Help me dress smarter - shops like Toast?

[Reluctantscruff]

Inspired by my Christmas binging of Return to Paradise with Martha looking always so well turned out. She seems to be wearing a lot of Toast clothing from what I can find from googling and she always looks classy whatever it is.

I have a similar style - very much smart casual, no florals, lots of blues and block colours, longish skirts, jumpers and shirts with smart trainers. I do tend to gravitate towards Boden, fat face, White stuff, Seasalt but I haven't mastered how to look smart- casual and expensive.

I don't mind investing in more expensive clothing that will last longer - Toast, Plumo, Brora etc to get a more sophisticated style. Is this what I need to do?

Do more expensive clothes look better because the material is better quality and will last longer?

Those that manage to pull it off, what do you do and what other clothing brands should I be looking out for?

Help me transition from scruff to sophisticated.

You’ve put so many questions it’s hard to pin down what you actually want!

(And the only way to know if the brands you’ve mentioned work for you is to order something from each of them and see how you get on. You don’t need permission to do so.)

I’d say what makes clothes look good is a combination of careful and imaginative design, excellent fabric, expert cutting and stitching and - looking natural on the wearer. The brand name should be an indication of the general level of quality - but it’s up to you to check the fabric label and provenance and maintain a healthy relationship with both your tape measure and an alterations service.

For an extension of the Toast / Plümo theme you could look at:

Casa Raki
Cawley Studio
Colenimo
Eat Dust Clothing
Justine Tabak
Rachel Comey
Rejina Pyo
YMC

And the whole vibe of multi brand shops like

Rendez-vous

Footwear is also worth considering. It probably takes a lot of work to make cheap scruffy trainers look sophisticated - a decent pair or boots or loafers / Mary Jane shoes is an instant uplift.