For a lot of Mancs, Parklife is the biggest weekend – and the liveliest party – of the entire year, and it’s one that requires you to pull out all the fashion stops.
It’s a chance to get dressed up to the nines, unwind in the sunshine (or rain), see some incredible live music and dance until your feet ache.
Many people heading to the festival spend hours and even days getting ready, and as the years have gone on, the fashions on site have become more and more bold and colourful.
The trends have moved on a long way from the days of denim shorts and band tees.
Now you’re more likely to catch people walking around in neon bikinis, colourful flares, and sparkling mini dresses.
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Though we can’t imagine we’ll ever lose the sea of bucket hats from this very Manc event…
Here are some of our favourite looks and fashion trends we’ve seen at Parklife 2023.
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Bright colours
Look, if you can’t wear your neon patterned unitard at Parklife, where can you!?
It always seems like the perfect weekend to embrace all things neon, from the hot pink one-pieces to neon socks to even bright orange combat boots.
We’re particularly loving all the thrifted finds this year.
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Novelty hats
How to make sure you can find your mates in a crowd 101 – make them all wear the same novelty hat.
We’ve spotted a lot of great headwear walking around Heaton Park this weekend, but this little army of matching sombreros is pretty special.
And how could we forget those golden arches cowboy hats…?
Bikini tops
It’s a festival trend as old as time – colourful bikini tops chucked on with the rest of your festival ‘fit.
We’ve loved seeing so much colour and creative combos walking around Heaton Park all weekend.
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And I bet these came in handy when everyone got soaked through this afternoon…
Ponchos and other improvised waterproofs
Nothing takes the shine off your festival outfit quite like a torrential downpour, and we got hit HARD by rain on Sunday afternoon.
The storm that saw the festival momentarily halted due to lightning risks gave Parklife-goers a thorough soaking, with some hastily adjusted outfits appearing to try and stay dry.
From bin bags ripped in to ponchos, to broken umbrellas held overhead like a blanket, to a cardboard box on a head, Mancs thought of everything.
This guy…
Did we ask this man to strip off? No. Could we stop him? Also no.
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But what better way to embody the free spirit of a festival than by stripping down to your kecks?!
We loved his original 90s-printed cycle shorts almost as much as we loved his shiny purple briefs, to be honest.
Clashing prints and bold accessories
We’ve found them – the two coolest people at Parklife 2023.
While you spend a lot of the day playing spot-the-difference with the waves of outfits purchased from Shein or PLT, this pair really stood out from the crowd with their colourful choice of accessories.
10/10, no amends.
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Pink EVERYTHING
The pink fluffy cowboy hat is now a festival and summer gig staple – you see droves of them heading into gigs like Harry Styles and Beyonce every summer.
We’re really enjoying how much the Parklife crew have embraced the matching pink outfits though, with this lot all marching around in top-to-toe pink ‘fits.
Stunning huns.
Cargo pants
This has been the year where teeny tiny shorts have started to be phased out in favour of proper utility wear.
Sturdy, comfortable, and seriously stylish when paired with crop tops and bold colours, there’s been masses of cargo shorts walking around Parklife this year.
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Matchy-matchy with your bestie
For a lot of Parklife-goers, getting ready is part of the fun with it. You crack open a drink, slap on your makeup, make TikToks and compare outfits.
So we’ve loved seeing all the coordinated outfits friends have been rocking this year.
Sephora confirms opening date for new megastore at Manchester’s Trafford Centre
Daisy Jackson
Beauty fans rejoice – Sephora has finally announced plans to open a store in Manchester, and soon.
The world-famous retailer, which stops luxury skincare and makeup brands as well as cult items, has secured a spot in the Trafford Centre.
This will be the third UK store for Sephora, which currently has two shops down in London, and its first trip up north.
And after a fair bit of teasing and plenty of rumours, they’ve confirmed that their next megastore will be right here in Greater Manchester.
