If you’re 48 or thereabouts please tell me where you buy your clothes?

[Littlemiss74]

After another failed shopping trip I’m wondering where do other people in their 40’s shop for clothes & how do you put things together? I feel so stuck. I want to look up to date but not overly trendy. Zara has some nice things but I just don’t feel I could wear alot of them, plus my body shape is not right.
I’m 5’3, size 12, bit of a tummy, not overweight but could definitely look better if I toned up a bit. I need to do some exercise.

On my recent shopping trip so many shops have closed down. We have Primark, Zara, River Island, White Stuff, Fatface, H&M & I couldn’t find anything that looked & fitted me well in any of those. Also I think some of the clothing is alot of money for what it is. I don’t mind paying a bit more for something that looks & feels nice and that will last more than one season.

I just want to look nice but am so tired of wasting hours trawling the shops to come home empty handed.
Please can anyone of a similar age tell me what you do?

I hardly ever shop in person now. I have items/brands I know I can rely on. For example, UniQlo for basics like base layers, joggers, merino sweaters; Next for some t shirts and jumpers also joggers; M&S do great comfy but stylish tapered trousers and cheap but nice wooly jumpers; Boden or Hobbs for dresses; and other website only brands like Acai for outdoor trousers, BAM for basics and just discovered Finisterre for special things like lovely jumpers and skirts.

I'm 44 and a size 8-10. Get everything from charity shops now, partly for ethical reasons, partly financial, but largely because I really don't like much that is in the shops at the moment!

My mom (obviously older than me but dresses youngish for her age - size 12) mostly goes to M and S, Sainsburys.

My best friend (similar age to me, size 10) loves Next, but she is gorgeous and looks good in everything!

I am 46 (nearly 47) and petite.

Jigsaw for cotton T-shirts and plain basics
M&S for jeans and some sweatshirts
Didricksen for coats
Jumpers 1234 for knitwear
Mint Velvet for trousers, but it can be quite sparkly.
Baukjen for trousers, jackets and dresses.

H&M, M&S, & Other Stories, Jigsaw, Hush, a bit of Hobbs for work, some bits of Sezane from Vinted, lots of Uniqlo and Gap.

I am mid-forties and had completely lost my fashion sense after 10+ years of pregnancy, breastfeeding and toddler wrangling. Badly fitting jeans and a badly fitting t shirt were my daily go to!

I went to John Lewis and saw one of their Personal Stylists. She was great. Tied all sorts of things on - even the things I thought were mad. Some of it suited me, some of it didn't, but it was so helpful to have someone else suggest things, go for different sizes, find accessories to help pull an outfit together etc while I stayed in the (large, private and calm) fitting room.

I have been a few times over the past two years, and I'm getting some sense of style back, and some semblance of a good wardrobe. I am steadily throwing away the badly fitting jeans and the badly fitting t shirts ....

There's no pressure to buy things. And if you're not sure and want to think about it then you can buy and then return within 32 days (I think 32, it's just over 30 days, anyway). I have bought the John Lewis suggestion and then found very similar in Primark or M&S and returned the more expensive one before now!

I find the cut of White Stuff impossible if you're very skinny slim. The shoulders are too wide and the necks are gapey and a lot of the skirts are a really frumpy stiff A line.

I buy loads from Esprit. I find they are good quality and have a good variety of styles etc. I think the only other place I shop from regularly is Primark and occasional forays into TK Maxx when I have time to rummage. My personal style is fairly plain.

I shop at Toast, Cos, Jigsaw, Massimo Dutti, Sezane. I’m ok with paying a bit more for things I buy because I know I’ll be wearing them for years.

I am your age and shorter ! I’m trying to buy less but make it better quality.

seasalt petit for trousers - ordered 8 pairs, kept 2. Or Uniqlo but they have gone a bit off.
bravissismo for bras. Need a good bra.
white company or petit Bateau for tops
vintage cashmere jumpers from eBay.
trainers - new balance kids !

I think I look ok- still get stared at in the street and pubs.

