Alice Porter 1/27/19 Alice Porter 1/27/19

A Percentage Breakdown Of My Winter Wardrobe by Brand

Links in the post marked with a * are affiliate links.Hair Ribbon- Urban Outfitters — Links in the post marked with a * are affiliate links.
Hair Ribbon- Urban Outfitters

I’ve been spending lots of time over the past couple of months thinking about the pieces in my wardrobe. It’s definitely been inspired by learning more about capsule wardrobes and although I don’t think a wardrobe that is limited to 37 pieces (or whatever the amount is) is for me, I’m trying to ensure my wardrobe is filled with pieces that spark joy, as Marie Kondo would say, and make me excited to get dressed in the morning!

After thinking so much about my wardrobe over the past couple of months, I thought it would be interesting to divide it up into brands and calculate the percentage of space different brands take up in my wardrobe. This is probably the most maths-y thing I’ve done since my GCSEs, so excuse me if there are some errors. But I thought this might be something interesting to see for other people too, as it not only allows you have a nose around my wardrobe but it means I can share my favourite brands (they’re nothing out of the ordinary) with you all!

So, before I started this deep dive into my wardrobe, I made some estimations based on what I thought my wardrobe would look like in percentages. Oh and I didn’t include shoes (as most of my shoes are by specific shoe brands), only pieces of clothing, bags and scarves. I’ve also excluded loungewear and sportswear as, again, they’re mostly by specific loungewear/sportswear brands. Here are my estimations anyway…

20% Topshop

15% ASOS

15% Second Hand

15% Zara

10% & Other Stories

10% New Look

15% Other

So I wasn’t totally off with my guessed but I definitely wasn’t 100% accurate. To do the actual ‘calculations’, I put all of the items by one brand onto a rail, counted them and photographed them (I’ve linked to any of the items that are still available). Here are my actual results, starting with the top 5 most featured brands in my wardrobe…

(DISCLAIMER: some of my clothes are at Uni but I couldn’t really justify bringing them all home for one blog post. But I’d say the clothes in this wardrobe are the ones that make up my winter wardrobe, because I haven’t missed anything that’s been at Uni for the last two months.)

Rust t-shirt* (gifted), Light Wash Kick Flare Jeans*, Black Straight Leg Jeans*, Black Kick Flare Jeans*, Navy Coat* (I used my gifted Topshop voucher to pay for some of this coat, the rest I paid for with my own money)

1.Topshop - 17%

Unsurprisingly, Topshop is the number one most featured brand in my wardrobe and Topshop pieces make up 17% of all of my clothes. I wasn’t surprised about this one, only that the percentage wasn’t higher! Topshop has always been my go-to high street brand since I started buying clothes for myself and I feel as though I can always rely on them for trendy pieces that will, mostly, stand the test of time. Plus, I’ve been partnered up with them for the past couple of months so a few of the pieces I own by them are gifted, boosting the percentage a little.

As you might be able to tell, I love Topshop denim. Four out of my six pairs of winter jeans are from Topshop (the other two are second hand). Not only is their jeans sizing accurate but they have a wide array of styles, all of which have a little bit of stretch to them, which I like as comfort is always my number one priority. I also love Topshop outerwear and I have two faux leather pieces, a blazer and a proper winter coat from Topshop, all of which I get a lot of wear out of!

I was surprised that only one of my knitwear pieces was from Topshop, although I do absolutely love this cream knit, so maybe I have been neglecting Topshop’s knitwear? Let me know what you think of their knitwear if you’ve tried it!

My Winter Wardrobe in Percentages | Fashion Brands Ranked

2/3. In joint second/third place is Zara! Again, I was kind of expecting this one. I don’t feel as though I can rely on Zara as much as I can with Topshop. But when I do have a good root around one of their chaotic stores, I always find a gem.

Clearly I’m a big fan of their neutral colour palettes, which I wasn’t really aware of until putting all of my Zara pieces onto a rail. But I also really love their t-shirts, which is something I definitely knew beforehand. Zara t-shirts are usually always 100% cotton so they last for ages and fit so well. Plus they’re so well-priced, it’s kind of ridiculous! I also love Zara scarves as they stock them in great, on-trend prints, plus, they’re usually so big that they can double up as blankets.

2/3. Sharing second and third place with Zara is my selection of second hand clothes. Some of these are vintage pieces, some of them I’ve found in charity shops and others I’ve picked up on Depop. There isn’t as much of a theme with the second-hand pieces, for obvious reasons. Although I do love vintage jeans and the two pairs featured here are some of my favourites ever.

