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Where did you shop as a teenager and where do you shop now?

39 replies

IWantToHibernate · 07/01/2026 19:47

I loved New Look, River Island and Jane Norman as a teenager. Also Tammy Girl (remember that?) I couldn’t afford Topshop and never found anything that appealed to me.

I wouldn’t shop in New Look or River Island now, more due to the quality than anything else. These days most of my clothes are from M&S, and the odd thing from Uniqlo.

OP posts:
Cat1504 · 07/01/2026 20:47

Chelsea Girl, BHS, c&A, Top Shop, Miss Selferidge…..now ….Next, Pull & Bear, Uniqlo, Asda, Zara

Wolmando · 07/01/2026 20:52

Then, Chelsea Girl, C&A, Flip

Now, Seasalt, Fatface, M&S, Next

mintich · 07/01/2026 20:55

Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Warehouse, Morgan, Kookai, Jane Norman, Pilot, River Island

Now,
M&S
River Island for jeans!
Boden
Next
Mint Velvet

PassportPanicFuuuck · 07/01/2026 20:56

As teenager: River Island, Topshop, Etam, M&S, Morgan.

Now: M&S, Hobbs, White Stuff, Fat Face, Phase 8, Uniqlo.

GellerYeller · 07/01/2026 21:00

idontcareabouttennis · 07/01/2026 20:19

@SuperGingeryes! I have some old French Connection & Coast stuff from early 2000s which are sooo well made compared to today. And also size 12 when all my clothes now are an 8 and I’m fatter 🧐

Yes this is definitely true about the old sizing! Loved French Connection but my budget as a teen was Miss Selfridge or Chelsea Girl, and coveting Benetton!
Then I graduated to Oasis, Warehouse and Kookai. TopShop, until they hit their stride in the Kate Moss era, was often a bit cheap looking.
We had loads of independents in our local shopping centre for cheap jeans, leggings or stretch jersey minis. And Bankrupt clothing for Levi’s or Joe Bloggs (remember them?!)…

Disturbia81 · 07/01/2026 21:01

Same places!

Vitriolinsanity · 07/01/2026 21:01

Then
Oasis, Warehouse, French Connection, Karen Millen, Next

Now:
Reiss, French Connection, Phase 8, Mint Velvet, Hush, zara

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 07/01/2026 21:10

Miss Selfridge, Topshop, and wee indie boutiques for hippy-dippy stuff, second hand jeans (Levi’s) from Flip, big mouldy old coats from Oxfam.

Now - Cos, Arket, &OtherStories, Urban Outfitters, still Levi’s. Odd things from H&M and Marks.

LyndaSnellsSniff · 07/01/2026 21:16

As a teen, C&A, Bay Trading (did it go from being Bay Trading Company to just Bay Trading at some point?), Miss Selfridge, Top Shop, Internationale, Pilot, New Look, vintage shops in Glasgow.

Nowadays, The White Company, Anthropologie, White Stuff, Oliver Bonas, M&S. But I don't enjoy clothes shopping any longer as I feel fat, achy and frumpy.

DelinquentSnails · 07/01/2026 21:25

Miss Selfridge, Topshop, River Island. I loved maxi skirts, striped trousers, kilts, floppy little dresses, grandad cardis, DM’s

I now shop in Joseph, Max Mara, Poetry, Me and Em, Reiss. Basically, all the posh places on the high street but I still looked a hundred times better in Miss Selfridge because I was sixteen and nineties fashion was fun.

Crushed23 · 07/01/2026 21:42

Teenager: New Look, MK One, Dorothy Perkins, Topshop, Miss Selfridge.

Now (at 36): Margaret Howell, Toast, Sandro, Reformation, Maje, Zimmerman (rare splurge), Levi’s, Ganni.

So quite different!

Edit to add: same as PP, I looked MUCH better back then. Dress very ‘practically’ now.

FredaMountfitchet · 07/01/2026 22:09

Miss Selfridge Top Shop Next Chelsea Girl Wrygges and an independant shop in home town.
Now M&S Boden Mint Velvet Reiss John Lewis Whistles Hobbs and a lot of charity shops & eBay . Really miss well made clothes so Jaeger etc from charity shops !

Finchgold · 07/01/2026 22:20

Teen- Topshop, Gap, Cult, Jean scene

Now- Gap, Pull and Bear, Stradivarius

GreenCaterpillarOnALeaf · 08/01/2026 15:09

I’ve always been a charity shop person, out of necessity as a child, by choice now. As a teen I used to go to the nice parts of town and get some great deals, some of which I still have 10 years later. My style has always been kind of hippieish because my mum is a bit of a hippie. I did/ do sometimes get stuff for urban outfitters in the sale because they have some really nice dresses in greens and patterns that I love, but only in the sale! I also used to DIY some of my stuff with bleach. I made an off the shoulder jumper with fairy wings painted on the back when I was 15 and I loved it so much, it was my go to jumper for 10 years! I still have it but it’s too raggy to wear out and about now. I got a lot of people asking me where it was from back in the day and made some similar ones which I sold to girls I knew. Little entrepreneur, I thought I was the next Vivian Westwood.

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