As a Chictopian, shopping is one of the basics in the wardrobe of our lives. Finding the right shops to fit our style with the right pieces to help us achieve our visions proves to be a daunting task in the world of monotonous mainstream fashion. So to help us get out of those bleak and boring stores, we asked some Chictopia Style Icons to let us in on their favorite places to find those covetable must-have pieces.
APHRODITE
One of our go-to Chictopians for high fashion inspiration, Aphrodite serves up non-stop graphic, androgynous, and on-trend catwalk to sidewalk style. With a closet that VOGUE would be jealous of, Aphrodite’s looks are nothing short of jaw dropping and eye catching. She mixes high and low: Ebay for thrifting and vintage finds; Topshop, Zara, H&M, and Mango for basics and “cheap but pretty little things;” Net-A-Porter and Bloomingdales for high end luxury.
SHOPPING STYLE + TIPS
“I have a wish list and I work on that for half a year (go to the moon to find them if necessary) preparing for the next season. I start from top to bottom. Most to least important. I splurge on a few stuff and if there’s anything left in the piggy bank, I go to high street [stores] for some stuff to wear with the main pieces.”
→ She only shops online “out of desperation.” Tip: Trying on clothes is a must!
→ Designers are her love, but Prada has her heart right now.
→ Stella McCartney for “forever pieces,” wardrobe essentials that never go out of style
LORDOFTHECAKES
Tim, of Lordofthecakes, has a classic-cool style that has a laid back edge punctuated with a neutral and chic color palette. His mixture of 50s-esque silhouettes and modern materials speak to a new generation of menswear that relaxes tradition but doesn’t forget its importance. While his style is top notch, he’s a smart spender and gets his favorite J. Crew looks at their factory store instead.
SHOPPING STYLE + TIPS
“I much prefer to buy a lot of items for a lower cost and “splurge” (which for me is really not that much) on stuff I will wear ALL the time…. like shoes or pants.”
→ Shop online for Urban Outfitters, wider selection + reviews but return to the store if it doesn’t work out.
→ Buffalo Exchange, a curated consignment shop, for better deals on shirts and shoes.
→ He “tends to shop in consignment shops, outlets (instead of their more expensive counterparts), ebay, or the sale/clearance section at some online shops [he] loves.”
LYDIA
A self-titled girly girl, Lydia’s signature silhouette is a full and flouncy skirt, which never fails her. With an eye for gorgeous color and bold pattern, her thrifted and vintage finds are enviable! Urban Outfitters and H&M are go-to places in the mall, but her heart lies in the hunt of perfect-thrifted-pieces. Lydia’s online go-to shops are "Etsy"http://etsy.com and ModCloth.
SHOPPING STYLE + TIPS
“A lot of the time I don’t have a list [when I shop], but usually when the seasons change I whip one up of items I’m lusting after. After making said list, I keep my eyes open for them in my usual thrifting trips. I’ll also save pictures that I see around the web, and jot down notes about items or combinations I find interesting.”
→ Fave Etsy stores: The Loved One | Clever Nettle | Yeye Vintage
→ Utilize Etsy’s search options to find exactly what you’re looking for.
→ Browse the sale sections extensively but splurge on a few longevity items.
BLAKEJACOBSEN
With a penchant for dark colors, Blake Jacobsen provides massive amounts of inspiration for anybody looking for a youthful twist on classic clothing that teeters the line of rough edginess, relaxed casualness, and buttoned-up formal structure. While he rarely shops, he finds most of the leather, denim, and monochrome-goodness that fills his blog at thrift stores and H&M.
SHOPPING STYLE + TIPS
“I do most of my shopping at H&M and thrift stores. However, I don’t thrift as often as I once did. I rarely shop, to be very honest.”
→ Basics are essential and affordability is too, Target works to fulfill both
→ Asos.com is his favorite online store, they offer a wide variety of clothing for both men and women.
→ Favorite shoe store: Aldo Shoes
IAMAPPLEORCHARD
Erika, of iamappleorchard, says she likes, “cats, comics, and cheap clothes” and how can we not agree? Her sense of style uses the color palette of black, white, and gray but the occasional stripe or leopard print keeps it exciting. Her play with texture has the look of expensive fabrics but she shops for her sheer dresses smartly in thrift stores and high street sales.
SHOPPING STYLE + TIPS
“When it comes to thrifting, patience is key. I go about once or twice a week to the thrift store to see if they have new items in. It’s generally always worth it!”
→ Online shops: Nasty Gal and Need Supply Co.
