Your London Fashion Week SS24 style diaries

After a long weekend of guzzling complimentary Diet Coke and dashing all over London in the sweaty late summer heat, we're back home nursing our blisters and looking to Milan. This season London Fashion Week served up some fabulous men's street style. Meanwhile, on the runway bare bums, lavender stuffed puffer jackets and space age streetwear reigned supreme. But just because London Fashion Week is over, doesn't mean the style inspo has to come to an end. While it's fun to see what all the celebs and influencers were wearing, sometimes the best inspiration comes from the other people working during fashion week. We caught up with some of this season's chicest attendees to get their top fashion tips for fashion week, thrifting and beyond.

Jenny Li, content creator and graphic design student

What are you wearing?

A Heliot Emil shirt, Fenty bralette, Yohji Yamamoto skirt, thrifted lloafers and a COS quilted bag with ribbon detailing

What is your number one piece of fashion week style advice?

Go crazy and just have fun with it! It’s the perfect opportunity to push your own personal style boundaries, be bold and wear that archive piece that you’ve kept in storage for special occasions! Also, comfortable shoes! Sometimes the shows are crammed so close together you’ll have to be running from show to station to Uber to make it on time for the next show.

What are your top tips for thrifting?

I love a good car boot, you can find some real gems and you’re usually able to find them at a bargain price. It also definitely helps to go into it with an idea of what you’re looking for before you start otherwise it gets quite overwhelming just because there’s so much going on.

Where do you look for fashion inspiration?

Pinterest is my go-to-destination for some quick visual inspiration. A lot of the time I will just look at whatever I have in my closet already and try to figure out new ways to wear them. For one of my fashion week looks, I repurposed two plaid shirts, buttoned them together and combined them to turn them into a “new” skirt. I think the process of building an outfit just becomes more fulfilling this way.

What has been your favourite moment from this fashion week?

Being paparazzi’d was kind of exciting, not in the way it would make one feel like a celeb but more in the way it felt like an acknowledgement my styling and fashion sense, it’s just not something I thought would happen — that was a core memory moment.

James Corbin, model

What are you wearing?

I’m wearing a newly released piece from designer Lutin Chen’s last collection.

What is your number one piece of fashion week style advice?

Don’t be afraid to take a risk - with your style and approach.

What are your top tips for thrifting?

You've always got to visualise the piece in a setting and what you’d wear it with in your wardrobe…. or you’ll never end up wearing it, no matter how cool it is.

Where do you look for fashion inspiration?

I look to a lot of exaggerated references on Pinterest from comic-book animations. I love clean, classic menswear looks too - then adding an element of Corbin to the mix.

What has been your favourite moment from this fashion week?

My favourite moment is tied between MAC’s special LFW showing the biggest British designers and then Perfect Magazine and Valentino teaming up to host a LFW party to top all parties!

Avani Thakkar, fashion writer

What are you wearing?

The blouse, which is the star of the show, is custom made from AKHL Studio which is one of my favourite Indian labels that does slow, handcrafted fashion with a focus on technique. The necklace is Vivienne Westwood.

What is your number one piece of fashion week style advice?

ALWAYS wear comfortable footwear, especially since you'll be running from one venue to another. You don't really need to try too hard. Just be yourself and wear what you love. Confidence is part of your outfit.

What are your top tips for thrifting?

I love thrifting at Oxfam and charity shops - my tip is to always rummage through the rails extensively because some gems are hidden at the back and need searching. Check out menswear too because chances are you can find something that is gender neutral. If not clothes, look out for accessories because if there's one thing thrift shops do well it's a pair of cool sunnies (which we don't need in LDN but hey, fashion!).

Where do you get your fashion inspiration?

Mostly Instagram and Pinterest. I also love people watching on public transport. There's always something to take away. London has some noteworthy street style, whether it's fashion week or not.

Jay Tagle, digital creator

What are you wearing?

I’m wearing a Boy London shirt with NBA basketball shorts, black jorts, new Jordan 4s cement and my dad’s ties.

What is your number one piece of fashion week style advice?

Always take it up a notch.

What are your top tips for thrifting?

Keep an eye out for statement pieces.

Where do you look for fashion inspiration?

Pinterest or the designers whose shows I watch.

What has been your favourite moment this fashion week?

Finishing casting my first show and getting feedback that it was one of the best shows.

Hollie Hilton, senior social producer at woo

What are you wearing?

This was actually the only outfit I didn't plan for fashion week. I'd made Pinterest shuffles for each day but by day four I'd ran out of outfits. I've always been a silver-jewellery girlie so I'm loving the silver accessories trend at the moment. My ballet pumps are from a Korean shoe shop on Etsy that I love, and the bag is from Vinted, but I added some extra silver straps to it. My necklace is from eBay. I got it as part of this haul of 'job lot' jewellery I had to bid for.

Because of the accessories I tried to keep the outfit simple, and went all black but played on pattern and texture. The fishnet top is actually a dress from Zara that I've had for years. I think I actually got it after seeing Rumi Neely wearing it on IG back in the early 2010 influencer days. I was obsessed with her.

