I'm going late night shopping tonight - the first time I've been clothes shopping for 1.5 YEARS!!

[plug]

WHat's in? What's out? What shops are worth it? Going to Watford so choice is:

John Lewis
M&S
Next
Gap
Monsoon
Principles
BHS
Primark
TK Maxx (I think)
French Connection
Warehouse
Oasis
River Island

Am looking for casual and work stuff. What do ya think, style gurus?

I don't go for what's in or out, I go for what washes well without the need for ironing and can be put on in 5 mintues in the morning :o

(Style Gurus will need to know what shape you are BTW)

Ooh OK - 5' 6'', boyish shape, small norks, wide shoulders

Where do you shop SD? Sounds like my kind of place

You haven't seen what I wear

C'mon, you know cod - you MUST be stylish

Am no guru but would recommend the following based on my own experience (should mention that I never buy 'work stuff' as have jeans-and-trainers dress code):

Don't bother with BHS if you're under 50.
Don't expect to find basics in River Island, Warehouse or Oasis - they're great for seasonal on-trend stuff but I never find anything that I'd want to wear for more than a couple of months. And if you really want Now stuff, Topshop is a better bet.
French Connection intimidates me so I never venture in!

To save time, maybe look on the Next and Principles websites before you go and don't bother going in if there's nothing in styles you like. If there is something you like, scrawl it down so you don't forget to look for it.

I find TK Maxx needs a devoted afternoon's rummaging if I'm to get anything worthwhile, so I might save it for another time.

My favourite haunts include Per Una at M&S, Principles, Gap, and Monsoon; and Primark is always worth a quick whizz round in case there's something unmissable (linen suit £25 - oh yes!).
John Lewis is always worth a look as it has so many different concessions - fifteen shops in one, and good shoes if you need them.

There's a Zara in Watford too and a H&M (who have some nice linen trousers at the moment) if you don't mind a good rummage...

thanks all, flexing my credit card as we speak...

New Look

French connection and zara. Sell fashionable clothes without being too 'young'.

what did you buy? anything good?

[rubs hands gleefully]