If you're a late 30's woman where do you shop?

[Itswaytoohot]

After a disastrous shopping trip today I've no idea where I should be shopping these days.

I'm 37. All the shops seem to be either too young or too old.

The older section of H&M was full of tat, the younger section looked promising but full of teenagers.

River Island too full of bling. New look always has nice stuff but seem to be getting everything from there. Mango was nice but no sizes everything nice was either XS or plus size. Tried a shop called Apricot but it felt a bit old some of the prints were fuddy duddy.

I’m 38. Zara, & Other Stories, very rarely H&M (online only, the shop is a shitshow) or Asos. It’s bloody slim pickings. I’m not tall enough for Cos or Arket, and my work isn’t formal nor pay well enough for Massimo Dutti though I love lots of things on their site. I also like the things on Sezane, Rouje, Me & Em, but just can’t justify the prices, even in sales.

Sorry this is slightly off topic but does anyone remember Bay Trading the high Street shop? I used to always feel so cool buying from there haha.

I’m early 40s and have been wondering this for years now! Ten years ago in my early 30s I used to mainly buy nice classic things in natural fibres from Jigsaw, Whistles, Comptoir des Cotonniers, LK Bennett, Gap, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Temperley.

Then almost all of them seemed to put their prices up massively, but the quality also went massively downhill. Everything became nasty synthetics in ugly prints. Some years I have gone out desperately looking for things to buy with bank cards in hand, and just couldn’t find anything nice at all and all of it way overpriced. (Remember a couple of years ago when all you could get was some weird kind of polyester cruisewear tunics in big flowery prints?)

So for years I’ve basically been wearing out my old clothes and occasionally buying some extra pieces from Gap and Hush (most of my current clothes are Hush or Saint + Sofia, but I hardly buy anything now compared to years ago, because I can rarely find nice things I like). So if others can suggest good places I am so eager to hear about them!

It seems like not just the styling doesn’t suit women in their late 30s-late 40s, but all of the items are in cheap fabrics and synthetics and really badly made - but they’re also really expensive! Prices more like I used to pay for special item well made stuff a few years ago!

Oh and about five years ago I liked Seasalt and Joules and had a few things from those, but recently my mum (70) has started shopping in both of them — I think they have shifted their target markets a couple of decades older!

I suppose that’s the retired age group which is the only one with any spare cash these days 😂— but still, there’s even fewer places with stuff that I want to wear. Quality basics in nice flattering shapes and natural fibres, that you can wear to work or on the school run or out for a drink. What’s so hard about that?

Yet everything is either made of acrylic or polyester with crazy cutout details; or it’s stuff my mum would love !

Joanie and Joules are a favourite and new look. The supermarkets are not too bad. I'm probably dressing like an unfashionable 20 something but hey well I'm comfy.

Yes - late 90s/early 2000s!

I’m late 30s and really struggling to find stuff I like. Lately I’ve bought in Primark, Peacocks and I’ve bought a few bits on Vinted. I get workwear in Next. I’m eyeing up some dresses on In the Style at the moment, but heard that the quality is a bit hit and miss, but Primark and Peacocks are like that too.

reiss, Zara, massimo dutti, mint velvet, mango, &otherstories, sweaty betty

im trying to buy less throw away stuff but struggling

So timely, I have this exact struggle because I find the quality has gone way down, no darts anywhere to be found unless it is in the more expensive shops. Fabrics that do you no favours for this summer heat and don't last between seasons.

I really have to shop around now - Massimo Dutti, Reiss, Whistles, John Lewis Anyday for essentials, Cos, Arket, Gap, Hush. Managed to get something nice from Banana Republic, Gestuz, Crew Clothing, Baujken & Sosandar but suspect these were one offs. Forever New also had some nice bits in the other day.

Following with great interest - Sezane has piqued my interest a few times, good to see it mentioned so often!

Struggling here too!
I like Next online as they have so many brands and I can usually find something I like. I used to like Mango but they're clothes have really dived in quality and shape lately. I still like coats from Mango, but that's probably all.
Warehouse can be okay sometimes. M&S, fatface and boden has some nice stuff too. John Lewis too, as again, they have lots of brands. Some ASOS stuff is good as well, esp for brands like Levi's or DMs in their sales, and h&m or monki and gap for basics.

Brands I like are:

Sézane
Jigsaw
Toast
Cos
Other Stories
Whistles
Boden (tends to be their plain items only these days though)
Hush

Although most of what I buy is in sales or second hand as none of these brands are cheap! I still buy the odd basic vest or t shirt from H&M but the quality generally isn't great.

38 here- majority of my clothes come from New Look or H&M

F&F never lets me down- always have a nosey in store when I'm doing the weekly shop. I find their stuff to be really good quality for supermarket clothing!

Stradivarius/Mango/Zara/Pull & Bear if im online shopping as can never be bothered to hoke about in those stores for things

Sometimes ASOS but can be a bit hit and miss with the sizing at times

I've really struggled with the styles and quality on the high street too. I pretty much only buy online:

Sezane
Toast
Whistles
Levi's
Baukjen
Jigsaw
Hush
Reiss

I'm 38.