Where do you buy your clothes?

Where do you buy your clothes?

It’s a question I’m asked frequently and one that I love to answer. Mostly because the answer usually surprises people.

You see, I buy my clothes from a wide range of places – online, large department stores, chain stores and independent boutiques. I don’t spend a huge amount of money on clothes – I tend to gravitate towards fairly neutral colours and classic styles that seem to last a couple of seasons. 

I’m also a massive fan of the mix and match. A quick scroll through my Instagram feed will show you just how many tops, jeans and jackets I have on high wardrobe rotation at the moment {spoiler alert – the answer is many!}

Here are some of my favourite places to shop.

Where do you buy your clothes – Online

Adrift – I haven’t bought anything from Adrift in a while – must change that situation ASAP – but during the warmer months I fell in love with their gorgeous OTS tops and dresses. 

Birdsnest – I’ve made several purchases from Birdsnest in the last 12 months. Their delivery is quick, their returns policy is excellent and they have a huge variety of clothing on offer.

FRANKiE4 – There are four pairs of FRANKiE4’s in my wardrobe – two kindly sent to me from FRANKiE4 HQ and two that I’ve purchased.

Everyone’s budget is different, so everyone’s idea of what expensive is different. For me, $289 for a pair of shoes is pushing the budget to its limit. BUT…I have a wide foot and find it very difficult to find comfortable, fashionable shoes that fit. So, when I find a shoe that my small yet wide hoof will slip into, I’m all over it. SALLi in black, I’m looking at you.

Katies – I’m a big fan of Katies clothing, particularly their denim anything – hello denim with stretch, so nice to meet you! As an added bonus, Katies have regular sales. As luck would have it, there’s one happening right now. Find all the details on their current hot offers here.

Bird Keepers Everyday Blazer $89.95 available in red, black, navy, moose, port and white. Sizes 6-22 {I’m wearing a size 14}  Katies sleeveless tank, $14.95 Sizes S – 1XL ({I’m wearing a M} Forever New Jeans – not current, similar available here  FRANKiE4 SALLi boots $289.95* 

She Street – I discovered She Street on Insta and while I’ve only made one purchase, it’s been on high rotation ever since. Great prices and super speedy delivery – what’s not to love?

She Street Sophia drape top in blush $49, OSFA

The Styling You Shop – Open at the beginning of Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer, the Styling You Shop offers a carefully chosen edit of seasonal clothing pieces. If you’re time poor and would like to update your wardrobe quickly and easily, this is the online store for you. 

The Styling You Shop Bohemian Traders Black Jacket $189 Sizes S – 2XL {I’m wearing a M}   Betty Basics Manhattan Stretch tee $27.95 Sizes 8-16 {I’m wearing a 12}   Katies jeans – not current. Similar style available here   Naturalizer Oath Taupe Snake Pump  I purchased mine from Myer $159.95 but if you’re a size 9, get yourself to the Naturalizer online store ASAP – they’re going for $40!

My online shopping tips

1. If you haven’t shopped with the store before, check out their returns policy and make sure it works in with your own requirements.
2. If you’re unsure about how an item will look on you, have a look at the store’s Instagram account. They might have a hashtag you can scroll through or feature photos of women wearing their clothes that will give you a good idea of the fit.
3. If you’re not happy with your purchase for whatever reason, complain the old school way – via customer service. They will be more than happy to help solve the problem. 
4. Share the shopping love. If you’ve bought something online, snap a pic and tag the business. Many online stores are run by hard-working individuals or smaller teams – a social media share would make their day.

Large Department Stores

Myer, David Jones and Target are my go-to larger stores.

What I love about shopping in a larger store is

• the convenience of having so many clothing options and styles in one place
• shopping/browsing on your own without staff hovering 
• alternatively, knowing that asking for assistance is never a problem

Chain Stores

Have a look in my wardrobe right now and you’ll find purchases from the following stores hanging in there:

Augustine by Kelly Coe, Country Road, Forever New, Jacqui e, Rockmans, Katies, Saba, Seed, Sportscraft, Sussan, Suzanne Grae, Witchery and Zara 

Independent/Local Boutiques

I love discovering independent or local boutiques. If you stumble across a good one it’s usually run by the owner who knows his/her customers well.  There will be a good mix of price points, a variety of fashion and accessories on offer and friendly customer service.

If you’re used to shopping online or in larger stores, sometimes walking into a smaller boutique can feel intimidating. Perhaps you feel like you shouldn’t go in just for a look or that nothing in there would fit/suit you?

We’ve all been there, or at least most of us have.  But please don’t let your worries stop you. The people who own and/or work in stores are there to help you. They want you to enjoy your time in their store because they’d like you to come back or better yet, tell your friends about their gorgeous clothing. 

My current boutique of choice is Neon Laundry. 

Imonni Melbourne tee from Neon Laundry $99   Forever New Jeans – not current, similar available here   FRANKiE4 SALLi boots $289.95* 

Where do you buy your clothes? Do you have a go-to store or a favourite boutique to share with us?

* items were sent for editorial consideration as per my disclosure policy.  This post contains affiliate links.