Brands for getting older

[Hedgehogsnuffles]

I am 40 this year 🙈 never very attractive but now I’m getting older it’s even worse. I’m a size 6/8 and just look haggard.
This time last year I still quite liked River Island, Mango, Warehouse, H&M...
I’ve had a shift in the last six months and I’ve started buying at Mint Velvet, Anthropologie, All Saints (probably told old for this really), The Kooples, Reiss etc. I like it but it is much more expensive than the brands I used to like / wear.
Are there any more mid range brands for my age? Not marks and spencer... Hush is all too big for me, I struggle in Mint Velvet too really.
Any advice? Everyone looks so nice on the what are you wearing today thread and I am just 😬

Have you looked at Cos ? Their sizing can tend to come up big though - depending on the style.

I’m 47, I’d shop in all those places if they had stuff I liked. Better quality high street though tends to be cos, arket, and otherstories - all H&M brands and the main change I’ve made as I get older is to shop with more longevity, so cashmere, silk, wool, denim, cotton. But if I want to try a trend often Zara or H&M (search latter by ‘trend’.

I'm 50. I'm not very 'brand'-orientated, but wouldn't buy clothes anywhere my DC would buy them (H&M etc), not least because it's all artificial fibres. I buy cashmere, wool, cotton, silk, and have worked out the shapes that suit me (I'm the same clothes size as you, and am also short - so long, wide-legged trousers, for instance, are never going to work on me!) I do buy cashmere jumpers in M&S in plain neutrals, and they are very good - but I don't buy anything else from M&S as, again, it's all artificial (their "recycled polyester" is never going to be a draw for me...). Jigsaw have some nice things, but the skirts are better quality than their jumpers. Hobbs can occasionally be ok, but they're not really made for shorter and smaller people. I've been on and off Boden for years, but when they get it right, they really do get it right (you have to buy and send a lot of stuff back, though, before you hit on something that works). I now have an absolute rule about not buying anything made in China - so have sent back some Boden winners because of this.

I'm sorry but that's so depressing- 'too old for allsaints'!!!! Honestly that's ridiculous- no one is too old for clothes that they want to wear and that make them happy. And you are 40- in another 40 years you'll look back and think how young you were.

And if you want to wear an all saints leather biker at 80 then bloody go ahead and wear it!

I'm 33- I buy from allsaints, Uniqlo, mango, ASOS, Ghost, river island, oasis, warehouse, M&S. Buy what you like, what you feel suits you, wherever it is from.

I’m 45 and buy from similar shops to your new list, added to by White Company, Hobbs and Ted Baker.
I also buy the M&S cashmere as it’s great quality for the price.
Prefer wool, cotton, silk etc to manmade if possible

Other Stories is good and I find they come up quite small.

You're not too old for any of the brands you have mentioned though.

I buy from anywhere, if I like it, it doesn't matter where it's from.

I'm 38 and my wardrobe is predominantly fat face & hush (I buy a 6 for my 8).
I won't compromise on my Superdry jeans though, I'll be wearing them in my 60's!!

Sezane is great. You’ll need XS or XXS though.

I'm 43 and mainly shop at New Look as it's about the only high street shop left! I loved Topshop before it closed. No way would I want to start wearing old fuddy duddy clothes just because I'm a certain age!

40s here but much bigger at a 10/12. I shop mainly in:

&otherstories - knitwear/tops
Arket - knitwear
Levi’s - jeans
Whistles -jeans/trousers
Cos - trousers/knitwear
Joanie - t-shirts
Zara - dresses
ASOS - bits and bobs of everything.

I buy a lot on Depop which works well if you know the size you are in brands.

I'm sorry but that's so depressing- 'too old for allsaints'!!!! Honestly that's ridiculous- no one is too old for clothes that they want to wear and that make them happy. And you are 40- in another 40 years you'll look back and think how young you were.

This a million times over!

I"m 52 and can't afford a lot of the brands mentioned here (Arket, Mint, Boden etc) and I'm not sure how you can be too old for H&M, I'm wearing a lovely pure cotton polo neck jumper from there just now. I buy from TKMaxx, although that's been slipping lately, charity shops, Ebay, H&M, my basics are from Primark (although that hasn't been as good lately either). I like men's clothes too, shirts with cufflinks sometimes (although I'm a tall 12 that wouldn't work for a petite 6).

Oh yes, Sézane knitwear is lovely but megabucks

40 isn't old. You can wear pretty much anything unless it looks really 'teenagerish' (eg bare midriffs in winter.)

I am a LOT older than you but I dress in what I'd say were 'fashionable classics' if there is such a thing.

Boden for some basics like trousers/jeans 9alays wait for sales or discounts.)

Uniqlo for cashmere and cheap T shirts

The White Company for knitwear but only in sales or good discounts

Mint Velvet - knitwear mainly

John Lewis- yes, some of their basics are as good as Boden and cheaper. They also do a new Anyday range which is cheaper and aimed at younger women.

You might like to look at French Connection as well.
Joules?

and...

Whistles
Hush

Hobbs I find a bit staid and formal.

I'm 39, and I still buy things from everywhere. I don't think I'm too old for All Saints I do wander in to River Island and don't like lots of things, but that's more on the quality than my age and I still find the odd piece I like. I get stuff from Zara, and from H&M, as well as bits from Oliver Bonas (lots of things there I love).

Does anyone walk into New Look and think the clothes look old fashioned and can't believe our teens are wearing these things? My 16yr old is all ditzy prints, frilly cuffs and sensible loafers. (Although she also has a nice line in mini kilts and Docs and Lucy and Yak dungarees.)

Im 50, size 12, and just don't have the disposable income for the brands beloved on MN. I shop in Primark, H&M, Zara, Cos and Mango. If I ever have money I love All Saints, Jigsaw and Benetton but I rarely have money!

I'm 42 and find River Island a struggle now but anywhere else is fair game. I prefer certain items in certain shops - eg M&S knitwear but not skirts, Next jeans but not dresses.

I’m 41 and shop in LK Bennett, Jigsaw, occasionally Boden, Hush and the odd bit from Hobbs (used to love it but thinks it’s gone dramatically downhill). I also get quite a few casual bits from M&S but like others try to pick out their items made from natural fabrics. Natural fabrics are my main goal full stop.

Mango is great on a budget. Tbh there is nothing wrong with shops like RI. But as PP said its about buying higher quality on hard wearing pieces.

I now have a growing collection of jeans in colours and styles that suit me as I live in them.

I've been buying a lot of Boden in the sale. M&S do a lot of brand collabs now and John Lewis brands worth a look. Monki has some good basics- owned by H&M.

There is also a growing number of online/smaller boutique places- Sugarhill Brighton, Dancing Leopard. It tends to be bold print, high contrast.

40 isn't old. Agree with @MistySkiesAfterRain - there a larger number of smaller brands popping up. Seems so easy to fall into the habit of sticking to the high street, but they all start to look the same after a while.

My recent purchases from www.charli.com/ for me and my sister have been great. Can't really complain about the price. Super cosy stuff. (Even have some cashmere scarves which I thought were lovely).

Might be something for you, or not - everyone's taste is different. Worth a look though.