I love clothes, high street prices, and like to feel I have an eye for things. I mainly wear dresses and trainers or boots. I haven't had much time to go round the shops recently but would head to Zara, Joy, Superdry (as long as it'z something not emblazoned with their logo) and All Saints (although I find them a bit too expensive). One thing I did do was sign up for one of those monthly stylist deliveries (the well known one). It took them a few months to 'get' my style and I was about to quit when a new stylist sussed out I wanted to be 'trendy and a little bit sexy'. I think because I am late 40s at first they judged me incorrectly but they got there in the end. The only trouble is now they have me so sussed out that I want everything they send me! So I have had to give it a miss for a while because I realised I have far too much clothes. Might be worth you trying? A friend of mine who isn't as into clothes as I am found this really useful to get herself a few new bits and try out a few things she wouldn't have done.

M&S, Uniqlo and sainsburys which has some good stuff in the tat.

Reiss / Mint Velvet / Phase 8 / French Connection / Sea Salt for linen.

I’m no style guru but I dress smart and fairly classic and I buy mostly from Marks and Spencer (online and like their Finery range)

I like Peacocks for cheaper tops for work
next sometimes

but lurking for better ideas

Just joining in here, I'm a bit older than you at 53, but probably dress a bit younger, or at least try to. I'm 5'3 and size 12 (sometimes 10), 9 st 2, 34D. I've been trying to upgrade my wardrobe recently and have ordered loads of stuff online and returned most of it, but have had a few successful purchases. These are my recent good buys:
Next fuller bust denim jacket, size 12 petite
Seasalt petite Hallworthy Jeans size 12 petite
Boden Rose violet merino knit midi skirt, size 12 - they also do a navy one, it's a good length on me and fits really well
Boden silk shirt (ivory opulent leaf in sale) size 12 regular
Lucy and Yak blair mini skirt, size 12
Seasalt sea dance organic cotton leggings, size 12 petite
For info, I ordered a load of things from White Stuff and returned it all, found the quality had gone downhill. All the size 12s were enormous, 10s fitted but didn't like anything.
I also ordered various dresses and skirts from Seasalt and found them really frumpy looking.
And trousers/jeans/shirts/jackets from Boden/Levis/John Lewis/Monki/Arket all a bit of a disaster and returned.
I guess you have to try various things and see what you like and what fits.
I already have loads of basics like t-shirts, tank tops, long sleeved tops, hoodies, jumpers, tights, leggings etc so wanted a few more structured things. Wardrobe upgrade now complete and stopped shopping!

Which JL store was this, @HappyAsASandboy ? I have heard mixed reports about JL personal shopping, but this one sounds great.

@MissLucyEyelesbarrow Cambridge store. I have seen Holly and Talisia and both were very helpful - Holly challenged my thinking more though!

I am 45 overweight and under resourced financially
I would love to look more together
But just can't atm tbh

Thank you 😀

I'm 53 and most of my wardrobe is from M & S; they have some great stuff these last 3 or 4 years. I also love Hobbs, John Lewis' own brands and Sosandar.

Comfy, well fitted trousers &/or jeans in a style that suits you, along with some simple tops or good quality tees, is a good place to start, I reckon.

Shopping on eBay has produced some great finds for me, especially blazers, which I think can really elevate even a casual outfit. My favourite item is a denim blazer.

It's worth looking out for standout accessories, too. A simple outfit can often benefit from a colourful necklace, bracelet or pair of earrings. Simple, understated gold or silver looks lovely, too.

I’m 50, 5’1 and size 10. I’ve just bought loads of stuff from Vinted. I go for very high quality but cheap. I’m keen on Adriana Papell dresses, Principles Petite or Précis coats. My style hasn’t changed much since the 90s so I love a 60’s/90’s look, very simple shapes and a bit of a French influence. Bardot hair and makeup. I’m a soft gamine kibbe type so it suits me.

Massimo Dutti, Mango (especially their trousers), Reiss and for investment pieces (coat or a pair of really good trousers or a cardigan) - Max Mara or Marella. I also have French Connection near and while its more miss than hit - I did find a few good cotton shirts there last year.

I can't get with second had shoes. Just give me the heebees

It's slim pickings with Boden but I got a dark pink knit dress in the sale for £42 and I quite like it. Not too thick so suitable for spring/ autumn. Hoping it doesn't bobble after one wash but if it does, the 365 day guarantee will be used for refund. Which is how I afford to shop at boden as you just have to give the clothes long enough ti show some wear and back it goes. This is in line with their ts and Cs btw

45 & plus sized. I used to buy from Simply Be but it's gone off a cliff recently. Now it's H&M, Very, Seasalt for coats and M&S for underwear. For posh frocks I like the plus sized part of Phase 8 and Collectif.

Next, Roman, phase eight, crew clothing.