Where do I find beautiful clothes?

[MadameSapphire]

I’ve just realised that wearing beautifully-cut/shaped clothes really makes me feel good in myself. Where can I get some lovely pieces, please stylish people?

I bought a couple of Ghost dresses recently, one of which looked very expensive (due to the way it was cut), but neither suited me and I was disappointed. Thank you!

Also like Joe Brown, Fat Face, Seasalt etc.

I am also an academic and all my work clothes are from The Fold. Not so much their most formal suiting pieces, but blouses, coats, skirts. I only buy things that are natural fabrics - wool, cotton or silk - so most The Fold things work. I also wear a lot of Max Mara.
For casual, I like Me and Em, Sandro, and Sezane. I also have everything tailored, so it fits perfectly, even casual clothes.

There is nothing at allwrong with liking Joe Browns, but how did you read this …

seem to be veering away from my love of pattern to plainer things. I like quite a lot of what Kate Middleton wears (although my day-to-day wardrobe doesn’t need to be that formal and can have a bit more edge and perhaps a bit more arty-ness, IYSWIM!) and Meghan Markle, too. I guess I want to simplify my wardrobe - aiming for a refined look.

… and think “that sounds just like Joe Browns”?

cos

Try Vestiare Collective op or scout out the best vintage shops in monied areas!

Vogue patterns, to be honest. Buy pattern, fabric and zip, sew it together.

I'd definitely suggest doing your colours then looking on The Outnet - expensive gear is better cut and uses better materials (as a general rule but not always...). Buy some plain dresses / trousers / tops / jackets in your colours that can be mixed and matched and then dress them up with different accessories.

Directing OP to Net a porter,browns etc for £100 budget per item is hardly going to work is it!

Hear, hear. And not just Vogue - the Big Four have every body covered.

Another vote for Poetry. Good quality and mainly plain. natural fibres.

The Fold is lovely but nothing there for £100
Me+Em is nice but I find their tops are a bit boxy/short for me

Love Cefinn but big pricier. Similar to The Fold prices. At a cheaper price there are often some nice pieces in & Other Stories and sometimes in Zara

@WowIlikereallyhateyou the title of this thread is Where do I find beautiful clothes? The OP does state a price preference - but also indicates she’s happy to shop second hand.

So it seems sensible to give her an idea of some mainstream brands that produce reliably lovely clothes. I’m sure she’s smart enough to identify brands she likes the look of and decide for herself whether to buy items massively reduced in the sales, or to search Vestiare, Vinted, wherever, and source them that way.

and other stories I find reliably lovely

Selected femme is not expensive but has a chic aesthetic I think

sezane on vinted if your fast and theory too I like. Baukjen too.

Jigsaw, baukjen

Thought clothing and esprit

Look at Me & Em, Stories, Cos, French Connection. Keep an eye out at Oliver Bonas and Benetton as they can have gorgeous things. I like Muji and Uniqlo for staples such as white shirts and chambray wide leg. Maybe All Saints.

Pick up some staples. E.g for silk shirts look at John Lewis or Stories, satin blouses - French Connection.

I buy things like biker jackets second hand on Vinted or Ebay as the fit is less important.

I've just brought a couple of sale dresses from mint velvet, lovely quality. Used to buy mostly m&s but I think the quality has gone down hill.

Baukjen for tops.
And other stories.
Anthropologie for quirky stuff.
cOS for dresses.

Love Anthropologie but the pricing is bonkers! I bought a blouse, viscose but lovely. £112 full price, think it was £38 in the sale.

No clothes will look beautiful if they don't suit you or don't fit you.

Prepare for lots of trying in, take pictures, understand your shape and colouring. Then buy for quality and pay for alterations if needed

And another vote for Jigsaw too. I really like their stuff for work. And not as expensive as The Fold.

I like Massimo Dutti if you are after some more names.

I’m also an academic, and find it’s a difficult job style-wise (the need to balance smarter clothes for teaching and talks/meetings with more casual clothes on other days). I like these shops:

Jigsaw - avoiding the dodgy prints, but the trousers, tops, jackets and knits are great
Arket - for quality basics
Cos - for more interesting cuts, although quality seems to be declining sadly
Margaret Howell - in the sales or second hand as quite expensive, but the cut and quality are amazing
Maje, Sandro, APC, Me+Em - for occasional prettier or more elaborate things
The Fold - very expensive, but I have a brilliant pair of trousers from them
Finisterre - I like their warm jackets and gilets, more casual but I wear them over smarter clothes on my way in and take them off when teaching.

Margaret Howell is all sorts of wonderful - but those gorgeous, crunchy clothes are surely quite far from the ‘smooth royal daughter in law’ look the OP has cited as her style inspiration?