Love this and I also have this same philosophy! I think any brand regardless of price point are going to have a range of quality based on design and production factors (hello, The Row jelly shoes).
I’ve known ppl who have treated their designer clothes poorly and need to replace them a few years later whereas some of the longest running pieces in my closet are from Zara (blazers and jeans I’ve had for 8-10 years).
To your point, I think a key difference is shopping to consume vs shopping w the goal of longevity in your wardrobe based on your budget and preferences of where you want to invest vs save!
Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Angie!! Those are exactly the things I was hoping would come across from this post. There's always a range in quality regardless of the brand, and I'm also trying to ask myself more "Will I love this next year?"
Lately I’ve been feeling like maybe we have to stop hating so much on “fast fashion”. I agree it’s not great to shop there all the time but they certainly serve a purpose. I’ve recently bought a few items from Zara and I’ve been SHOCKED with how good the quality is. Not everything is 💯 but these brands exist for a reason. Everyone deserves to dabble!
Couldn't agree more with them serving a purpose. Honestly, sometimes Substack feels like a bubble because so many of my friends shop at these places. It's mostly because of accessibility (the costs of shipping and duties can be a challenge shopping at other brands, especially living in Canada). It's definitely a hit or miss, and I've made mistakes in the past but I feel like they've helped me get better at choosing the right pieces. Also, now I'm excited to see what you got at Zara... give us the goods! x
💯 percent! It goes back to my overall thinking this year about following your gut and doing whatever brings you joy. And if an item from Zara or another fast fashion brand does that from time to time then great!! I will def share- I am noodling a post on this exact topic !! Xo
I own the COS navy linen shirt and it is thick and cut well with a depth of colour, a true dark navy. In my opinion it is the best linen shirt I've ever owned!
This is so good to know! I love the deep navy shade so much. I was at COS yesterday hoping to try it on but couldn’t find it. Am considering ordering it online!
I love this!! Such great finds and you make such a good point about fast fashion. Sometimes I do buy more because the price point is so approachable (which is something I'm working on), but a lot times the stuff does last for years!!
Thank you for reading! I’ve done the same, too. It’s always a work in progress. If anything, I find those mistakes help us learn how to be pickier when shopping! x
Tbh I’m not even clear on what is or isn’t “fast fashion” or villainized these days. I just started shopping at a local California brand Marine Layer - and the critical voices in my head had me question - is this brand bad now too? All that to say…I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to shop - and truly ad you said, the folks in our lives have no idea about this brand hierarchy. Who are we trying to impress? (I say to myself) xx
Exactly - who are we trying to impress?! Love this, Maureen, and thank you for reading! I'm a little fuzzy, too, on which brands are considered "fast fashion" and had to google some of them while I was writing this. x
I loved your picks and the red polo!! H&M did me dirty a few years ago, and I have yet to get over it (clearly lol). I also feel weary of sharing only high street brands especially if I don't own them or they haven't been on my wishlist. Though, sometimes it's fun to just to "add to cart" and close the browser before hitting checking out.
Also, I had no idea Aritizia is considered fast fashion! I own a scarf I bought from them and I absolutely love. I needed a price friendly option around the holidays and I loved the red color.
Ofelia, let me tell you, I haven't been able to stop thinking about the red polo sweater and am so close to pulling the trigger! I've had a red v-neck sweater on my wish list for so long, but the collar and zipper makes this particular style feel so cool.
I can totally relate to your H&M experience! That's how I felt about buying a sweater from Mango last year. I've learned, for me at least, that there are certain pieces I think you can get away with shopping at these brands and others to avoid. For example, I'm trying to be pickier with knitwear because of being burned by sweaters from Mango in the past, but I love this pointelle tee and jacket I got from them. There are always hits and misses and I'm always trying to get better at finding the 'hits'.
When I was writing this, I actually googled if Aritzia was considered fast fashion, lol. The consensus was that, although the pricing/quality is more mid-tier, it's still considered fast fashion because of how much product the brand produces and the fact that they're trend-driven. x
Ah, thank you! I always feel self-conscious sharing high street brands because I know they're not for everybody, but there are some great picks right now inspiring me. If I come across anything good with a thicker strap, I'll message you! x
Love this and I also have this same philosophy! I think any brand regardless of price point are going to have a range of quality based on design and production factors (hello, The Row jelly shoes).
