Let me paint you a picture. Picture London in mid-August. Blazing hot sunshine, zero wind, sweat pouring down your upper body by ten o’clock in the morning.
Perfect shopping weather. Now imagine traipsing around Oxford Street in that weather. Not fun, right?
Still with me? Great.
A couple of weeks ago, this was me.
Mid-sweaty shopping trip existential crisis. Halfway up Oxford Street I suddenly found myself paralysed, unable to recall what on earth I’d come there for. Why had I come here?
This once great shrine to British retail, where brands showcased the very best of British high street talent, now felt like a relentless parade of faceless conglomerates. The same five retail titans of fast fashion identikit stores every hundred yards or so, each filled with dozens of carbon-copy, trend-obeying garments that would autumn apart after three washes. I’d gone in to pick up a nice shirt for a friend’s book launch and, ninety miserable minutes later, I left still shirt-less and questioning why I’d wasted what was, at that time, the best part of a day of my life. oh, God.
I sound like such a massive snob. Trust me, I’m not. My wardrobe is by no means devoid of anything you’ll find on the high street.
In fact, far from it. Some of my most worn, most loved pieces are from high street stores. Pieces that have lasted for years, long after I’ve shrugged carelessly worn designer items in the bin that cost five times as much.
But that’s just it. To find those pieces nowadays, you know, the good ones, it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Which brings me onto my point.
The British high street shopping experience is not what it used to be. There’s so much DIY out there now. Brexit has ravaged the country’s supply chain.
Add into that a world recovered from a pandemic, rising costs and the continually ballooning universe of online sub-seasonal fashion and our beloved domestic high street brands have been hit harder than ever. Many have bit the dust completely (Rest In Peace Debenhams, Topshop et al. – many of my student loan memories) and those that remain are vying for shoppers wages by peddling wear-so-long-as-the-post-office-box-is-zippered-up-before-your-next-paycheck-quality rubbish. However.
And this is a big however. Not every high street retailer has boarded the churn out-cheap-and-prime-yourself-to-obsolescence-before-summer/train/wedding train. Some standout brands have remained defiant, doubled down on what they do well and continued producing pieces that actually last.
So, for the teenomad who can’t/won’t drop a hundred quid on a basic t- shirt but still want their clothes to last more than two washes, I present to you my unbiased thoughts on the best of the current British high street. Say what you will about Marks & Spencer but whilst they may not always lead the pack in terms of style they certainly are no longer letting themselves down when it comes to quality. Their Autograph range, in particular, is where it’s at for great quality basics that won’t require you to take out a second mortgage.
Last winter I picked up a merino-blend rollneck jumper for £55 that I cannot tell, aside from the obscene mark up, from other equivalent jumpers retailing at three or four times that price. Their tailoring is also better than it’s been in years. The cut is still relatively classic (great if you’re after something office friendly) but the fabric and finish is much improved.
The suits hold their shape, the jackets have a weight to them that I no longer expect from such prices and their trousers aren’t restricting anymore. Now don’t get me wrong, M&S is by no means the place to go if you’re looking to make a fashion statement. In fact, nothing in there is particularly going to wow you.
But if you’re looking for wardrobe staples that will last you years then M&S still smashes it for quality. Buy the basics. Ignore the rest.
Ah, Reiss. Probably one of the more divisive entries on my list. Controversial, perhaps, to include them in a list about the high street.
I know folks. I get it. They’re at the pricier end of the spectrum.
And yes, I have had many an argument with friends about this myself. But hear me out. After copious amounts of….
Research…. (aka forking over way too much of my own money) I have decided that Reiss are worth your money, if you know where you’re spending it. Now their tailoring. Oh my days, their tailoring.
Particularly their suits. The cut, the fabric; it’s hard to find better quality without dropping anymore and getting into bespoke or made-to-measure prices. I bought a navy suit from them three years ago that was on sale for £425 and it still looks as good as new with countless wears under its belt.
It’s held its shape, the fabric has not worn thin and I still receive compliments every time I wear it. Where they autumn down? Their casual wear.
Way overpriced for what you get. But if you’re after that smarter side of things; shirts, blazers, chinos. Reiss still, in my opinion, does some of the best high street menswear around.
If you can stretch to it. Oxford shirts: ~£98 Tailoring: Superb Casual wear: Meh. Fat Face.
Man, I was really hesistant to include them. For years I had written them off as That Place You Go on Holiday Before You Go Cornwall With Your Client To Pretend You Actually Have A Nice Family. But then about a year and a half ago I went into the King’s Cross branch while waiting for a train and actually found a few things I liked.
I know, right? Who’d’ve thought it? Fat Face do great shirts.
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Proper shirts. Not these wildly oversized disaster pieces that every other menswear retailer are pushing as some sort of mad-genius experiment in shapes and texture. Their shirts are actually made how a shirt should be.
