But what has actually influenced your wardrobe shopping choices?

[DeHumanaeMentisApatheia]

There are intermittent threads asking for lists of where people shop - I’m not sure how compelling these are for readers. (And where the OP takes no active role in the thread it’s hard to believe they’re not just some sort of AI generated thing.)

Surely the crucial thing is what shapes a person’s tastes and preferences - all the more so for mature women who have more hinterland. Whether that’s your parents’ interests when you were a child, or shopping with friends as a teen, or a revelation at university or in early jobs. As much as life stages, health, environment, finances.

My ‘reading Vogue from 13’ history is all over S&B.

What influenced you, before ‘influencers’? And how does that affect how you shop now?

It's never been a factor for me. Not when I was a size 6 or 8 or now a 14. I'm not interested in flattering my figure or showing off my best features or hiding my worst features. (not that I have best or worst features)

It's always been dressing up. I want clothes with a story. As a teenager I adored Stevie Nicks and later Marie McKee in her Lone Justice Days and Natalie Merchant solo and with 10,000 Maniacs. Videos of Maria and Natalie from the 1980s and 1990s still look great and what they're wearing is still eminently wearable.

The only High Street brands I bought regularly from were Laura Ashley until it completely lost its way and Hobbs, until it lost its way. Even as a teenager and early 20s for non work wear I bought clothes in independent and second hand, not high street.

From about 1995 onwards I used to buy work wear from Pauw in Amsterdam which used to do extraordinary tailored skirts and jackets (some of which came with instructions). And Frontiers Edinburgh which is an independent boutique which has been around since 1990. (Many thanks Jane and Kim)

There used to be a fabulous independent boutique called Arkangel which also sold extravagantly designed clothes, usually obscure UK and French brands. -(many thanks Janey and Lulu)

I don't follow any influencers. I'm not interested in looking "groomed" or "polished" or wearing "classic neutrals". I have no interest in handbags beyond do they serve the purpose of carrying stuff.

I don't buy anything from high street now. My husband describes my style as trust fund hippy - which has a degree of accuracy.

Oh I also don't have rules, would hate a capsule wardrobe and "my colours" are colours I like.

I never make mistakes. There's nothing in my wardrobe I don't love and wear.

Interesting question! The main things that influenced me were having a grandmother who was an excellent sewer/ knitter (and so is my mum, but she did it a bit less than nana) and growing up around where all the clothes for places like M&S were made (north derbyshire/ north notts). Mum and I used to often do a trawl round the factory shops of a weekend, and because things were often a bit of a random size and it wasn't always obvious what brand they were, you judged on quality. 99% of those factories are gone now, but I still judge on quality - it's really hardwired -, so I don't buy anything from the high street now. I do look a bit bizarre and I probably wouldn't be able to do this if I had the type of job where I had to look professional!

Colour analysis

the material of the clothes. If it’s not good quality it’s not getting my money.

I dress to intimidate the men and reinforce the fact that I stand out anyway … so may as well own it. (@HeyPrune)

I still judge on quality - it’s really hardwired - so I don’t buy anything from the high st now. I do look a bit bizarre and I probably wouldn’t be able to do this if I had the type of job where I had to look professional! (@anonymous24601)

Both of these experiences resonate so much with me. Cutting my professional teeth in the late 80s City I was surrounded by men dressed from Savile Row, and even as a trainee I saw no reason why I shouldn’t be just as well dressed. And as, generally, the only one of my kind in any building I couldn’t help but be noticeable. I embraced it.

My wardrobe has evolved as my life has changed but my bar for acceptable quality is just as high. And having no limitations now on what I’m ‘allowed’ to wear … I sometimes feel every conversation I ever had with my parents about clothes while they were alive urging me on to experience everything while I’m still able to choose.

I was an emo kid in the mid 2000s, so I dressed myself to suit. As I've got older, I've never really left that mindset (lots of black, leaning alternative), it's just a more adult and refined version now - it's how I feel most myself. I was on the internet a lot during the rise of things like Polyvore and Pinterest so I used to spend hours putting together outfits that suited my ideal style and I guess developed quite a specific ideal 'look'.

That plus my body shape and learning about colours - I don't subscribe wholeheartedly to a colour season but I do tend to only buy things in colours I know suit me and I know what silhouettes do and don't flatter me. I'm short and hourglass - anything too boxy or empire line for example looks ridiculous or distorting on me, so I avoid those.

Price, comfort and what I think suits me. Clothes are so expensive and I've got a wardrobe full already. I only buy what I genuinely need - and I rarely genuinely need anything. I think looking in charity shops is more interesting than trawling around the High Street.

