I'm The It Girl

A good pair of jeans is more than just a wardrobe essential; it’s a timeless fashion staple that transcends seasons and trends. Whether dressed up or down, jeans offer a unique blend of comfort, durability, and versatility, making them a go-to choice for people of all ages and styles. From classic blue denim to modern cuts and washes, the right pair of jeans can effortlessly enhance any outfit, providing the perfect foundation for both casual and more polished looks. Their ability to adapt to different settings and personal expressions solidifies jeans as an iconic piece in fashion history. But, there’s one denim style icon that really stands out from the pack.

New research has revealed the nation’s unwavering love of timeless fashion, with the iconic Levi’s 501 topping the list, with a resounding 45 percent of the vote. Originally patented in 1873, the 501 recently celebrated its 150^th year. Originally called a “waist overall” and had one back pocket – with the signature Levi stitching design – a watch pocket, a cinch, suspender buttons and a rivet in the crotch.

In 1939, Hollywood star John Wayne wore the iconic jean in the western, Stagecoach, introducing the hard-wearing trousers to the masses and elevating their appeal. As a result, they became a staple in the US, with fashion icons including Marilyn Monroe and Marlon Brando pictured dinning them.

More recent 501 devotees include Hailey Bieber, Selena Gomez, Kristen Stewart and Sydney Sweeney.

In the second place, was the classic Ralph Lauren polo shirt (25 percent), followed by Chanel’s timeless little black dress (23 percent) which was originally designed and created by Coco Chanel in 1926.

Converse All Star trainers (20 percent), Levi’s denim jacket (20 percent) and the Ray Ban aviator (18 percent) are also considered among the most iconic fashion items ever, along with the Nike Air Max 90 trainer (18 percent), cherry red Doc Marten (15 percent), bomber jacket (15 percent) and a classic, crisp plain white t-shirt (15 percent).

Perhaps more divisive, the UGG boot (12 percent), Croc (11 percent), Adidas “popper” jogger (nine percent) and “normcore” fashion favourites like a North Face fleece (eight percent), bucket hat (eight percent) and Birkenstock sandal (six percent) were also rated by the 2,000 Brits polled.

The research, which was commissioned by Whatnot, the leading livestream shopping platform across UK, Europe, and North America that is celebrating the recent launch of its men and women’s vintage fashion categories, also indicated an increase in thrift shopping, with seven in ten (70 percent) regularly going vintage or second hand shopping – rising to 84 percent among 18 to 28 year olds.

On average Brits buy five vintage or second-hand pieces a month (seven pieces for Gen Z).

It’s cheaper (59 percent), you can bag a bargain (52 percent), it’s more sustainable (47 percent) and you’re supporting local businesses and charities (41 percent) are the main reasons for scouring the second-hand rails.

In fact, over a third (35 percent) say they are making more effort to buy sustainable clothing now compared to five years ago – with 30 percent admitting they now ONLY buy sustainable clothes, rising to 43 percent of under 29-year-olds.

Over half (54 percent) love the fact that they can unearth amazing vintage clothes, so much so that eight in ten (84 percent) regularly hunt around charity stores for a specific piece of clothing. Modern Brits are most likely (88 percent) to go thrifting with just one item of clothing on their shopping list.

And according to fashionable Brits, charity shops (41 percent) are the place to go for an old-school outfit, followed by online marketplaces (24 percent), specialty shops (seven percent) and market stalls (six percent).

The nation’s love of vintage clothing is so strong that four in ten (45 percent) are annoyed at themselves for having thrown away old classics that have been gifted to them by older relatives.

Daniel Fisher, UK General Manager from Whatnot, which commissioned the research, said: “It’s clear from the research that more Brits are embracing second-hand fashion and iconic vintage pieces like Levi 501s, Ralph Lauren polo shirts and little black dresses.

 Vintage clothing offers shoppers a unique opportunity to invest in timeless pieces with history and character, which is why we’re excited to introduce Whatnot’s thriving men and women’s vintage categories to the UK market, after seeing how successful they’ve been in the US. These categories represent a more sustainable and exciting way to shop for iconic fashion items, and our sellers are experts that source incredible, hard-to-find pieces for their communities.

 We’ve designed our livestream shopping experience to make discovering and purchasing these gems fun and interactive, offering a platform where buyers can find incredible deals while supporting sustainability and style together with a community of like-minded shoppers.”

