Style and geographic location in the UK

[ConfusedParticle]

I love how it seems a lot of style differences seem to vary around the country, not that i've been everywhere mind, but here's what I noticed recently:

I am currently in the north west, Lancashire, semi rural and everyone wears big chunky coats or huge puffers. Many in leggings or running gear, but the over all style is very Next/supermarket, etc.

I spent a few weeks in various areas of Shropshire and noticed a much smarter, Barbour-esque style in general but mixed in with a lot of slouchy bohemian stuff on the women/girls. Far more in dresses during winter, with wool coats.

I also live in the Lake district for part of the year and it's very much mountain warehouse or Arcteryx, shirt rain macs with hiking pants up there! Or at the very least perpetually mindful of the rain. You might see a dress here and there in the summer, or on a tourist, but generally not.

These are just my experiences so not solid facts, but would love to hear yours from other places in the UK!
Have any of you noticed differences in certain places?
I think it's fascinating how subtly our clothing changes as we move around. I would say so far Shropshire was more my 'style home', as the people seemed to share my own tastes in clothes, but apart from the milder climate which was enviable, my heart is in the north.

As a Londoner, I have noticed that the girls in Manchester are much more dolled up! full lash extensions, tight bodycon dress, heavy makeup, designer bag; almost as if they are starring in their own reality tv show when they are going to the Ivy! I feel like Londoners are much more casual- a lot of girls are still rocking the french cool girl look i.e. jeans and a nice top which is much lower maintenance. You do get a wide range of fashion styles in London though!

I am a Londoner but I dress like how I imagine Home Counties mums dress- Joules/ Gudrun Sjoden dresses under pink sparkly jumper and puffa coat and paired with M & S black tights and Moshulu ankle boots. Its just a very easy look and I am not very creative! I like having a uniform so I don't need to think too much

I've not noticed differences within the UK so much as those I notice when visiting France in particular.

The further west I go in Wales, the more casual the dress.

Don’t know what the London version is like, but The Ivy is considered a bit nouveau in Manchester. All the food reviews I’ve seen have been shit, so it probably mainly attracts a younger crowd who are more interested in the Insta bragging.

As a Londoner, I have noticed that the girls in Manchester are much more dolled up! full lash extensions, tight bodycon dress, heavy makeup, designer bag; almost as if they are starring in their own reality tv show

What, ALL of them? All the time? On a Tuesday lunchtime, say?

Or have you just noticed a subset of the young women on a Friday or Saturday night?

The Ivy is considered a bit nouveau in Manchester.

Yes. As if anyone is going to confuse it for the original Ivy where Joan Collins eats fish and chips and drinks champagne with Michael and Shakira Caine etc etc.

@Boood I would consider it an average chain restaurant in London. Its in a lot of central convenient locations. I only really like the duck salad.

@Iamthewombat It was in the day. which is why i found it surprising.

@Iamthewombat

As a Londoner, I have noticed that the girls in Manchester are much more dolled up! full lash extensions, tight bodycon dress, heavy makeup, designer bag; almost as if they are starring in their own reality tv show

What, ALL of them? All the time? On a Tuesday lunchtime, say?

Or have you just noticed a subset of the young women on a Friday or Saturday night?

I think it’s quite well known that London ‘going out’ is a lot more casual than the going out clothes you would see in places like Manchester & Liverpool. I can’t remember the last time I saw anyone out in a pair of heels. As a Londoner you can usually spot those here for a weekend by the fact they are so much more dressed up than us.

Can spot the Kent/Essex people going for a night out in London as they tend to doll themselves up and go to clubs. Most Londoners I know stay casual and opt for pubs and bars instead. Can't comment on other areas but I think Liverpool and Manchester has similar style to Essex?

