Whilst lockdown might have driven us to complete boredom, it has encouraged us to become more experimental in our clothing choices.
We’ve even gone as far as creating clothes oursevles – and one DIY-inspired trend has completely taken over the fashion industry: tie-dying.
Whether it was from summer camps, sleepovers or school activities, everyone remembers having a somewhat garish tie-dyed t-shirt.
We never would’ve predicted it would become the must-have trend for summer 2020, but celebrities including Gigi Hadid and Hailey Bieber sporting their iconic tie-dye finds has suggested that multicoloured t-shirts are here to stay.
Whether you want to try your hand at recreating these shirts yourself or prefer the stress-free option of purchasing some, the choice is entirely yours.
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As always, Manchester’s clothing boutiques are right on trend and helping you stay stylish whilst supporting local businesses.
When people think of tie-dye, it is often garish colours on basic t-shirts that spring to mind, but don’t let this restrict you. Whether it’s Neon Rose’s pastel-inspired cropped hoodie, gone are the days of ‘summer camp’ style tie-dye as it becomes much more wearable.
A fine example is Manchester-based Blake White Denim’s tie-dye midi dress – which is floaty and lightweight whilst still paying homage to this current trend.
If you want to stay true to the classic tie-dye look, Blue Rinse’s remade tie-dye vintage sweaters are bold and brilliant, letting everyone know that you’re not afraid to stand out.
By choosing to honour this classic trend with these comfortable yet conspicuous sweatshirts, you’re guaranteed to turn heads.
Whether you’re ready to hit the shops to find some tie-dye clothing in Manchester or want to try your hand at a bit of DIY dyeing, this trend is an absolute must for this summer.
Style
The surprisingly affordable luxury eyewear brand made famous by Peaky Blinders’ Cillian Murphy
Daisy Jackson
Most of us who watched Peaky Blinders finished the later seasons with a new-found obsession with stylish eyewear, thanks to the glasses Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby started wearing as his character progressed.
But did you know that you don’t need to run a dodgy racketeering enterprise to afford his accessories?
The lovely tortoiseshell frames were made especially for the hit BBC show by IOLLA, a Scottish brand who opened their first English store right here in Manchester last summer.
The brand specialises in fashionable, innovative glasses with a totally transparent pricing strategy – no hidden costs or added extras.
The Peaky Blinders glasses by IOLLAIOLLA’s Frosted Collection. Credit: SuppliedPic copyright Phil Tragen 2021
So that means you can get a stylish new pair of specs for £85, which includes prescription lenses and coatings.
What’s the catch? Erm, there genuinely isn’t one.
The new store at St Ann’s Square is a stylish space where shoppers can browse and try on the full IOLLA range, from the tortoiseshell MacDonald frames (the closest you can get to Tommy Shelby’s) to the bold cat-eye shape of Kelly.
Then there are the Frosted collection glasses, launched today, which take IOLLA’s best-selling styles and create them with new frosted coloured acetates.
All the glasses and sunglasses are handmade, uniquely designed and built to last – something that caught the eye of BAFTA-nominated costume designer Alison McCosh, who approached them to create a pair of frames for the fifth season of Peaky Blinders.
Anyone who visits IOLLA can have a styling session with an eyewear expert and build their own eyewear wardrobe.
Customers are encouraged to have their eye test prescription to hand (IOLLA don’t offer eye tests) before placing their order through their digitally enabled platform either in person or online.
The 10 best and most popular gyms in Manchester, ranked by price
Daisy Jackson
The whole ‘new year new me’ thing is a pretty tired concept – but if this time of year does leave you itching for a fresh start, January is a good month to get your body moving again.
Across the world, people will be snapping up new gym memberships and pledging to move more, drink more water, eat more greens.
The secret to actually sticking with it is often to find the right routine for you, and when it comes to exercise, finding the gym that will make you feel supported as well as pushed physically is key.
There’s no shortage of brilliant gyms here in Manchester, from the do-it-yourself commercial gyms to the fitness facilities manned by highly-qualified trainers who will guide you every step of the way.
Here are 10 of the best to try in 2023 – and how much it’ll cost you.
Barry’s is the gym loved by all the famous LA-dwelling beautiful types, and first opened here in Manchester in 2018.
Workouts take place in the ‘red room’, where rows of benches, dumbbells and treadmills promise a total body workout.
It’s now a global phenomenon, with gyms everywhere from the USA to the UAE to Australia to Mexico.
