2010s Shopping Guide: Fashion, Home And Tech

Normcore and athleisure, the vinyl revival, a smartphone in every pocket and a Fitbit on every wrist.

Below: what to buy for a 2010s theme, a 2010s birthday or someone who grew up then - clothes, books, records and gadgets, with what to check before you pay.

Straight answer first: we don't sell clothing, books, records or technology. We draw and print cards, art prints, pin badges and stickers in the UK, and we stock party decorations. Everything else here is advice on where the genuine items come from.

Years covered in the 2010s

• 2010 - A hung parliament, a volcano that stopped the planes and the first iPad. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-2010
• 2011 - The royal wedding, the riots and Adele's 21. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-2011
• 2012 - The Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics in one extraordinary summer. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-2012
• 2013 - A royal baby, Andy Murray at Wimbledon and the horsemeat scandal. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-2013
• 2014 - The Scottish referendum, the ice bucket challenge and streaming joining the chart. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-2014
• 2015 - The Queen's record reign, Leicester's title run beginning and Adele's return. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-2015
• 2016 - Leicester won the league, Britain voted to leave and a lot of people died. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-2016
• 2017 - Grenfell, the Manchester Arena attack and a snap election that went wrong. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-2017
• 2018 - A royal wedding, a heatwave and England reaching a World Cup semi-final. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-2018
• 2019 - A cricket World Cup final nobody could believe and a December election. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-2019
• That is every 2010s year we have written up so far: 2010 to 2019.

2010s clothing and accessories

• Skinny jeans, plaid shirts, beanies and ankle boots early on.
• Athleisure from mid-decade: leggings, oversized hoodies, chunky trainers.
• Festival dressing: denim shorts, wellies, flower crowns.
• Accessories: a smartwatch, a reusable coffee cup, a canvas tote with a slogan.
• Almost all of this is still on the high street, so nothing here needs a vintage shop.

2010s books worth buying

• Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel (2009) and Bring Up the Bodies (2012).
• Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn (2012).
• The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins (2015).
• Normal People, Sally Rooney (2018).
• Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari (English edition 2014) - the non-fiction gift of the decade.

2010s music and records

• The vinyl revival means most 2010s albums were pressed, and new copies are easy to buy.
• Adele, Ed Sheeran, Arctic Monkeys, Stormzy, Dua Lipa.
• Record Store Day pressings from this decade already fetch more than retail.
• A turntable with a built-in preamp is the practical gift for anyone starting out.

2010s home and interiors

• Grey. Grey walls, grey sofas, grey carpets and a velvet accent chair.
• Copper and rose gold accessories, Edison bulbs and industrial shelving.
• Smart speakers - Amazon Echo from 2014 - and a smart thermostat.
• Subway tiles, handleless kitchens and a kitchen island.
• Houseplants everywhere again, plus macrame and rattan for the second time.
• Neon signs with your surname on, and a gallery wall of prints.

2010s tech and gadgets

• iPhones, iPads and Android phones - the decade in one object.
• Bluetooth speakers, Kindles, GoPros and Fitbits.
• Smart speakers from 2015 onwards, and streaming sticks replacing the DVD shelf.
• Nintendo Switch from 2017 and the PS4 from 2013.

Where to buy and what to check

• This decade is recent enough to buy new or refurbished rather than second hand.
• Refurbished phones and tablets with a warranty cost far less than new and work identically.
• For a 2010s themed party, the props are in people's drawers already - ask before you buy.

How to shop a decade without overspending

• Set the budget before you start; period shopping is where budgets quietly double.
• Reproduction for clothing, genuine for the small objects - it looks the same in photographs and costs a fraction.
• One real item plus three cheap nostalgic bits beats one expensive present every time.
• Check the year, not the decade. Plenty of what people file under one era actually arrived in the next.
• Music last: a single from their year plus the 2010s playlist covers the whole evening.

Shop prints and posters

Milestone birthday cards

Blank inside, kraft envelope, printed in the UK.

Decorations for a decade party

Banners, balloons, cake toppers and confetti, plain enough to take any era theme.

How to write it so it lands

• Buy for the year they turned eighteen, not the year they were born - that is the era they actually remember.
• Photograph the label or the pressing before you buy online; reissues and reproductions are rarely described as such.
• Leave the clothing to last. The objects are harder to find and the outfit can be sorted in an afternoon.

Where to shop next

• Look back to 2010
• Look back to 2011
• Look back to 2012
• Look back to 2013
• Look back to 2014
• Look back to 2015
• Look back to 2016
• Look back to 2017
• Look back to 2018
• Look back to 2019
• 2010s history: events, politics and culture
• 2010s calendar: year by year
• 2010s music: songs, genres and trends
• 2010s films and directors
• 2010s books, films and TV
• 2010s books: novels and authors
• 2010s art: artists and styles
• 2010s fashion: styles, designers and trends
• 2010s food: dishes, restaurants and trends
• 2010s travel: destinations and holidays
• 2010s technology: gadgets and computers
• 2010s games: board, card and video
• 2010s trivia: fun facts
• 2010s quiz: questions and answers
• 2010s party playlist
• The 2010s: the whole decade
• The decade before: the 2000s
• The decade after: the 2020s
• All decade guides in one place
• Card messages by occasion: every guide in one place
• Card hub: cards, badges and messages by occasion
• Decade history by era
• Decade calendars: every year from 1920
• Decade music: songs, genres and trends
• Decade films: best movies and directors
• Decade books: novels, authors and reading trends
• Decade art: artists, styles and trends
• Decade fashion: styles, designers and trends
• Decade food: dishes, restaurants and eating trends
• Decade travel: destinations and holidays
• Decade technology: gadgets and computers
• Decade shopping guides
• Decade games: board, card and video games by era
• Decade trivia: fun facts by era
• Decade quizzes: questions and answers by era
• Decade trivia game: play for points
• Decade quiz: test your memory
• Shop art prints and posters
• Shop greetings cards
• Shop birthday cards
• Shop funny cards
• Milestone birthday cards
• Nostalgia gift shop
• Retro party supplies
• Phone party games
• How to run a quiz night
• Decade music round questions
• Guess the year quiz
• Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Wedding cards
• Wedding cards guide
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What 2010s homeware is worth buying?

Grey. Grey walls, grey sofas, grey carpets and a velvet accent chair. The home and interiors section above lists the rest, from furniture to kitchen kit.

What should I wear for a 2010s theme?

Skinny jeans, plaid shirts, beanies and ankle boots early on. The clothing section above covers the rest, including accessories and where to buy.

What are the best 2010s books to buy as a gift?

Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel (2009) and Bring Up the Bodies (2012). Every book listed was published in the decade, so the date on the title page does half the work.

What 2010s records are worth buying?

The vinyl revival means most 2010s albums were pressed, and new copies are easy to buy. A single or album from the year they turned eighteen is the most personal option and usually the cheapest.

Do you sell 2010s clothing, books or gadgets?

No. We make greeting cards, art prints, pin badges and stickers, and we stock party decorations. For the rest, charity shops, car boots, eBay and independent record shops are the honest answer.