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Sick of shopping at New Look

33 replies

MunchMonster · 06/03/2023 06:56

My go to clothes shop is New Look but the quality is poor, I can afford more now and I want stuff that is more stylish and Boho.

Can anyone recommend anywhere? I'm mid 30s if that makes a difference.

OP posts:
ALS94 · 06/03/2023 07:13

There’s less of these shops around but Bershka and Stradavarius are my favs (29yo)

Divebar2021 · 06/03/2023 07:23

Fast fashion is a bit of a trap as you’re pressured / enticed into buying more clothes than you need on a more frequent basis. How many items of clothing do you already own? Is there a need for new or is it just a want. I guess the choices you have are you save up for better quality brands and buy fewer items or buy second hand.

BluebellBlueballs · 06/03/2023 07:24

All the shops are full of acrylic and polyester crap these days. If you want quality fabrics you have to pay ££££££.

Standbyguest · 06/03/2023 07:25

H&M, Zara, stories, Monki.

MunchMonster · 06/03/2023 07:31

@divebar2021 @BluebellBlueballs I'm not sure if either of you read my post properly. I am willing to pay more. I want to buy quality and less often. But I love having a go to shop online or instore. I like second hand clothe shopping if I'm not looking for something specific but I rarely am. I don't enjoy shopping so I don't just aimlessly look. I look with something in mind.

OP posts:
CinnamonJellyBeans · 06/03/2023 07:39

For the price, you can't really expect too much from New Look. However, I think the quality is actually OK.

Their knitwear is a good price and washes well. I look for anything made from cotton; they do a lot. DD1 has jumpers that are 6 years old and still being worn! Just bought some 97% cotton, 3% elastane t shirts that are great value and cheaper than the Zara equivalent that cost 1.5 x the price. All the dresses I have bought from there have kept their shape and colours and not shrunk in the wash, even viscose.

Shoes = no, for everyday wear, but great if you're looking for sparkly heels to be worn occasionally.

My kids wear a lot of their jeans and leggings, which have lasted years and years, through many washes without losing shape or fading.

I wouldn't buy anything from there that's meant to be expensive, like a formal coat, or tailored trousers, but apart from that, I'm always happy!

3WildOnes · 06/03/2023 07:43

I'm a similar age. Whistles, Zara, other stories and mango are my go to stores. I avoid anything made from polyester. I like viscose for dresses, silk for blouses, cotton t shirts...

Wiennetta · 06/03/2023 08:05

How about Sézane, Rouje, Bellerose, Ba&sh, Free People, All Saints, Liberty, Selfridges, Outnet, The Kooples, Maje.

Valentinesquestion · 06/03/2023 09:54

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Valentinesquestion · 06/03/2023 09:55

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Usernamen · 06/03/2023 10:00

Wiennetta · 06/03/2023 08:05

How about Sézane, Rouje, Bellerose, Ba&sh, Free People, All Saints, Liberty, Selfridges, Outnet, The Kooples, Maje.

Yes to all of these. Also Claudie Pierlot, Reiss, Rag & Bone, Sandro, Zadig & Voltaire, Anthropologie, Gerard Darel.

Are you based in/can get to London? If so, just walk down the King’s Road - you’ll find most of these shops. Good luck!

Usernamen · 06/03/2023 10:03

ALS94 · 06/03/2023 07:13

There’s less of these shops around but Bershka and Stradavarius are my favs (29yo)

Both are terrible quality though?

FoxFeatures · 06/03/2023 10:04

Free People - it's online (they might have a shop in the U.K., I'm not sure). It is ££ but some nice things. I always shop from the sale.

isthismylifenow · 06/03/2023 10:33

CinnamonJellyBeans · 06/03/2023 07:39

For the price, you can't really expect too much from New Look. However, I think the quality is actually OK.

Their knitwear is a good price and washes well. I look for anything made from cotton; they do a lot. DD1 has jumpers that are 6 years old and still being worn! Just bought some 97% cotton, 3% elastane t shirts that are great value and cheaper than the Zara equivalent that cost 1.5 x the price. All the dresses I have bought from there have kept their shape and colours and not shrunk in the wash, even viscose.

Shoes = no, for everyday wear, but great if you're looking for sparkly heels to be worn occasionally.

