What should I buy now to make me look a bit more modern?

[WoodSageandSeasalt]

I’m in a bit of a rut style-wise and with Spring hopefully approaching and lots of new clothes in the shops I feel like I need a bit of a makeover.

I mainly wear jeans or coated jeggings with sweatshirts or jumpers and trainers or boots. My style is casual, maybe with a slight edge - I really like the Mint Velvet relaxed glamour type look.

I’m 5’2 and curvy, boobs and bum and currently too much tummy. I haven’t got loads to spend so ideas of budget friendly places to try would be great - not asking much!

I’ve just had a look at Mint Velvet and now realise this must be where other women get their clothes from. It’s all so … normal. If normal means droopy, colourless, inoffensive. (Sorry!)

Places I turn to for inspiration (regardless of budget - just to offer something new to my eyes); off the top of my head:

Matches Fashion, always reasonably quick to pick up on new designers.

Goodhood, great selection of casual clothes.

La Fetiche, colour, colour, colour.

Gucci, glorious bad taste.

Acne Studios, always something surprising despite 97 million versions of sweatshirt.

& Other Stories and Zara are always brilliant on a screen - though too much of their stock is poor quality in the flesh.

I’m not sure it’s really so much a matter of where one shops - more a question of being really open to newness, not starting with a fixed idea of what you want. But I tend to shop for individual items I fall in love with, rather than sensible outfits for everyday life - so this is probably no help at all.

OP said 'budget friendly' @CountryCousin

this is probably no help at all.

Whoops

this is probably no help at all.

OP-"I haven't much to spend."
Try Gucci. Or Acne studio where a beanie that has been ravaged by some animals escaping a children's farm costs £140.

And I said inspiration.

You look at the original ideas and how they’re executed.

Then you look out for those new ideas in the shops that suit your budget.

Or get sharp elbowed and search for pre-worn or sale items that are more original or exciting or better quality than your everyday High St purchases.

I’ve been getting dressed for a quite staggering number of years! I honestly do know what I’m talking about. It’s quite hard to look fabulous if you only stick to the safest sources. There are plenty of ways to replicate a more extravagant way of dressing.

other woman here.... Try vinted for budget clothes.

I'm about to try selling on Vinted as I've a load of clothes from an old life of work shirts to sell, thought you might find the idea useful. I am not fashionable, but trying to help!

I wear Mint Velvet and people have said many things about my dress sense but never that it is dull or boring 🤣. I know they do different leg lengths but not how good they are for your height OP I'm 5ft 8 and find things like the jumpsuits are just the right length boarding on too long.

For budget friendly M&S is coming up trump's for jeans they have so many different styles if you are curvy why not try some high waisted versions? They are very flattering.
M&S also has quite a lot of other items lately.

Or places to try is the supermarkets particularly Sainsbury's do some band type t shirts they are thin but for £5 you can hardly complain.

Monki is fairly budget friendly and usually sightly quickly.

If you haven't got much of a budget then I'd go for some wide leg, flared or Mom jeans and some joggers then wear with tops you already have.

I don't think Gucci is particularly modern.

Oh for an edit button... Just ignore my typos

Budget friendly? Why not try Gucci? 😂😂😂😂

I’ve been getting dressed for a quite staggering number of years! I honestly do know what I’m talking about

love MN and it’s lack of self awareness, I really do

I'd also say what at do you like OP are there colours you are draw to? Take some screenshots of the outfits you like on Mint Velvet and see if you can get similar elsewhere if they are to expensive (no judging I've been there)?

I’ve just had a look at Mint Velvet and now realise this must be where other women get their clothes
And then there is little old moi, dripping in my gloriously trashy Gucci 🤣🤣🤣. Love it.

Heavens! Can none of you read? Where did I say I buy clothes from Gucci? Truly, where?

@Vohgue

I don't think Gucci is particularly modern.

There is a young woman on Tik tok who makes videos of herself styling the clothes high end designers send her. She has an infectious personality, is tall, stunning, slim,tanned, rich .......She wears a lot of Gucci. She works in fashion, hangs out at New York fashion week etc. The clothes are sadly awful generally and I cannot see most of us normal women, with normal lives walking down a normal street dressed like that. I don't know whether the are modern or not, they just look odd. She also rarely seems to wear a bra. That would not work for a woman with bosoms that Op has said she has. Never mind the budget. She had an amazing evening outfit on the other day....combined cost £24,000.

I'd love to see some more responses to OP's question as I too feel I'm in a bit of a rut and need to look more modern.

I'd recommend M&S for basics and I also find some good things in H&M and Zara. & Other Stories is good for bags and accessories, Kin at John Lewis also good for bags. I also like Arket and, when budget allows, the occasional piece from Cos or White Company.
Baukjen and Me & Em have some nice things, but I only buy in the sales.

I'm not sure I'm much help though OP as although I love clothes I'm not sure I'm very modern.

I quite like ASOS Design (their own brand) for cheaper versions of trends.

Trick is to mix the odd trend piece in with your normal stuff.

It's about style as well - not everyone likes or looks good in a wacky style. I like simple shapes and block colours and black.

This thread made me howl with laughter and actually I totally love @CountryCousin’s approach. Fuck it, have some Acne.

Mint Velvet isn’t cheap and it is awful. ‘Ebay all the middle of the road stuff and buy a few higher end items’ is probably not bad advice really.

I get what you're saying countrycousin, but being rude about mint velvet is just...rude. i have a boxy cropped cotton knit from mv that was a staple until I ruined it in the wash. Anyway, the modern looking women around me have, this summer, worn oversized boyfriend shirts, denim in all styles (acid wash skirts, 70s style.button midi skirts, wide cropped jeans etc), ribbed dresses, cut-out dresses, balloon sleeves.

Can you be any more specific when you say you want to look "more modern"?

Maybe it's that you haven't quite pinned down what clothes you are actually after, rather than finding a particular shop.

Have you tried Stitch Fix? They are quite good - you get a personal stylist and they send you different items to try each month which you can try and send back if you don't like, or keep and pay for it you do.

It just sounds more like you need to explore clothes generally rather than find a shop.

I’ve been getting dressed for a quite staggering number of years! I honestly do know what I’m talking about

While the rest of us have been wandering around naked looking for a bearskin to huddle in.

I would try H&M it’s not expensive, or try Vinted if you’re on a tight budget, and you can negotiate the price!

I think one way to look ‘more modern’ is to look at the shapes and silhouettes you’re wearing.

Plenty of people still wearing skinny jeans/leggings etc but generally wider leg/straight leg jeans and trousers look a bit more modern. Ditto cropped/boxy tops etc. People watching is great for this - I’m in London today for the first time in a while (back in the office) and saw loads of wide leg trousers, cropped straight legs too.

Also ditto Vinted/ebay for getting good quality stuff at budget friendly prices!