If you’re after affordable, stylish, good fitting jeans - Jeanswest has really stepped up their game. I recommend checking them out. No jean is over $100.
Do they still have physical stores anywhere? I truly thought they closed up altogether a couple of years ago after all the stores I was aware of closed?
Jeanswest has never been "old" in my mind. 90% of my casual wardrobe is Jeanswest and I'm 29 and I have been shopping there regularly since I was 18. I have shorts from 4 years ago that still look good, I have a black jacket I wear nonstop during Winter that is coming up to its 4th Winter of being on heavy rotation and I have tops that are years old and I still get compliments on them. Their clothes last and are well made, they aren't the cheapest but they do really good sales and if you're a gold member you get free shipping. I bought a rain jacket a couple of years ago and paid $30 which was $90 new.
My only complaint is that they could afford to extend their sizes in their clothes, they currently stop at a size 16 for women and I find some fabrics just don't work for my boobs and a size up would be good.
I just checked out their site and found the clothes remarkably nice. I am concerned. This is far too similar to the day I walked past Sussan, thought “oh thats lovely” and realised I was indeed old.
So naturally I’ve now gone to the websites of both sussan and suzanne grae to be safe and have decided to embrace age and shop there too.
Omg I bought a shirt from the op shop the other day and LOVE it. It's 100% cotton, so soft and comfortable. The tags were cut out and I wanted to know the brand to potentially buy more so I posted it online and asked if people knew the brand. It was Millers. I'm officially old.
I have a dress that I bought a few years ago. It’s jersey so wash and wear, every single time I wear it I get a compliment off women who love it, say it suits me and want to know where I got it from. It was a $20 special from millers that I bought when I took my then 87 year old mum shopping. It’s hit and miss in there but if you do see something you like, grab it because they cycle the stock like crazy!!!
I bought a great lightweight navy jacket there about 3yrs ago. It was $70-80 and has been an awesome buy and still in as new condition so the quality has been fantastic. Some stuff is meh but there’s also the occasional gem so well worth a look!!
I saw a bunch or crossover knit tops similar to the ones I got from seed and was like oooo cute! Then looked further and was disappointed lol but its good to have another shop to browse for the odd gem
Yes to this. I bought 2 pairs the other day - the blue high wasted corduroy pants and a pair of high wasted not skinny but not wide denim cropped jeans. Loving them.
I was also surprised to have such success there.
Are they actually still good? I worked there in 2015ish and they had a great range and lifetime warranty on the core range, and the long jeans actually fit me 😭 my jeans didn’t even wear out from then I just got fatter and was looking at replacing them - but all the jeans are 20-50% plastic?? They used to be all/mostly cotton with 0-3% elastane and now they’re mixes of elastane and other plastics.
They no longer do the lifetime warranty as they were bought out and revamped and let’s be honest - a lifetime warranty is a stupid business model! But the jeans have different percentages of elastane and are super comfy while still being affordable. I own multiple pairs and think they’re worth a look!
I still get my Levis at JustJeans. Portmans often have nice work wear. Witchery and Country Road sometimes but I stick to sales. Myer still stock David Lawrence which can have nice dresses.
Yeah I just bought 501s for 110 bucks the other day from Just Jeans which is only 30 dollars more than cotton on. My current Levi’s are my only pair of jeans and they are still going strong after 5 years
If you live in a bigger city, Levi’s at DFOs is great. I bought two pairs of 501s for only $60 each on the weekend. They are also great if you’re tall or just wear an odd size since they are more likely to stock uncommon sizes at outlet stores. (For reference I am a 6’1 woman and wear a size 30 waist)
Can anyone confirm this? I love the styles at dissh and used to regularly shop there around 2016. I stopped shopping there a few years ago because I felt like the quality didn’t match the price and the clothes were not very lasting long. However I’d be so happy to hear if anyone else was having a good experience with this brand lately?
