950s and pin-up girl fashion, though she said: "Now it's just whatever I like. I think as a women when you get older, you lean into taking more chances and exploring a little bit more."