Flat-felled seams, nice yokes, buttons that aren’t just Velcro’d on there. The material has substance, it doesn’t cling to you like a mio-cal minded catsuit. Don’t get me wrong.
Fat Face’S clothes aren’t gonna win any awards for fashion forward thinking and they definitely cater more towards the older consumer. But for decently made basics with a bit of an outdoorsy edge, they really are great. Oh and their knitwear.
Top-notch. Super bulky, warm and actually feels like it was constructed by humans. I am well aware this might be a unpopular opinion.
Hear me out. For years I was so over COS. The relentless hype when they first launched, followed by a weird falling off the wagon period where it felt like they dropped all sense of identity and stylistically trying to be everyone’s mum.
But somewhere along the line they realised most of their target demographic didn’t give a fuck about early 2000’s minimalistic scandinavian aesthetics and righted themselves. Sure they’ve had a few dodgy years here and there (2020 was especially bad I remember chucking a pretty pricey jumper in the bin about six months after I bought it) but all-in-all they’re still going strong at doing what they do best; simple, clean-lined garments in fabrics that actually fit the human form. Oh and do I even need to mention their sizing?
COS lead the way for actually representing real humans in their sizing. They were one of the first to introduce ‘extended’ sizing so if you’re lucky enough to have an actual-human-shaped body defo cheque out their tailoring and outerwear. It’s mostly mum-jacket territory but they do a great job at what they pick to do.
COS are quietly putting out some great stuff at the mo; Leeds boots, Rhodes sliders, some great knitwear. Just steer clear of the joggers. Speaking of great knitwear.
Credit where credit’s due, John Lewis have nailed it. OK so not every single thing they sell is gold dust. A lot of it is very much forgettable.
But for knitwear? JL knock it out of the park. Their lambswool jumpers (£40-70) and merino (£60-80) are great.
Classically cut; not too slim through the torso which means if you’re like me and like to enjoy the occasional beverage these things actually fit over your belly. They also don’t inexplicably pill into dusty bobbles after two wears. My go to JL purchase is always their charcoal crew neck knit (£65) it’s seen me through three winters of brutal wear and washing and still looks damn good.
Plus sending back faulty items is hassle free and their customer service is actually great. They’re the shit at knitwear, spend some money and you won’t regret it. Ah Sunspel, How I love thee.
Rare is the brand who can make me spend this much on plain white tee shirts but Sunspel are just that brand. They’re at the upper end of the highstreet market yes. And I know, I can hear you now. “They don’t count as ‘high street’, Rob.
They don’t have regular shops anymore.” Hear me out, Sunshine. They may now only stock in department stores but they still very much have a physical presence in the UK and are exactly the type of thing we should be celebrating as exemplary of British high street retail. Exceptional basics built to last.
British owned. Still predominantly produces in the UK. What’s not to love?
Sure their prices are up there but if you can swing it their clothes are so worth it. Pick up one of their classic t-shirts (£75) and you’ll understand why. The weight, the fabric, how it washes and wears over time is in a league of its own compared to most high street equivalents.
If you only have the budget for one get the white crew neck. It’ll outlive at least three from any other brand. Now hear me out on this one.
Clarks aren’t here for their clothes. But they are for their dang shoes. As far as I’m concerned they’re gold dust.
Particularly their Originals line. I’ve had a pair of beeswax leather Desert Boots for about four years now. They’ve had one resole.
And they STILL look better than when I first bought them. At around £130 a pair they’re not the cheapest but when you start calculating cost-per-wear over years, not months, they become one of the best value pairs of shoes you can get. If you’re after something slightly smarter without needing to delve into the Brads and Stella McCartneys Clarks Craftmaster range is where it’s at.
Actually Goodyear-welted shoes you can send back to be resoled should they ever seeably need it. Meaning with proper care these babies will last you a lifetime. They do classic shoe designs better than pretty much anybody.
In an age where it feels like you have to spend a minimum of 250 quid to get a pair of truly classic shoes that aren’t trash crafted together with dental floss and bubbly glue, Clarks have gone from strength to strength and really should be commended for the range they offer. And finally.
Uniqlo.
Now OBVIOUSLY they’re not British. But the sheer quality of shit they churn out these days it’d be a crime not to include them. The Oxford shirts (£34.90) are honestly just as good as equally priced (£150+) versions you’ll find at rivals.
The fit is great, the fabric has substance and isn’t trashy- thin like pretty much every other shirt I own. Supima cotton t-shirts (£14.90). Jesus.
Where do I start? Okay yes they are more expensive than your H&M and Zara equivalents but when’ve you ever seen proper American t-shirt brand charge that kind of money? They hit the weird sweet spot of being made well enough to actually act like clothes (as opposed to disposable £6.50-binby toys) yet cheap enough that we numb plebs actually buy them.
Ok yes, technically Japanese but they are a total game changer right now. Best unlimited leggings money cant buy.