Really interesting question and I'm enjoying reading everyone's responses.

I grew up in a country where the style (fashion, interiors, everything) was quite minimal and with simple colours and clean lines. I think this has probably influenced me more than I thought.

More recently, I had a colour analysis done which has helped me be more considered with what I buy and I'm trying to buy better quality, so I can build a capsule wardrobe of things I can throw together and feel good in without lots of thought.

I'm overweight and that limits where I can shop and I definitely dress to disguise my shape, though thankfully it generally fits with the style I like. Hopefully one day I'll lose some weight and then I'll have more options.

I've beens seriously ill ,a doctor told me they're surprised I survived. I now don't really care what I look like as it all seems so superficial. I'm more worried whether it can be worn for treatment on treatment days or if it covers my catheter on non treatment days. I mean I still like to look nice but its not my primary aim, comfort and practality are. My latest purchase was 3 v neck long sleeved tshirts for treatment. Unfortunately I don't really like the colours but it was all they had.

and "my colours" are colours I like.

Same here, but I still found it really helpful to have my colours done to get the right shade of blue and the right shade of green, for example.

It makes clothes shopping easy as I just swerve all the colours that don't suit me, which also happens to be the colours I don't care for. The sea of brown and beige I saw in town today mean that all I bought was some socks.

getting my colours done has been life changing, unfortunately it also means I can't do any shopping this time of year, everything is for the autumn palette. Also realising that I can't wear any warm makeup (no bronzers for me) or have warm toned hair (one of the reasons all my old photos are terrible).

Growing up in Liverpool was a huge influence on my style. I actually don't like the traditional "Scouse prinny" style and I don't follow it at all, but I've still internalised the basic idea that dressing up is the done thing. If I went out to a comedy gig or to the theatre, for example, I would usually wear a dress rather than jeans. I do spend a fair amount of time in London, and I know looking too dressed up is a faux pas there, but if going out to an event there I'd just wear a plain dress rather than a glam one - still no jeans 😂

Going to Oxford was also weirdly formative - it was in the mid-2000s so there were hoodies with denim miniskirts; pearl necklaces and earrings; clean, natural-looking, big hair. I haven't worn a denim skirt since about 2008 but I almost always wear pearls if I'm wearing jewellery, and I have retained the hairstyle! I still like that preppy look when I'm dressing casually - rugby shirts, polo shirts etc.

Interesting to read the comments about being well-known in the community - I'm quite high-profile within my little niche at work and I definitely feel I have to dress up for conferences and events because I'll be in lots of photos and I'm known for looking feminine and liking fun clothes.

Fascinating topic - I'm loving all the replies!

Trinny and Susannah

@Torchout - surely we can find you t shirts in colours you like?

My mum was (and still is) a charity shop queen. I grew up with lots of siblings and we didn't have a lot of money so pretty much all of our clothes were secondhand. I have definitely kept that up because I prefer to have fewer clothes of higher quality and tend to lean towards natural fibres so the charity shop is my happy place. Vinted has been excellent too for buying clothes from decent labels at a reasonable price.

We grew up very rurally so clothing was practical. It had to work for traipsing along country lanes in the rain or for digging up potatoes from the back garden. When I was a teenager I was a goth for a few years and I feel my current style sort of mixes those two influences. I like comfortable, relaxed clothes but with an edge. I can lean quite utilitarian but enjoy a leather biker jacket, or a chunky boot or a bit of lace.

I'm loving reading everyone's responses, great thread!

Scandi Noir has influenced me. Mostly they wear what I did when I did A' Levels - bootcut jeans, shirt and v neck with hair in claw clip and simple earings. So i am going back to that. I dont care if skinny jeans return next year or we are meant to be wearing coulottes - I will stick to what works for me.

My body is what mostly influences me I think. I'm on the tall side but am short waisted (grrrr...) and over the years have worked out what does and doesn't suit me. My nana was a dressmaker and I had gorgeous clothes when I was young, but I hate sewing myself. I mainly dress very casual and comfort has won over style ever since I was quite young. I mostly wear natural fabrics and live in merino in winter, linen and cotton in summer. I wear jeans (always boot cut) or merino joggers in winter but as soon as the weather warms up I am into skirts and dresses. I never wore heels and these days (I'm retired) I prefer sneakers and trainers to anything else. I used to wear a lot of blue, and still love it, but in the last 10 or so years have really developed a love for earthy colours (so excited to see brown in the shops!!). I rarely wear patterns preferring a plain and rather minimalist look. I wear what I like and what I think suits me and while I admire people who dress well it's not what I aspire to.