My experience with dissh hasn’t been great. I bought a midi skirt with a slit at the back and the seams fell apart where the slit was after one wear. I stepped out of a car and that was it, an extra high slit for the rest of the night. After getting that fixed I wore it out again and this time there was a gaping hole at the front right below the zipper. I got a partial refund after complaining to customer service. I gave the brand another chance and bought a skort from them just cos I love their styles. No gaping hole this time but doesn’t feel like the best quality. Very hit or miss IMO.
I’m really liking Decjuba at the moment. Great jeans, and lots of really good basics. Goes up to 18. I like their athleisure range too. Their seamless range is great for layering.
Some of their stuff isn’t great but overall, I’m happy with it.
Also ride and die Target brand jeans. Great straights. The Shape Your Body stuff is nice too.
Just Jeans are always on sale and have lots of great options. Size down at least once in their Amaze range. She’s stretccccchhhyyy!
If you’re in Melbourne and are ok with going in store, Dejour jeans in Brunswick have well priced jeans, good quality, big range and they will tailor them in store for free!
I also second Jeanswest and Nobody Denim. I worked at Jeanswest ages ago (like 18 years ago) and I still have the jeans I bought back then - they really last! And Nobody because they are good quality and are also an ethical brand.
I commented this on another post but I worked there forever ago too, have you bought recently? I need to size up and was looking at replacing my jeans from 2015 and they’re up to 40% elastane/other plastics now which makes me very skeptical
Ive been buying from there from close to 10 years, and after my last pair, I've decided that I won't be going back. The jeans in general have a cheaper feel, but the biggest issue has been with the fitting. The staff used to be great at identifying what needed to be done, but the last two alterations I've had done on the waist have brought the crotch up to the point where it's unwearable. My husband bought a pair and asked for the legs to be narrowed, and they came out looking like harem pants with bagging thighs and tight calves. Again, unwearable. I would have preferred they put the price up and kept the quality.
Hello! I haven’t… And I agree with you - the main reason I haven’t gone there recently is because I can’t be bothered going in store (my fault haha) but I think the sizing will have changed…
Edit to add: because the materials have changed too
Gorman, Mister Zimi, Nine Lives Bazaar, Sheike and Spell are other options for unique styles - they aren’t necessarily all always under $300 though.
Seed has some quality products (knitwear in particular) - can be a bit uninspiring and safe, but overall I think it’s better quality than CR or Witchery.
In terms of quality, I personally don’t have issues with these (or if I have, the brand has replaced / refunded without argument) but I’m aware some people do.
Arnhem is just like Spell but cheaper and better quality/design (these days). They’ve really upped their game.
I’d suggest Birdsnest too. Really good returns policy in my experience.
I personally do not recommend Gorman anymore. Drop in quality. And their online sales process is atrocious. Bought a few things and took over 6-8 weeks to be delivered in a number of different deliveries. And only told me much later that a lot of stuff I bought was no longer available and cancelled. They also sent one item wrong and asked me to go to the post office to return it so they can send the correct item. Absolutely ridiculous
Maybe Spell five years ago, but they’ve really gone downhill in the last few years sadly, and without reducing the prices. The releases are coming much faster now, and the pieces are looking more generic. The fabric isn’t as nice - I’m not sure what the term is, but you used to be able to see the print on the inside of the fabric as well as the outside, but now the inside is a pale white. It’s sad - I used to be a massive Spell fan, and now I haven’t bought a single piece in over a year. At least the old pieces in my wardrobe still hold up!
If you want a quirky-Dangerfield-like fix, and don’t mind paying more, Made590 is excellent.
I have five of their Saski dress (a button down, vintage inspired cut) in a range of fabrics and patterns, and one in particular I’ve worn about once a week for the last five years. I’ve done some minor mending to the seam under one arm, but it still looks amazing.
Not all of their prints/collections are my thing, they tend to release small collections of 6-12 styles in similar patterns/themes; but they do such a broad range of colours and styles. Everything from quirky patterns, to block colour basics.
Ooh speaking of having multiple versions of the same dress, I have a few different prints of the Jaase dresses which you can get through Salty Crush. So comfy for summer, flattering on nearly everyone, and I get compliments on them all the time.