This rail is perhaps the one I look at most fondly, as all of these pieces have memories attached to them. That’s one of the best things about second-hand shopping. I’d really like to make the second hand section of my wardrobe a bigger one, not only to make my wardrobe a little bit more sustainable, but because of how much I love all these pieces and the way they make me feel!

4. I’m kind of surprised ASOS wasn’t higher up on this list! I really get my use out of their premium yearly Next Day Delivery and I’d say most of my purchases are made from ASOS. But I realised I buy a lot of branded clothing items from ASOS (many of which make up my ‘other’ category) so my clothing items by ASOS’ own brand aren’t so extensive.

These two bags are my absolute favourite bags and if ASOS does bring them out in another colour, I will 100% be picking them up! They’re a great size and just look super chic in my opinion. I also really like ASOS knitwear for affordable options as, although their shapes and styles aren’t always the most interesting, they create really good basics that are super comfortable.

Cream Cardigan*, Brown Jumper*, Red Jumper*, Navy T-Shirt

5. And finally, in fifth place, we have & Other Stories. If I had the money, my entire wardrobe would be made up of Stories pieces. But, alas I do not! So 7% of my wardrobe will have to do for now. I’m kind of surprised that it’s such a low percentage but I think it’s just because I get so much wear out of these pieces that I feel like I have more Stories pieces in my wardrobe than I actually do.

& Other Stories’ knitwear is actually fairly affordable, compared to some of their other items, and it’s such good quality and fits brilliantly. I’d really like to invest in some of their outerwear as it’s just so beautiful and of a really high quality but, sadly, I don’t have the funds for that at the moment. Maybe next year! Or when I’m no longer a student…

So those are the top 5 brands that make up most of my wardrobe but I thought I would just quickly go through some other brands that are part of my wardrobe, but feature less heavily…

6% Urban Outfitters

5% Pull & Bear

4% H&M

3% New Look (again, I must just be getting a lot of wear out of my New Look pieces as I thought this would be higher)

3% Warehouse (I was surprised about this one as I don’t think I’ve ever stepped into a Warehouse store- I think most of it has been ordered from ASOS)

2% Mango

2% COS

20% ‘Other’ (mostly brands that I only have one or two pieces from such as Uniqlo, Primark, random brands that I’ve discovered on ASOS, Nobody’s Child, Miss Selfridge)

So there we have it! My winter wardrobe in percentages, by brands. I hope you’ve enjoyed this post, not least because it took me about 2 hours to go through my wardrobe like this! But, in all seriousness, I really enjoyed making this post and going through my wardrobe in this way, so let me know if you’d like to see some similar posts!

I’m thinking I could divide up all of my seasonal wardrobes in this way (although the UK doesn’t really have autumn or spring so maybe I can just do it with winter and summer) and maybe even divide my wardrobe into percentages based on the different pieces I own (e.g. t-shirts, blazers, knitwear etc.) Please do let me know if this is something you’d like to see!

Like I said, I’m never going to have a capsule wardrobe but being aware of what’s in your wardrobe is a great way of ensuring you make more responsible choices when it comes to buying new clothes. How aware are you of your wardrobe? Do you think you could accurately guess the space that different brands take up in your wardrobe? Let me know in the comments or on social media!

You might also like…

Featured

October 21, 2018

Where I Find Style Inspiration

October 21, 2018

October 7, 2018

How to Follow Trends Without Losing Your Personal Style

October 7, 2018

May 23, 2018

New In My Wardrobe | May 2018

May 23, 2018

Alice Porter 10/21/18 Alice Porter 10/21/18

Where I Find Style Inspiration

Jumper- ASOS, Skirt- Old Zara Dress (similar here and here),Shoes- Vans, Bag- Old Zara (similar here), Necklace- ASOS

I have been feeling so inspired by and excited about fashion/styling lately. I think it's partly because we're having a very mild autumn, which means I can actually wear autumn/winter clothing that I like without freezing! But it's definitely also because I've found so many new ways of finding style inspiration. The outfit that I'm wearing here was very much inspired and something I had wanted to put together for a while. It's so 'inspired' that it basically is copied, but that's a whole other post (one that I've already written, about the difference between copying and taking inspiration).

Anyway this outfit was basically inspired by two outfits I saw on social media (see below) and it got me thinking about where I get my style inspiration from. So I thought I'd share it on my blog! I don't think it's anything revolutionary but it can be interesting to see how other people decide what to buy and what to wear and it's also part of my effort to think more consciously about why I'm buying my clothes and if I truly want/need them.

