What brands do posh people wear in London

[MrsDeadlock]

I am northern, and not posh. However I do have a fancy job that usually requires a level of travel.

There is a dress code that I'm not very good at reading for my London based contemporaries. Think Meg and Julia in Motherland types.

What brands do these types wear? I can spot a Mulberry handbag at ten paces usually but the rest is baffling and I'm genuinely intrigued. They always look so well dressed!

Please help me, I can't ask in real life!

Ganni
Margaret Howell
APC
&OtherStories
Me&Em
Whistles
Cefinn

I work in fashion buying & wear lots of APC, Acne, Ganni & Isabel Marant (on sale) which is pretty much how my colleagues dress, we are very casual, lots of jeans & trainers.

I would assume someone in corporate medicine has to be a lot smarter?

The fashion sense in medicine is utterly dismal with very few exceptions.
I have a senior job and wear Theory, Prada, and some Maxmara because I like their clothes but honestly could wear almost anything and no one would bat an eyelid.
You can go for any look that suits you and you like within reason. It is without doubt the most style bereft career you could possibly choose.
I says this after many years of observation (and I work in London)!

If you really want to treat yourself then some of the Roland Mouret dresses on Net-a-Porter would work (the kind of thing Donna Paulson wears in the first few seasons of Suits).

@hitsvilleuk

The fashion sense in medicine is utterly dismal with very few exceptions. I have a senior job and wear Theory, Prada, and some Maxmara because I like their clothes but honestly could wear almost anything and no one would bat an eyelid. You can go for any look that suits you and you like within reason. It is without doubt the most style bereft career you could possibly choose. I says this after many years of observation (and I work in London)!

This is so true. My current work look is very much sainsbury's meets regatta. I have a couple of plain, safe, Boden dresses that I'll dust off if required.

@jillypill you would think, but no.

That said, some colleagues look amazing, even on zoom they have made an effort.

I want to cross over to the niche, well dressed side of medicine.

I am currently looking at Knomo backpacks. I like them a lot but they are very similar to my Patagonia one (and I have a lot of backpacks) so I'm more tempted by the Longchamp shopper. A toe in the water for £85

Not to be mean, but I'm in law and I would never ever wear the boots you linked to to work in a law firm, even on casual Friday. I might wear them in a different organisation, but even then I would feel somewhat unprofessional.

I don't have much to add regarding brands. Most of the advice you have received seems solid

@CremeEggThief

Eh? Julia in "Motherland" is the slobbiest dresser going!

I thought she looked quite chic in season 1 when she was working.

In that case OP I would embrace the freedom & dress in a style you like.

I thought Longchamp shoppers went out of popularity a decade ago? You certainly don't see them where I work in London (City / Canary Wharf) and especially not at more senior levels.

If you want a leather backpack, don't mess around, just go to Smythson. Always go to Smythson rather than Aspinal (as was recommended earlier) as the quality is light years ahead.

Ally Capellino has a good range of bags in the sale at the moment. The leather totes are incredibly soft leather and not corporate looking but incredibly practical (tons of zipped pockets!)

This blue one is lovely buttery soft leather but only £137 (so not much more than the Longchamp nylon shopper - I know which I'd prefer):
www.allycapellino.co.uk/collections/sale/products/toto-camlet-leather-tote-bag-in-denim

Or oxblood is slightly more expensive:
www.allycapellino.co.uk/collections/sale/products/toto-camlet-leather-tote-bag-in-oxblood

Anya Hindmarch are nice for bags. I bought a lovely navy leather bag for half price in the sale, slightly larger than the version below.

www.matchesfashion.com/products/Anya-Hindmarch-Shoelace-leather-shoulder-bag-1245731

Very good quality leather, buttery soft.

The Ally Cappellino is a lovely bag and definitely one of those “if you know, you know” London brands.

A backpack is too utilitarian even if it comes from Smythson! That’s fine for weekends, but in the week you’re trying to convey a sense of easy capability, not that you slog in from zone 6 with your house upon your back.

Longchamp shoppers are fine for gym kits and groceries but are definitely not a work bag unless you’re deliberately dressing down (as I know teachers and doctors on ward rounds do). It’s breaking away from the practical, boric and basic towards the more luxurious that signals someone who’s doing well and going places. Hence the millennial insult “basic bitch”.

