Enis Shala
Enis Shala
2 April, 2025
What's On

Bournemouth named in top 5 list of best-dressed cities in the UK, according to new study

The UK has long been a trendsetter in the fashion world, giving birth to iconic styles like Punk, Mod, and country chic. Some of the most influential designers and brands, such as Burberry, Vivienne Westwood, and Stella McCartney, to name a few, hail from Britain, solidifying its reputation as a global fashion powerhouse. But have you wondered which UK cities are the best-dressed?

Bournemouth named in top 5 list of best-dressed cities in the UK

The research team at  Men’s Flair set out to discover just that by analysing three key factors: fashion-related Google searches, Instagram hashtag engagement, and the availability of charity shops. 

These elements were combined into a total score, with each factor weighted accordingly. Google searches (40%) were examined for terms like “best clothing stores,” “vintage shops,” and “men’s fashion trends,” while Instagram engagement (40%) was based on city-specific fashion hashtags such as #LondonFashion and #StreetStyleManchester. Charity shop availability (20%) reflects a city's commitment to thrift shopping and sustainable fashion.

Bournemouth ranked fifth, with an impressive 4.58 charity shops per 10K people (the second-highest in the top 19). However, its online fashion presence is much lower, suggesting Bournemouth’s fashionistas embrace personal style rather than following mainstream trends.

Meanwhile, Glasgow is the ultimate fashion city in the UK, ranking in first place thanks to its strong online fashion presence.

Croydon ranked second, having the highest no. of Google searches for fashion-related terms (13,635 per 10K people), while Newcastle, Manchester, and Bournemouth completed the top five.

Oxford and Leeds ranked sixth and seventh, respectively. Despite being home to London Fashion Week, world-class designers, and an endless list of high-end boutiques, London only ranked eighth. Edinburgh and Walsall rounded the top 10. 

On the flip side, Bexley, Nottingham, Slough, Sutton, and Newport ranked at the bottom, as the least best-dressed cities in the UK. 

Top 10 list of the best-dressed cities in the UK:

Rank City Fashion-Related Google Searches per 10k people Fashion-related Instagram Hashtags per 10k people Charity Shops per 10k people Total Score
1 Glasgow 6,866 16,649.07 2.37 68.76
2 Croydon 13,635 82 2.94 52.20
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 10,412 131 4.11 47.70
4 Manchester 9,000 3,975 2.05 43.36
5 Bournemouth 5,383 91 4.58 34.36
6 Oxford 5,509 93 4.38 33.82
7 Leeds 7,039 840 2.64 32.46
8 London 5,692 6,829 0.26 32.07
9 Edinburgh 6,458 734 2.82 31.24
10 Walsall 4,046 40.55 4.71 30.69