Quality clothes that won’t break the bank?

[Conniethesensible]

I’m done with fast fashion
BooHoo, H&M, SHEIN, Primark. I want clothes that will last longer than a year which are proper worth investing in!

What are your brands you swear by?

Uniqlo
Cos
Arket
Whistles
Lucy and Yak (new to me but delighted with quality so far)
Lulu Lemon for leggings

Cos and Arket do great sales

Cos
Hush
Me+Em
Mint velvet
Max&co
Hobbs
Arket
Some select Zara
Dancing leopard
Noa Noa
Max Mara

Ooh I’ve seen Cos! And yes I agree Uniqlo are good recommendations.

I’ve not heard of the others - though I must admit I once thought Jo Malone was a singer 😂 so I’ll check them out!

Cos
Hobbes
Arket (slightly upmarket version of H&M)
Some Boden (trousers yes, tops, no)
Me & Em
M&S (I'm currently living in their version of the Me & Em wide legged pull on trousers and they are great- and £50 cheaper than Me & Em)
Jigsaw trousers

Mint Velvet/Hush I wouldn't say are good quality, personally.

I’ve just got a blouse from Poetry. It’s fantastic quality.

I like damselfly and Isabelle Fox - the odd absolute gem that you would wear forever

Can we have a link to the M&S pull on trousers.

Unfortunately I don't swear by any high street brand any more, I think quality everywhere has tanked in the last couple of years. I would say the only ones I normally still trust and that don't break my personal bank are Cos (and long term fans say they're not what they used to be either) and, for basics, Community Clothing.

I also like Toast and Me and Em but don't buy often enough to know if they've maintained the quality. Baukjen might be another - I used to rate them but I'm not sure what they're like now.

Maybe Arket - never bought myself but heard good things about them.

And then I think there are several brands that are very hit and miss: some good stuff and some utter shite. I'd include Uniqlo, M&S and Whistles in that group.

I buy selectively from:
Sezane
Whistles
Wyse
Cos
Noa Noa
Jigsaw
Toast
The Kooples

Sandro

Sezane
Cos
Arket
Jigsaw (but not knitwear - has bad experience)
Everlane (US company, great for jeans)
Whistles
The White Company
Baujken
Uniqlo - but I think has gone downhill recently

In all cases I check the fabric composition and completely avoid any polyester & acrylic which is unfortunately very prevalent even in more expensive brands. I'm willing to pay more for items with a bit more longevity.

All of the above plus &other stories

I like Thought because of its ethical credentials and the clothes are very well made. I tend to only buy in the sale though!

Would also like a link to the m&s pull in trousers. I’m looking for some currently :)

www.marksandspencer.com/it/jersey-high-waisted-wide-leg-trousers/p/P60456509.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp67vluie8QIVgD2tBh2xqwZ_EAQYASABEgKcHfD_BwE&istCompanyId=0172def4-a6b1-4a9c-841b-c898c05ae613&istFeedId=267dd035-899f-435d-920a-7b3dbdd2485c&istItemId=imwtwrmqw&istBid=t&gclsrc=aw.ds&&extid=ps_ggl_4PS_IT_Shopping_Smart_All_Products&ef_id=Xi9E1AAAAJaqQl4y:20210617135207:s

Hope that works! Seems a very long link! They're jersey high waisted anyway and £20.

Another recommendation for Poetry, lovely quality which last for years. I tend to just buy one or two pieces per season because they last forever!

Rapanui and Finisterre are 2 brands I've invested in new items from this past year.
Otherwise I look for Toast, Oska and various vintage things on eBay.

Definitely Cos, Arket, Other Stories, Wyse, Monki, some H&M

Depends on your style - but I love Community clothing for plain things, and people tree for dresses etc. Well made and ethical.

In terms of not breaking the bank, I do a lot of my shopping on eBay - allows me to afford a lot better brands (including lots of those listed by posters above) for my limited budget. I honestly can't face buying badly made, disposable things when you can get vintage or high end things for the same price second hand.

@Greamhradh are you in the UK as I can't find them on UK m&s Web page there doesn't seem to be any wide leg trousers for £20.

How weird. I'm actually in Italy but copied the link from Google.
www.marksandspencer.com/jersey-high-waisted-wide-leg-trousers/p/clp60456509?color=NAVY&prevPage=srp#intid=prodColourId-60456509
They're a fiver cheaper on the UK site!

I would recommend you go on Zalando and buy the European brands such as
Esprit
S Oliver
Tom Tailor
Comma
Cecilie
Soyaconcept
All excellent value for the quality and will last.

I think Monki, H&M and Uniqlo are at the lower end of quality. I like Monki a lot but two pairs of wide leg trousers I got a year a go have both developed holes in the same place. I stick to the cotton & denim which has been good. Uniqlo have definitely seen a decline in quality and they piss me off my making better quality men’s clothes than women’s… check out the weight of the flannel shirts as a comparison. H&M is H&M… you’d be better off with Arket & Cos and spending a bit more. I like some John Lewis brands like Kin and Modern Rarity that I buy in the sales. I buy tailored jackets etc on eBay for work and have had great stuff from Hobbs and Jaeger etc but it’s for work mainly. I did get a butter soft leather Jaeger blazer for next to nothing and that’s very on trend at the moment. Vintage St Michael is much better quality than modern M&S although I do like their £40 jeans. I would buy Max Mara if I had the money and lifestyle to go with it

Agree on M&S for jeans and jeggings good quality for the price.
Shop the higher brands when there's a sale on, to save.

I've got the M&S wide leg trousers and I love them. I second COS for good quality but the sizing is a bit mad. One of my favourites is Kiln from John Lewis. I don't think Hush is good quality at all.

I have had good experiences with Zara knitwear. Monsoon dresses, tops and jumpsuits.
Sainsbury’s TU for swimwear.
M&S bought some amazing cheap lounge wear over lockdown, washed so well and I lived in it for months
Me and Em
Had some cashmere + silk knitwear from banana republic which has lasted amazingly well, but think it’s closed down in the UK now.