Polene is another good one for bags. They have Mansur Gavriel vibes, but more affordable

eng.polene-paris.com/products/numero-1-bleu

I think from reading all this it shows you how many worlds there are in london, corporate wear is completely different to media (which is what I work in).

So I think Aspinal is utterly beautiful, and used to pine somewhat for a bit of structured clothing with nice ‘proper’ grown up shoes. But it is more casual BUT no less fashions in media.

I am really surprised at the person who hates Zara - it’s probably the high street store I grt the best fit from and I have stuff from there that is ancient and still in really good nick. I wash everything on delicate though! They change their individual stores’ stock according to what people buy, so I love the kings road branch for a much more preppy, classic look.

@umpteennamechanges. Would you mind posting a link to the blue rucksack you suggested. Been looking for a decent one myself. Thanks!

Cos, arket, whistles. Even uniqlo basics are good.
To me it's about neutrals/ monochrome. Maybe red lipstick.
Well groomed, clean, neat.

I'm senior and in North London, but no longer a lawyer and mostly wear (to work) dresses and skirts by Sandro, Maje, Rixo, Whistles, Other Stories, Ganni, Sessun and Samsoe, BA&SH, Zadig (although too expensive),. I also shop in the boutiques near me and pick up different labels that I like.

Shoes from Net a Porter - but I can wear boots to work. I do still like Net a porter to shop from actually.

Jeans from Frame, Whistles, Rag & Bone, Goldsign, Agolde and, most recently, Mango. Bella Freud jumpers. I do have some Mansur Gavriel bags and shoes. A bit of Acne and Zara. Some jigsaw too. I have a couple of Cefinn dresses too. (Now I'm wfh, I'm almost exclusively in Sweaty Betty and Lululemon).

I'm hankering after Toteme which i think is lovely but very expensive. And also really like Anine Bing at the moment too. I have a few LF Markey things too.

I might spend quite a bit of money on my clothes......

North London is very different to west London, and the clothes I wear are very different to the ones that a banker would wear.

Does anyone follow anyone on Instagram who does have this look. As Sophie Stanbury was definitely the opposite

@suePreem I've just updated my wfh wardrobe to include some Sweaty Betty. Lululemon look good too.

I find spending money on this stuff quite hard. As others have alluded to previously, a 6 figure salary doesn't necessarily equate to being confortable/able to spend a grand on a handbag. I'm not sold on leather though, which opens it up considerably.

I've learnt so much on this thread! I will definitely be keeping an eye on Sandro, Sezane, Deepop, and The Outnet in future.

Interesting what people have said about brands having different ranges in different cities. Can see how that would influence things.

Brilliant thread -hope it's OK if I join and learn!
I already love Arket and Massimo Dutti but have never heard of some of the others. Some happy browsing ahead I think...

North London is very different to west London, and the clothes I wear are very different to the ones that a banker would wear.

This is a very good point. I live in east London and the look is very pared down and anything goes pretty much. But the right kind of anything.

Bankers have been mentioned a few times on this thread. It's the same in banking these days. The variation between individual depts within the same bank/financial institution can be huge, as can be the difference between banks. My current employer & dept is old school. Very formal, very structured, we dress like we're going for a job interview at all times. But partly I guess we are as we're client facing most of the time. My previous employer was the opposite. I could wear "non-work" clothes. Definitely no suit jackets, dresses, etc It was really refreshing!

[quote CremeEggThief]@Artie, Since she started working from home, she lives in the scruffiest joggers and mismatched jumpers, even if going to a party or something.

I can only surmise that the OP meant how she dressed for work in the first few episodes[/quote]
In one of the first episodes Julia is wearing a dress from Hobbs - red top, black skirt. I know because I too own that dress!

Zara
The Kooples
Cos
Joseph
Occassionally Whistles- be careful though

I think of the look as “normcore chic”- bloody love it - I’m in a creative industry wfh back up north now though, so basically wear jeans and a jumper every day. Sometimes with underwear

Schoffels are ubiquitous in some circles...

Does anyone follow anyone on Instagram who does have this look. As Sophie Stanbury was definitely the opposite

I don't use insta anymore but really struggle for style inspo. I want 30 something women who are fashionable but don't have to be corporate smart. I love Lauren Santo Domingo's look but I'm not a billionaire.