What’s influenced me as I’ve gotten older and are
more content with my personal style:

Having my colours done. This was a game changer. I’ve always been drawn to my ‘colours’ anyway but surprisingly black wasn’t one of them and I’ve started to avoid it as I’ve noticed it does t do anything for me.

I dress for my shape. I’m a curvy bottomed 8/10 with a small waist so I dress to show off my waist rather than draw attention to my hips and bum. I’m smaller on top too so a tighter fitting too with looser bottom works for me.

I love a coat/jacket and really think they make an outfit. I find good pieces that will last and are more classic. Tend to follow trends more with jackets rather than coats.

classic styling. I love bold prints and colours on others but they simply don’t suit me. Quite plain and simple classic designs always make me more confident.

Lifestyle - I am in my early 40s with small children so I make sure I have comfortable casual outfits I can throw on with trainers and still feel somewhat put together in. Equally, I like the occasional night out with friends so have options for that and heels, and my DH career means we have to attend formal events so I have pieces to cover all bases.

Wow. Amazing, so you had your childhood clothing experiences like top top top starts (from what they describe in their memoirs) in the Chanel top floor atelier, not ready-to-wear nonsense. I have never ever seen a seamstress in my life! This must be amazing, and your eye in relation to clothing quality must be unsurpassed!
P.S. I have once handled a vintage lined dress and I was beyond excited!

My grandparents.

They always looked smart. I never saw them in casual clothing. Grandad always wore a collar (as did my dad). They didn’t own jeans and t-shirts. My nana was either in a dress or a smart skirt and blouse. The only time I saw her in trousers was on the golf course.

Another thing that has influenced me is the book ‘Lessons from Madame Chic’. It’s about an American student, Jennifer Scott, and her year, living with a smart Parisian family. How, by observing them, she found her style. A lot of what she learnt resonated with me.

I try to look smart. Wear good quality, fitted clothes. I don’t always achieve it, but I’m a lot more confident in the way I look now. I finally know my style.

I also read Vogue from about 12. I say read, I just looked at the clothes. I did it at the local library. This was back in the 70’s. I also read other magazines there, like Honey and Nova. Back then and before the internet, magazines and shop windows were the only place to get inspo. I loved fashion and always have though haven’t followed trends blindly. I’m in my 60’s now and still try to dress fashionably with a nod to what’s currently on trend whilst making sure it’s age and figure appropriate.

Without wishing to sound like an arse, I have an eye for aesthetics, be it dressing or my home, I can work out what looks good together,and get a lot of compliments, so I don’t tend to be influenced,more I go with what I like. I look at the models and decide if it looks good and I know what suits me.

i was heavier, gained weight with meno, and went into thr strietchy black clothing era, but now I’ve lost it at a size 8 I have learned to dress with what suits me,

I no longer wear black, but tend to pale colours a lot of cream, tan, dusky pink, nudes, and darker staples like olive, or navy,

im 5 ft 6 and a half and long legs and a short body, so I wear a lot of midi dresses, in a fit and flare shape, wide leg trousers, fitted tops, or slouchy jumpers, and I always try to wear lovely fabrics, quality counts, so I love a lot of me and em for example.

i don’t follow fashion, but make sure what I wear is current, fits well and is good quality fabrics. I am not in the group of it needs to be natural fabrics, a lot of man made fabrics are excellent at higher price points, and perform much better, I’m also not any particular group like boho or grunge, I go for paired down simple and elegant, and it seems to work.

I am short and seem increasingly so as the GenZ are so tall!

This means for me baggy clothes are very hit and miss. I might love a long floaty dress but it rarely loves me back.

I also wonder at the usefulness at threads with lists of shops op, but maybe they're helpful to someone.

I think my main influence is something nostalgic about my parent's and grandparent's eras. My house is mid century modern. The books and films I live most are old. I remember choosing my kitchen sink based on fond memories of doing the washing up at Nan's after one of her amazing meals. Clothes are similar. I always liked the same time span in clothes but felt it looked like cos play until I found my way with it. I was young in the 70s and 80s when vivid colour was still in fashion and I loved that. And the grunge of the 90s with loose fitting layers is also probably still an influence!

I also dress for the weather and what I am doing, and never understand people who go out in the pouring rain without a coat or umbrella. I once saw someone climbing down the rocky path to view the High Force waterfall in stilettos.

I admit to being influenced by posts in S & B on mumsnet, although I don't have budget to buy many of the brands mentioned.

Unfortunately, I live somewhere where the charity shops tend to stock Primark, George, Tu and F & F clothes rather than designer clothes, although there might be the odd Next or M & S item.