HELP! Where does a 30year old buy clothes from these day?

[StrawberryGiraffe]

Someone please tell me, now I'm 30 where should I be shopping for clothes? I feel I'm stuck in a style rut where I'm too old to look at river island and New look, but still young enough to not have to shop at m&s!

I usually buy everything from Next but just recently I don't like anything and it all seems very dull and boring.

[SanityClause]

These threads come up from time to time, as if at 30 you suddenly need to change fashion direction entirely.

I wore a lot of Boden, Fat Face and the like in my early 30s. I am now 48, and have a lot more confidence in my own style. So, I can see, looking back, that I also had the same crisis of confidence.

Often, I think it's a matter of finding something you like, and then looking for variations on the same theme.

For example, I have realised that tops that finish too short draw attention to my lack of waist, so I go for longer tops. I never wear waisted belts, which make me look like a sack of potatoes tied up with string, but the smooth outline of a shift (either top or dress) does work well for me.

I love the "Scandi" look others have suggested. If you're looking to spend a bit more on anything, have a look at the By Malene Birger label. I have a few items of clothing from there that I have owned for over 5 years, that I wear again and again.

[shovetheholly]

viewof - thank you SO much. I've never heard of them, and just checked out their website and the clothes are great!

Searabbit - You're bang on, I LOVE Cos. Unfortunately, there's not a store near me. But I am going to London on Saturday and I will go and marvel at the Regent St one and hopefully get a dress. Rather heartbreakingly, I went 50 miles yesterday to my closest one - which is just a concession - found the perfect dress, then discovered it was dry clean only. (wool).

[CalmYaTits]

30YearOldsRUs

[user1471888857]

I'm 30 and shop in river island /Topshop/Zara/h&m/new look.
I think just like any shops you will find things you would and wouldn't wear.
I'm not ready to start shopping in Bon marched for my twin set quite yet.
Just because your "30" which is still young btw doesn't mean you have to leave behind the main high street shops

[user1471888857]

*bon marche

[dragonsarebest]

found the perfect dress, then discovered it was dry clean only

God if I find a perfect anything I'll make it work! Nothing worse than lamenting not buying a perfect xxx that nothing else will quite measure up to. Three years on and I'm still thinking about that amazing jumper than I didn't buy

[bookbook]

shove - I may be sticking my head out here, but in all the years I have been buying things that say dry clean .... I have always hand washed . I cannot remember any disasters at all. In fact , in truth I would rather hand wash in pure soap flakes and cold water , or sponge clean , than have it cleaned with a lot of chemicals.

[Floisme]

I don't think anyone is saying you should carry on wearing crops tops if you don't want to. I like to change my style quite regularly: Life moves on; your body changes and - if you're anything like me - you just get bored.

However I just don't understand the idea that these shops sell nothing but crop tops. Admittedly I'm more of a H&M woman myself but I find plenty of stuff there that's perfectly appropriate for my aging body.

What I do believe in upgrading as you get older, is underwear. With a well fitting bra and pants even cheaper fabrics hang much better. And it's worth considering whether your body shape has changed. You might be dressing for the wrong shape - happened to me.

But ultimately, the only way I know of finding a new style is just to go out and try on stuff I wouldn't normally wear. I then take photographs which I find more reliable than the mirror. And while I'm experimenting, I stick to the cheaper shops because at least if I get it wrong, I've not thrown away too much money.

Can I also say, it would be really nice if we could have these conversations without using phrases like 'old lady' as a synonym for unflattering. Lots of old ladies like to be stylish too.

[shovetheholly]

book - not sticking your neck out at all!! I have quite a lot of non-wool clothes that say 'dry clean only' and I either do them by hand or in the (very short, very gentle, no spin) wool cycle on the machine with the Ecover delicates wash. I've done it with woolly jumpers too. So would it be any different with a woollen dress? I just have a horror of it coming out at the size that would fit a doll!!

I think I might ring Cos and ask!

Part of the thing is that because I never shop I still work on pricing from 20 years ago, so £80 seems like an AWFUL lot for a dress to me. .

[bookbook]

I managed to mangle 2 cliches into one there !
with the price of things - there is a big difference between price and value in my mind. I do a cost per wear/likely wear. And its usually the more expensive stuff that ends up being better value.
And value is also about how you feel in the clothes, which you can't really put a price on.
Tricky with a dress and washing, I agree . Depends if it is lined as well! But I have washed a wool jacket before now ( though it was a boiled wool :) )

[shovetheholly]

Really?! Boiled wool? Maybe there is hope then!

I hear what you are saying on different kinds of value. The 3 outfits I have at the moment are actually all the same dress in different colours, which was £10 from Primark. The cost per wear is definitely less than 1p, but my hatred for them every time I put them on is the heat of the centre of the sun. To say that they do not make me feel remotely chic is an understatement!

I just plucked up courage to ring Cos! The girl in the store says she's 99% certain she has trousers in the same fabric and has washed them on delicate! She knows two girls in the store who have bought it and is going to ring me back to let me know if they have put it through the machine. I'm really grateful as I'm pretty sure she's going out on a limb to tell me this stuff, as they are officially supposed to tell me whatever it says on the label (of course, if something goes wrong, it'll be totally my fault, not theirs!).

