Luxe buys on a budget...

[UnfortunateLikeness]

My complete wardrobe needs an overhaul (the only items worth keeping are navy Converse, black skinny jeans, black and pink pumps and vests in various colours). I've never been any good at shopping or putting together outfits and have ended up with a depressing collection of Sainsbury's TU tops a size too big to hide the mum tum.

Can anyone recommend places to shop for a luxury feel? Can't stretch to designer prices, except on sale but could do top end high street (Hobbs, French Connection) but would love anything in silk or cashmere.

If you have the time, TK Maxx can throw up some classic high end products for not much money. You do need to search carefully, go through all sizes as stuff gets put back in the wrong place, and also to be very lucky.

John Lewis own brand has some lovely stuff too if you want simple classics.

Outnet.com and brora sale are your best friends ;)

Repeat has a sale on. Cashmere is a wonderful quality here. Also does some great basics.

Believe it or not, you can get Marni quality at Primark prices, and without the endless hours of rail-flicking that used to be a prerequisite of the true bargain. Try this lot:

• Prices in the sale at places like Harvey Nicks, Jaeger and so on go right down to 80 per cent off - so you get fine quality for Sainsbury's costs. Posh shops now have websites which save you time, historically the drawback to discount shopping.

• Shop TK for Farhi, Splendid, Jigsaw, Kew, LK Bennett, damsel in a dress & Bloch ballet pumps. John Lewis womenswear dept seems to be beautifully represented in my local TK, as does net a porter. So if you like these places' stuff, be prepared to rummage. Note: the TK website isn't as good. Vital note: You need 20 min in TK once a week to get the good stuff, as stock changes.

• If you see something you like in a discount shop but don't recognise the brand, buy it. I am an appalling fashion snob and I stumped home with a bag I didn't recognise for £29 from TK, only to realise I was looking in the wrong pocket and it was a Pringle, also on net a porter for £695.

• Cashmere: I think Brora is overpriced (sniff.) Check out the Johnstons Cashmere website, or John Lewis, or M&S for cashmere; they are good quality. Johnstons is cool, which Brora isn't. On discount sites, look for Crumpet (very soft. Nom).

• Cos. Sale on now. No retail website, but you can see what's in stock. Modernist heaven. Also does good cashmere.

Sermon over. If I were you, I would call Jaeger and get personally shopped one day. Will save you loads of time - and cash, if you tell them you only want to shop sale.

If you get there, the staff in Jaeger Regent St are lovely, genuinely good at styling people and seriously nice about understanding one's budget 'needs'.

Zara for silk-feel dresses and tops and tailored jackets.

Johnstons cashmere is a bit boring looking to me - I know it is identical to Brora in quality but I just love the striped and patterend Brora Cardigans and the fact that everything has a little twist to it. Also as Brora repeat and develop some of their styles they don't go out of fashion quickly.

corygal some great ideas there! TKmaxx is the nearest store to me so shouldn't be too hard to pop in regularly. Is there a certain time of the week that they get new stuff in?

I think I need to swat up on my labels so I know what to look for.

Anyone tried eBay for silk undies?