I'm shopping for new clothes. I want to cry. Where to go?!

[PeakAchoo]

I need some new clothes. I especially need some new trousers/jeans. I want these basics but I'm also in the market for a few statement pieces (bottoms or tops).

I decided to hit up New Look (my favourite shop) online and buy absolutely anything that took my fancy.

That has turned out to be basically nothing because everything is shit. I've found a few pairs of wide leg trousers and that's about it.

Everything is just awful. There are no statement tops or trousers that I can find, everything is so safe and same-y. The jumpers are all box-y, shapeless, and look bobbly already. The T-shirts are all slouchy and trying to be quirky with logos of old bands on them.
Even the models are making me feel depressed - they're beautiful young women but all slumped shoulders and concave midriffs.

Is everywhere equally as awful? Where shall I try to give my wardrobe a bit of a boost, where I could get some good basic stuff and a few statement pieces?

I'm not a fan of Uniqlo. I don't particularly like Yumi or Joe Browns. I'm boycotting M&S. I've never been able to get on with sizing at H&M.

Help me, MN!

Fucking hate wide legged trousers, looser cuts of jeans, boxy tops, cut-out bits in clothing, crop tops, clumpy boots, clumpy trainers, shapeless midi dresses, shapeless maxi dresses, anything 90s or ‘Y2K’, stupid florals and spot prints. Argh!

Me too! I've started to just ignore these trends and wear things I like, as I look so awful in all of this. I do wear quite clumpy boots though, not too extreme but solid, but that's for health reasons. The rest- nope, none of it flattering on me. I've got the knee length boots out, a few black dresses of varying shapes and sizes, casual but not too casual blazers, black jeans and I'm styling it out til more structured fashion comes back, if it ever will given it is much more costly to produce than a box-shaped top with baggy trousers.

Nice wool overcoats are slightly helping, that's one trend I'm glad to see coming back around...

All I can say is I agree, you're not alone in the battle.

Crap quality

This is good advice. New Look is fast fashion aimed at people who can't afford better quality. I like Mango, &Other Stories, Cos...but agree, it's slim pickings out there.

I mean I'd want to cry too if I'd only looked at New Look for clothes !

Joanie?

I like Conquista for tops as they have some styles accommodate a bust without being boxy - the faux wrap comes in a lot of colours with and without sleeves and washes well - worth looking at their dresses and trousers too https://conquista-fashion.com/collections/tops-new/products/mint-long-sleeve-faux-wrap-top-in-stretch-jersey-sustainable-fabric

I wear mom jeans from River Island, t-shirts from somewhere like M&S, New Look, Gap (old!!), Promod (stock up when in France), plus sweatshirts from Hush (Vinted good for these) and at the moment, slightly boxy knitwear from wherever (but I avoid too much acrylic/polyester).

I actually find summer easier as I live in shorts (Passenger, M&S again) and the same t-shirts, with a few sundresses thrown in. Plus the Hush sweatshirts!!

Most of the above stuff is pretty old, apart from the RI jeans - it's rare that I buy much new now. I have slightly more luck with work stuff I think - I find Next good for that, but I also still rely on works clothes I've had for 15yrs+ from places like Whistles, Noa Noa, La Redoute, and Zara.

You're right though, OP - it's a bloody minefield out there!

I like Joanie. And, in contrast to Cider/Shein, it's B Corp.

I think the supermarkets have some of the best clothes available, I especially like Tesco but Sainsburys and Asda have good bits too, and not all polyester

I am a shopaholic and live close to a lot of shops (I'm on the no buy thread) but even I'm getting a bit disinterested. Part of the problem is everything is the same regardless of what shop you go into and another is the complete lack of quality. Retailers know we expect to pay peanuts and to do that at the moment they have to cut all the corners. Clothes that are even 3 years older have more detail and things like metal zips.

I think also in the main everything has become very casualised so things like going out tops are hard to find, although there were quite a lot around at Christmas.

I tend to find you have to search high and low for nice pieces, from across all outlets and it probably helps if you do have a consistent style as you know what you're looking for. Vinted could be an option to step back in time.

If I had to choose only two retailers (supermarkets aside) I'd pick Mango and Seasalt. Both have simple clothes as long as you avoid the patterns in Seasalt and the cropped tops in Mango.

I'd add Joannie,
Anthropologie and
Nobody's Child
to your (very good) list.

Sugarhill Brighton do nice statement jumpers. Fairly pricey new, but look on Vinted and some really nice jumpers going. f*** crop tops.

I know you're boycotting m and s but...I really like m and s clothes these days 🙈! I feel like m and s has got more fashionable lately and I have friends who agree. I'm 31. So it may just be that I got older 😂 but...I do think they have upped their game!

Monsoon sale can be good for a top or dress

John Lewis is always a good place to see all different brands in one place

i do like some stuff from Sainsbury's too

@Forthwith You get it! Shall we try shopping together and then when it turns awful (after 49 seconds), we can just decant to the pub!?

I agree that supermarkets have been doing some lovely things in recent years but I've found nothing in the last few months.

I think I need to wait for the horrible boxy trend to die away. I feel like I've been waiting for a turn ever since those hideous cold shoulder tops started making an appearance about ten years ago 😭

Am I missing something? I've trawled but I really can't see anything at John Lewis - all very same-y and boring.

Sadly the TKMaxx in town closed down a couple of years ago so that's a non-starter. Gutted, I used to love a browse in TKMaxx!

I would also bear in mind that this a bad time of year for a wardrobe refresh. The sequinny Christmas jumper stuff is barely off the rails and full spring collections won't be online yet. It's the dullest still-winter-but-not-in-a-fun-way lines right now, other than a few too-early spring lines.

If you are looking at the budget end (I can't get on with H & M sizings either) then try Mango & Sainsbury's Tu.

I have also bought from places like Seasalt (though don;t like their current offering) Fat Face, Hobbs & All Saints.

oh someone else said river Island. I don't like jeans shopping, who does. But their mom slim jeans are decent. Not skinny, not silly baggy, quite flattering, comfy. And dare I say it NOT UNTRENDY. Although i suspect a young person would disagree.

Oooh, River Island is a good shout - I used to shop there a lot!

I can't get on with Seasalt and Hobbs. Their clothes all have a Kate-Middleton-Opening-A-Community-Centre vibes. I'm sure there's nice stuff lingering around their shops and websites somewhere but I can't get past the initial air of sensible-ness (for want of a better word).

I was going to add French Connection. I didn't go for years, then last summer I bought a yellow top, and in the autumn, a purple cotton jumper. Both were 100% cotton. The styles are fairly basic, but there's some nice colours and they seem to be well-cut (st least for my shape)

I tend to go to M&S for jeans. Comfortable, good fit/length and not badly priced. I can usually find what I'm looking for Per Una and Autograph ranges first. I'm about to go looking for more (I like the stretchy, slim fit, high waisted jeans) as that's what I live in these days. I used to buy in Matalan and Uniqlo but haven't recently as I'm trying to reduce my clothes shopping - apart from T-Shirts. Also look at Sainsburys Tu range or River Island. 🌹

Katie Middleton Opening a community centre vibes love it. The KMOC look.

I like Sugarhill Brighton and also Ro and Zo