30 Items From Zara, & Other Stories and COS That Could Pass For Designer

I'm a very fussy high-street shopper. As someone who has seen trends and It pieces come and go more times than I've had hot dinners over the past 15 years I've worked in fashion, I don't like to buy on a whim anymore. The sad, unworn pieces of my past missteps haven't been in vain, as I'm now a lot more strict with what makes it into my basket. In fact, I'd say the entirety of the Who What Wear UK team are about as picky as can be. We love to shop (and live for it!), but we're happiest when we've invested in something that will see us through the long haul—high street or designer, indie or mass-produced. 

So when it comes to perusing affordable stores, I try to keep the 30-wears principle in mind. Is this something I could envisage wearing over 30 times? Is it not too transient a trend or completely out of my personal-style wheelhouse to look good in my wardrobe for many years to come? The items that I gravitate towards aren't necessarily the right ones for everybody who will read this story, but by putting them through this rigorous testing filter as well as a full shakedown on fit and feel once they're in my hands, I'd hope that it helps sift out some of the cheap scraps that are unfortunately all too present when lower price points are involved. 

Right now, I have a passion for & Other Stories, COS and Zara. All look wildly different from each other, but each are delivering interesting pieces that have longevity in mind. COS is the ultimate minimalism Mecca, Stories has that sassy French-girl vibe all wrapped up, and Zara cannot be beaten for summer heroes. Keep scrolling to see the items from Zara, COS and & Other Stories that stopped me in my scrolling tracks…

This post was originally published at an earlier time and has since been updated. 

Next Up: The 9 Most Expensive-Looking Pieces on the High Street This Week