In Manchester, style is everywhere, and this week's street style roundup introduces five more fashion-forward individuals spotted across the city. From actors to a university worker, each shares the inspiration and price tags behind their looks.
Actors Chloe Helena and Benjamin Joseph Shaw
First up are actors Chloe Helena, 22, and Benjamin Joseph Shaw, 24. The pair were spotted heading from a plant shop to see Benjamin's new flat. Chloe detailed her autumn outfit: "I've got Alohas on for shoes, I think they were about £140. This (animal print top) is from Asos for like £15, then joggers from Vinted for like a fiver."
Her faux leather crocodile coat, layered over everything, was an M&S find: "It's their new range, it's actually so good in there, it was £80. And this vintage Miu Miu bag was a birthday present, so I don't know the price."
Chloe explained her shopping philosophy: "I kind of just buy stuff that makes me happy, I'm not a capsule wardrobe type of person, I buy it if I like it and pair it with another piece that I like."
Benjamin's Vintage Finds
Benjamin then listed his wardrobe: "This is a vintage Fred Perry bag, got it from my friend as a gift. This is a £35 hat from Permanent Orbit, which is a really sick vintage shop in Manchester. This vintage Heineken t-shirt was from Permanent Orbit also, for £40."
He continued: "This is a Supreme jacket from vinted, for like £100, these are Urban Outfitters Jack jeans, £45. My Docs are pretty new, they're Dr. Marten Lowells. I had a friend give me a 65% staff discount, so I think I got them for £52."
Alongside his Ganesha necklace, Benjamin praised a friend's local business, Mazalou, who made one of his rings from antique-styled silver spoons. "You can find her on Instagram. She does amazing lino prints on t-shirts too."
When asked about style inspirations, Benjamin mentioned mixing the 'classic casual Manchester look' with ethical organic brands, citing Story mfg. as an example.
Two Alexes with Distinctive Styles
Next, two friends who share the name Alex were interviewed. Alex Grimshaw, a writer, and Alex Jibson, a chef, both wore pieces from trips to Scotland and the United States.
Alex Grimshaw described his outfit as "a happy accident," with a shirt from a charity shop in Inverness and a jacket from a charity shop in Salford shopping centre. He noted that the jacket's green sleeves made it look like a separate sleeveless denim layer, but clarified: "I can't take any credit for DIY, it's just as is."
His other items included funky socks from a friend's influence and shorts from San Francisco. He cited David Bowie as a major inspiration for dressing "a bit more extravagantly," adding: "Probably growing up as well, Doctor Who... I was one of those kids that wore bow ties thinking I'm cool, sneakers with a suit - I guess this is like the evolution of that, and making it my own style."
Alex Jibson revealed his hat was from a recent trip to Boston, his jacket from a Northern Quarter store, and his shirt from a charity store in Glasgow. He admitted his pants were from Shein: "I didn't really wanna say... But it just grew on me and it's just really comfortable. No mater what people might say, Shein might not be reliable, but some of it's comfortable!"
David's Colourful Shacket in Didsbury
The final stop was Didsbury, where university worker David, 43, wore a colourful striped shacket. He bought it in Vienna after a boozy lunch: "I saw it and thought I need that, but it was too much money. I went for a boozy lunch, after which I decided I'm going to have it anyway."
The shacket is made of Indian cotton from Madras (modern day Chennai), from a company based in New York. David had it shortened by a tailor in the Northern Quarter. "It's just colourful and joyous. We lived in India last year for a few months so it's a nice reminder of that," he explained.
He paired it with a basic t-shirt and Nudie jeans from Oldham Street, which have only been washed once because the shop advised against it. David's style draws on colour: "You go in lots of shops at the moment and everything's, green, or brown, and I like colour. This has all the colours of the rainbow!"
