Favourite brands

Go-to brands

Like every person who appreciates her time, I have a few reliable shops I visit regularly in search of staples or accessories in the idea that I will probably find what I'm looking for. That visit is increasingly done on-line.  I used to enjoy browsing in the actual shops, but I not anymore, and I prefer to have a definite target when I finally reach the actual shop.
Which is my list of favourite brands? Well, I do travel a lot, so I have my favourites on both sides of the Atlantic. I include the list below so that you know how my brain works.

Clothes
My two favourites are Ann Taylor and Hobbs, both for dresses, skirts, and knits. Also for leather goods (belts, handbags...).
The rest of the brands depend on the country I live in at the moment. I also buy tons of stuff second hand on eBay from the brands I love but are not available for me at the moment.

• Zara for jackets and accessories like scarves and handbags. It used to be more, but the quality has been going steadily downhill (in general) and most of the pieces are just trendy (read: too young and also of fleeting style). The shoes are appalling.
• Reiss and L.K. Bennet for great outerwear (good cut and quality materials). These are definitely investment pieces, so I expect to get at least ten years out of them.
• M&S for the odd dress, plus hats and gloves. It is really a pity the quality is so lacking in general, even in the expensive items.
• Radley for working totes (one every couple of years).
• H&M for cotton T-shirts and jeans.
• COS for skirts.

Shoes
I used to rely on Clarks for most of my shoes (Clarks US is way better than Clarks UK, but can one do?), plus Söfft (same thing: I miss them SO much), and Hispanitas, but I am basically always looking for comfortable shoes.
I am basically a "shoe molester": I first squeeze them, then pick them up, smell them, peer inside, read the label for all the materials specification (you never know when they are trying to slip you something synthetic), squeeze them again. Few shoes stand the trial, let me tell you.