My kids wear a lot of their jeans and leggings, which have lasted years and years, through many washes without losing shape or fading.

I wouldn't buy anything from there that's meant to be expensive, like a formal coat, or tailored trousers, but apart from that, I'm always happy!

I have posted before about this, but I go to a warehouse type place for clothing. I am not in the UK and I suspect that bales of clothing are bought from the manufacturers where is is sold really very reasonably.

Every few years or so I change my winter wardrobe (sell the used items and use those funds for reasonably priced new items from here).

I was there last week as the winter stock is coming in now, so I was having a good look around, as you do have to have time as some of the items are rejects, so will have nicks etc.

I was looking through the rack of jerseys, there are a fair amount of the same and some have different labels. Some were New Look, some Only (I don't know that brand so if someone could tell me what UK shop this brand is sold in) and then also Vera Moda. Then the others that were the same were Primark and C&A. So these must all be made in the same factory and just labelled accordingly for the shops order. I bought the Vera Moda as although they were pretty much the same, they did just feel a bit nicer and included the string on the back nape to hold the shape (I know this has a name but right now its the nape thingie).

I posted before as I found Clarks shoes in there, and the very same ones with a Cos branding.

Anyway, my long winded post is to say that even though you may go into a different store, it is very possible the items in there are very similar (if not exactly the same) as in other stores. Maybe perhaps some slight adjustments in the manufacture have been made (like the VM versus the others).

lindyloo57 · 06/03/2023 10:38

Since covid I've stopped buying as much from these cheap shops, I'm trying to buy less but better quality, its hard as I can't afford really expensive clothes, so I been buying sale stuff a lot on the next clearance including mint velvet and the john lewis sale is good to, as there's lots of brands to choose from, this year I've brought a puffer midi from at next for £32, mint velvet dress half price £39, two pairs of levis for £40 each, and clarks knee high boots half price, its worth checking every day or so as thing come back in stock.

MunchMonster · 06/03/2023 11:12

@Wiennetta @Usernamen brilliant I'll look into those

OP posts:
ALS94 · 06/03/2023 11:34

@Usernamen not in my experience

TellySavalashairbrush · 06/03/2023 11:37

I don't think the quality of New Look stuff is too bad to be honest. The worst quality items I have had have been bought from Massimo Dutti and H&M.

MunchMonster · 06/03/2023 11:38

@lindyloo57 yes that's exactly my plan. Buy less but buy higher quality.

OP posts:
HumourReplacementTherapy · 06/03/2023 11:43

H&M do a premium range that has some nice quality pieces.
Hush for dresses/cargos/jackets and some knitwear and sweatshirts
Cos is lovely quality but I think it's hard to to shop on line for it as you can feel the fabric in store and try on.
Mint velvet
Whistles (hit and miss imo)
M&S -again hit and miss but have upped their game with some lines

SecretVictoria · 06/03/2023 11:43

Usernamen · 06/03/2023 10:00

Yes to all of these. Also Claudie Pierlot, Reiss, Rag & Bone, Sandro, Zadig & Voltaire, Anthropologie, Gerard Darel.

Are you based in/can get to London? If so, just walk down the King’s Road - you’ll find most of these shops. Good luck!

Reiss? Last time I went there with my friend, she tried a dress that was over £100 and made of polyester. She asked why we (couple of us there) thought. I said it was nice but she’d be mad to spend that much on polyester, earning me daggers from the sales assistant 🤣

Ariela · 06/03/2023 12:43

M&S for jeans.

Grimbelina · 06/03/2023 12:45

Take a look at some of the more expensive ranges at H&M e.g. Premium or Studio and similar at Zara etc. In my experience the quality and fabrics are way way better and they are still very well priced.

octoberafternoons · 06/03/2023 13:35

There are some great items in the People Tree sale at the moment.

StephenDedalus · 06/03/2023 14:24

Most of my clothes are from Whistles, Jigsaw, Sezane, ME+EM, I wear that stuff about 90% of the time.
I also have some things from Toast, Anthropologie, Sandro, Maje, BA&SH, COS, Zadig & Voltaire, Paul Smith and Mint Velvet (though the quality of MV is not brilliant)

I buy 99% the sales and I love going to the department stores and trying on things to check the sizes and fit etc and then stalking these things in sales.