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?

Primark, H&M. I have one dress from Wallis, but nothing else. I own loads of clothes from Zara and Mango, but from continental shops - what they have here seems to be too 'trendy' for me. My favourite jacket is from Top Shop, which I know is too young for me, but I still go to sometimes.

Can't really afford Fat Face etc. Never seen a Boden or heard about it anywhere but here. Is it just catalogues/online?

Work trousers from Next, mainly because they have a good petite range.

Oasis have some lovely stuff in and the quality has also improved.

The sales! I try to buy good quality classic items in the sales or on eBay - Boden, Jaeger, Hobbs etc and always look for discount codes/offers for more fashiony items from ASOS. Basics from Uniqlo .

Gap
Uniqlo
River island for tops
H&M

Charity shops; Zara sales and H&M

I'm 38 and I shop at joules
Dorothy Perkins, new look
A bit of ted baker for smart
And I have a massive thing about Vivienne Westwood so a few of her t shirts x

I did find a ghost and a whistles dress in a charity shop this week both a fiver!!

I'm a similar age and size and i get most of my clothes in debenhams and Wallis. Used to get lots in bhs so i was gutted when it closed.

H&M, Zara, New Look, Primark.

I'm early forties and I've bought lots of dresses from Tesco this year. They fit well. True sizes. Excellent quality fabric. Matalan also good.

I have found some nice bits in Laura Ashley, I don't like pattern but they do some plain stuff. Often have a sale on.

JoY, New Look, Charity Shops (looking out for Hobbs etc). Ebay. H&M. Dunnes stores does some great basic vest tops and long sleeved tops. Some of the stuff is a bit off but I picked up a great 50s style skirt in there the other day.

Ah yes Zara.

uniqlo
sadly there's not one within 200miles of here, but I stock up when in London.
Primark for fast fashion
M&S for jeans as I'm tall with a fat arse and struggle elsewhere

2nd Dunnes Stores. It's good for basics and some of the diffusion stuff looks a lot more expensive than it is.

Dizzy I have a bit of a thing for Westwood too. I don't have many items, but the ones I do have, have been very well loved. Maybe time to get a few more bits soon!