Devon’s fashion revealed: Brits’ style influenced by where they live

Nearly half of the British population (43%) say that where they live impacts the styling choices they make and fashion trends they follow, with as many as a third of young people (18-24) confident they could pinpoint where someone is from, based solely on their wardrobe choices. 

Revealed by online personalised styling service, Stitch Fix, to determine whether style preferences vary between counties throughout the UK, the fashion-tech company has unveiled new data showing that how Brits dress is hugely influenced by where they live.

It seems that Devonshire residents style themselves in a more beachside fashion, with men opting for beige chinos, tartan shirts and suede ankle boots. The women of Devon typically wear loose-fitting pastel dresses and classic Birkenstocks.

Using sophisticated algorithms in an interactive experience called, “Style Shuffle,” which has gleaned over 30 million unique data points on British style preferences, Stitch Fix has been able to identify patterns in hundreds of thousands of style choices across the nation and identified clear trends emerging from the most popular items for women and men in each UK county.

Rich Simmons, Lead  Stylist at Stitch Fix UK comments: “How we dress is a statement about who we are as people, and it’s fascinating to see that our style is influenced not just by celebrities and social media, but by those living in close proximity. We’re seeing micro cultures of fashion emerging in ways that haven’t previously been identified. As a company fueled by style and data, it’s incredibly interesting for us to see these county-specific nuances come to light - we love playing a part in the style journeys of our customers.” 

The study of Stitch Fix data revealed that men and women living in Oxfordshire can’t get enough of the refined look, wearing salmon polo shirts teamed with chinos, whilst their female counterparts opt for linen trousers, shirts and long skirts - both living up to their scholastic reputations. In Surrey, the ladies dress suburban chic, rocking heels, handbags and transitional day-to-night tops, whilst the men are all about smart casual chinos, shirts and ties - predominantly in pastel colours such as lilac. In Greater London, gents  sport a ‘Hipster look’ wearing  indigo blue jeans, white t-shirts, beanies and bumbags, whilst the women look ever so chic in wide leg trousers, pleated shirts, and camisole tops. Further down south in Devon, beach-friendly paisley pastels are the order of the day for women, whilst Devonshire fellas prefer a colour palette of country greens and browns.

Delving deeper into the regional intricacies of British style, Stitch Fix partnered with YouGov to survey the nation, discovering some key stats on the influences of the way Brits dress. Regarding those living in the South, the survey found: 

• Half (50%) of Devonshire residents reveal the wardrobes of people in reality TV series such as Made In Chelsea, The Only Way Is Essex and Geordie Shore impacts their perception of how people in those areas dress
• 43% of those living in Devon admit the clothes others wear impacts how attracted to them they are 
• Almost two thirds (65%) of Devon admit they look at someone’s shoes to assess how stylish they are 

To learn more about your county style, please visit www.StitchFix.co.uk/County-Capsules. To find yourself a personal stylist for £10, please visit www.StitchFix.co.uk.