Favourite stores?

[ToastedTeacakes]

I'm wondering what stores you might consider favourites for both quality and satisfaction. Can range from Primark to Net A Porter, Whistles to Hobbs, etc.

I'm still at that stage were I often feel as though I am being ripped off - polyester dresses for £150 at Hobbs??? Not sure what I make of this.

Whistles looks so nice, but the way they style the online models depresses me, they always look badly put together and frumpy.

Kind of no trust left for lower end high street. Even Zara tees let me down now so I'm not sure what I think any more.

Can only afford higher end on occasion, which is nice but not totally practical.

Thoughts? Who do you stand by and trust?

im baffled by brands like hobbs and whistles,their prices are not that different from high ends brands like,etoile isable marant or alice by temperely.and they are high street brands.

im always happy with james perse, expensive, but their tees and dresses are excellent,vanessa bruno is another favorite,gucci,insanely expensive but never fails to impress me with their quality.

i dont want to say or believe in it,but i feel that you have to pay for quality . im not against the high street its brill for getting seasonal trends you dont want to spend a fortune on like linen marant esque tops and such.but for investment pieces it best to look elsewhere.

I tend to agree. It seems that there's a gap in the market for 'affordable quality' that isn't being filled. But I'm not so sure how a brand might go about that. I used to think Toast, Hobbs, Aubin&Wills, etc, but as soon as one becomes 'popular' the prices start to creep up.

I like that fashion is available for all income brackets, say, unlike over 50 yrs ago, but there's always something lurking in the shadows (ethical concerns) so it certainly isn't easy to know where to go.......and even higher end brands are beginning to reveal shady practices, so I can't boast that my more expensive things were ethically sourced. I can only take comfort in knowing that many of them are actually good quality (bags, definitely)

But pricing is confusing these days. As the economy tanks, the prices seem to shoot up (and this doesn't tend to guarantee quality either.

I would love to know where to find decent knitwear that isn't Brora or NAP!

Not a fan of Brora, have a couple of sweaters from dear cashmere. Pretty good quality in my opinion.
Used to love crumpet but their patterns are too much,they should tone it down a bit.

Ah, thank you! Something new to see!

Uniqlo

Uniqlo
Gap
M and S

Shoes - Russell and Bromley, Jones, TK Maxx for Edelman, Bloch and Steve Madden.

Bags - high end

I judge items individually though - I think we are so far from the days of an eg M and S branded factory with standards to fulfil, high st wise, and I think that's the problem. Shops may have one brand above the door but they are basically traders, buying an selling. So each season, each item, totally varies in quality.

I'd like to be a buyer in another life, I have a friend who does it and it seems so interesting and exciting.

Avoid Baukjen, I laugh and laugh at the catalogue and a) their hilaire styling and b) their insane £££ pricing for viscose.

I actually always like something whenever I visit M&S but the sizing/shapes never work well on me. Not familiar with per una though, but have a friend who loves it!

I rate Dorothy Perkins for tees. Their cotton ones fit me well and wash well.

I love oasis for cardigans as they wash well too.

I used to really love gap but have found that their quality has gone down hill although I do still love their jeans and trousers.

I like mango for blouses as although they're polyester, that's reflected in the price.

I find hobbs/whistles/reiss etc overpriced for what they are so don't tend to buy from there.

Handbags, I think radley are fabulous quality.

As a SAHM, my main criteria is that something washes well as it'll get covered in sticky fingers within minutes.

Never heard of Hobbs and whistles, so can't comment
My favorite stores are..
Evans
Simply be
New look xx

I really rate gap - have never had anything from there that didn't last years and they tend to use good fabrics. I have some lovely soft tshirts, great sweaters and cotton trousers recently. Their sizing is perfect for me though which is probably why I like it!

M and S not bad - don think the quality has gone downhill, but some of the designs are dodgy.

New look actually reasonable for some things when they use natural fibres (their basic cardigans also very good). H and m for cotton jersey basics. Esprit can be pricier but good sales and great jersey basics.

Knitwear I tend to hunt through tk maxx. Oasis and warehouse feel pretty good to me (always use a discount code)

You really can't plump for one shop and hope everything is good. All will use a variety of suppliers so quality will really vary. If something feels shoddy take it back!!

I feel your pain, OP.

I like Hobbs sales for t-shirts and jackets - their t-shirts wash well but are a bit too short in the body overall, so I buy them for tucking into a pencil skirt for work.

M&S skinnies or Oasis for jeans - have really gone off Gap.

Warehouse for the (far more rare now) silk tops and dresses.

Topshop for jersey.

White Company (sales) for jersey dresses and nightclothes.

Vivienne Westwood sales for dresses, skirts and tops (but I haven't got many!)

