Best way to restock my wardrobe for £700?

[MoiraRoseVibes]

Hello style & beauty gang...
I have £700 saved up.
Over the past few years I have tried to get most of my stuff from Vinted but with this money I'm going to go clothes shopping so I can actually try stuff on.

My wardrobe is so lacking at the moment, everything is really shabby as it was second-hand to start with!

I'm close to London so can go there for the day and go wherever I choose...

How to get the best value out of my £700? I want to get as much as I can, I'm so sick of not having anything to wear!

I'm 45 so pretty clued up about what I like - good fabrics that feel nice to wear and last a while. Classy stuff but with a groovy edge to it. I love feeling comfortable... and not afraid to stand out.

WWYD?

Jigsaw, Whistles, White Company, Me&Em, Sezane, Reiss, Free People, Maje, Baukjen, Mint Velvet, &OtherStories

Problem is, with quality comes price. You won't get a lot for your money!

I hope you have a fab shopping spree 🥰

Scamp and Dude ⚡

I would try and curate a capsule wardrobe, so items that go well with each other with a couple of stand out pieces. I'd go to Zara to get some everyday things and then some pricier stored for stand out pieces

I would actually just buy 3-4 great things… and maybe cheaper basics like t shirts ( I love cos t shirts although they are more mid range)
treat your trip to London as an adventure and reconance trip rather than “must buy”
Consider an appointment with stylist? John Lewis.
Really consider gaps in wardrobe… I have a largish wardrobe - I love clothes, buy second hand carefully but recently bought a beautiful quality trench and has been absolutely transformative .
Above all have fun and spoil yourself.

Thank you all! Am very excited. Though I think I've forgotten how flustered it makes you feel going in and out of changing rooms all day...!

Uniqlo is great for basics (t shirts/ trousers etc) then I'd buy a few stand out pieces from Zara or something

i would book an appointment at John Lewis as others have suggested.

but also, search on instagram, there are loads of great wardrobe capsule suggestions.

It depends on your lifestyle and where the gaps in your wardrobe are. . I would probably spend a good chuck or all of it on a beautiful coat, Max Mara probably or Karen Millen and it would be gone. But I'm 55 and it would be the last coat I buy. Years ago I would have gone to Debenhams or Topshop and bought so much I couldn't carry it.

Alternatively, I would go to Chelsea or other affluent area, Richmond and look at the charity shops and dress agencies.

Uniqlo for basics. I second Cos for t-shirts.

Everyone needs a couple of pairs of good jeans. I actually like M&S jeans. A trench coat is a must in my wardrobe.

On your budget I'd use accessories to stand out.

Think about your lifestyle. Look at women around you in the places you hang out and see what they're wearing v that works.

Go out shopping with the intention of buying nothing except maybe something specific like a bra or a jumper and try everything on that catches your eye, just to get your eye in.

I'm doing a capsule wardrobe with high quality fabrics only for similar reasons.

I went through my wardrobe and got rid of anything that does not fit desired look. The made a list of what was missing, and then a list of the things that 'fit' but would like to replace.

I ordered a coat, gilet (as had no hood on coat), and trousers from Reiss (Next clearance). I ordered two cashmere jumpers from Cos, I researched and they were by far the best cost/value. That probably came to around £500. I'll need to get a cotton shirt (Arket), a cashmere high neck and another couple of pairs of trousers which would take me up to £700.

I already had high quality shirts (silk/cotton), and all the footwear I needed. Besides a decent pair of sunglasses, and maybe a pair of jeans that covers everything.

I’d definitely get an expensive coat from Vinted rather than buying new. It’s one of the items you’ll wear least, especially if you live in the South where it’s almost always too warm for a big coat. As others have said, look for gaps in your wardrobe and maybe get a JL stylist. Focus on what you actually wear. Don’t get a beautiful dress if you never wear dresses, for example. A few good basics go a long way, so something like Uniqlo, Zara, or even M&S for T shirts and trousers (jeans, a wide leg black trouser) but then spend more on a great jacket, skirt, and tops/jumpers. You’ll not get change from £100+ if you want cashmere numbers but they are lovely.

And go through your wardrobe and try everything on.

Is there anything that you loved back in the day but doesn't fit/has holes in/has one wildly dated decoration? Maybe you should replace that.

Is there a style of garment which in the cold hard light of day does you no favours whatsoever? Eg midi skirts, wide legged trousers. You can eliminate them from shopping consideration.

Is there anything which you love but can't wear because you don't have a garment in the right colour/shape to wear with it?

It sounds as if you have a load of Vinted stuff that you like and bought deliberately but is just tatty. Look at the stuff you wear most often and think about replacing that.

And don't write off upmarket charity shops. Unlike Vinted you can assess the quality and how well worn they are at point of sale, so if you pick carefully stuff can last as well and look just as good as something fresh out of the shops. I'm wearing a charity shop jacket from a very high end brand atm which I've had for almost ten years. Cost me twenty five quid plus another thirty to get is altered and still looks brand new.