This change is also reflected in the fact that eight in ten (86 percent) would rather buy a few quality pieces that last a long time, than cheaper items that last just a few years. 89 percent of Brits aged between 18 to 29 years would rather spend more for classic, timeless pieces.

It’s no surprise that 58 percent believe that fashions come back around, with the nineties (26 percent), the eighties (21 percent) and the sixties (17 percent) the nations favourite era for vintage clothing.

THE MOST ICONIC FASHION ITEMS OF ALL TIME, ACCORDING TO THRIFTY BRITS:

 

1. Levi 501 jean – 45%
2. Ralph Lauren Polo shirt – 25%
3. Chanel little black dress – 23%
4. Levi denim jacket – 20%
5. Converse All Star trainer – 20%
6. Nike Air Max 90 trainer  – 18%
7. Ray ban Aviator – 18%
8. Bomber jacket – 15%
9. Plain white t-shirt – 15%
10. Cherry Red Doc Marten -15%
11. Green Barbour jacket – 13%
12. Mary Quant miniskirt – 13%
13. Ugg boot – 12%
14. Fred Perry polo shirt – 12%
15. Croc – 11%
16. Trench coat – 10%
17. Vans trainer – 10%
18. Louboutin heel – 10%
19. Burberry tartan scarf – 9%
20. Adidas ‘popper’ joggers – 9%
21. Chanel tweed jacket – 9%
22. Ray-Ban Wayfarer – 9%
23. Hunter Wellington boot – 8%
24. North Face fleece – 8%
25. Bucket hat – 8%

Do you feel as though you just don’t look good in the clothes that you wear? If so then now is the time for you to do something about that. If you don’t then you may find that your confidence ends up being impacted, and this can bring down your self-esteem. 

You’re Not Dressing for Your Body Type

One of the main mistakes that people make is that they don’t dress to their body type. At the end of the day, bodies come in all shapes and sizes. It’s important to make sure that you are dressing to the body type you have because if you don’t then you will never look as good as you could. Even if you are picking out great outfits that are trendy, they might not look right on you if you don’t dress for the body you have. If you want to do something here then one thing you can do is try and elevate your style while choosing clothes that compliment your shape. Don’t be afraid to experiment here, and delve deep into what looks good on you specifically, and what doesn’t.

You’re Choosing Colors that Clash

Everyone has an undertone in their skin. This will affect how certain colors look on you. If possible, you need to stick with a four-color palette. Your skin undertone will probably fall into one of four quadrants. You have cool-bright, cool-delicate, warm-delicate and warm-bright. When you wear colors that don’t pair with your skin tone, you may find that you end up looking washed out. If you have skin discolouration then this will be highlighted, which is the last thing you want. The best way for you to fix this would be for you to do a draping test so you can find out which skin tone you have. If you suit bright blue, you have a cool-bright skin tone, and so forth. If you suit blue colours, then you might want to look into ocean jewelry.

You’re Not Wearing Clothes That Fit

Another huge reason why you might not feel as good as you could in the clothes that you wear is if your clothes don’t fit you properly. When it comes to getting clothes, it’s a good idea for you to detach yourself from sizes. Sizes are a very good starting point when you are trying to find clothes but don’t focus on it too much. If you normally wear a medium, but find that it’s too small on you then go for a size up. This is especially the case if you like to go shopping at thrift stores. Every brand seems to have a different way of sizing their clothes, so you need to keep this in mind. If you can learn to let go of the number on your clothing, it’ll help you to be more confident going forward.

Trying too Many Styles

Don’t try and mix too many styles at once. So many people do this. If you want to help yourself then you need to apply the three C’s rule. Focus on being classic, cohesive and consistent. If you can follow these three rules then you should find that any outfits you have, end up working seamlessly with each other. If you love a bunch of different styles then try and narrow things down when the time comes for you to curate your wardrobe. Find three or five words that really nail your style and then only keep the clothing items that match with these words. If you can do this, you are bound to see a major improvement.

Your Clothes Don’t Match your Lifestyle

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they don’t choose clothes that match their lifestyle. If you are a business professional and you work in an office with other professionals then you shouldn’t have a wardrobe that consists of athleisure outfits. You need to have some blazers and some dress shirts if possible. If you live in a climate that is warm during the year then don’t have too many chunky sweaters. If you do then you will be packing out your wardrobe with things you will never wear. If you do end up wearing them then they will never look right because they do not suit your lifestyle or the weather, so make sure that you keep this in mind.

Of course, if you are having a hard time finding clothes then looking up influencers and finding out what they wear is a great way for you to boost your fashion confidence.