Hoardings have appeared inside the Trafford Centre, plastered in Sephora’s black and white branding, around a unit next to AllSaints.
The signs read: “Manchester, you called it. Our first Northern store in 2024.”
Sephora says it will ‘redefine the beauty landscape in the North with an extraordinary product range that caters to the diverse needs of beauty enthusiasts’.
Cult brands stocked at Sephora include Huda Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, The Ordinary, Glossier and Makeup by Mario.
Sephora wrote on Instagram: “You heard correctly — Sephora is coming to the TRAFFORD CENTRE, MANCHESTER.
“Get your shopping baskets ready as we’re on our way up north! More to be revealed soon, see you in 2024…”
The Trafford Centre shared: “You asked, we listened! The wait is over….your @sephorauk opens late Spring 2024.”
Sarah Boyd, managing director of Sephora UK, said: “We are extremely excited to bring Sephora to Manchester, one of the most vibrant cities for beauty in the UK.
“Expanding our presence beyond London is something that consumers have been screaming out for, and we are listening hard to them when deciding where to go next.
“The Trafford Centre, known for its iconic atmosphere and diverse retail offering, is the perfect location for our third store.”
Russell Loveland, managing director at Pradera Lateral – Trafford Centre’s Asset Managers, said: “This iconic beauty giant already has a cult following, and our own social media has been blowing up with enquiries from excited customers eager for Sephora to open.
“We are very proud Sephora chose the Trafford Centre for its next location, which will be its first store in the North of England, and know it will be a fantastic success and a great addition to our strong international brand lineup.”
One person commented on Sephora’s Instagram post: “This is the best news I’ve heard all year!”
Another said: “OMG ITS HAPPENING, STAY CALM”
And someone wrote on Trafford Centre’s post: “Omg omg can’t wait.”
Manchester’s Club de Padel claps back at ’embarrassing’ copycat ASOS product
Daisy Jackson
A local Manchester business has sarcastically pointed out the glaring similarities between a new t-shirt on ASOS and one of its own designs.
Club de Padel has a range of retro-inspired merch with UN:IK, a small independent streetwear brand also based here in Manchester.
Its collection of t-shirts, hoodies, tracksuits, hats and bags often feature a design of an illustrated padel ball (which to the untrained eye is basically a tennis ball) in motion.
But this week a t-shirt appeared on ASOS that also featured an illustrated padel ball in motion, just in a slightly different colour palette.
The ASOS version, which has now been removed from sale, also undercut Club de Padel’s price by £6.
Since Club de Padel took the ’embarrassing’ copycat product public on their Instagram page, ASOS has launched an investigation and taken it off their website.
The sports venture, based at Deansgate Square and the only padel club in Manchester, wrote: “Love the new designs ASOS, kinda reminds us of something though…
The ASOS t-shirt that Club de Padel has said copies their merch. Credit: ASOSClub de Padel’s t-shirt created by Manchester brand UN:IK. Credit: Club de Padel
“Ah. Well that’s embarrassing… We’ve got a new line coming soon with UN:IK Clothing you’re just gonna love ASOS.
“In the meantime we made this for you @asos, save your design team a job.”
An ASOS spokesperson said: “We take intellectual property issues very seriously and have removed this product from sale while we investigate further.”
Of the Club de Padel and UN:IK collaboration, aka the real deal, UN:IK says it has ‘served up a staple for us, retro inspired leisure pieces with Manchester’s first ever padel club’.
Club de Padel in Manchester has gone public to poke fun at ASOS
They wrote: “Inspired by owners after a trip to Spain, Club de Padel has hit the city with a wave and the lifestyle brand we have created with them reinforces the fastest growing sport across Europe.
“Our classic vintage washes and oversized fits, working with independent designs as always on this local independent partnership. Don’t be afraid to the sport, we’ll guarantee you love it as much as these clothes.”
Daisy Jackson -
11th June 2023 