Skirt is also Vinted. I was looking for a good Sandy Liang dupe, and liked that this one had little pull tie bows dotted around it. I tried to complement this with a ribbon in my hair too.

What is your number one piece of fashion week style advice?

Wear more but carry less. I found that fashion week is when we get to bring out the weird girl aesthetic, and no amount of accessorising is overkill. I think always add more to your outfit, but take something out of your bag too - fashion week is long and tiring and having a heavy bag weighs you down.

What are your top tips for thirfting?

I'm an internet thrifter, so I think getting creative with your keyword search is the most important thing, and trying out several websites in your search. I like Etsy, Ebay and Vinted mainly, but there's a few IG vintage sellers that I've found over the years through Depop and Pinterest that I go to for more curated finds now too.

It helps to have an idea of what you're looking for. I also think thrifting is better when you're looking for unique pieces like a statement bag or jacket, than if you're looking for basics.

Where do you look for fashion inspiration?

In the streets mainly. I'm based in Manchester but come to London often and I find a lot of style inspiration just walking around both these cities. I always take inspiration from places I've visited abroad too. When I was in Istanbul recently I noticed everyone had the most amazing jewellery so I've been trying to up my jewellery game ever since.

What has been your favourite moment from this fashion week?

This was my first fashion week so it's all going to be pretty memorable, but I'd say the standout moment was the SS24 MOWALOLA show. I just loved the drama of the production of it all, the massive venue, crazy mixtape and the energy of that show was just very intense it felt like I was at a concert. It was all a bit of a spectacle, and nothing else resonated like that for me.

Megan Wallace, editorial director at Gay Times

What are you wearing in this outfit?

A Di Petsa dress from a sample sale, Dilara Findikoglu Ann Boleyn necklace (also from a sample sale), Prada shoes from the Matches winter sale and a yellow handbag courtesy of my mum.

What is your number one piece of fashion week style advice?

Comfortable shoes! If you’re not important enough to be sent around in a chauffeured car, you do a lot of walking in between shows since they’re all so spread out across the city. I wore these shoes on the Saturday and my feet are still bleeding three days later.

What are your top tips for thrifting?

It’s not strictly thrifting but my number one piece of advice for quality secondhand/archive pieces is to follow stylists, fashion editors and models on Depop/Vinted. They get so many free and discounted products and end up selling some really great pieces. Also, make sure you don’t buy anything designer secondhand unless is comes with authenticity paperwork!

I don’t tend to shop at thrift stores unless I’m on holiday - a lot of the thrift and vintage stores in the major cities like London end up curating a similar stock / vibe, so it’s only when you go abroad that you get those really interesting pieces imo - just make sure you do lots of research about where to go and the price points of the stores to get the right balance between quality and affordability.

Where do you look for fashion inspiration?

Probably other members of the queer community. I'm always super intrigued by what people are wearing at raves and what my friends are wearing on TikTok and Instagram.

I’m generally also really obsessed with fashion people and their fits - what young designers are wearing on their days off, the polished but practical looks of producers on set, whatever the graphic design guy at your fave esoteric fashion mag is wearing to the office.

Other than that I love small stores like Lunch concept store in Glasgow and Retail Pharmacy in NYC, I’m always on their social media and sites to see what new underground designers they’re stocking and doing research around that.

What has been your favourite moment from this fashion week?

Probably hearing Limp Bizkit at the Chopova show at a west London skate park! Found the soundtracks really funny and irreverent this season.

Rhys Thomas, acting features editor at woo

What are you wearing?

Oliver Peoples glasses, an oversized Studio Nicholson blazer, a lime green short sleeved bowling shirt from Stussy, the t-shirt under is a longsleeve from M&S, the shorts are Adam Jones, and I'm wearing adidas Mundial Astros with Nike socks just because i thought it'd be amusing to clash the big brands. The camera is a Yashica T5, and the backpack is just a necessity for working but made the whole look less flattering - I'd have used a Mulberry Bayswater if i had the cash.

What is your number one piece of fashion week style advice?

Have fun! It's a time where you can really push the boat out with your looks if you keep it understated for the most part; but also find a functional shoe so you can actually walk the entire week.

What are your top tips for thrifting?

Honestly, I find thrifting a nightmare. I'm far more of a sample sale person, except for suits and accessories. My advice there is always go slightly oversized, get them tailored from there so they fit a dream; and keep a record of the stores people you like, like. Nobody wants to spend an hour browsing through a load of garbage even if they pretend they do.

Where do you look for fashion inspiration?

Formatively it was style in and around music: mods, two-tone, some punk stuff, anything Paul Weller wore, and suiting from the likes of Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye; and Picasso's drawings of men in suits. From there, I've just branched out into thinking about what silhouettes I like on me (and which parts of my body I like to show off and in which circumstances), which colours I am into on me, and what sorts of looks I like. This has led to doing things like shorts with formal shoes and sporty tube socks, because they're better for wearing all day than a dress sock, and wearing boxy all-beige looks, deconstructed suits, etc. I've also always loved the look of western and bowling shirts, and they're a go-to.

