Bristol: A Guide to City Trends

With a population of 440 000, 47 000 of which is made up of students, it’s no surprise that a wide range of clothing styles can be found in Bristol.

While students certainly dominate a lot of the city, each area can be seen to have its own distinct fashion sense.

In Stoke Bishop, if you don’t live in a five-bedroom mansion you probably live in a hall of residence and in Wills Hall, with its famous croquet lawn and bedrooms with fireplaces, we are left in no doubt as to where its residents buy their clothes.

From hoodies to T-shirts to sunglasses, the words ‘Jack Wills’ and ‘Hollister’ are often printed for everyone to see – sometimes in more than one place.

Lower down the hill,  we find the cheaper halls – the cheapest of which is University Hall at just over £3100 for the year.

Sure enough, although you often do find the odd Wills Reject, cheaper halls means students on a budget and it is not uncommon to hear, “I like your shirt, where is it from?” followed by the proud reply of, “Primarni!”

Stokes Croft: Bristol’s Bohemian Neighbourhood

This theme is continued in Clifton, the part of the city with both the most students and Jack Wills hoodies.

There is also a distinct difference between night and day on the Triangle. Lectures are early and ironing is tedious so jeans, jumpers and cosy parka coats are abundant around the university precinct.

A Sea of Chinos and Bodycon in clubs such as Dorma and Bunker

When night falls and Bunker opens, the comfy jeans and jumpers are swept away in a sea of chinos and bodycon.

While Saturday night sees women local to Bristol dolled up in heels and dresses, students tend to favour a more casual look during the week and it’s more common to see plimsolls than platforms.

Those with money and the urge to look like a T4 presenter may even be seen in a “statement piece” like leather shorts or loud, patterned shirts with more colours than the average kaleidoscope, apparently purchased for £2 in a charity shop.

In reality, it was probably from Urban Outfitters.

Looking Like a T4 Presenter in Motion

For real vintage clothing and thrift store finds, look no further than Stokes Croft, which was described as Bristol’s “most bohemian neighbourhood” by a Guardian columnist earlier this year.

During the day it feels like Spitalfields-meets-Harajuku, with every other person you see wearing something skin tight, brightly coloured and/or made of leather (real, of course).

It’s also the place in Bristol where you’re most likely to see some genuine hippies; look out for dreadlocks, old army jackets and no shoes.

The venues there could not be more different to Bunker, Lounge and Pam Pam and this is reflected in the way the club-goers dress.

The less adventurous, often those who are there for the music or Freshers discovering that there are clubs outside the Triangle, will generally just stick to an alternative band T-shirt or a 90s-style denim jacket.

These can fade into the background next to the bold fashion choices of the regular clientele which can include corsets, long leather coats and trousers that wouldn’t look too out of place in an MC Hammer video.

Along with these clothes, expect to see piercings in places you didn’t know could be pierced and hairstyles that resemble extravagant pieces of topiary.

With a huge range of shops, from the big chains in Cabot Circus to the boutiques of Clifton Village via the thrift stores of Stokes Croft, Bristol residents are spoilt for choice when it comes to clothing.

Whether you prefer bodycon skirts and crop tops, chinos and collared shirts, ripped jeans and Doc Martens or just comfy hoodies, there will always be a place in the city for you.