→ Favorite for shoes: Forever 21
→ Basics: American Apparel
STYLENOMAD
Relaxed vibes and flowing silhouettes are at the forefront of Sam’s effortless style. Her neutral colored outfits are punctuated with bold pops of color which keep the look classic yet fun and playful. While she loves thrifting and vintage, the lack of the shops in Hong Kong keep her from finding those unique finds but she manages to still serve up amazing amounts of style with stores like Zara, H&M, and Asos.
SHOPPING STYLE + TIPS
“I have a tendency to buy high street but they don’t last a long time and are a visual eyesore when they start piling up in my room. I’m going to try splurging on one luxury item occasionally, one high street piece/month and take advantage of the tailors we have in Hong Kong.”
→ Online shopping: Mostly Asos.com and occasionally China’s taobao.com
→ Work with what you’ve got! Think about purchases and don’t over-buy.
→ Re-evaluate your consumption habits to save more and get better pieces.
THE WISHLIST
We all have stores that we are just dying to shop at, but our location or price point just doesn’t work out for us. StyleNomad’s dream shop would be Net-A-Porter or Lane Crawford because of her love for high fashion like Givenchy (even Haute Couture, which is basically out of everybody’s price point). Aphrodite agrees with that high fashion sentiment and dreams of Chanel (who doesn’t?) because “it’s always worth it” but there aren’t any boutiques near her. We completely agree with both Blake and Erika [iamappleorchard], who would love to shop at the elusive Zara. The price point is a bit higher than that of other high street brands, but their sale sections give hope for anyone who can find one near them in the US. For similar hard-to-find concerns, Lydia would love to shop at Topshop, the UK fashion mega-store. Tim [lordofthecakes], similarly, would like to shop at Topman as well as Gant Rugger.
OUR SHOPPING STYLE, TIPS & TRICKS
1. Shop your closet first! Make sure you aren’t buying unnecessary multiples of a style you already own.
2. Even if online shopping isn’t your cup of tea, save inspiration photos from online shops or editorials so you know what you’re looking for. Especially keep more expensive pieces in mind and see if you can find look-a-like items for less on your shopping trips.
3. Definitely try everything on, an item of clothing can go from dream to nightmare in the fitting room. (Bring multiple sizes in case!)
4. Don’t discriminate! Sometimes you can find must have pieces in the most unlikely of places, be it a store you never step into or the opposite gender’s section.
5. Run past those fancy displays and head for the sale section first.
6. Go out with a budget in mind! Set a maximum spending limit and don’t stray from it. (Budgeting certain pieces works well too, $20 – $30 for outerwear but only $10 and under for t-shirts)
7. Think about your past shopping mistakes! If you’ve purchased something similar before and never used it, think about why and what makes the current situation different.
THE ROUNDUP
Here is a list of links to all of the favorite stores mentioned in the article (and more) so you can check them out for yourselves!
→ Aldo – (M/F) Shoes and accessories
→ Asos – (M/F) Giant online fashion store
→ Bloomingdales – (M/F) High end department store
→ Clever Nettle nettle – Cute vintage girly pieces
→ Colette – (M/F) High concept & high fashion French store
→ Etsy – (M/F) Homemade crafts and vintage styles
→ Forever 21 – (M/F) Affordable fast fashion, accessories, and shoes
→ Gant Rugger – (M/F) Preppy American sportswear
→ H&M – (M/F) On trend affordable fashion + designer collabs
→ J.Crew – (M/F) Fun & classic sportswear for work or wardrobe essentials
→ La Garconne – (M/F) High end designer effortless Parisian chic
→ ModCloth – (F) Cute retro, indie, mod and vintage clothing
→ Nasty Gal – (F) Trendy blogger-fave shop with vintage & new
→ Need Supply Co. – (M/F) Contemporary eclectic mix of vintage, street wear and denim
→ Net-A-Porter (F) High end high fashion designer pieces
→ Nordstrom (M/F) High end department store
→ Mr. Porter (M) The male equivalent to Net-A-Porter
→ The Loved One – (F) Trendy vintage fashion in mostly 70s styles
→ Target – (M/F) For all your basic necessities
→ Topshop – (F) High street British fashion megastore
→ Topman man.com – (M) The male equivalent of Topshop
→ Urban Outfitters – (M/F) Youthful, relaxed pieces for the on trend hipster-y individual
→ Yeye Vintage – (F) Bold brights with effortless 60s vibes
→ Zara – (M/F) Still in the high street category but with higher quality on-trend pieces
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Now you know where these bloggers are shopping, we want to know where you shop! Comment and suggest your favorite stores to other Chictopians!
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Thanks for reading!
Everybody Is Ugly by Iris & Daniel
Don’t forget to follow EIU on twitter! @everybodyisugly
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Photo Credit
Cover Clothes
Cover Photo