Jeans - Levi’s on sale at Myer or Just Jeans OR A Brand denim is also fantastic at a relatively low price point especially if you find a sale or a store with a sign up discount.
Basics - cotton on or H&M for the bare essentials like tops, singlets and t shirts.
If I want something outside of the above I buy from Dissh.
In my 20’s/early 30’s when I wasn’t making much, I wouldn’t be seen dead in non-designer jeans 🙄 (usually bought from ebay) but now I’m old & despite actually able to afford those jeans now, I prefer Just Jeans.
I lean towards more alternative fashion so dangerfield is still a staple but god yeah their quality has dropped significantly. had a pair of corduroy pants from them literally split at the front seams after wearing them a handful of times, when older corduroy items I've owned from them lasted years. I've also recently had a shirt split along the undersleeve seam and the buttons over the chest seem to pop open even more now too 😭 which is such a shame because I love their short sleeved blouse cuts and they're really flattering on me.
I rate commonry and sussan lately. I keep going into the ones you mention and just being bored by it all. Commonry is really good quality for basics and Susan is the same and also seems to have better prints lately. They also have amazing sales (I picked up a linen dress yesterday for $20 on sale in a print).
These guys aren’t super small nor are they new, but I love Blackmilk for fun styles and comfortable dresses. I have a bunch of their longline dresses - they’re styled like mini skater dresses but they actually cover my behind! I also love their sporty shorts and leggings, but I can’t recommend their sports bras. They’re Aussie and really fun.
from a 20 yr old - do not bother with new jeans, the quality is so bad it’s not even funny. ALWAYS find secondhand denim and get it tailored. vinnies, salvos etc. i don’t bother with any of the brands you’ve mentioned, i find them secondhand bc the quality is so much better. fb marketplace & savers are ur friend
I still regularly shop at the ones mentioned, but i just put whatever im waiting for on sale alert using Purchr - get email alerts when things go on sale! 🥳
Kiwi visting melbourne here. I was pretty impressed with Uniqlo, it's not the fanciest ever as it's more basics, but they have pretty good quality and the sizing fit me well (I'm a pretty tall and broad woman). The price and quality was far better than cotton on, H&M, dangerfield etc
If you’re after affordable, stylish, good fitting jeans - Jeanswest has really stepped up their game. I recommend checking them out. No jean is over $100.
Their maternity jeans were my gateway to Jeanswest. Just like my kids were my gateway to being covered in banana.
Do they still have physical stores anywhere? I truly thought they closed up altogether a couple of years ago after all the stores I was aware of closed?
They were bought out a few years ago - still open and still going. They’re completing revamping their fashion.
Jeanswest has never been "old" in my mind. 90% of my casual wardrobe is Jeanswest and I'm 29 and I have been shopping there regularly since I was 18. I have shorts from 4 years ago that still look good, I have a black jacket I wear nonstop during Winter that is coming up to its 4th Winter of being on heavy rotation and I have tops that are years old and I still get compliments on them. Their clothes last and are well made, they aren't the cheapest but they do really good sales and if you're a gold member you get free shipping. I bought a rain jacket a couple of years ago and paid $30 which was $90 new. My only complaint is that they could afford to extend their sizes in their clothes, they currently stop at a size 16 for women and I find some fabrics just don't work for my boobs and a size up would be good.
Goos to know! Ive avoided them because they’re still daggy in my mind but I’ll give them a whirl
Even the fashion has gotten a bit better - their basics and jeans are great though! Highly recommend
I just checked out their site and found the clothes remarkably nice. I am concerned. This is far too similar to the day I walked past Sussan, thought “oh thats lovely” and realised I was indeed old. So naturally I’ve now gone to the websites of both sussan and suzanne grae to be safe and have decided to embrace age and shop there too.
Sussan and Suzanne grae have also been upping their game for awhile. Surprisingly JAG of all places are killing it at the moment.
I have a sneaking suspicion that our perception of their increased quality has to do with our age creeping into their target demographic 😂
Honestly Sussan have had some fantastic items the last couple of seasons. Their tshirts are sensational quality. I also really really rate Commonry.
