If you are around 40 and not rich, where do you buy clothes?

[maggiethemagpie]

It seems that M and S and Next just churn out more and more crap every year. I can't afford to go to the really expensive places like Whistles or Reiss. I'm stuck in a white stuff/ fat face/ mantary rut for casual stuff and have historically gone to M and S for work stuff but just can't face wading through piles of guff any more.

Where the hell do I go? After two babies and a lifelong love of food I'm a bit podgy round the middle, a size 14 so not massive but not a skinny minnie.

So, mid to lower end of the market, what's best?

Nancy Dee. Closet London. Both made in UK and v.reasonably priced, with frequent discounts/sales. Online only but both reasonable re postage/returns.

Asos have a huge range of clothes which are a decent price - yes you have to deal with buying on line and returning if they don't suit, but there is plenty of choice

Charity shops. Also hand me downs from my mum, she's abit of a spendthrift and gives me what she gets bored of. Sorry, just realised you are asking about shops, I liked H&M until I decided to stop spending money on clothes full stop and accept second hand, I am also nearly 40 and a size 14.

eBay

I dress very well in Boden, Brora, Phase Eight, Whistles, Jaeger. All from EBay. I never pay more than £25 for a dress or tunic.

Yes, there last season or older but as long as you stay away from very specific season detailing then it's fine.

And I only buy once worn or new. I get great dresses that people have bought for weddings (guests obvs) and worn once. So they're the more expensive Coast or Phase Eight ones.

Asos

Primark. Yes it's tat, but at least there's plenty of choice and it's fairly bang on trend. Beggars can't be choosers. I get shoes and everything there.

Prob because of still having a teenager at home but I end up buying things for myself from places like Hollister (really cheap now) or Jack Wills - the sizing at Jack Wills can be overly generous though

I'm 45 though, seriously beyond 40 rather than around it

Cos, cos, cos, cos, cos I LOVE THEM!

I tend not to be head-to-toe in their stuff, though: I'll wear a tunic or top over cheap leggings costing less than a fiver, with a nice necklace, that kind of thing.

How are Boden /Whistles for sizing, General Bobbit? If I am a true 14 what would I be there? For reference M and S or Next 14s can be big on me but Coast can be small. White stuff I'd say their 14s are about right.

I do buy some stuff from ebay but it's such a gamble with used/ non returnable, if it doesn't fit you have to either sell it on and hope you make your money back, or you're stuck with it, so I tend to stick to brands I know which doesn't make my getting out of a brand rut situation any easier!

I suppose I could always go into store to gauge my size but then I'll get tempted!

Matalan quite a bit of the time. Bit of Primark and H&M.

I hate spending too much on clothes.

Primark has some really good stuff, it's time consuming to find it though. Sainsburys clothes can be great. Tk Max is worth a look too if you are pretty clear what you are looking for.

Re eBay maybe if you asked for brand recommendations on here first it'd be worth a go? I had great success with that when I wanted maternity clothes.

Gap. Never buy full price. Am on their mailing list and always get emails with discounts (often 40% off)
TKMaxx. My absolute favourite but you have to be prepared to trawl a bit. And some are definitely better than others. I'm in London and the more central ones seem to do really good office stuff but not much in the way of trainers! Definitely need to be in the mood to spend some time looking.

I am in my early forties and I don't have a budget for Whistles, Mint Velvet etc either. M&S, Joules and Boden make me feel old.

Topshop for jeans. Warehouse and less so Oasis occasionally. Zara and H&M if I'm very lucky but Cos is my go to for everything.

I buy dresses and tops from Peacocks. Select have tops that wash well tot around £8. Sainsburys jeans are good too.

I'm 40 and defintley not rich. I shop a lot at sainsburys as it's easy to throw a dress in with the food shop and its closest shop to work.

Otherwise it's gap and Boden with good discount codes. The odd thing in next and m&s.

Usually look online at new look and Asos.

Asda sometimes comes up trumps depending what your local one is like.

Quite a few friends shop at tesco and primark but I never go to tesco and don't have much luck washing stuff from primark.

I actually like sainsburys clothes and the quality of the bits i have from there is excellent

Charity shops!

T J Maxx is great if you have plenty of time and in the right mood. Plus you rarely see other people wearing the same thing as you, which can happen with popular H&M/ Primark lines. (If you care!)

Another Sainsburys fan here. With a bit of Boden/Joules/Sea Salt when they have a sale or Asda.

Can't remember the last time I bought from Next and M&S

Am 41. Have quite a few things from Dorothy Perkins. Some H&M, some Gap, some asda, some Primark.
I like Lady V dresses - generally get them
in their sales but really should look on eBay.

Uniqlo. They are my go to shop now for basics. But online only unless you live in London.

Sainsbury's quality is as good as M&S and Next, and is cheaper. They're good for causal and work stuff. I like their underwear too (again, much better value than M&S).

I'm 38 and usually shop in Boden and Hobbs (sales and discount codes only) for work, and White Stuff etc for casual. Occasionally M&S, but not per una. And more occasionally Sainsburys, but I don't find their stuff wears as well.

Charity shops and ebay. I agree with ebay RE the risk, I stick with brands I know, and take risks on lovely vintage stuff!

I also like la redoute (www.laredoute.co.uk), and primark is sometimes worth a rummage. I quite like it there if you can go at a time when it isn't full of teenagers, as they don't play any music (OK you can tell I'm 40!).