Best advice I ever got of Style and Beauty was to list out scenarios in your life and what would make you feel stylish in those moments. If you actually spend your life walking the dog and working from home then focus there, as opposed to being tempted by some gorgeous item you won't wear so much. So, for example, in a similar situation, I upgraded my cheap and ageing leggings and hoodies to better quality and complementary colours/styles because the reality is that is how I spent a lot of time.

There's a thread in classics thats years old https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_classics/3797652-thanks-to-s-b-i-m-finally-winning-in-the-pursuit-of-elegance?page=21&reply=141487781 but its worth a scroll as many others have gone down similar paths.

As for London - I'd actually plan to only spend a little on the day and use it as recon for what you like, styles and brands that work for you. Keep notes and take photos in dressing rooms, but then regroup back at home and make decisions. Oh and definitely think about what you wear, slip on shoes, good underwear and clothes than you can change in and out of easily!

Given that everything can be ordered online, I would concentrate on places whose clothes you can’t completely get the feel of online. Plus pure inspiration.

So I’d suggest:

Colenimo Worth the pilgrimage to the tiny shop on Columbia Road - they really care about fabrics. Things need trying on. TBH if they fitted me I’d spend the entire amount on a coat and dress from here.

Dover Street Market - for awe and wonder and inspiration.

Margaret Howell while the sale is still on. Another fabric heaven and the clothes last forever.

Massimo Dutti Excellent at the moment, cool and classic but still affordable.

https://www.massimodutti.com/gb/store-locator

You took the words right of out my mouth.

I wouldn’t go too high end like Me&Em. £700 will buy you one dress and a couple of tops at the very most.

I went on a spree the other day and got three pairs of jeans and a handbag from M&S. Two nice cardigans from New Look, yes they won’t last too long but they were £22. And I bought loads in Zara. Jacket, Coat, Scarf, 5 tops, 2 jumpers.

I'm loving this thread and going to have a good read later and work out my game plan.

Thank you everyone - this is all very gratefully received!

@BambooScaffold - that is such a great tip about visualising myself in the actual situations in my life and thinking what I'd like to be wearing- thanks! (Also the slip-on shoes etc for the shopping trip- yes!)

Basics in black white and grey

boxy T-shirts - Uniqlo and M&S

long sleeve fitted tops for under things - M&S or H&M

basic vest tops - M&S

jeans - wide blue denim, blue high waist flair, straight black and a smart pair of deep dark inky denim for going out - M&S

2 or 3 classic oversized or boxy jumpers. Round neck or polo neck - Uniqlo cashmere is good, M&S yarn is suprisingly goid quality

a couple of lovely blouses - Zara is good

bags - always leather. I always have a tan, black and neutral one. Good value on a budget include Reiss and whistles or hush

belts - brown and black. I have a couple of simple leather ones with plain gold buckle and also some horsebit ones which have a Gucci feel. M&S

spend money on coats. Wool knee length single breaded classic coat - John Lewis / Max Mara

everyday puffa - go a bit boxy and slightly cropped. Uniqlo for cheap / mackage or rains for more expensive

couple of cashmere scarves - there are some excellent sellers on eBay

I must not spend any more money on clothes but Massimo Dutti mentioned above has some really versatile items, like a v neck linen dress that could also act as a pinafore for under £50

Now is a brilliant time to restock your wardrobe as all the sales are on

Personally I would not be tempted to splurge all your money on a load of cheaper clothes.

If you've been buying particular brands from vinted & liked the quality etc I would carefully assess what you need to build the basis of a new wardrobe.

Somethings could give older items a new lease of life, giving you more time to continue building your your wardrobe up.

If you're in a position to keep saving, i would use the £700 for a winter / early spring wardrobe. And save to add summer items later.

As pp have said think about your actual life & what your most frequently worn clothes are.

Aim to have 5 or 6 day to day outfits that make you feel good when you put them on & that are suitable for your needs

2 x nicer outfits that you can mix & match to make outfits for daytime at weekends meeting friends, casual outings etc

2 x lovely outfits for nights out or special occasions

A couple of coats for differing situations including a wool one, a rain coat & a casual day to day jacket (puffa etc)

Good footwear - leather boots & nice trainers or shoes + a pair of boots or shoes for more special occasions

Bags / belts / scarves /jewellery / tighys / socks etc

You won't get all that with your money but you can certainly get well on the way

Good luck op, it's exciting to be able to buy a good few lovely things & it will make you feel so much better getting dressed every day

On your budget I'd be looking at H&M and Zara and I'd be aiming to buy "outfits" rather than single items. Have you got the LTK app? It's full of influencers and celebs who link the exact items they are wearing and very often they're very reasonably priced, but it's really helped me put together a whole outfit rather than buying single items of clothing and not having the right things to go with it.

I agree with this ^
what to buy is very much depends on what activities you usually do. So I would think hard about this and gaps in your wardrobe.

I've entered LTK into my App Store but can't find anything. I'd be really interested in this if you can tell me more.

@healthybychristmas it's called LTK (liketoknow.it) and the logo is the black letters LTK on a white background, it's described as Creator Guided Shopping.

I think I ended up finding it via fashion bloggers on instagram, but you can type in a celeb who's style you like, eg I follow Frankie Bridge, and her account shows her outfits with links to the exact items. I've just typed it into the App Store and it's popped up. It's very helpful.