MANCHESTER FASHION

As a Manchester fashion blogger, the bohemian, hip Northern Quarter of the city has been my playground for many years: notably, for its photogenic urban backdrops and abundance of street art. With paste ups proudly sat aside hand-finished stencils, it’s an area that’s flourished alongside its creative counterpart: music. In fact, it was through music that I discovered the Northern Quarter existed (back in the early 2000s). 

You’d be forgiven for thinking the photos in this blog post were taken in the Northern Quarter, they’re not. It’s Blackpool. Just like Manchester, Blackpool has also seen a resurgence of culture in the form of street art thanks to Sand, Sea and Spray: a festival that showcases international street artists. Gloriously transforming dozens of walls in the town from bleak to chic, Sand, Sea and Spray has attracted household names in the street art world such as: D7606, Nomad Clan, My Dog Sighs and C3, to name but a few. 

The paste ups of D7606 are well-known across the UK and as far-fetched as Europe and the USA, you’ve seen his worked featured in an outfit post here, three years ago. His work is familiar and maintains the inseparable mix of art and music. Pasted alongside C3’s feminine pieces, it’s a winning combination that I simply couldn’t resist for an outfit post backdrop. Same style, same art. Different town. 

I can’t say I was overjoyed when John suggested that we visit Blackpool: it was an uncharacteristically warm September’s Sunday afternoon and I wasn’t welcoming the thought of spending an hour in the car. Had I seen these works before I’m sure I would have been more encouraged. Part of my reluctance was not knowing what to wear- I’d packed up my summer dresses just days before, but this ASOS pinafore dress (a July purchase) sat hanging on my dress rail waiting  to be worn. 

I’m never far away from a polka dot print I’ve yet to discover and love, it’s a weakness (or strength, depending on your perspective) and I fear it’s become my signature style. Slowly, I’m starting to rotate my wardrobe. In preparation for autumn, I’ve vacuum packed away my spring/summer clothes, tried on 90% of my winter clothes and have created a large pile of clothes to sell on and donate to charity. Selling my clothes means I can buy more, guilt free. 

As it turned out, the majority of Blackpool’s charity shops are open on a Sunday. It’s remarkable: not once have I visited a place with shops that open on a Sunday. It was a happy chance, because whilst John was striving for the perfect shot taken in the perfect light, I could happily browse what Blackpool had to offer. (In a twist of fate, I didn’t find anything and haven’t since and that’s no mean feat because I’ve estimated that I’ve visited approximately 30 charity shops within the last week or two.) Am I disappointed? Not really, maybe a little but the fruit of summer’s charity shop trawling has brought me over 50% of my autumn wardrobe. Who can be down about that? 

Are you thrifting for your autumn wardrobe? I’d love for you to share your thrifty finds using the hashtag #ShowMeTheThrift. Alternatively, if you’ve been to see Blackpool’s Sand, Sea and Spray festival, I want to know your thoughts! ❤