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Original poster

The Leeds Look and regional microtrends

175 replies

neverhappenedtopablopicasso · 20/06/2025 12:15

Lighthearted, but...

Right, I know people will wear this outfit in other places, but I live near Leeds but travel a lot for work, and in the summer in Leeds I see so many women wearing specifically a knee length bias cut skirt in polka dot or ditsy floral, with a white slim cut t-shirt. I hardly ever see it anywhere else, but I just counted 4 in 10 minutes in Leeds. Didn't see any in York the other day. Going to Manchester tomorrow and keep an eye out. Is this a Leeds Look? Am I imagining it?

Got me wondering if there any other microtrends that are tied to a particular city? I don't mean cultural stereotypes please, just actual observations.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
3luckystars · 22/06/2025 21:30

countingthedays945 · 22/06/2025 20:43

I live in Leeds and I’m currently making a blue polka dot skirt! I hadn’t even questioned why?

What shoes are you wearing?

VictoriaEra · 22/06/2025 21:49

Went to Liverpool recently. A lot more dressy in the evening. Heels and bouncy curls.

pudseypie · 22/06/2025 22:27

neverhappenedtopablopicasso · 22/06/2025 16:54

OK further out-and-about spots... Several similar looks at our "not Leeds but near" school fete:

  1. worn in a grungier Lou Teasdale-y way, as a pp poster said. The classic "Leeds Look" tee + floral skirt is a bit more basic and clean cut than that.
  2. classic iteration of skirt but grey marl tee instead of white, groundbreaking
  3. White tee but with floral culottes.
  4. midaxi floral skirt and a black tee, so nonconformist I am not even sure if it counts.

I think most what I have seen as knee-length are probably midis hoiked up. Saw nothing similar in Manchester.

It's not a look I either particularly like or dislike. I get that it's vaguely a 90s reference but not something I'd personally wear. I'm fascinated by how on the one hand it's a very normal, inoffensive outfit, but on the other hand - ONLY BIG IN LEEDS.

Thrilled about imminent Briggate Uniqlo though, that's my real takeaway.

Edited

Laughing as I'm from Leeds but now live in the South East and you've just described my entire summer wardrobe!!

SpottyMcDot · 22/06/2025 22:43

I was in Leeds on Friday and just had to think back to my outfit as this is one of my go to outfits! Alas I let the side down, I had on wide leg trousers, vest and denim shirt. Will plan ahead next time

XiCi · 22/06/2025 23:31

DinaofCloud9 · 21/06/2025 23:08

Hmm. Slightly dubious about this

Show quote history

Me too. I live in Liverpool, also go to the match regularly. Have never once seen a grown man in full kit. I wonder whether it was a stag party dressed up like that for a laugh or something

lovelychops · 22/06/2025 23:42

XiCi · 22/06/2025 23:31

Me too. I live in Liverpool, also go to the match regularly. Have never once seen a grown man in full kit. I wonder whether it was a stag party dressed up like that for a laugh or something

Show quote history

Also doubt very much it was a scouser in the full kit...

YorkshireFelix · 22/06/2025 23:59

Another very excited for imminent Uniqlo opening in Leeds. I live over Bradford way and have been saying for years we need a Uniqlo closer than Manchester!!

PepsiForEva · 23/06/2025 08:32

I live in a tourist town and everyone wears Joules or Quba.

I went to a dinner party on Saturday and three of us were wearing the exact same top. (I was one of them!). So I got the chance to see what it looks like on a person who is size 10 and not a size 14/16 like me. (The answer- better). 😄

LettingyougoMovingOn · 23/06/2025 08:39

Floisme · 21/06/2025 09:24

I think that, if you live in northerly UK, you tend to buy fewer summery clothes because what's the point when summer might only last for 2 weeks? So, when a heatwave catches you out, you improvise with what you've got, and I can imagine spotting someone on the bus and thinking, 'Ooh I've got a skirt like that somewhere', and then someone else sees you and does the same, and so on...

Of course it doesn't explain why it's a Leeds phenomenon but I'm pleased to hear that street style might still exist at a local level and that not every trend is social media driven. Now please don't go and spoil it by telling me it's a Leeds Tiktok or Whatsapp thing.

It's Leeds not the outer Hebrides. Summer isn't two weeks long.😆

YouHaveAnArse · 23/06/2025 11:20

Fallulah · 21/06/2025 09:59

We noticed the tracksuit bottoms and long socks pulled right up when we were in Liverpool. Also the amount of men on match day who are not just in the Liverpool shirts, as you’d expect, but they were in absolutely full kit - top, shorts, socks - as if Klopp (as was) might be about to call them up!

I was also full of admiration for the women who were just going about their day in the city centre with a full set of rollers in.