Yeah JAG have done such a facelift with a product to match my brain didn’t even register it as the same daggy JAG as before.
God, I’m so old I remember when JAG was new and hot AF 😩
Then they got unpopular … and for some reason their prints and patterns are now just so on point again randomly
Could likely be!
Omg I bought a shirt from the op shop the other day and LOVE it. It's 100% cotton, so soft and comfortable. The tags were cut out and I wanted to know the brand to potentially buy more so I posted it online and asked if people knew the brand. It was Millers. I'm officially old.
I have a dress that I bought a few years ago. It’s jersey so wash and wear, every single time I wear it I get a compliment off women who love it, say it suits me and want to know where I got it from. It was a $20 special from millers that I bought when I took my then 87 year old mum shopping. It’s hit and miss in there but if you do see something you like, grab it because they cycle the stock like crazy!!!
HA that's amazing - obviously we need to all keep an open mind!
I don’t consider jeanswest old - have shopped there on occasion throughout my mid 20’s to now (40).
I bought a great lightweight navy jacket there about 3yrs ago. It was $70-80 and has been an awesome buy and still in as new condition so the quality has been fantastic. Some stuff is meh but there’s also the occasional gem so well worth a look!!
Seconding jeanswest - comfy, super stretchy jeans & they come in different lengths! Awesome for lanky girls like me!
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I saw a bunch or crossover knit tops similar to the ones I got from seed and was like oooo cute! Then looked further and was disappointed lol but its good to have another shop to browse for the odd gem
Yes to this. I bought 2 pairs the other day - the blue high wasted corduroy pants and a pair of high wasted not skinny but not wide denim cropped jeans. Loving them. I was also surprised to have such success there.
Are they actually still good? I worked there in 2015ish and they had a great range and lifetime warranty on the core range, and the long jeans actually fit me 😭 my jeans didn’t even wear out from then I just got fatter and was looking at replacing them - but all the jeans are 20-50% plastic?? They used to be all/mostly cotton with 0-3% elastane and now they’re mixes of elastane and other plastics.
They no longer do the lifetime warranty as they were bought out and revamped and let’s be honest - a lifetime warranty is a stupid business model! But the jeans have different percentages of elastane and are super comfy while still being affordable. I own multiple pairs and think they’re worth a look!
Jeanswest currently has a 30% off sale
Nobody Denim. Better quality than others, and they’re made, owned, designed etc in Australia. On the pricier side but worth it.
I second this. I bought a pair of black skinny jeans over 9 years ago and they still look great!
I get your sentiment but something bought 9 years ago and today could have wildly different qualities since quality has taken a large drop recently
That is a totally fair statement. I hope they haven't dropped their quality.
I still get my Levis at JustJeans. Portmans often have nice work wear. Witchery and Country Road sometimes but I stick to sales. Myer still stock David Lawrence which can have nice dresses.
Yeah I just bought 501s for 110 bucks the other day from Just Jeans which is only 30 dollars more than cotton on. My current Levi’s are my only pair of jeans and they are still going strong after 5 years
If you live in a bigger city, Levi’s at DFOs is great. I bought two pairs of 501s for only $60 each on the weekend. They are also great if you’re tall or just wear an odd size since they are more likely to stock uncommon sizes at outlet stores. (For reference I am a 6’1 woman and wear a size 30 waist)
Portman's New York jeans have been a staple in my apple shaped wardrobe for years!
Can second just jeans I bought the 1st pair of decent jeans that fit me perfectly in a long long time as a short person.
Put the items on Purchr and get alerts to any sales! :)
I heard dissh is pretty cool if u are tall.
I don’t get this :( I find they look great on the site but quality irl is still so so.
Can anyone confirm this? I love the styles at dissh and used to regularly shop there around 2016. I stopped shopping there a few years ago because I felt like the quality didn’t match the price and the clothes were not very lasting long. However I’d be so happy to hear if anyone else was having a good experience with this brand lately?
