The Crazy World of British Street Style

by Lizzie Culverhouse
England

It may be cold, wet and grey on my little island of England, but one thing that remains constantly hot is that of British street style. Teenagers here are renowned for their innovative clothing ideas. In fact, internationally acclaimed designers are alleged to trawl the streets in search of inspiration for their next collections. Whether this is true or not, I am not sure, but I can verify that some fashion trends certainly make innocent bystanders sit up and take notice!

At present, there are many different looks being sported here, and the best place to experience hot style remains London, recognized as a truly international city. It is perhaps this fact that contributes to the visually exciting clothes on display as cultures mix and borrow each others' ideas.

The Indian-inspired look (from India) is still going strong, but with less emphasis placed on bindis and henna print hands, and there is more of a focus on colorful, ornate materials. It is not unusual to see teenage girls trawling the traditional Indian markets, found in most cities, in search of a unique sari which they will thereupon turn into a dress.

This individual look is mixed with anything the wearer feels like. It could be trainers (cross trainers) one day, and dainty sandals the next. Indeed, it is this mixture of elements that best exemplifies street style. British teenagers have a burning desire to look a little different. The deluge of big name sportswear is overwhelming, but we are witnessing a huge backlash against it, resulting in the aforementioned individual style.