A study of UK fashion fans has revealed the nation’s enduring love for the high street, rising confidence in personal style among the young, and a growing nostalgia for fashion from decades past.
The look at British fashion and shopping was commissioned by Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet, in honour of its 30th anniversary.
When asked to rank personal style on a scale from one to ten, Brits gave themselves an average score of five, with Gen Zs aged 18-24 being significantly more confident in their ability to create a ‘fire outfit’ and scoring themselves a far higher average of seven.
Over 65s were the least self-assured in their fashion sense scoring just 4/10.
When it comes to Britain’s most fashion confident locations, London, Manchester, and Brighton residents rate themselves higher than the national average, with Mancunians taking top spot by rating themselves as a nine or even ten, higher than anywhere else in the UK.
Respondents said that on average they had developed their personal style by the age of just 25, again suggesting that the UK will be more confident in its future fashion choices.
Social media was ranked as the key inspiration for sourcing stylish looks, with a quarter of the nation now entirely influenced by platforms such as Instagram and TikTok when it comes to expanding their wardrobes.
And, despite the rise of e-commerce, 64 per cent of respondents said they prefer shopping in person. Leading reasons include the ability to try items on (80 per cent), judge quality in person (70.4 per cent), and avoid delivery issues (51 per cent).
While older shoppers were most passionate about this preference, for even among younger consumers, the in-store experience remains relevant—especially when enhanced with entertainment, events, and hands-on discovery as reported by respondents aged 20-30.
