I've Been a Fashion Editor for 15 Years—Here's What I Want to Buy Now
With 15 years of fashion experience behind me, I can spot a winning purchase from a mile off—and not just for my own wardrobe but for many friends, family members andBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing readers too. Having lived through the rise of fast fashion, the impact of social media on product virality and the ever-increasing churn of runway collections, I've seen some pretty ridiculous trends come and go during my time in the industry, and by documenting them from afar (rather than always wearing them), I've become adept at sifting out the looks and items that have longevity. Certain pieces come back time and again, and many "trends" are actually quite classic. Stripes, basket bags and linen trousers for summer? Yep. Leopard-print coats, over-the-knee boots and dark, moody colours for winter? Always.
I wouldn't say my personal style isn't particularly safe, but it's very rare that I make a shopping misstep these days. My 20s were more experimental and led by thrifting—it was the only way I could try to re-create higher-fashion looks on a very limited fashion-assistant budget. My 30s have been punctuated with endless wardrobe culls (I rent, sell and give away a lot!) in order to streamline and refine my options. My husband would argue that my "fashion collection" still takes up an inordinate amount of space in our house despite my efforts to aim for a capsule closet, but fewer new items make their way in these days. Becoming a mum also altered my outlook; clothes and shoes now need to be a little more practical, and I have to be less precious about pieces getting covered in peanut butter or snot. It's a tough adjustment, but the passion for great frocks, amazing knitwear, perfect-fit trousers, gorgeous shoes, chic handbags and pretty jewellery still remains. Specifically, midi dresses (both plain or printed but always modest), low heels, gold earrings and jazzy pants are my weaknesses.
Today, I try to zero in on the pieces that I know can be worn in multiple ways without feeling boring or too basic. If I buy into prints or a more "current" trend, I'll try to consider whether it'll still look fresh in a year or two's time. I get things tailored because goodness knows being a 5'1'' hourglass woman does not make shopping easy. So if you're looking for an expert curation of buys with longevity, you came to the right place—keep scrolling for my wish list.
I'm as much of a sucker for a sophisticated striped jumper as the next girl, and now Arket's Insta-famous one is back in stock, so you know the drill.
I'm not 100% sure how to justify a pair of crystal-studded kitten-heel mules to you—I just need you to trust me because I would wear the heck out of these beauties for many years to come.
This charming top looks far beyond its high-street origin and would work beautifully for an event with a slinky skirt, for the office with tailored trousers and for a night out with jeans and heels.
I'm a relative newcomer to the merits of COS trousers, but I'm glad I've finally seen the light. Many of its wide-leg tailored styles feature internal elastic adjustments around the waist to ensure a perfectly snug fit.
I own slip skirts in a variety of colours. Why? Because I wear them all the time! They're great in the summer with a simple vest or tee but also excellent in winter with a gigantic, belted jumper.
Ganni's ruched jersey and mesh dresses adapt to different body shapes really nicely. This new iteration features a quirky palm-leaf-and-banana print that, due to its black background, works all year round. You could wear it now to a wedding with strappy heels or layer it up with tights and chunky boots come winter.
I don't know if my search for the perfect pair of black ankle boots will ever end, but with this style, I think I'm getting much closer!
Missoma teamed up with Le Specs recently to create a very cool range of sunglasses, and I've been wearing these pearl-embellished ones nonstop.
The perfect blue shirt doesn't exist… Oh, wait! It does! The Frankie Shop's colourful shirting has been popular for the past few summers, but I appreciate just how classic this sky-blue option is and can already imagine 50 ways to wear it.
I wore this polka-dot top and matching skirt (see below) to a dinner party recently and felt absolutely fabulous!
This looks just as cute with a retro T-shirt and flat sandals as it does all dressed up for the night.
Crochet is one of those boomerang trends that come back every summer, so this sweet daisy top is a surprisingly useful investment.
Throw-on dresses are a category I severely lack in my wardrobe, and this could solve the problem (while looking a lot more expensive than it is).
Up next, the most expensive-looking pieces on the high street.
Hannah Almassi is the Editor in Chief ofBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK. Hannah has been part of the theBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing brand since 2015, when she was headhunted to launch the UK sister site and social channels, implement a localised content strategy and build out the editorial team. She joined following a seven-year tenure at Grazia magazine, where she led front-of-book news, fashion features and shopping specials as fashion news and features editor. With experience in both print and digital across fashion and beauty, Hannah has over 16 years in the field as a journalist, editor, content strategist and brand consultant. Hannah has interviewed industry heavyweights such as designers including Marc Jacobs and Jonathan Anderson through to arbiters of taste including Katie Grand and Anna Dello Russo. A skilled moderator and lecturer specialising in the shift to digital media and e-commerce, Hannah’s opinion and work has been sought by the likes of CNBC, BBC, The Sunday Times Style, The Times, The Telegraph and MatchesFashion.com, among many others. Hannah is often called upon for her take on trends, becoming known as a person with their finger of the pulse of what’s happening in the fashion space for stylish Brits. Hannah currently resides in Eastbourne with her photographer husband, incredibly busy son and highly Instagrammable cat.
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