Oh please. The Ivy is a perfectly decent chain with consistently good food and decent service in a lovely setting. The restaurants are always nicely decked out and regardless of whether it’s a chain it’s actually generally very pleasant, reliable and feels like a bit of a treat. I say that as someone who does love food and I’ve been to lots of wonderful non chain restaurants but the Ivy’s are pretty reliable and certainly the London ones tend to be pretty good and generally a pretty middle class crowd

@Trolleedollee

Oh please. The Ivy is a perfectly decent chain with consistently good food and decent service in a lovely setting. The restaurants are always nicely decked out and regardless of whether it’s a chain it’s actually generally very pleasant, reliable and feels like a bit of a treat. I say that as someone who does love food and I’ve been to lots of wonderful non chain restaurants but the Ivy’s are pretty reliable and certainly the London ones tend to be pretty good and generally a pretty middle class crowd

Do you manage one of them? The Ivy chain is a cynical private equity backed spin off of a couple of celebrated London restaurants that served canteen-style food, well-executed, at high prices, had a reputation for attracting a certain type of old style celeb and consequently were difficult to get a table at.

The regional offshoots, which have little in common with the originals other than the name and the ambitious pricing, are exactly the type of place that would be considered nouveau.

I worked in buying for the high street for years. We would tailor where we sent stuff because certain markets sold better. So more dressy dresses & very high shoes in Liverpool. More brogues in Brighton.

One thing that has changed is what the shops sell & what people wear is far more homogeneous as in 18 yr olds west the same things as 60 yr olds.

I love the Ivy cafe in wimbledon almost as much as the original.

tbf if you go to certain places in London on a saturday evening girls will be very dressed up.

Some of my young relatives and friends' children in London seem to be embracing getting dressed up at the moment. It could just be a temporary post lockdown thing of course but I've even spotted pics of them wearing heels

@Shadappayourface

Can spot the Kent/Essex people going for a night out in London as they tend to doll themselves up and go to clubs. Most Londoners I know stay casual and opt for pubs and bars instead. Can't comment on other areas but I think Liverpool and Manchester has similar style to Essex?

Have you ever been to either Manchester or Liverpool, or did you just see a clip on a documentary once? The misplaced snobbery is pathetic. Conflating entire cities with an offensive stereotype.

Oh goody.

London = ultra cool and casual = posh
Liverpool and Manchester = common trash

I just assume the different clothing is to do with practically. I dressed up more at uni because we would get cheap cabs to clubs/bars. As a Londoner I wasn't able to afford taxis to get me from A to B so it was more practical outfits for the tube/walking.

From what I heard, young people from my family were going out more in their local neighbourhoods because the late night tubes were suspended and they couldn't afford taxi fares back from central London. So practical clothing became less of an issue and they made the most of it. If the late night services have now resumed then that may be changing again but they did seem to be enjoying getting dressed up so it'll be interesting to see what happens.

What a fucked up route this took!

I con honestly say that as a northener i very rarely see anyone dressed up.
It might just come as a mindblowing revelation but i think the 'types' you are referring to are the Kardashan-esque working class. You'll see them in their glad rags if you are one of them. And that's all.

Plenty in the north and cumbria wearing Joules, Boden, and regular old MC 'safe bets' with polka dots, wanky trainers and obligatory dog.

Could you dig that hole any deeper?

Want to borrow my shovel?

As I said we had sales figures that showed different parts of the country preferred different things.

Or, we could discuss the underclass (or else pretend not to know what they are because we would never dream of living anywhere where they might pop up!)

I mean why oh why do they wear head to toe black? It's either a tracksuit - in black, or a short jacket - in black, and occasionally a black hat or cap. Their fucking footwear is also black. They have branched out into puffers recently, always, always black. Mostly with hood up even in the warmth of the sunlight.
It's rather ubiquitous and smacks of poverty, anti social issues/abuse and small time gang violence. Prevalent on many council estates and economically depressed postcodes.

Not remotely aware if these people can afford to go out drinking or clubbing, they're usually too busy putting each others windows through or passing out in the town centre in a pool of sick.

I would love to know what's going on with all the black clothes though.
I suppose it is not appropriate to discuss this, is it? But it is somewhat comforting to pit north against south, because we all know these black tracksuited hoodie types could never exist down south......

London the women are generally better dressed - this summer a lot of floaty floral dresses in up to date fashion, slim and very well (if also not too try hard) groomed. I lived on the Isle of Wight snd it's all jogging bottoms and slouchy hoodies or cropped tops showing way to much pudgy flesh. I feel much more self conscious going out in London.
When I went to Australia the women looked much more feminine all wearing pretty dresses.