To not be able to dress as a 30yo

[Froglett10]

I'm 35 and dread going out recently as I can't find any clothes to buy/wear.
Shops either cater for women in their teens or 20s, selling crop tops, hot pants, bodycon tube dresses. Or it's kind of yummy mummy dresses, t shirts with twee slogans, dungarees etc. There seems to be this tailored, corporate-look trend that a lot of influencers in their 30s wear (a lot of staples from the likes of Zara) but that is not me at all either.

Charity shops near me are terrible. Vinted, Depop etc is a nightmare, everything I've ever tried buying has been shrunk in the wash by the seller so no longer true to size, or just doesn't fit properly and I can't send it back. (I'm a difficult pear shape, small size 6/8 top and waist and bigger size 12 hips/thighs). Aibu? Where do you shop if you're in your 30s?

Popsy (online)

Matalan
H&M
Primark

I am in my thirties. Usual outfit is trainers with jeans or leggings with a plain or oversized top. Occasionally it will have slogans on it. I don't wear dungarees but I don't do formal either. 30s are a quite difficult age to know how to dress

Zara (I really don’t find most of their stuff is corporate wear at all), ASOS, H&M, Arket.

What do you like or dislike about what you currently wear?
Have you wore anything recently you felt great in? Who’s style do you admire?

Thank you for this - never heard of them but they look right up my street ☺️

I'm late 30s and find dresses flattering. I'm short and curvy and find them skimming and fitted in the right places.

Everything I feel good in is black or white which is really boring. Or dresses for going out.. I struggle with day to day and casual work wear.
I have a nice black and white midi wrap skirt I've been wearing recently with plain t shirts/crop tees. I also have a denim skater/fit and flare style dress I bought years ago that I love. I find jeans really uncomfortable and they never fit me properly so I avoid them.

Also, to be honest I think a lot of stuff in Zara and Arket looks like a sack on me!

I’m 34 & most of my clothes atm are from h&m, primark & boohoo but I also buy stuff from markets, secondhand and random online shops. I’m a bit of an alternative dresser, kinda rocker, kinda indie but sometimes also really basic normcore. I’ve been wearing a lot of dresses recently, mostly super simple t-shirt or shirt dresses with vans or converse. Not a fan of the whole ‘clean girl’ aesthetic or as you say, that twee garden gnome lucy & yak look.

I don't believe in this certain age has to dress a certain way thing... It just seems that you are struggling to find a style you like rather than finding clothes for your "age". Zara, Penneys, H&M, Dunnes, Next, New Look would be my go to (in Ireland)

You could sort my wardrobe into three piles: black, white or Breton stripe. I'm trying to buy less and I'm definitely over fast fashion. After two children and body shape changing I don't feel comfortable in a lot of my previous wardrobe (nor does it fit!).

I've actually started shopping at M&S. They have some nice bits but I'm waiting for the day I end up stood next to an OAP in the same outfit as me

Mango
M&S
Cos
Warehouse (online)
Oasis (online)

Also, recently been finding lots of great stuff in Next?!

I was really surprised when I popped in M&S last week, lots of nice stuff. Dancing Leopard is my favourite place to buy from though their stuff is really flattering.

Cos for t-shirts and really simple basics, Uniqlo for vests and underwear and winter base layers, Other Stories for swimsuits and the occasional last-minute fun going out dress, work clothes from A.P.C., cut-off jeans with my vast collection of old band t-shirts for every-day wear (allotment, supermarket, laying on the sofa looking at my phone), and some weird fun things from JW Anderson just because I can't resist.

I do like a lot of expensive things but I always check on resale sites like The Real Real or Vide before I pay full price. I definitely wouldn't touch Zara or the like with a ten foot pole, and now that I think about it's been a couple of years at least since I've touched Cos or Other Stories, either. High street just isn't for me- and I didn't really come into my style as an adult until I realised that. Zara, H&M, etc. make 30+ women look a bit clueless.Two £500 dresses will always look better, wear better, and last better than ten £50 dresses.

YANBU it’s a funny age - not young-young, but not yet at the point of Monsoon etc. You’re right about the mumsy clothes - I don’t want to wear fabric dungarees and Breton tops! Find a couple of celebrities whose style you admire and have the same sort of figure/look as you, and just copy what they wear.

Tesco.
Asda.
Sainsburys.

And my Auntie's charity bags that she lets me intercept on the way to donate.

I really liked the off-duty costume wardrobe of Wash in trigger point.

I have no sense of style myself, work with animals so go for practical clothes most of the time and have a tendency towards the Breton top or the mumsy weekend dress too. Also don't tend to get rid of stuff till it's worn out so don't change my wardrobe to stay on-trend. I try to get some pointers from my good-taste sister, Asos can be good if you can be bothered to wade through a lot of stuff.