Found on Instagram via @glameramo

2. Found on

1. Pinterest

I am so late to the party with Pinterest but, now I've finally hopped on the bandwagon, I love it! I find Pinterest such an inspiring place to be. It's really just about finding images that you like and there's no obligation to engage with anything you don't want to. Plus, because it's basically a search engine, it's so easy to find exactly what you're looking for whether that's 'autumn style' or 'check blazer and midi skirt' so it always helps me find new ways to style things I already own. Whenever I'm feeling uninspired I always just scroll through my Pinterest feed and come out the other side wanting to put outfits together. It's actually one of the only forms of social media that I use for style/fashion that makes me want to shop my own wardrobe more than I actually want to buy new things because you can really curate it so images come up with people wearing similar things to those that you already own. My 'Autumn Style Inspiration' board has been my go-to place for inspiration whenever I can't decide what to wear.

2. Instagram

Again, there's nothing revolutionary here. I use Instagram for style inspiration like most other people. The save button was one I used to make use of quite often but now I have Pinterest, I tend to curate boards over on there rather on Instagram now. So, Instagram is mainly just a place that is constantly providing me with inspiration because I'm constantly on it (whether this is a good thing or a bad thing). The thing that can be tricky with Instagram is, unlike Pinterest, I'm always liking things and I think, because I'm not curating my own board and a like is something I never have to look back on again, I'm a lot more frivolous with the photos I'm liking and therefore it's hard to tell if I really did actually like the thing that I just virtually liked. A very complicated sentence, but hopefully you understand what I mean, Instagram can be much more mindless than Pinterest. But, nevertheless, because I spend so much time on Instagram and can at least curate who I follow, I am always feeling inspired by the photos on there and it's definitely the most consistent form of inspiration for me- it's like a constant flow that keeps the wheels of inspiration turning.

3.IRL Shopping/Browsing

I know I mentioned earlier that I'm trying to be more conscious with what I own and what I'm buying, but I can't deny that shopping is a big source of inspiration for me, particularly in store but also online (especially when brands release editorials; my favourites for this are Mango, & Other Stories and Zara). But the buzz I get when I'm walking around a store and seeing clothes laid out in an intentional way really does make me feel inspired. And whether it is how the shopping experience has affected me (which I think it's at least partly this) or just the novelty of new clothes, I always feel excited to style outfits when I get home from a day of shopping, in a way that shopping online just doesn't allow me as much.

4. People Watching

Another in real life method of inspiration! Although social media is essentially the virtual way of people watching I guess? But people watching in person, in the least creepy way possible, is a really great way of finding style inspiration. I don't think it's an intentional thing and I'm not really the type of person to park myself in the window seat of a cafe and take in the clothes people are wearing. But being out and about, especially in 'cooler' areas of city centres such as the Northern Quarter in Manchester or the Bold St and Baltic Triangle areas of Liverpool, always sub-consciously makes me feel inspired. I have been known to hunt down pieces after seeing them on other people or made it my life's mission to find something similar (something I did with this polka dot skirt, which is actually a dress, after seeing the original on Georgia) and most of these hunts stem from real life experiences, despite the example I've just given. The online world makes it so easy. We are handed shoppable links quicker than we can ask for them, which can obviously be really useful and time-saving. But I think hunting for a particular/similar piece that you've seen someone look amazing in IRL is more of a creative, exciting and rewarding process that will really get you feeling inspired!

I hope you've enjoyed this post and maybe even found it useful in some way. It's certainly got me excited to get styling some outfits. As I mentioned earlier, I'm currently trying to dress and, even more so, shop more consciously than I have in the past and thinking through the reasons why and ways in which you dress the way I do is a really important part of this. Because I'm never going to be a minimalist or a person who doesn't want to shop, but hopefully I can stop being the person who buys something that I will wear once purely because it's cheap or impulsively makes an ASOS order because I'm bored! Baby steps are still steps and hopefully they will all add up. If you haven't seen Stacey Dooley's brilliant documentary 'Fashion's Dirty Secrets', which I'm sure you've heard about, do go and watch it because it will make you think differently about the fashion industry, something we all need to do

Alice Porter 10/7/18 Alice Porter 10/7/18

How to Follow Trends Without Losing Your Personal Style

Photography by Ami Ford.

The content of this week's blog post is primarily style-based, which is a little bit unusual for me. However it seems very apt as I've been ridiculously excited about autumn/winter fashion recently and it's all I can think about/spend my money on. Even now I'm excited at the thought of getting dressed today so I can wear my new Topshop midi skirt. Anyway, we're one paragraph in and I'm off on a tangent. Lets get back to the point of this post, following trends without losing your personal style.

