High Street, Je T'aime?

Most of us shop on the high street, because really we don't have any other choice.

Personally, my age, size and lack of money in my purse dictates that I shop in River Island, New Look, Topshop, Miss Selfridge, H&M, Zara, Primark? I'm 21 and therefore want an aesthetic that reflects my age, so no, I won't be shopping at M&S for cashmere cardies and bootcut jeans. I'm a size 14 and it is mainly high street shops that cater for the 'larger sizes', especially for my big boobs. I've tried looking at Vintage clothing and Asos Marketplace, and trust me, the nicest things come in a size 8. And lets be honest, the main reason is simply because I can only wear what either my parents or my wages will afford me. Which is basically nothing at all.

I actually love the high street, but in some ways its just become a bit 'tired' now. I'm sick of seeing Topshop being ripped off by River Island. River Island being ripped off by New Look. And New Look being ripped off by Primark.

So I'm just going to analyse a few of the 'main players' and analyse some of their pros and cons. I'll tell you what my favourite high street shop is, but ultimately I'm going to leave it up to you to tell me what yours is.

First up: River Island

Ok so everyone who knows me, knows that I'm a River Island whore. They may have also noticed that in the two years that I worked there my 30% discount meant that I basically only wore River Island. Before I worked there, I wasn't really a big fan of their clothes, I saw them more as experts in expensive demin and bags that every Hornsey Girl craved. HOWEVER, once I started working there I actually began to fall in love with their clothes. Okay, so they're just a tad  a lot expensive, but I can vouch for them when I say that their clothes last FOR AGES. They've also become more fashion forward, moving away from satin party dresses, and more into this territory:

I HAVE TO HAVE THIS!!! CLOTHING ORGASM!

Next up: Topshop

Where do I start with Topshop. They're sometimes seen at the 'couture' of the high street. They're cutting edge, pretty and attention grabbing. Its for the boys and girls with a bit of money and a lot of personality. You almost feel special when someone asks you where you got your dress from...and you can smugly answer "Topshop" LOL Also, the Flagship store on Oxford St is a tiny bit of shopping heaven. And even if you can't afford their clothing, you may be able to buy a piece of jewellery...to own a little part of the Topshop dream. My favourite piece from there at the moment is:

This winter is going to be all about Mustard Yellows, get to know LOL

New Look

A couple of things to say about New Look. Its a place I go when I have a little bit less money to spend. You can get something similar to other stores for sometimes even half the price. The one thing I have to rave about New Look is their shoe department. So basically you can get a variety of heels, some which are actually pretty great...all for under £30. Because lets be honest, I can't afford Office shoes, let alone KG. Another thing is that although New Look has often been seen as pretty basic, they're coming more to the forefront of fashion with pieces that are a little bit more risky. And their bags are actually grabbing my attention:

Image is a bit small, blame the website folks.

Finally: H&M

All I'm going to say is that I'm absolutely done with H&M. Its like they're not even trying anymore. And collaborations with every designer under the sun is not really enough to save them in my eyes. Sorry.

So you can pretty much tell that River Island is what I've voted as my favourite High Street Store. 

Erm yeah. So what do you guys think? Do you agree? And what's your favourite high street store?

Jadeybaby xXx