That's interesting because I've seen people say that actually wearing a replica shirt to the match is 'wool behaviour' aka marks you out as a tourist rather than a real fan. (I don't really get it, but then I don't know why you want to wear a black coat in a climate that's dull for several months of the year!) I've never seen adults in full kit, to be honest.

Not seen the OP's look in Liverpool, but I do see all the kids wearing Montirex which you don't see in other cities, and younger women in quite bodycon outfits but then that's something I've seen elsewhere too - what I like is that they're also not all skinny, when I was their age nobody with a belly would have worn anything cropped but it's totally acceptable now and that's very cool. Visible lip filler seems to be more of a thing for women.

Floisme · 23/06/2025 11:27

I’ve lived in Leeds and you’re right, it was more like 10 days long.

Edited as I was too slow to respond - that was to a previous poster, whose name I checked and now I’ve already forgotten Blush

Original poster
neverhappenedtopablopicasso · 23/06/2025 12:04

Floisme · 23/06/2025 11:27

I’ve lived in Leeds and you’re right, it was more like 10 days long.

Edited as I was too slow to respond - that was to a previous poster, whose name I checked and now I’ve already forgotten Blush

Edited

Sounds about right, and not necessarily consecutive

OP posts:
EmotionallyWeird · 23/06/2025 12:25

One day last summer I spent a few hours in Exeter and everyone was wearing really wide linen trousers, mostly white or cream. I must go there again soon and see if that's still the fashion.

VapeHelp · 23/06/2025 12:26

Floisme · 23/06/2025 11:27

I’ve lived in Leeds and you’re right, it was more like 10 days long.

Edited as I was too slow to respond - that was to a previous poster, whose name I checked and now I’ve already forgotten Blush

Edited

Not this year, it’s been (mainly) summer since the end of March! We’ve finally had some rain this weekend thank god.

Tapoopoo · 23/06/2025 14:32

There are definitely regional uniforms!

Ive been travelling by train a lot recently for work and everytime I went via one city there were women in hair rollers. In another area, everyone had beanie hats. Some places had specific bags that were fashionable etc.

It was quite interesting and I found myself playing "guess where they are from" with myself. Leave me alone, long train journeys can be dull. 🤣

MoominUnderWater · 23/06/2025 17:06

I went to Orford once and everyone was wearing some posh brand of polo shirt, shorts, deck shoes and interestingly some sort of slim fitting life vest....while queuing for pastries at the Bakehouse!

Y2ker · 23/06/2025 17:33

Tapoopoo · 23/06/2025 14:32

There are definitely regional uniforms!

Ive been travelling by train a lot recently for work and everytime I went via one city there were women in hair rollers. In another area, everyone had beanie hats. Some places had specific bags that were fashionable etc.

It was quite interesting and I found myself playing "guess where they are from" with myself. Leave me alone, long train journeys can be dull. 🤣

In the days before the world wide web it was really pronounced and much more fun.

Tapoopoo · 23/06/2025 17:43

Y2ker · 23/06/2025 17:33

In the days before the world wide web it was really pronounced and much more fun.

Show quote history

And more independent shops. Or at least shops that didnt all sell the same thing.

mdinbc · 23/06/2025 21:24

I have to say I really like a knee length A-line or bias cut skirt worn informally. They are not easy to find here. I checked two popular Canadian clothing websites, and it was all mini or just above ankle length.

A trend I've never gotten along with is maxi or midi dresses and skirts in summer. I want to show off my legs a bit, stay cool and get a breeze. Tripping over skirts every time I go up stairs is not for me.

StasisMom · 24/06/2025 08:39

MoominUnderWater · 23/06/2025 17:06

I went to Orford once and everyone was wearing some posh brand of polo shirt, shorts, deck shoes and interestingly some sort of slim fitting life vest....while queuing for pastries at the Bakehouse!

I'm guessing you meant Oxford, not Orford in Warrington 😶.

NormaSears · 24/06/2025 09:08

@StasisMom , Orford, Suffolk - Wikipedia

StasisMom · 24/06/2025 09:09

Ok, different Orford then. I’ll pipe down now.

NormaSears · 24/06/2025 09:22

@StasisMom , what is the microtrend in Orford, Warrington?

RayonSunrise · 24/06/2025 13:01

Speaking of trends, I’ve noted that my DD and her friends all seem to have decided to wear only:
low waisted jeans/skirts/trousers
slim fitted blouses (like the ones we wore in the early naughties)
Enormous men’s cardies or jackets over top
Socks with chunky shoes, boots or trainers

She would now like - wait for it - a knee-length skirt, which she’s having trouble finding to her very precise specifications. (Not pencil, not full, can be ditsy if not too busy, not too colourful).

It all seems to be fuelled by second hand clothing apps. None of the big retailers seem to be selling what they’re wearing, but they’re all wearing it!

MoominUnderWater · 24/06/2025 13:16

NormaSears · 24/06/2025 09:08

Definitely Suffolk not Warrington 😁