we-try-before-you-buy

Readers of Who What Wear will be familiar with our We Try Before You Buy franchise, where the team tries on new items to help you decide what is really worth investing in. This involves trying samples and borrowing things from brands for the day, however this story is a little different this time. Instead of trying anything new or borrowed, we are all wearing pieces we actually own and many are items that we’ve loved for years and years. The word ‘affordable’ is often overused by fashion editors, but is a tricky and complicated term as what is considered affordable can vary hugely. This is something we are all too aware of. Below our editors have shared the one outfit that has proved to be amazing value for them, whether that’s because it’s comprised of charity shop finds, it’s an item tha...

Our We Try Before You Buy series aims to take the stress out of shopping and eliminate the number of post office visits you make each month to return failed online orders. We test new-season buys and styling ideas so you don’t have to. Here, we’re letting you know what’s actually worth investing in or styling tricks you can recreate with pieces you already own.  The words ‘party dressing’ might conjure up images of sequins and sparkly fabrics, however it can be more than just magpie styling. The theme of this month’s We Try Before You Buy was an obvious choice, as our diaries are filling up with festive plans. We each opted for a party outfit that we would love to wear this December, finding pieces on the high street, from small independent brands and designer labels and bor...

Welcome to The Great Try-On. With autumn on the horizon, we seized the opportunity to try on some of the best autumn pieces from some of your favourite brands, documenting the process along the way. We believe that the most foolproof way to shop online is to see an item IRL and to read candid reviews, so we hope that this leads you to some successful purchases. I am a Zara fan through and through. Yes, I am a fashion editor, and stalking Zara’s site is technically a part of my job, but do I also browse Zara in my free time? Yes, of course I do. Beyond the approachable price point, which typically results in an obnoxiously full online shopping cart at any given time, Zara always manages to have exactly what I am looking for. Whether it’s the latest grouping of trends, ...

At Who What Wear we are always trying to help you find pieces that will be a long-lasting addition to your wardrobe, that will not only out-live fleeting trends and fit in with your personal style, but stand up from a design point of view. That is why this month we have brought you ‘The Great Try On‘ where our editors and friends of Who What Wear have tried new-season pieces and styling moves, to help you find those that are actually worth investing in or recreating yourself.  There can be many difficulties shopping on the high street, from the wild discrepancies with fit and quality, not to mention a lack of size diversity and the promotion of a throwaway fast-fashion culture. But for many of us, shopping on the high street is what is accessible and realistic. That i...

Changing rooms still feel like a real novelty after months of online-only shopping, so to celebrate the arrival of autumn collections, our editors headed into stores to be able to give you our honest reviews. This month, we’ve been to the high street, tried new-in handbags and tested buzzy collaborations—and this time we’ve assembled eight autumn outfits from pieces we admired the most from the A/W 21 collections. Our team has tried so many cult items, from Bottega boots to Christopher Kane’s statement tees, and have each tried different aesthetics for autumn. You’ll find something grunge, something ’70s and something with a back-to-school spirit. So whatever styling camp you’re in this autumn, we think you’ll find an outfit idea or two to try. We visited the...

Amongst the women in my family, we’ve always believed in the power of the change-room boogie. You know, the inadvertent reaction you have when trying on clothes at a store and finally finding a piece that fits *just* right, inevitably leading to a quick shimmy in front of the change-room mirror to whatever pop song is playing over the loudspeaker. Okay, maybe it’s just us? But I’m sure everyone can relate to the exciting feeling of putting on an item of clothing that instantly fits like a glove. As a petite woman, I have to say it’s a rarity. There’s usually a skirt hem dragging on the floor or a trouser leg that requires rolling up whenever I’m trying on clothes. That is why this month, I set out to find some petite-specific items that warrant a change-room boogie (or in ...

As a digital fashion website, here at Who What Wear we are all about the ease and convenience of shopping for clothes online. However regardless of how seamless the returns policy is or how fast next day delivery is, you sometimes just can’t beat the feeling of trying on pieces in real life. As shops—and changing rooms—have now re-opened, we have finally been able to bring back our We Try Before You Buy franchise, and give you an honest first-hand account of our changing room successes. Shopping Editor Joy Montgomery and myself went to the beautiful shopping suites at MatchesFashion’s Carlos Place and Brownsfashion’s new boutique on Brook Street, and decided to try on summer dresses. We added an extra element to our challenge—Joy could only try on minimalist, simple dress...

When it comes to being a petite woman, there are a few things I have learnt to accept. For example, I know I’ll never be able to reach the top shelf of the kitchen cabinets or have a perfect unobstructed view at a music concert. And in pre-pandemic times, I knew that getting on the tube in peak hour would often result in being squished in between other people’s shoulders (or worse, armpits).  While I am perfectly content with my smaller stature and the compromises that it forces upon me, there is one thing I am not willing to settle on, and that is ill-fitting clothing. I stand at just 5’1″, and finding clothes for my size can often be a challenge. And although I’m happy to style an oversize blazer or slouchy knit from t...

Our We Try Before You Buy series aims to take the stress out of shopping and eliminate the number of post office visits you make each month to return failed online orders. We test new-season buys and styling ideas so you don’t have to. On the day the country begins to reopen, there is a new sense of optimism and finally a reason for us to dress up once again. Dresses had become redundant for many over the past 12 months—apart from those who took the bins out in ball gowns, of course. However with weddings rescheduled and restaurants back open, dresses are the joyful item we’re certain will end the loungewear era. Our We Try Before You Buy series sees us try on items to give a closer look at the pieces that we truly love and explain why we think they are worth it. As many plan the...

When major brands like VB and influencer favourite The Row are picking up on something like this, you know it’s bound to be big. Contemporary brands like Wardrobe.NYC have also worked on the perfect pairs which are already selling out on Matches, and although sometimes it takes a good while for these designer trends to hit the high street, luckily for us, some of our favourites have jumped to it, from M&S to Zara. Last year, when I first saw the trend taking off (and we were still working from offices), I tried on as many pairs of split-hem trousers as I could get my hands on, from denim to legging styles. But as most of us are staying indoors and living in leggings, it would be a good time to republish my findings.  Let me tell you, Rosie is re...

There’s something so whimsical about the onset of autumn. The air becomes crisp and leaves turn to shades of yellow, orange and red, blanketing parks and sidewalk across the country. Oftentimes, the new seasonal collections mimic this comforting shade combination as these autumnal colours have become synonymous with the season.  From cosy orange knits to chocolate-hued trench coats and yellow patterned dresses, Who What Wear’s new collection also embraces the shade range we turn to every autumn. The brand’s latest collection was made with British women in mind, merging key trends of the season with practical, timeless essentials. Tapping into 2020’s top styles including graphic checks, leather coats and abstract patterns, the range is versatile yet fashion...

Shapewear is typically a very specific type of lingerie—it smooths out lines and can make you feel more confident about wearing a figure-hugging dress, but it’s not usually the sort of thing you’d want to wear by itself (although the Kardashians have made that much more common). So when Heist, those clever people behind the comfiest tights ever (they’re seriously good—you really should get a pair) launched black, beige and brown Outer Body bodysuits, the brand found its customers started to wear it not just as shapewear but also as part of their usual wardrobes. Much like the brand’s approach to tights, these bodysuits were originally created to change our perception of shapewear. It wasn’t just about being functional; it was about it being beautiful—something we can more than get on ...