I feel a bit like Cinderella being told she can go out dancing. Maybe I can have my architecty dress after all!!

[Catdogcat]

I'm 28 and buy lots of stuff from ASOS, avoiding the awful changing rooms and lighting (H&M with those awful mirrors which show you every bit of cellulite on your arse).

Also free delivery and returns are great. Other than that, Topshop, Zara, H&M and mango.

[bookbook]

The material was boiled wool shove - I didn't boil it when I washed it!

[MamaDuckling]

I can't go near topshop/river island/new look anymore! I'm 32, in decent shape, but it's more about feeling like an overgrown teen in their stuff these days. I also can't bear cheap tops that make me sweat/irritate the underarms....

So, for me it's the following:

Jeans: Boden/Cos
Casual tops: Boden Breton/Cos/Whistles tee shirts
Smarter work gear: Joseph (via TK Maxx), Uniqlo/Whistles
Dressy/Going out stuff: Whistles/Cos/&other stories

I also pick up designer bits on the outnet and TK Maxx but definitely stick to a neutral colour palette. Navy/Black/Camel/Grey/White. I accessorise with metallics.

That's basically it. Fat face/white stuff etc makes my blood run cold.

[LadyMaryofDownt0n]

Sorry strawberry, I don't have a link but I just downloaded the app & typed in colour matching! I go back to it every now & again just to remind myself. Plus Pinterest is a godsend for just about everything!

[frikadela01]

I'm 30 and will buy clothes from anywhere that sells my size (18 at the moment). People must be looking in a different new look to me because while yes there was a lot of crop tops in the summer they do have a lot of really nice bits now autumnr is coming around. Even my grandma has a jacket she bought in new look and she's 67 and looks fab. I was walking past bon Marche the other day and saw a skirt in the window that teamed with the right boots and jacket looks quite edgy imo. Don't discount a shop just because of the perceived age of those that are supposed to shop there.

[AuroraBora]

Ooh! My people! I'm struggling too

I find that everything is just too short, even in places like mango and Zara, and there is so much scratchy polyester! I can afford to buy nicer fabrics, but where the hell do I buy them from?

The other part of this problem is that I very much don't suit "grown up" clothes. So fitted skirts, suits, heels etc look odd on me, like I'm pretending at being an adult. The looks I'm drawn too don't translate into work clothes well - typically I like younger looking outfits, like short a-line or flared skirt with a knitted jumper and boots in the autumn, but I can't wear that to the office!

Nothing in the shops looks like it'll suit me

[Kikibanana86]

I'm 30 and I shop at Asos, river island, new look, top shop, boohoo etc. I don't think 30 is too old for those shops (obviously) but it depends on personal style and practicality really. I hate the Boden kind of look I think it's mumsy but some people want to look like that!

[trilbydoll]

I'm still struggling to lose the last stone of baby weight, which is entirely round my middle, so for work mainly wearing M&S leggings with short-ish skirts and loose tops - Monsoon, DP, Oasis for the tops and pretty much anywhere for the skirts, a few from M&S, one from Boden, one from Asda.

Also wearing crop jeggings from DP which I love, I've got two pairs and keep rotating them!

[Oblomov16]

I hate clothes shopping. I rarely find bits that fit. Some of the quality in some of the shops listed is questionable. But then we can't all afford expensive pieces. Tricky to get the balance right.

[OiWithThePoodlesAlready]

I'm 30 this year. 2 kids, one still a baby so lots of bending down and crawling on the floor. So clothes must be comfy and not fragile! I like simple at stuff. No bright colours or sparkles. I'm quite monochrome.

I never wear heels, normally I'm in my trainers (Nike, new balance or converse). I also have some hush puppies pumps that are nice and also super comfy.

I went shopping yesterday and I got a loose grey ribbed jumper and a black patterned knee length tube skirt both from h&m.

I went into primark for tights but got my head turned by a cord pinafore. I got it in two colours, black and camel. I'm a sucker for a pinafore. I have a denim one as well. I wear them with black tights and boots or trainers.

For the school run im normally in my jeans (topshop Baxter), trainers and a jumper or a tube skirt (knee length) and a jumper/top. I've got a stash of long sleeved cotton tops which are quite loose.

Luckily I have a uniform for work so don't need to think about that.

My coats are pretty much all waterproof because I live in Scotland so rain is an extremely regular occurrence.

[Kikibanana86]

I don't worry about quality really, I get bored of drug so don't really want it to last years! Plus I guess it's if you go for trends or timeless pieces, I guess in a bit of a fashion follower within reason so I don't see the point in spending loads in something I'm not going to want to wear in a years time.

[Kikibanana86]

Bored of drugs? bored of stuff!!!!

[rubberballcomebouncingbacktome]

Mid thirties & Zara is my main staple with Hush being another good option.

[frikadela01]

I'm the same regarding quality kiki although I've yet to come across the clothes that fall apart after 2-3 washes so many people seem to get on here.