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

[saltyseadog]

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

I am so frustrated, I can't order from cc because they don't deliver outside the UK, how prehistoric of them

Have you tried John Lewis or House of Fraser?

My favourite shop of all time is French Connection. The stuff is well made, and fits me well (it tends to come up small, so I generally buy a 10 in there which is an 8 everywhere else). The syles suits me I find.

I also like Reiss however a lot of it os rather expensive, but the few bits I have from there have lasted.

Karen Millen is nice for evening dresses when I have a WAG moment (and in the sale only as is expensive). Kookai also for casual going out stuff, also well made and lasts.

Jack Wills for jeans - I know it is teenage gear but their jeans are £50 and last forever. Also for vests and t-shirt dresses for summer.

Phase 8 for work/going out stuff - some of their stuff is plainly hideous but there are some brilliantly well cut dresses there, some very Victoria beckham style stuff as well. Well worth a look.

I never go to Top Shop (can't be arsed with it), Hobbs (frumpy), Jigsaw (ditto), Dorothy Perkins (nylon), Monsoon (hippy), Next (nasty, except for skinny jeans) White Stuff (my mother wears their stuff) and fat Face (again, mumsy).

Get el cheapo basics like vests etc from Tesco, Asda, Sainsbos.

My lcoal House of Fraser is great - Linea stuff for work is ideal. Also has got Zara and All Saints concessions which are good.

I have never in my life bought anything from Warehouse, Kew, LK Bennett, Oasis.

I don't even set foot in shops like New Look, Bay Trading, Jane Norman.

I don't understand how people find Monsoon and Fat Face to be inferior quality to Gap. I've always found them to be much better. Depends on what you buy I guess.
I like
Monsoon
Fat Face
Phase Eight
Uniqlo
For basic tshirts I look in surfer shops like Animal.

Getorff, I think you're in Cheltenham, non? I've never seen a Zara concession in HoF - maybe you mean Mango?
I find it terribly frustrating having a small town as the nearest shopping centre; the range of sizes and styles in stock is crap and it just makes me yearn for Regent Street or the King's Road. < can't adjust to country life emoticon >
I do try and get to Cabot Circus when I can but it makes such a difference having a whole shop of, say, Mango/Zara/Allsaints rather than a corner in a department store.

Monsoon used to be good quality; for years, I've bought skirts and trousers in their sales. The ones I bought 5 or 6 years ago have been worn to death and are still presentable. My more recent buys buttons fell off immediately, are very faded and misshapen.

Though Monsoon not alone in quality declining rapidly in the High Street, I don't think.

WWWY - yes sorrry I meant Mango, not Zara. I always get those two mixed up

Cabot Circus is great for shopping I find. Mind you if you think Cheltenham is crap don't whatever you do venture into Gloucester

No fear - haven't ventured there since my DCs left the school they were at 3 years ago!

Or Swindon . Although they have a very good H&M, which Chelts is decidedly lacking.

My teenage daughters drag me quickly away from WS when in John Lewis or similar. I don't like it, just feel I should being 47. Basics (cami tops) from Gap, Phase 8 for non mum of bride dresses (we have an outlet close by so I trawl frequently) plus basic knitwear for work. The older I get, the less I worry. Kew is very elderly in my opinion, Joules is twee. Accessories to make things look unexpected. I'm very far from thin but refuse to give in.

Bags I keep for ever - have a very old Prada, Mulberry, old 50s leather bags my mum had, Hobbs, ancient R and B that reappear every few years, holiday buys.....

I have some great shoes but rarely wear them as dislike being tall - Converse (never lookalikes), boots or heels. NEVER Clarks.

Mind you, maybe I'm just not stylish - only real rule - when I shop in Next, I'll know it's time to give up.

Mainly Whistles these days. Although I went into Miss Selfridge the other day and bought two lovely cardigans. Levis for jeans.

Its shoes I have most problems with. I cant walk in those stripper heels and its very difficult to find flattering shoes that will fit snuggly around my bunions!

This depends on your shape I think. I have almost never bought an item in Gap - nothing fits me. I am an average height, hour glass shape. On the other hand, DP fits me well. Nothing fits me in Zara, even though I quite like some of it. What shape are you OP?

what shop is WS?

WS = White Stuff, no?

oh yes! the most moring collection of overpriced drapey rags. No wonder I couldn't think.