One of the trickiest things to get the hang of after moving to the UK is where to shop and what to buy for women’s clothes. Despite London being one of the top 10 fashion capitals of the world, figuring out women’s British fashion can be quite hard.
You can manage for a long time with your American closet that moved to the UK with you but throw in your first dressy British outing, like Royal Ascot or any race day, and suddenly the pressure to figure out shopping in the UK is royally on.
Although it’d be amazing to simply buy and wear Alexander McQueen, Burberry and Stella McCartney, the reality is it’s not all that practical, affordable and let’s face it, questionably pretty. Thankfully Meghan Markle brings classics to the scene with simplistic J Crew, but even so, one brand might not be enough when we have a dress mission. And particularly when it’s a first British outing, like Royal Ascot, Wimbledon (that tv spot moment!) or even Henley Royal Regatta.
Dress shopping in London @ J.Crew during #ChelseaInBloom
With the excitement and pressure on to pull off my first high fashion scene in the UK, I turned to American expats before me on what they wore and where to shop for the Royal Ascot or any special dress occasion in their British influenced expat life. With expat women living all over the UK, mostly London, they shared their shopping in the UK secrets and tips for where to buy a race day dress or for simply any other time of the year.
Categorized to help you hone in on your own shopping in the UK, here’s where American expat women suggest dress shopping for a British day or evening out. These are British retailers only so that you experience British fashion at its finest while visiting or living in the UK. And cheaper than buying in the USA, too.
Fit For A Duchess
If Kate Middleton style is what you seek, any of these British shops will do.
- LK Bennett
- Reiss
- Beulah. Filter by occasion for their Ascot dresses.
Highly Unique & One Of A Kind
- Rixo, whom Harpers Bazaar refers to as fashion’s most in-demand affordable brand. And Forbes refers to them as:
The viral brand women actually want to wear.
- Self-Portrait is where to find a dress with an edge. Shop longer dresses for something race-day friendly.
- Wolf & Badger carries independent designer brands with physical stores in only London and New York.
Romantic & Soft
- Needle & Thread
- Madderson London, which offers a maternity line, too.
- Coast, which is partially owned by Karen Millen. You can shop for dresses exclusively tagged for “Race Day”.
Totally Vintage
- Rixo plays in this space, too!
- Collectif
- Irregular Choice for vintage and funky. No twinning here!
- Hell Bunny
- Isabel’s in Newbury, such as this yellow polka-dot retro seen in this pin.
On The Trendy Side
- Whistles
- Ted Baker; the online store lets you filter by “Races Outfits”.
- FCUK, French Connection, is in fact British. Who knew!
- ASOS
- Topshop
Less Trendy, More Conservative
- Karen Millen
- Hobbs
- Jigsaw
- Phase-Eight. This is where many American expats choose to shop from head to toe for any British race day.
- Clarkes for shoes which are presumably a lot cheaper than in the USA.
Favorite British Brands That Cater To Plus Sizes
- Scarlet & Jo
- Dorothy Perkins
Less Expensive British Dress Shop Options
- Monsoon. You can shop by “Race Day Inspiration”. Hats, too.
- Next
- Roman Originals
One Stop Shopping: A British Department Store
Try famous British department stores like Harrods, Selfridges, Fenwick or Peter Jones and John Lewis Partners. Or try House of Frasier, Debenhams, and Primark (Irish) to browse a wide range of dresses and brands that range from haute couture to pieces that are easier on the wallet. Options are endless.
Go Second Hand
With this year’s fashions likely to be chosen for major events, avoid twinning and choose something from last year’s fashion line-up instead. Hit a charity shop or search for a dress agency near you. A dress agency is an upscale resale shop. Search google for one near you.
Rent The Dress
If buying is too stressful or too expensive, rent the entire outfit from LittleBlackDress.com. Similar to Rent the Runway in the USA, Little Black Dress lets you rent pieces at a fraction of the cost. The hats available for rent are incredible!
Everyday British Dresses Not For Race Day
For a more casual setting, these British brands have dresses for the most relaxed occasions and therefore not recommended for a fancy affair.
- Joules
- Boden
- Fat Face
- Seasalt
Whether you’re going to the races or have another British occasion to dress for, this list for dress shopping in the UK should give you an idea of where to go or what to do when you’re ready for your first British day out.
Between buying new, second hand or even renting the dress, there are lots of British options that American expats have found that aren’t all break-the-bank brands. Surprisingly, several British retailers are available in the USA, though cheaper in the UK. It just took a lot of expats shopping in London and around the UK to discover and share these tips for the rest of us. With the pressure off and the excitement on, let’s get dress shopping! 👜👗
Looking for more expat life resources? Try these.
- 11 British Gifts To Give Americans
- Top 10: What To Buy At Marks & Spencer
- And make moving abroad a whole lot easier. A moving guide made for expats, from an expat. 😉Download today!
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