It ain’t cheap though – memberships start at £178 per month, which gets you 12 classes, or you can book a drop-in class for £20. Check out all the offers here.
You will not find a nicer or more supportive group of trainers than the ones who work at Form – you also won’t find any who take away your ability to walk up stairs quite so efficiently.
As well as one-to-one training, they offer their ‘reload’ programme with small groups training together at their New Bailey Street gym, and the best pilates and yoga classes in town at their Reset gym on Marble Street.
Form promises a longterm change to your life – this is no flash-in-the-pan fitness phase.
Memberships start from £168 a month and we promise you get a lot of bang for your buck. Find out more at formmcr.com.
Blok – £165/month
Credit: Blok
This gym is genuinely very beautiful, taking over a corner of the historic Ducie Street Warehouse.
It’s another one with three different studios to choose from – you can do pilates and yoga, take on full-body strength-focused or boxing workouts, or try out barre and cardio exercises.
There are top-notch changing rooms for getting refreshed in afterwards too.
Unlimited membership is £165 a month, but if you’re happy to commit to a set number of classes there are cheaper packs available too.
F45 – £155/month
Credit: F45
First created in Australia, there are now more than 1,000 F45 studios all over the world, creating what it claims is the most innovative fitness gym on the planet.
Each 45 minute session blends cardio and HIIT-style workouts for ‘sweat-dripping, heart-pumping fun’.
The circuits will kick your ass, in a good way.
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It’s £155 a month if you commit to six months, otherwise you’re looking at £175 a month – check it out here.
Hero Training Clubs – £109/month
Hero Training Club gym in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupHero Training Club gym in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
With four different fitness studios to choose from, Hero offers a little something for everyone.
You can seriously test your cardio in their spin studio or in the Athletic studio (where you can also take on boxing classes), push your strength in the Stronger studio (which are basically like small group PT sessions), or reset a bit in the Rejuvenate studio.
Hero has some of the best facilities in the city – seriously, there are more squat racks in here than in some of the biggest commercial gyms – and a bloody lovely group of trainers to guide your every move.
Memberships start from £109 a month, and there are class bundles available too. Find out more at herotrainingclubs.com.
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TRIB3 – £79/month
Credit: TRIB3
This ‘next-level fitness studio’ follows a pretty similar modal to V1BE, but factors in assault bikes (ouch) and has classes with a more tailored focus.
There are three different TRIB3 classes to choose from – upper body and core, lower body, and full body – broken down into three zones of treadmill, resistance and intensity.
Now with two gyms in the city centre, it’s proving to be a very popular option for Mancs.
Unlimited memberships are £79/month but there are loads of other options too. Find out more at trib3.co.uk.
V1BE – £59/month
Credit: V1BE
It’s all about the cardio at V1BE, Manchester’s boutique gym group that will literally display your heart rate on a giant screen for all to see.
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Most workouts are spread between sprint sessions on the treadmills and weighted circuits on the floor, but they also have STR1KE classes that factor in some intense boxing drills.
You will be sweaty, you will get competitive with yourself, and you’ll definitely love it (once the hill sprints are over).
Membership starts from £59 a month (that’s for open gym access and six classes), or you can go all-in for £79 a month. Find out more here.
Nuffield Health – £51/month
What makes Nuffield Health gym so extraordinary in Manchester is that is has a real life swimming pool, which is quite a luxury in a city centre as crammed as ours.
The gym has an army of treadmills and bikes, plus a functional fitness room, a free weights room, and several different studios.
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There are also physiotherapists and personal trainers based here to help you build the healthiest body possible.
With a rapidly-growing number of gyms nationwide, it’s easy to see why JD Gyms are becoming more and more popular – and it’s got a lot to do with the price.
Their gym in Manchester city centre has more than 300 classes a month, a sauna, and literally hundreds of pieces of strength and cardio equipment.
There’s a large free weights zone, a sprint and sled track, bootcamps, boxing, and personal trainers.
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Basic membership is £19.99 a month, which includes classes, but for £25 a month you can also get 10% off at JD Sports online and use any of their gyms nationwide – find out more here.
PureGym – £12.99/month
Credit: PureGym
Oh well all know PureGym, let’s be honest.
As one of the country’s biggest gym groups, they’re famed for being cheap and practical, with 24-hour opening times.
Facilities are very good for the price and there are four PureGyms in the city centre alone. You just have to get used to their weirdly futuristic beam-me-up-Scotty entrance vestibules.
Daisy Bradbury -
24th July 2020 