I’ve known ppl who have treated their designer clothes poorly and need to replace them a few years later whereas some of the longest running pieces in my closet are from Zara (blazers and jeans I’ve had for 8-10 years).
To your point, I think a key difference is shopping to consume vs shopping w the goal of longevity in your wardrobe based on your budget and preferences of where you want to invest vs save!
Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Angie!! Those are exactly the things I was hoping would come across from this post. There's always a range in quality regardless of the brand, and I'm also trying to ask myself more "Will I love this next year?"
Lately I’ve been feeling like maybe we have to stop hating so much on “fast fashion”. I agree it’s not great to shop there all the time but they certainly serve a purpose. I’ve recently bought a few items from Zara and I’ve been SHOCKED with how good the quality is. Not everything is 💯 but these brands exist for a reason. Everyone deserves to dabble!
Couldn't agree more with them serving a purpose. Honestly, sometimes Substack feels like a bubble because so many of my friends shop at these places. It's mostly because of accessibility (the costs of shipping and duties can be a challenge shopping at other brands, especially living in Canada). It's definitely a hit or miss, and I've made mistakes in the past but I feel like they've helped me get better at choosing the right pieces. Also, now I'm excited to see what you got at Zara... give us the goods! x
💯 percent! It goes back to my overall thinking this year about following your gut and doing whatever brings you joy. And if an item from Zara or another fast fashion brand does that from time to time then great!! I will def share- I am noodling a post on this exact topic !! Xo
Loveee this. Can't wait to read!
I own the COS navy linen shirt and it is thick and cut well with a depth of colour, a true dark navy. In my opinion it is the best linen shirt I've ever owned!
This is so good to know! I love the deep navy shade so much. I was at COS yesterday hoping to try it on but couldn’t find it. Am considering ordering it online!
I love this!! Such great finds and you make such a good point about fast fashion. Sometimes I do buy more because the price point is so approachable (which is something I'm working on), but a lot times the stuff does last for years!!
Thank you for reading! I’ve done the same, too. It’s always a work in progress. If anything, I find those mistakes help us learn how to be pickier when shopping! x
Love that, it’s so true!! Lessons learned!
Tbh I’m not even clear on what is or isn’t “fast fashion” or villainized these days. I just started shopping at a local California brand Marine Layer - and the critical voices in my head had me question - is this brand bad now too? All that to say…I don’t think there is a right or wrong way to shop - and truly ad you said, the folks in our lives have no idea about this brand hierarchy. Who are we trying to impress? (I say to myself) xx
Exactly - who are we trying to impress?! Love this, Maureen, and thank you for reading! I'm a little fuzzy, too, on which brands are considered "fast fashion" and had to google some of them while I was writing this. x
I loved your picks and the red polo!! H&M did me dirty a few years ago, and I have yet to get over it (clearly lol). I also feel weary of sharing only high street brands especially if I don't own them or they haven't been on my wishlist. Though, sometimes it's fun to just to "add to cart" and close the browser before hitting checking out.
Also, I had no idea Aritizia is considered fast fashion! I own a scarf I bought from them and I absolutely love. I needed a price friendly option around the holidays and I loved the red color.
Ofelia, let me tell you, I haven't been able to stop thinking about the red polo sweater and am so close to pulling the trigger! I've had a red v-neck sweater on my wish list for so long, but the collar and zipper makes this particular style feel so cool.
I can totally relate to your H&M experience! That's how I felt about buying a sweater from Mango last year. I've learned, for me at least, that there are certain pieces I think you can get away with shopping at these brands and others to avoid. For example, I'm trying to be pickier with knitwear because of being burned by sweaters from Mango in the past, but I love this pointelle tee and jacket I got from them. There are always hits and misses and I'm always trying to get better at finding the 'hits'.
When I was writing this, I actually googled if Aritzia was considered fast fashion, lol. The consensus was that, although the pricing/quality is more mid-tier, it's still considered fast fashion because of how much product the brand produces and the fact that they're trend-driven. x
My gosh, you have such good taste. I love these picks. I'm also looking for a satin slip dress but I want one with thicker straps!
Ah, thank you! I always feel self-conscious sharing high street brands because I know they're not for everybody, but there are some great picks right now inspiring me. If I come across anything good with a thicker strap, I'll message you! x