I have such a love hate relationship with clothes shopping. When I find something I truly love it’s great, but I’ve spent a lot of time walking round clothes shops feeling truly uninspired. These days, I have kinda figured out my style enough that I have certain places I look to for certain things, and that’s definitely made my shopping experiences easier.
Basic tees.
I love a basic tee, tucked into jeans for a simple look, or paired with something a little crazier on the bottom half, a patterned trouser or textured midi skirt. My favourite tees are all from All Saints, I have a few of their Imogen Boy T Shirts, and I love them. They’re a beautiful weighty fabric that hangs beautifully, they never need ironing, and they look and feel a bit more premium. They’re not the cheapest, but I keep an eye out for them in the outlets and they last forever because they wash so well. I also often pick up the ASOS plain tee multipacks from the tall section. I love their basic crew necks, and the long sleeved ones from the tall section are actually long enough on my arms.
Knitwear.
I’ve made no secret of my long standing love affair with knitwear. The bulk of my wardrobe is knitwear, and I’m always justifying a new piece. I’m quite good at finding a jumper I love and then buying it in every colour. I’ve done that with the & Other Stories knits, I have this jumper in forest green, rust, grey, and I’m eyeballing the beige too. I picked up the ASOS Design Oversized Rib Knit Cardigans, in orange, burgandy and grey last year, and more recently I’ve been loving these simple H&M fine knits, I started with the sandy shade and have added a mustard yellow and a brown last week.
Jackets & Coats.
I don’t *often* shop in this section, I’ve got a pretty good selection of coats and jackets in my wardrobe now, and I think it’ll be a while before I expand. I do have a few go to’s though to share, and it’s also one of the sections of my wardrobe I’m actually really pleased with, every piece I love! I’ve got a general cold weather coat from Maje, it’s incredibly warm and snuggly, perfect for windy, bitterly cold days. I’ve got a ski coat that I pull out on the real cold and wet days, it was a TKMaxx find – they always have the best cold weather gear! It’s got hundreds of pockets, is super warm and not as offensive as some. I’ve recently purchased the perfect rain coat from Hunter, it’s completely waterproof, has a hood, is lightweight enough to fold up into a bag if needed, and slightly oversized so I can wear a jumper underneath if it’s chilly. My fancier wool coat is All Saints and I just adore it (similar here), I feel so fancy in it. I used to invest in leather jackets from All Saints too, and whilst I still love them, my dad bought me one from Coach a few years ago and it changed the game. It’s simple and beautifully made, and still looks like new (similar here). I’ve got a denim jacket from Noisy May via ASOS, and that kind of covers all my bases! Coats are an area I tend to invest, but when you find the perfect one they’ll last an age!
Jeans.
I’ve ALWAYS found jeans difficult to shop for. Since I was about 16 I’ve been buying my jeans from American Eagle on trips to the states, I love their Next Level Super High Waisted Jeggings, and their boyfriend fits too. When I can’t get ahold of those, I go for the Topshop Leigh jeans, or Stradivarius jeans, which are surprisingly comfortable (these ones are my favourite). I love the look of Zara jeans, but they break SO easily, I’ve stopped buying them.
Skirts, trousers and leggings.
I have to admit, I tend to live in jeans, but I do have a few other bottoms that I rotate out occasionally. I love high waisted patterned trousers from H&M, ASOS’s Tall Linen Trousers for work come in handy, I’ve got a few pairs of trusty Zara black leggings, and I wear this ASOS skirt a lot. I have a few midi skirts but I don’t tend to wear them all that much.
Dresses + Jumpsuits.
I’ve recently revamped the dresses section on my wardrobe and it’s pretty much all thanks to ASOS. I fell in love with these floral maxi dresses, so I bought all the colours they had in stock in my size. I picked up this super soft ribbed dress for colder weather days (I can picture it with tights and boots and my leather jacket). This palm print dress is my go to for cocktails with the girls, and came in super handy in Ibiza, I like dressing it up with heeled sandals, or down with Converse and a denim jacket. I’ve got a couple of dresses I wear for work from both Zara and Mango, I like that Mango dresses tend to be a little longer. My favourite jumpsuit is from Mango too, and Stradivarius do some great summer ones. I picked up a great black jumpsuit from Topshop in the sale recently, although I’m not THAT impressed with the quality of the stitching, I’ve already had to repair a pocket hole.
Underwear.
I’m strictly a Victoria’s Secret bra kinda gal these days. They just fit me so well, are incredibly supportive, and they really do every kind of bra possible. I highly recommend going to get fitted with them, they’ll help you figure out what style is best for you, and you’ll never look back! I’m a big fan of seamless undies, so I pick those up mostly from VS too, but I have a few Gilly Hicks pairs I really like as well!
Workout gear.
Guys, I’m a Lululemon convert. I know, I know, it’s expensive, but it’s just SUCH good quality. I pretty much live in my Align Pants these days, for yoga, chilling on the couch, travelling, and running errands, they’re buttery soft, so comfy and just great. I’ve got a few workout tees from them too, and of course my yoga mat too. Definitely investment pieces, but they do good sales! My favourite workout jacket is Victoria’s Secret, and I have a few tees from them too. I’m devoted to my Nike Free Runs, I’ve been wearing them for over ten years.
Shoes.
I’m kind of fickle with shoes but I have a few die hard favourites. I’m a Converse gal through and through, and my white low tops are probably my most worn shoe throughout the year. Comfy, lightweight and they go with everything. May-October I pretty much live in my Birkenstocks, yes I know they’re ugly but nothing is comfier in this world. I’m a boot lover, and my favourites are the Ash Jalouse Boots, I have them in dark grey and tan, and that pretty much covers most of my bases.
Where are your favourite places to shop for clothes?