M&S for pencil skirts - 97% cotton and 3% elastane usually

Cos for basics, avoiding the shapeless and weird stuff

I love Hobbs NW3 range but only in the sale, I'm getting really into Massimo Dutti but the shape rarely fits me so just for shirts and knitwear, bags sometimes too.

Russell and Bromley for shoes and some bags, otherwise Mulberry or Massimo Dutti.

Adolfo Dominguez I love!

Zara occasionally and ted baker if they have a good dress that isn't too 'day at the races.'

Whistles is one of the only high street shops that I can trust to fit my shape. I was until pregnancy a size 10 but with curvy hips and bum, big boobs and small waist. I suppose I was a 12-8-12 really, and whistles dresses just cope with my figure in a way others don't!

I've yet to find a store with reliable quality. I have some amazing French connection dresses I've had for years and worn to death and they still look brand new, and others that fall apart during the first wear. All my shops seem to do this. Its annoying! So I never spend more than £200 at absolute maximum.

This is really interesting, thanks everyone!

I can't imagine finding a silk garment at Warehouse!

Most of my stuff is The Outnet/Matches/NaP. Quite a lot of sample sale buys too.

Don't buy a huge amount on the high street nowadays but what I do tends to come from Gap or TK Maxx.

I'm a recent convert to Whistles. I think their stuff can be quite lovely, keeps its shape really well, but agree that the styling is usually shite.

Cos for T-shirts. My all-time favourite T-shirt is from Cos.

I also like Massimo Dutti and I think their prices for silk and wool are really good compared to UK high street brands.

For seriously warm cable-knit jumpers I just go to the Aran Sweater shop on my local (Irish!) high street. All made locally and warm as you can get even if they do smell like sheep

Am absolutely and totally done with Primark. Done. Everything looks appalling on me.

Question for AmberNectarine - do you believe the stuff that's £££ on those sites is superior in quality and design to the best pieces on the high st?

Also, I just received a beautiful Breton from Jack Wills via Ebay today so am adding them to the high quality cotton register - really thick cotton, proper boxy shape, really lovely.

I think uniqlo is very good value and quality for basics.

Zara sometimes - very hit and miss.

I buy from Whistles and Sandro when on sale.

had serious issues with Massimo Dutti, quality wise, more than once, so can't see myself shopping there again. I'd wonder if I was just unlucky but it was one leather bag, 2 cardigans and 1 blouse. I have a lace top that was just 'ok', but ok shouldn't cost me £70!

I like Vanessa Bruno too, but can't usually afford much.

Also disappointed with APC, for even when the quality is great I still think they became ludicrously overpriced, and the shapes bury me in boxy hell.

Atterley Road is a noie place to browse and shop.

nice place to browse and shop...

Amazinggg I also have a few Jack Wills bits that are amazing quality. Not the stuff aimed at teens, though. Wish they'd offer more variety.

As for you other question, I do think (in many cases, not all) that higher end pieces are generally a better 'fit' than high street, especially stuff like teeshirts, jackets, shoes and jeans. Quality isn't always a given though, and I dare say we've all had different experiences. My cotton items from the high street tend to lose shape very quickly. And sometimes the more expensive stuff just has nicer details.

For example, I have a tee here from Whistles and one from Zara. Both same style, etc. The Zara one has become quite shapeless over the space of a few wears whilst the Whistles one pings back to 'as new' after washing. What I want to know is whether a linen tee by Isabel Marant is better than a Zara linen tee! This I am eager to find out!

For quality bags and shoes, another vote here for Russell and Bromley.

Have had some good shoes - and scarves - from L K Bennett too, but R and B are the most consistent.

Amazinggg in the majority of cases, yes.

I have never bought a pair of high street jeans that don't stretch and sag by the end of the day. I like good quality leather shoes which are hard to find below high end high street level (R&B, LKB etc).

Bags, again, I prefer the design of designer stores, high street usually let themselves down with naff looking hardware. Exceptions are Hobbs, Cos, Whistles, R&B who make lovely bags. I have recently had a disappointing experience with a v pricey Alexander Wang though.

Even t-shirts I find are better when you go premium.

There are exceptions though, I've recently bought a beautifully tailored jacket from H&M, my favourite grey mark tee is from Gap and I buy a lot of Uniqlo cashmere

Generally speaking, I tend to love the items I have invested more in. At the end of every season when I do a clear out, it is usually the impulse high street buys on the chuck list.

Massimo Dutti for silks/wools like a few other people have said.
Uniqlo for basics
Hoss Intropia for special pieces, in the sale
Toast, but only for really reduced pieces in the sale (although sizing is bizarre)
TK Maxx, of course

Toasted that's such a shame about the Massimo Dutti stuff you bought. I've had no issues myself (although I have wrecked one of their silk tops due to washing error, but the fault was mine) BUT only this morning a friend told me that when she tried on a MD knit top it ripped right there in the changing room