I wouldn't really say that I've got my personal style down to a tee and if you asked me to summarise it, I wouldn't know how. But I know when I'm wearing something that feels like 'me' and I know when I'm wearing something that doesn't. I think that's essentially what personal style is. But something that can get in the way of your personal style is trend pieces, especially the ones that everyone on Instagram is going crazy for. Sometimes, when seeing a piece on your favourite blogger, it's difficult to tell whether it's the piece they're wearing that you like or if it's how it looks on them that draws you to it. I've wasted a fair amount of money in the past on trend pieces that just weren't for me and didn't align with my style, mostly because of the reason above and also because sometimes seeing something so much can actually make you think you like it.

Anyway, I styled this outfit based on some of this season's current trends while still maintaining a sense of my personal style. So, based on this outfit, I'm going to provide some tips on, in my opinion, the best ways to follow and style trends.

1. Style Your Trend Pieces with Your Staple Pieces

I think one way that people's personal style can become lost by trend pieces is when their entire outfit is made up from them. This is why I struggle to get on board with co-ords sometimes, such as leopard print co-ords or the matching flared pants and crop tops, because I feel like by wearing them I could lose my personal style. But if you pair your trend pieces with your staple pieces, there's always going to be an element of 'you' within your outfit. Here I've paired 3 trend items, the cargo pants, leopard print shoes and hair clips, with 3 staple items, a simple black cami, a simple gold necklace and a classic croc print shoulder bag. Part of this tip is also ensuring you have those staple pieces in your wardrobe (mine would probably be a white t-shirt, a pair of straight leg jeans, my Vans and a leather jacket) because they are always going to make your style feel like 'you'.

2. Think About It and Experiment

This tip relates back to my earlier point about seeing a trend piece on someone who's style you like and thinking you want it for yourself. Before following a direct link to buy the item, think about how it would fit into your wardrobe. Come up with at least 3 ways you would wear the item. If you can't do this, you shouldn't really be buying it in my opinion as it's inevitably going to be one of the items that sits in the back of your wardrobe. I wasn't sure how the hair clip trend was going to fit in with my personal style, as I tend to really enjoy wearing my hair loose and a little bit messy. But I thought about it for a couple of months and tried some different types of hair clips on in store before finally deciding to give it a go. I'm quite confident wearing hair clips now as I thought a lot about how I would wear them (and even dedicated a Pinterest board to them) before buying some. But I feel as though if I would have bought them as soon as seeing them on someone whose style I admire, this confidence wouldn't have been there.

FYI: I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong with not liking a trend at first and eventually allowing it to grow on you, as long as this isn't just because you've seen it on so many people. Your style might have slightly changed from when you first saw it or you might have discovered new ways to style it. Just make sure you're consciously thinking about the reasons why your mind has changed to avoid wasting your money.

3. Pair Trendy Patterns with Staple Shapes or Trendy Shapes with Staple Patterns/Colours

This is a rule I try and stick to although, of course it's completely fine to try new shapes and patterns. However it is a good way of ensuring trend pieces you spend money on aren't too out there that you're going to be scared to wear them. What I mean by this tip is, for example, if you want to buy into the leopard print trend, choose a piece that is in a shape that you're comfortable wearing (such as an A-Line skirt or a blazer). Or, alternatively, if you're buying into a trend based on style or shape, such as the silk/satin midi skirt trend, choose one in a colour that you're comfortable wearing.

I wasn't 100% sure about the animal print trend (I'm still very skeptical of the snake print trend, I don't think it's for me) but I have eventually picked up some leopard print bits that I've definitely got wear out of, such as these Primark shoes. These shoes were only £6 so they weren't much of an investment piece anyway but, even so, I don't think that's a reason to buy things without thinking about them because firstly, little things add up and, secondly, I want to own things that I love not that I just feel indifferent towards. And I knew I was going to get so much wear out of these shoes because I have them in yellow and wore them to death during summer. So I knew they were going to be a really good trend-based update to my wardrobe for autumn/winter.

4. Know What The Trends Are

This might be the most important tip because if you don't know what this season's trends are you aren't going to be able to follow the previous tips. Also, most of the time it's important to think of trend items as such so you know not to invest your money in something that's only going to be around for a season or two. By being consciously aware of the trends, you can consider when you see something you like, if you like it because it's a popular item that lots of people have been wearing if you like it because it's something you'd personally feel great in. My favourite way to keep myself up to date with the season's trends is by reading articles and watching videos about them. Megan Ellaby does great videos every season on trend pieces, here is the link to her autumn edition. Karen also did a really great video on the same topic.

I hope this post has been helpful and will inform any shopping you're planing on doing over the next couple of months. I've definitely bought into a few of this seasons' trends such as satin midi skirts, cardigans and leopard print but I'm always conscious of which pieces are going to last me a long time and which pieces aren't and I try and spend my money accordingly. Let me know in the comments or over on social media what your favourite trend of the season is!