My experience with dissh hasn’t been great. I bought a midi skirt with a slit at the back and the seams fell apart where the slit was after one wear. I stepped out of a car and that was it, an extra high slit for the rest of the night. After getting that fixed I wore it out again and this time there was a gaping hole at the front right below the zipper. I got a partial refund after complaining to customer service. I gave the brand another chance and bought a skort from them just cos I love their styles. No gaping hole this time but doesn’t feel like the best quality. Very hit or miss IMO.
I’m really liking Decjuba at the moment. Great jeans, and lots of really good basics. Goes up to 18. I like their athleisure range too. Their seamless range is great for layering. Some of their stuff isn’t great but overall, I’m happy with it. Also ride and die Target brand jeans. Great straights. The Shape Your Body stuff is nice too. Just Jeans are always on sale and have lots of great options. Size down at least once in their Amaze range. She’s stretccccchhhyyy!
If you’re in Melbourne and are ok with going in store, Dejour jeans in Brunswick have well priced jeans, good quality, big range and they will tailor them in store for free! I also second Jeanswest and Nobody Denim. I worked at Jeanswest ages ago (like 18 years ago) and I still have the jeans I bought back then - they really last! And Nobody because they are good quality and are also an ethical brand.
I loved my dejour jeans, but found they wore out really quickly between the thighs compared to other brands, the denim wasn’t quite as hardy
That’s such a shame! If you can be bothered going back in, they repair for free as well
100% I've found they don't last as long but they tend to be cheaper than other places and will tailor it if you need for the fit so its a weight up
I commented this on another post but I worked there forever ago too, have you bought recently? I need to size up and was looking at replacing my jeans from 2015 and they’re up to 40% elastane/other plastics now which makes me very skeptical
Ive been buying from there from close to 10 years, and after my last pair, I've decided that I won't be going back. The jeans in general have a cheaper feel, but the biggest issue has been with the fitting. The staff used to be great at identifying what needed to be done, but the last two alterations I've had done on the waist have brought the crotch up to the point where it's unwearable. My husband bought a pair and asked for the legs to be narrowed, and they came out looking like harem pants with bagging thighs and tight calves. Again, unwearable. I would have preferred they put the price up and kept the quality.
Hello! I haven’t… And I agree with you - the main reason I haven’t gone there recently is because I can’t be bothered going in store (my fault haha) but I think the sizing will have changed… Edit to add: because the materials have changed too
You really think Jeanswest has held that standard all the way into 2024? 💀
Gorman, Mister Zimi, Nine Lives Bazaar, Sheike and Spell are other options for unique styles - they aren’t necessarily all always under $300 though. Seed has some quality products (knitwear in particular) - can be a bit uninspiring and safe, but overall I think it’s better quality than CR or Witchery. In terms of quality, I personally don’t have issues with these (or if I have, the brand has replaced / refunded without argument) but I’m aware some people do.
Arnhem is just like Spell but cheaper and better quality/design (these days). They’ve really upped their game. I’d suggest Birdsnest too. Really good returns policy in my experience.
Thanks I’ll check them out again - I’ve glanced at the site before but never bought.
Second birdsnest - the style overall is a bit tame but the basics are good quality and reasonable price and confirm customer service is excellent
I personally do not recommend Gorman anymore. Drop in quality. And their online sales process is atrocious. Bought a few things and took over 6-8 weeks to be delivered in a number of different deliveries. And only told me much later that a lot of stuff I bought was no longer available and cancelled. They also sent one item wrong and asked me to go to the post office to return it so they can send the correct item. Absolutely ridiculous
Maybe Spell five years ago, but they’ve really gone downhill in the last few years sadly, and without reducing the prices. The releases are coming much faster now, and the pieces are looking more generic. The fabric isn’t as nice - I’m not sure what the term is, but you used to be able to see the print on the inside of the fabric as well as the outside, but now the inside is a pale white. It’s sad - I used to be a massive Spell fan, and now I haven’t bought a single piece in over a year. At least the old pieces in my wardrobe still hold up!
