The High-Street Items That Deserve a Place in Your Forever Wardrobe

February 11, 2022 at 06:08AM

There’s a misconception that you can’t find classic wardrobe items on the high street—that the pieces are too trend-led and their appeal will fade when new sartorial movements come into play. However, we’re here to prove otherwise.

All of our favourite high-street brands are known for getting specific things right, whether that’s an entire product category, such as ASOS’s knitted co-ords, or a particular item, for example, & Other Stories’ wool-blend blazer or Dune’s cult Loupe sandals.

Following on from this, we’ve rounded up all the expensive-looking pieces that fit this citation to bring you the best high-street classic items from each store to spend your money on. The perfect capsule is but a scroll away.

Style Notes: We’ve made a pact to wear more dresses this year. Naturally, & Other Stories’ dress department is our first port of call. From puff sleeves to statement prints, every one is perfection. 

Style Notes: ASOS is known for creating the best co-ord sets out there, but over the course of the last couple of years, the brand has outdone itself with its array of expensive-looking knitted sets. 

Style Notes: If we had to choose one high-street shoe department to shop for the rest of our lives, it would have to be Mango’s. From boots to strappy heels, every pair looks incredibly premium. 

Style Notes: If you love denim, then you’re likely already aware of Gap’s superior blues. We always buy our denim shirts from the brand and have no plans to stop. 

Style Notes: Our shopping editor, Joy Montgomery, has proclaimed this Arket T-shirt the best she’s ever worn. Need we say more? 

Style Notes: We can’t scroll Instagram without seeing one of Sézane’s gorgeous knits, from the Gaspard to the Mickey. 

Style Notes: Zara put blazers back on the sartorial map in the early 2010s, so we’d be remiss not to mention its impressive blazer edit. 

Style Notes: Might we turn your attention to Marks and Spencer’s ever-popular ballet flats for spring? Sans the bow usually found on ballerina pumps, these pairs have been a hit with our editors and influencers who have minimalistic aesthetics. 

Style Notes: One of the pioneers of the now-essential straight-leg jeans, Weekday’s denim department never fails to impress us. The most popular styles are undoubtedly the Rowe and Voyager jeans, both of which rival pairs five times the price. 

Style Notes: Probably the most iconic blazer the high street has ever produced, & Other Stories’ wool-blend blazer has been restocked more times than we can count. Don’t miss it this time around. 

Style Notes: Some high-street brands are guilty of taking their accessories a step too far, be it with oversized zips or unnecessary branding. COS, however, opts for the pared-back approach, making its arm candy the most expensive-looking out there. 

Style Notes: No high-street brand creates more must-have items than H&M, and it consistently gets black leggings right—particularly those with a fashionable spin. 

Style Notes: Okay, so you mightn’t be wearing sandals for the foreseeable, but if you’re planning on a winter getaway or simply want to think ahead to summer, here’s a pair that’s worthy of your consideration. Having launched in 2018, Dune’s best-selling Loupe sandals continue to be one of the most coveted pairs on the high street. When they look this sleek, it’s not hard to see why.

Style Notes: While puffer jackets have proven popular across the high street, it goes without saying that Arket’s puffer coat collection is the chicest of them all. 

Style Notes: Over the past couple of seasons, Warehouse has gone from strength to strength, with fashion people lapping up its directional take on the trends. Spring’s offering is just as impressive, including everything from graphic stripes to brocade florals.

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

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

Author Maxine Eggenberger | Whowhatwear
Selected by CWC