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Help me spend my gift cards!

1 reply

MotherWol · 22/04/2026 08:54

Wise women of S&B, I need help shopping! I have gift cards for John Lewis and M&S, and I'd like to spend them on clothes/shoes, but I find the whole online shopping thing very uninspiring, and I don't know what to buy. I'm hoping to have time to visit a larger store and browse in the coming weeks, but I don't really know what's good at the moment. I have £200 to spend at John Lewis and £100 to spend at M&S, and this is likely to be all the clothes shopping I can do for the foreseeable, until I can find a new job!

For context:
I'm early 40s, my style leans casual and classic. I'm really into the 90s minimalism/CBK/J.Crew style that's popular at the moment. I have an office job, but it's not super-formal. Casual clothes need to be comfortable and playground-appropriate. I wear a lot of grey, navy and jeans. Current gaps in my wardrobe: shoes that aren't trainers (loafers?), lightweight jackets, a black (wool?) blazer.

What would you buy?

OP posts:
EscapadeVelocity · 22/04/2026 09:11

Looking at JL’s list of brands,

https://www.johnlewis.com/brand/women/barbour/_/N-fjeZ1z13zxs?chunk=2

seems a good option for casual outerwear. Better to get one good thing than several of lesser quality.

Or just browse the list and choose your favourite brands?

https://www.johnlewis.com/brands/women

No ideas on M&S.

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