Luxury classics for 2023

[user1471548941]

Taking stock of my spending habits and wardrobe from the end of this year, I have decided I have enough clothes to make up many outfits! However, I love shopping, love making up outfits and am getting a hefty payrise soon.

therefore to continue shopping into 2023 but more sustainably I’ve decided I’m going to spend my monthly clothes budget on higher end classic items that allow me to make more outfits with the clothes I already have.

monthly budget is £200-£300 and happy to save across months to make larger purchases but I could do with some hive mind input. Looking for not necessarily designer but real classic quality items that will go with many different outfits. No need for winter coats as a S&B thread a few years ago sorted that for me.

please feel free to input on to my current wishlist- is there anything you’d add? Also please recommendations for brands/places to shop. My current shopping habits are very Reiss/Karen Millen/Ted Baker esque, also like Dune shoes.

1. classic black leather biker (All Saints??)
2. Mulberry Bayswater in either black or oak.
3. good quality leather tote for summer (chuck it all in style) maybe nude or blush
4. some tan knee high boots (probably Duo due to wide calves)
5. tan ankle boots
6. classic black loafers
7. heavy blazer-love the Reiss ones but they never seem to fit.

help- recommendations for brands for these items/other items you would add to the list also welcome!

Love this OP!

I have an All Saints leather jacket and it’s lasted very well but I find it quite bulky. The quality is excellent but I wish I’d gotten a thinner one.

I also think the Bayswater is slightly outdated / over priced these days (sorry!) Mulberry do a Bayswater tote which looks lovely and I think comes in lots of colours! And Russell and Bromley for loafers and boots!

Chanel card holder is a great piece at just £360

Look at the Parisian (or petite Parisian) bag from the wanders for your black, 'chuck it all in' tote https://wandererstravelco.com/products/the-petite-parisian-tote

Arghhh I would love something Chanel but not sure I’m quite there yet price wise?!

I do love the Bayswater, it’s SO my style but £1k for a bag is a lot- I’ve seen sale ones for £700ish- if I can get one at Bicester or in a sale, would you say it’s worth the quality? My colleague has one that still looks beautiful after 10 years pf daily use and this is what I’m after!

thanks for the advice on All Saints, I will buy in a shop I think, not online!

what do we think about LK Bennet for shoes?! Looking at Russell & Bromley and they’re all so chunky! I have tiny feet and like a delicate shoe!

Instead of a leather tote, you might consider a Longchamp le Pliage. Much lighter and lovely to use.

I think Mulberry is no longer the brand it once was.

@user1471548941 I would suggest you look at buying the more elevated versions of whatever gets the most use in your wardrobe rather than luxuries or classics that maybe you think you should have because of their status. For example if your go to jumper is black then maybe look at getting one in cashmere etc. It will mean your money works harder for you and you don’t end up with pieces that are classics/ luxury but you rarely use. You could also consider the preloved market.

Agree that All Saints bikers are a bit bulky, although the quality is great. I need to replace my ancient Oasis one, but have decided against All Saints as none of the black ones are quite right for me.

Yes to this.

My money mostly goes on coats and boots for this reason.

Why?

See I am looking at shoes/bags etc more because I am happy with my “go to” items. I have already done a bit of an upgrade on knitwear/basic T shirts etc!

My favoured look at the moment is one of about a million pleated Reiss midis (all sourced on Vinted) with a fitted fine knit. I have a gorgeous pair of knee high black Duo boots that finish it off, but some outfits would go better with tan.

so I have ankle boots, knee high boots, quality leather belt + bag in black and I reach for automatically and is so easy, so looking to replicate this in tan.

Don’t have such good quality flats in either colour, so looking to upgrade those!

Yes yes, also intrigued to hear views on Mulberry. If I do it, it will be my biggest ever “fashion” purchase so taking a lot of thought on this one!

I think it's a the lower end of luxury, there's a million fakes / dupes, it's sold / made for outlets. I think they have some nice bags but it's not the aspirational brand it once was.

Prices went up, whilst quality went down.

Sorry quote didn't appear in previous post.

Mulberry used to concentrate on quality with reasonable prices. It then wanted to be more luxury and increased prices but the quality went down.

I don’t agree re: Mulberry. They still have classic styles and I still find the quality excellent. I think handbags are such a personal choice. Spend a lot of time with one before you buy it.
I love Reiss so think you’re probably getting some nice stuff there already. LK Bennett do lovely shoes though I agree the quality at Russell and Bromley is always excellent. Have a look at Sezane too. Nice pieces which last if you look after them

my top 3 classics that I’ve owned for years and years and still wear are :
-Chanel flats,
-cotton shirts striped or blue ,
-blazers , go for the £££ , none of the cheaper versions come close to the good stuff.

Great plan OP. I sort of did similar in 2022. For various reasons including the pandemic I had not updated summer clothes since around 2018 so I revamped my entire summer wardrobe in the summer. Next year I'll only have to replace some of the more worn t-shirts etc & add to it with things that catch my eye.

Before Christmas I bought quiet a few lovely "going out' things including a velvet blazer & velvet kimono x 2. New boots with a block heel etc. I always choose v carefully and I mix them with things I already have to they give me lots of options & I'll wear them for years. I'm naturally v drawn to the dressier side & I love a slight vintage edwardian librarian look but not like I'm in fancy dress!

What I need to focus on for 2023 is an update / upgrade to work clothes. I work in a creative sector so don't need a corporate wardrobe but I do need smart casual. I bought loads of stuff in 2020/21 but it's all a bit tired now.

I need trousers & jackets & tops for under. But for some reason I HATE buying these things. I wear them 90% of the time versus the 10% going out & yet I'd FAR rather buy a beautiful evening jacket than a lovely work blazer. It's weird & I have to work on that.

So that's my mission & I plan to look / shop in whistles, jigsaw, Wyse, ME+ EM, m&s (good trousers sometimes) etc for nice work things.

And resist the temptation to buy another lovely wool coat & long leather boots.

I have lovely leather bags from Maje, Mulberry, COS, Whistles, and 2 from a fab boutique in italy. But I'm hankering after an Isabel Marant & a Polene now. Never happy !!

I have the Bayswater in Oak and love it. Id definitely get the oak rather than black as the oak is great all year round.

So many thoughts, thank you all!

Had a good look at Sezane and could really do a lot of damage there.

Also think Chanel flats need to be added to the list!

Have you seen the one hundred stars dresses? With a good belt and Edwardian style shoes I think that would be a look that’s very much up your street?

OP I have a croc bayswater in black and it looks as good as the day it was bought after quite a few years use. The croc is stiffer and in black doesn’t show any marks while the oak is generally a less structured style that gets personality as it wears. I also have a Dorset tote that is slouchy but again mine has worn really well.

@user1471548941 I have a Bayswater from what I’d call the time when Mulberry was at its most popular (around the time of the Roxanne bag) and it’s a quirkier design but regardless the bag is heavy even when empty so be aware!

I also have a Bayswater in printed leather but mine’s in oak and I agree with @D20, the printed leather holds it’s shape much better if you want a structured bag that still looks great in 10+ Years. That was probably the last Mulberry I bought as I agree, prices went up and quality went down.