From there it's about choosing quality clothing that can switch within all of these things and keeping the wardrobe pretty minimal (I have about 20 pieces of clothing including base layers, coats and jackets). I've been wearing loafers as my go-to shoe for about ten years now and I'm experimenting more with creepers and cuban heels seeing as everyone is on the loafer hype. When it comes to brands, I just shop at places with a good purpose and sense of craft because i know they're going to generally also make quality product compared with those less considerate. Lookbooks are often also a great place to find great functional styling too, especially at brands like Drake's, Stussy, and The Row.

What has been your favourite moment from this fashion week?

Honestly, the street style. It always is: I like people wearing their clothing in the world and how it celebrates the notion of fashion week. But I liked Ahluwalia and Simone Rocha's collections the most.

Rachel Hall, designer

What are you wearing?

I am wearing my Grey Double-Pocketed, Oversized Padded shorts from my new collection inspired by boxing attire from my brand ADRN - @ADRN_studio (you can also find on my Instagram @raxcheloise) I also layered two tank tops I found at a charity shop and adjusted the straps and sleeves for a more stylistic approach. I customised the corset-like top by ripping the bottom to have a more rugged look to match the straps on my shorts. This customisation was inspired by brands like Ottolinger - I really love their new collection!

What is your number one piece of fashion week style advice?

Wear comfortable shoes!!! There will be lots of running around from one show to the next so comfort is key.

What are your top tips for thrifting?

I would say thrift by colour rather than style. It's interesting to see how different styles can clash but also complement each other when layered because of similar colour choices.

Where do you look for fashion inspiration?

I mainly look at brands that I love I am really inspired by brands like Ottlinger and Heliot Emil at the moment!

What has been your favourite moment from this fashion week?

I really loved the Claudia Wang show at the Tate. I loved how the show was very immersive, the graphics, music and lighting were just perfect and really created an inspired atmosphere which complimented the collection so perfectly.

Holly Beddingfield, editor at Capsule

What are you wearing?

I'm wearing a vintage Scottish kilt! I borrowed it from my friend who let me browse her wardrobe a few days before when I was feeling uninspired. The waistcoat is from Mango, and the boots are from Miista.

What is your number one piece of fashion week style advice?

I do think it's important to feel confident and excited by your look. It's a daunting prospect to be around people who care so much about clothes, and I think the way you overcome the fear of that is to get into the spirit and enjoy it. It's more fun than saying the whole thing is stupid. It feels good to look good!

What are your top tips for thrifting?

Two methods work for me. The first is having an idea of something I'd like after extensive pinteresting - that makes it easier to spot something that's more quirky and not immediately obvious how it will work. The moodboard helps you visualise the context you'll wear it in when you're shopping. The second is more about that emotional connection - like loving something immediately because it reminds you of your Nanna (I get this a lot). I worry less about the rest of the outfit with those things, and know the sentiment will drive me to build a look around that piece.

Where do you look for fashion inspiration?

Pinterest, Instagram, people out and about. Cities are full of well dressed people - London, Manchester, New York. I go through phases with influencers/celebs I like - currently I think Olivia Hirst is great!

What has been your favourite moment from this fashion week?

I found the Ukrainian Fashion Week shows incredibly moving. At the start of the shows the room went totally black and there was a voiceover explaining that while the noise in the news has quietened, the situation is still so bad, and for these designers, creating stuff is their act of resistance, to prove they can keep going. After this scene was set, seeing the looks felt emotional - yes it was about the details but I became fascinated about where their inspiration came from in such difficult circumstances.

Sophie Lou Wilson, fashion and shopping writer at woo

What are you wearing?

A Sinead Gorey top, thrifted earrings, a glove bra I got as a gift from T Label and a skirt I got online from Beyond Retro. I wore this with my black tabi boots and red Telfar bag because it fits everything I needed to carry inside it.

What is your number one piece of fashion week style advice?

Comfy shoes! Other than that, use it as a chance to experiment and mix pieces in your wardrobe together in a way you haven't done before. Fashion week always reignites my excitement about the clothes I already own. Also, there's so much inspiration on the street and runway each day, so try not to over plan and instead make up your outfits as you go along.

What are your top tips for thrifting?

Have an idea of what you're looking for before you go. Try to avoid impulse purchases and you probably don't need another vintage jacket when you already have five.

Where do you look for fashion inspiration?

The people around me, films, street style, subcultures, the runway, TikTok and editorials in good old fashioned magazines. I love the wrong shoe theory, where you add something unexpected to your outfit at the last minute, which I only heard about recently but have been following forever. It's cliche, but inspiration can come from anywhere, so it's always shifting.

What has been your favourite moment this fashion week?

The T Label show was stunning. I've been following Taylor's work since she started out in the pandemic and it was great to see it all come together at their first London Fashion Week show. The collection was sensual in an empowering, female gaze way. In terms of innovation, Eirinn Hayhow's collection which combined biomaterials, foraged dyes and homegrown crystals felt really fresh and different. I'm excited to see what she does next.