Shop Here Not There | Where to Shop and Where to Stop Shopping Over 40

I was at a restaurant with a friend recently and we were talking about always ordering the same thing at our favorite restaurants. It can be all too easy to order our favorites on repeat because, well, we like them and we know they’re not going to disappoint.

It only becomes a problem when we do it with clothes.

Here’s the thing. I always encourage you to find “your” store. You know, the store that gets you. A store where the clothes usually fit and work for your budget and lifestyle and that just feel like your style. The store that checks all of the boxes. Unless that store is Chico’s. And you’ve shopped nowhere else for the last 23 years. It’s too much of a good thing.

If you feel like you’re buying the same clothes at the same stores on repeat, you might be stuck in a style rut. And while I encourage my clients to have a modern, chic go-to store that fits their style, their body, and their budget, it’s also important to know when to say when. You have to take a step back and reevaluate every couple of years, so that your style doesn’t get stale.

The problem with shopping at the same store, almost exclusively, is that the store’s aesthetic becomes your aesthetic. It becomes less about what you love and more about what they’re selling this season. And because your options are limited, your personal style doesn’t have a chance to truly emerge, especially when you’re shopping at a store with a very focused and limited selection.

This video is not designed to make you break up with your store BFF. It’s just meant to give you options. Because one of the only downsides of having “your store” is that you can start to look like the brand’s unpaid model. And, ultimately, you want your wardrobe to represent you, not Talbots, no matter how cute the stuff is this season.

So what to do if you want to build a wardrobe that represents your personal style but still fits and checks all of the other boxes? (And trust me, do we have boxes!). You broaden your horizons, just a bit. You find another store or two that checks the exact same boxes but maybe does it in a way that’s just a tiny bit more modern and a tiny bit, well, cooler. And then you can shop both places to curate a wardrobe that looks like the cool girl you actually are. These stores will help you get there.

You’ll find they represent the same general aesthetic as “your” store, but fresher, a little bit more youthful, cooler somehow. Just like you.

You can find everything I mention in this video in this catalog.

The Preppy/Classic Style: If You Love Talbots, Try J. Crew or Boden

While J. Crew and it’s British counterpart, Boden. both share a preppy, classic aesthetic with Boden, it’s far harder to make a misstep or buy an unfortunate item at these two brands, which are focused on a broader age range and have a more modern aesthetic.

Here, I’ll show you how each of these brands reinterprets 3 iconic preppy/classic staples.

All of these items can be found here.

The Silver Loafer

One of the shoes of the season in the metal of the season, these brands all interpret this style in their own way, from Talbots’ more purely classic take to J. Crew and Boden’s more updated versions.

These can all be found here.

The Tweed Jacket

This trending classic is shown with straightforward details at Talbots, with multiple fabric and color options at J. Crew, and simple and streamlined at Boden.

These can all be found here.

The Striped Shirt

This wardrobe classic is best kept simple, structured, and slightly boxy, as shown season after season at J. Crew and Boden, both known for their mariniere shirts. Talbots shows more creative, and therefore less iconic, stripes, bringing it into last place in this roundup.

These can all be found here.

The Polished/Glam Style: Alternatives to WHBM

In the case of this personal style aesthetic, I draw a stronger line in the sand between the good/better/best options. Boston Proper is glam for sure but in an over-the-top, too-much-going-on way that often seems dated. WHBM has some of the same characteristics (and pitfalls) but the execution is always more modern. However, the best choice for a glam look that is modern and never dated is Express.

These can all be found here.

The Pink Dress

A hot pink dress is a fun and trendy alternative to classic red this holiday season, and each of these brands have versions. Skip right over the Boston Proper version here, which is not awful but definitely not chic, and go for one of the others. While I slightly prefer the flattery of the Express version, you can’t go wrong with either of these.

These can all be found here.

The Red Shirt

An easy way to take a work outfit into an office party or a night out, a red dressy blouse is a great year-round choice, but especially helpful for the holidays. As with the pink dress, bypass the style from Boston Proper and go for the other more modern versions.

These can all be found here.

The Sequin Shirt

Beware the bad party top. I’ve cautioned you against it in many videos, and you’ll find a prime example in the Boston Proper shirt shown here. When you’re choosing a shirt with a very statement-making element, like sequins, the style should be modern and sleek to offset the shine.

These can all be found here.

The Boho Style: Alternatives to Soft Surroundings

Soft Surroundings’ emphasis on flowy silhouettes in subdued colors with lots of detail makes it a draw for women with boho style, but Anthropologie offers a younger, fresh take on this aesthetic, as does French contemporary brand Sezane.

These can all be found here.

The Velvet Shirt

At Soft Surroundings, the simplest velvet shirt is a tunic, while Anthropologie has a classic button-down with more modern details, and Sezane shows velvet’s cousin, corduroy, in a cool nod to that trend.

These can all be found here.

The Embroidered White Blouse

Sezane takes the lead here, as the feminine, lacy, and embroidered white shirt is a hallmark of the brand. Anthropologie, which always has several takes on this style, only had one real contender this season (maybe because it’s fall?) although it’s lovely, and Soft Surroundings also has a beautiful version. You can’t go wrong with any of these.

These can all be found here.

The Sequin Top

Soft Surroundings and Anthropologie both show classic silhouettes in sequins, which is the most modern way to wear this sparkly fabric, while Sezane skipped the top and showed pants instead.

These can all be found here.

The Relaxed Natural Style: Alternatives to J. Jill

J. Jill, and its pricier style cousin, Eileen Fisher, are known for relaxed, sometimes shapeless, silhouettes in natural high-quality fabrics. Garnet Hill has its own versions of this style, using its own items and pieces sourced from other brands.

These can all be found here.

The Velvet Dress

J. Jill and Garnet Hill are neck and neck with their offerings here, showing lovely relaxed velvet dresses in simple but modern silhouettes. Eileen Fisher’s version, however, is boxy and less flattering.

These can all be found here.

The Knit Dress

J. Jill’s frumpy pattern and shape make their version a pass, so I would suggest Garnet Hill’s similar but more modern version or Eileen Fisher’s minimal neutral style.

These can all be found here.

The Velvet Set

I love these velvet options, with the winners being the jumpsuit from Eileen Fisher and the relaxed velvet “suit” from Garnet Hill. J. Jill’s version is more loungey but also a good choice.

These can all be found here.

Did you find it helpful to see the same item across 3 different stores? And did you discover an alternative to your favorite store today? Let me know in the comments.