Since the new series of Downton Abbey returned to ITV it's been having a profound effect on our fashion choices.
New figures released by Littlewoods.com show that retro fashion trends are big right now with sales of 1920s-inspired clothing soaring.
With nearly 10 million viewers tuning in to the hit period drama each week, female fans are looking to replicate the style of their favourite characters with sales of Flapper style dresses increasing by 40%, traditional ruffle blouses shooting up by 109% and on-trend tweed and cord blazers rising a massive 146%.
The Downton Abbey fashion fixation, which has seen the likes of Kate Middleton, Caroline Flack, Katy Perry and Millie Mackintosh ‘keeping up with the Crawley’s’, looks set to continue with over half of women stating that they would love to transform back to the 1920s just to sample what life was like during this fashionable period.
And it's not just the women who are leading the trend, with male stars One Direction, Robert Pattinson and Mark Wright also sporting 1920s-style tweed in the past month.
Julie Donnelly, Head of Womenswear Buying at Littlewoods.com said, “In recent weeks we have seen a large increase in the number of women buying items which are inspired by the 1920s.
"It's great to see that such a popular TV show as Downton Abbey has the ability to alter the way women think about fashion and possibly introduce them to different styles they hadn't previously tried. It just goes to show how timeless fashion can be and we fully expect that this is a trend which will continue to grow and grow throughout the Autumn months as the series continues."
The Crawley sisters are certainly driving the trend, with 39% of women revealing that it's Lady Mary's look they most want to replicate. She was closely followed by her youngest sibling Lady Sybil Crawley and their mother Lady Cora Crawley. Despite her devious nature, Lady Edith still attracted 12% of women's style approval and perhaps more surprisingly flamboyantly dressed newcomer Martha Levinson received 8%.
Femalefirst Taryn Davies
by Taryn Davies
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