Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

So if you're mid-thirties/ early forties - where should you be clothes shopping?

67 replies

saltyseadog · 02/04/2011 09:12

Following on from the White Stuff thread, I am mystified as to where I should be shopping....

I still like some of Top Shops clothes, and mix them in with Jigsaw and Kew - and the occasional WS skirt dress. I now feel that I must be dressing in a horribly frumpy way.

So where do you shop? I love Reiss's clothes, but I am 5'11" and a 12/14 - not exactly a good combo for Reiss.

I loathe M&S except for underwear. Monsoon is even more frumpy than WS IMO. Fat Face is occasionally good.

I'm not a fan of Next generally.

So if you're my age where do you shop? Pleeasse come and enlighten me :o

OP posts:
MayorNaze · 02/04/2011 11:33

ok

h&m is my usual but is a bit studenty...

i have always always been too old and too fat for topshop. always. ditto river island

boden ok but very hit and miss

i hate next

monsoon is nice but never fits :(

oasis and warehouse nice but never what is in the shops, always from charity shops Grin

gap = boring and never fits

banan replubic = scarily corporate Shock

nudity here i come...

ValiumSoltera · 02/04/2011 11:35

the other lovely cc dress that I linked incorrectly

I have never seen banana republic in Ireland. I thought it was a cheaper, more casual version of Gap. And a more unappealing thing I can not imagine. But then when you say 'corporate' I must be thinking of a different place.

Yes, charity shops indeed, I regularly have a rummage and buy the odd thing too.

AlbinoLadybird · 02/04/2011 12:41

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

MikeRotch · 02/04/2011 12:41

lol at grey

i go in phases with zara

and i thought cos was very odd

MikeRotch · 02/04/2011 12:42

FUCKING YIKES LOOK! she moves

MikeRotch · 02/04/2011 12:42

LOl scroll down to the cyclign shorts and socks look

noddyholder · 02/04/2011 12:44

They do look odd on there but the clothes look very good on. Some very flattering dresses and ankle length trousers. Also do not rule out smaller more individual shops as the older you get and less hung up on 'fashion' you can find individual bits that look great.

ValiumSoltera · 02/04/2011 19:53

eeeooowwwww yuck. that cos website gives me the creeps.

mislaidmrs · 02/04/2011 19:54

Muji sell clothes. They are aimed at schoolchildren in Japan, apparently. In this country this translates into selling cheap, Gap-ish clothes - plain, useful, classic, not-expensive.

Just thought I'd pass that on, because I don't think Muji features on many people's lists of clothes shops - but they can be good for getting cheaper basics.

carlywurly · 02/04/2011 20:01

mislaid, I agree. I've got some lovely l/s tshirts from muji. Were amazingly cheap in the sale but really thick cotton and nice to wear.

I love browsing asos.com - it forces me to branch out a bit. On the high street I walk the same trail - there are so many shops I don't possess a thing from. I'd rather own one quality item than 10 cheap ones, and so lots of things in my wardrobe are years old and going strong.

I'm off White Stuff but quite into Monsoon this season. Have also had some lovely blouses from Top Shop, and like lots in Warehouse. I'm trying to broaden my horizons a bit so will watch with interest Smile

ArthurPewty · 02/04/2011 20:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WhatsWrongWithYou · 02/04/2011 20:14

Like Ifyourehappy I've done the colour and image sessions at HOC. For me, though, I find I'm more and more fussy about what I'll wear; I know exactly what suits me but the shops don't always think to stock it!

I suppose it's not living in London; I have so many fruitless trips to our minor town shopping centres. I should probably trade up but living in the sticks and being an SAHM, I can't really justify trips to Harvey Nicks & co!

I agree it's more a question of what suits rather than sticking to particular shops. I'll look anywhere - but I do skim round the Warehouses and Topshops of this world.

MissMontoya · 02/04/2011 20:16

I still shop for 'fashiony' items in 'young' (and cheap!) shops like New Look, Primark, Peacocks, Oasis, Warehouse, H&M and Dorothy Perkins etc.

Jeans from Topshop.

I do admit to buying dresses from Boden, Phase Eight, John Lewis/Debenhams and other middle aged mum shops, especially for work. But I 'funk them up' with younger accessories (honest!).

NO to Fat Face or White Stuff. Nasty flimsy fabrics, very badly cut and and horrible colours that wash me out.

I quite like Hobbs, but it's pricey for what it is.

I have never tried a single thing on in Gap that looked good. Badly cut for the tall hour glass.

alemci · 02/04/2011 20:32

I like boden, White Stuff and John Lewis. I did like Principles and the concession in Debenhams is not the same. Marks Per Una is not that great but there is the odd thing. Monsoon again has some nice things.

Original poster
saltyseadog · 02/04/2011 20:44

Hmmmm...I had completely forgotten about French Connection. Having said that, being tall, their dress lengths are not good. They barely cover my ample bum cheeks. I will need to look at BR online too.

What about this for work?

Frumpy?

OP posts:
Original poster
saltyseadog · 02/04/2011 20:45

WHat's HOC please?

OP posts:
WhatsWrongWithYou · 02/04/2011 20:56

HOC = House of Colour.
I think that LTS dress is quite cute. I sometimes look in there, although I'm only 5'7'' so not really their target audience. Their stuff looks to be reasonable quality for the price.

OrangeBernard · 02/04/2011 21:07

I do fat face, great plains, boden, gap. H and m and white stuff regularly. More occasionally monsoon, Laura ashley and French connection.

ninah · 03/04/2011 11:50

I like a bit of vintage. Bought a 70s wool dress on ebay recently which looks the absolute bizz.

WhatsWrongWithYou · 03/04/2011 20:07

I saw a couple of nice things in kew today, bought a grey linen skirt and tried some cropped trousers on. lots of their stuff is frumpy, but as with any shops, if you know what suits you can filter out the dross.

southeastastra · 03/04/2011 20:11

kew is way over my budget and white stuff is dull

i like (early 40s) american apparel for sloppy joes and esprit and marks and spencer for tops

also la redoute

BikeRunSki · 03/04/2011 20:12

I have bought a bit from JojoMaman recently Smile...

adamschic · 03/04/2011 20:13

50 in a few months, like some stuff from Warehouse, Dorothy Perkins et al. We don't have a massive choice in our next provincial town. Sometimes buy from Next and have been known to borrow off my 16 yr old DD. Tbh fashion isn't a priority in my life and never has been but I do like to look/feel nice. Fortunately still slim so can buy from said chains.

sahminspain · 03/04/2011 20:20

I don´t think 33 counts for mid thirties but I can´t see my style radically changing over the next couple of years so here goes:

Benetton
Zara
Next for jeans, slippers, pjs
Cortefiel
Massimo Dutti
Ralph Lauren
Primark for the odd plain basic top and sometimes you can pick up the odd gem such as my chinos

collision · 03/04/2011 20:25

Phase Eight is lovely and the sales are great!

NEXT clothes fit me well so I do get some staples from there but try and avoid the patterns as everyone wears them!

M&S do good jeans and tops and both winter coats were from there this year.

Dont do GAP or BODEN or WALLIS as the fit is no good for me at all.

Swipe left for the next trending thread