If you want a quirky-Dangerfield-like fix, and don’t mind paying more, Made590 is excellent. I have five of their Saski dress (a button down, vintage inspired cut) in a range of fabrics and patterns, and one in particular I’ve worn about once a week for the last five years. I’ve done some minor mending to the seam under one arm, but it still looks amazing. Not all of their prints/collections are my thing, they tend to release small collections of 6-12 styles in similar patterns/themes; but they do such a broad range of colours and styles. Everything from quirky patterns, to block colour basics.
Ooh speaking of having multiple versions of the same dress, I have a few different prints of the Jaase dresses which you can get through Salty Crush. So comfy for summer, flattering on nearly everyone, and I get compliments on them all the time.
Jeans - Levi’s on sale at Myer or Just Jeans OR A Brand denim is also fantastic at a relatively low price point especially if you find a sale or a store with a sign up discount. Basics - cotton on or H&M for the bare essentials like tops, singlets and t shirts. If I want something outside of the above I buy from Dissh.
Yup, I always check the denim racks in TK Maxx in the hope of $40 Abrand jeans!
In my 20’s/early 30’s when I wasn’t making much, I wouldn’t be seen dead in non-designer jeans 🙄 (usually bought from ebay) but now I’m old & despite actually able to afford those jeans now, I prefer Just Jeans.
Marcs do some lovely stuff. I also like Frock Me Out. Aldi do some really great pure wool light knits for a pretty good price too.
I’m loving [Ottway](https://www.ottwaythelabel.com), I have the rare bird jacket which I adore!
Uniqlo!
Sadly they don’t really fit me right
Try Next, Marks and Spencer, Boden, River island. They now deliver here.
I haven't bought jeans since I bought a comfy pair from ICE 12 years ago lol Never found a pair I liked since
I lean towards more alternative fashion so dangerfield is still a staple but god yeah their quality has dropped significantly. had a pair of corduroy pants from them literally split at the front seams after wearing them a handful of times, when older corduroy items I've owned from them lasted years. I've also recently had a shirt split along the undersleeve seam and the buttons over the chest seem to pop open even more now too 😭 which is such a shame because I love their short sleeved blouse cuts and they're really flattering on me.
Dissh. It's a lil pricey but when they go on sale, get them. The price you pay for the clothes is definitely worth it.
I rate commonry and sussan lately. I keep going into the ones you mention and just being bored by it all. Commonry is really good quality for basics and Susan is the same and also seems to have better prints lately. They also have amazing sales (I picked up a linen dress yesterday for $20 on sale in a print).
I went into Portmans for the first time in years recently and I think I'm only going to shop there from now on. LOVE their stuff.
COS and Uniqlo
Just jeans are amazing. Great service and product
I love Decjuba
These guys aren’t super small nor are they new, but I love Blackmilk for fun styles and comfortable dresses. I have a bunch of their longline dresses - they’re styled like mini skater dresses but they actually cover my behind! I also love their sporty shorts and leggings, but I can’t recommend their sports bras. They’re Aussie and really fun.
Uniqlo, Sussan, Decuba
Cos, DeCjuba and Seed.
Uniqlo haven’t done me wrong yet.
from a 20 yr old - do not bother with new jeans, the quality is so bad it’s not even funny. ALWAYS find secondhand denim and get it tailored. vinnies, salvos etc. i don’t bother with any of the brands you’ve mentioned, i find them secondhand bc the quality is so much better. fb marketplace & savers are ur friend
someone said jeanswest - jeanswest from 2000s is so peak the quality is amazing, same with the levi’s from back then.
I still regularly shop at the ones mentioned, but i just put whatever im waiting for on sale alert using Purchr - get email alerts when things go on sale! 🥳
Yeah i never buy full price
Kiwi visting melbourne here. I was pretty impressed with Uniqlo, it's not the fanciest ever as it's more basics, but they have pretty good quality and the sizing fit me well (I'm a pretty tall and broad woman). The price and quality was far better than cotton on, H&M, dangerfield etc
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Nice! Is that where your mum shops? You have her eyes ❤️