So, I recently acquired a dress that has become an unintentional icebreaker in conversations. Honestly, I am still processing how a random £35 purchase from M&S has evolved into the most complimented item in my wardrobe. Honestly, I did not plan for this. I thought this would simply be an impulsive buy that would hang in my closet with the tags attached to it for a while before I donated it due to the guilt of spending the money unnecessarily.
Fast forward, three months later, and I have lost count as to how many times someone has asked if I purchased this dress at Reformation. That is…flattering? Confusing? Hilarious? Maybe a combination of all of the above.
To clarify, a couple of months ago, I was experiencing one of those days where everything seemed to go wrong – overslept, spilled coffee on my favorite shirt, client meeting ran late, etc. etc. I was scheduled to meet friends for drinks in SE Portland, and I literally had approximately 10 minutes to rush home, change, and appear to be a functional member of society rather than a person who had been battling logo concepts all day.
I picked the first clean dress I could find, which was this black midi with small floral pattern that I purchased during a lunch hour shopping trip to M&S. As most people know, Nobody’s Child is a sustainable-ish brand that has a concession at M&S. Prior to purchasing this particular dress, I had seen the brand millions of times walking by, yet never gave it much attention. However, the sleeves of this particular dress were attractive to me. The puffy aspects of the sleeves were not overly flashy, yet they added femininity.
I quickly changed into the dress, put on some jewelry, and rushed out the door still applying mascara in the Uber (do not judge me, we have all been there). Once I arrived at the bar, I ordered a drink, and within approximately 20 minutes, a woman approached me and said, “I love your dress! Is that the Reformation one that I keep seeing on Instagram?”
I almost spat my wine out. “No – it is actually from Nobody’s Child. It is from M&S.” She appeared to be genuinely shocked, which made me feel somewhat awkward about it at first. Was I supposed to be embarrassed that it was not a high-priced dress? But then she continued to compliment the dress saying how great it fit, and how wonderful the material was, and I began to think…perhaps my £35 dress is onto something.
However, that was just the beginning. Since then, it has occurred four additional times. Four! On four different occasions, with four different individuals asking the same question: “Is that Reformation?” At this point, my friends are joking about it. Sarah refers to it as my “fancy dress”, although she was there when I told her it cost less than what we typically spend on our brunch bills.
I understand why people make the connection. Both brands have studied the Reformation playbook closely. Both brands offer that vintage-inspired yet modern aesthetic. Both brands place emphasis on sustainability. Both brands create dresses that will photograph well for Instagram. Both brands feature the same silhouettes – fitted bodices, interesting sleeves, and midi-lengths that hit at the right length.
However, the price difference between the two is staggering. Like, we are talking £35 compared to £180+ for a dress that is extremely similar. I know because I spent an embarrassing amount of time researching and comparing the two brands after the third time someone asked me if it was Reformation. I spent hours on each website examining the seams and fabric compositions as if I was writing a dissertation.
The Nobody’s Child dress, which is the Florence Midi, if you are keeping track, is constructed using a viscose blend. I was initially wary of this. Viscose typically means “it will look awful after one washing”. But however they have treated this particular fabric, it has held up amazingly. I have worn it to work meetings with a blazer, weekend farmer’s market trips with sneakers, and evening events with heeled shoes. In every case, the dress has come out of the washer looking identical.
Can we discuss the fit for a moment? Because this is where most cheap brands fall short. Most cheap brands design for a single specific body type and everyone else must just make do. This dress, however, fits me (size 8, virtually no bust, all of my curves in my hips) and it fits my friend Emma (size 12, entirely different proportions). The gathering in the back and the cut of the bodice makes the dress strangely forgiving.
I became interested in determining whether this was a fluke or if Nobody’s Child consistently produces pieces that are better than their price point, so I…may have purchased a few more pieces. For research purposes, of course. The linen shirt dress I purchased is truly lovely – it reminds me of items from more expensive brands that I have always lusted over but never wanted to spend the money on. The terracotta version has become my weekend uniform, and the green wrap version I am wearing to my cousin’s wedding next month.
All of the new purchases cost less than £45. With my typical clothing budget, I can generally acquire 2 items from Zara, but now I have this growing collection of dresses that appear to be much more expensive than they actually are. It is surreal.
Another aspect that I found interesting is the sustainability element. Clearly, Reformation has developed their entire business model based on their commitment to being environmentally friendly – they are very transparent regarding their environmental footprint, they utilize deadstock materials, etc. etc. Nobody’s Child is attempting to follow suit, but at a significantly lower price point. They boast that 90% of their collection utilizes sustainable materials, and they are relatively forthcoming in admitting they are not perfect, but they are working to improve.
I don’t possess enough knowledge about supply chains and textile manufacturing to definitively state which method is “better”, but I do believe that there is something to be said for making sustainable fashion available to people who cannot afford to spend $200 on a single article of clothing. Like, I care about the environmental implications of my purchases, but I also have student loans, rent, and a graphic designer salary that is not impressive. If I can obtain an article of clothing that is manufactured in a responsible manner and looks fantastic for under £40, I consider that to be a success.
Ultimately, the true test will be durability. The most sustainable article of clothing is the one that you wear for years, regardless of its original price. To date, my little collection has performed admirably. No excessive stretching, no colour loss, no mysterious holes emerging after multiple wearings.
Over the weekend, I wore the black floral dress to a gallery opening (Portland, you know how it is – everyone is always opening some sort of art event), and a girl came up to me and said, “Your dress is stunning, where is it from?” When I informed her that it was from Nobody’s Child, she replied, “Wait, the M&S brand? Really?” Then she immediately took out her cell phone to see if she could locate them.
At that point, I realised I was no longer ashamed of the price. In fact, I am kind of proud of it. There is something rewarding about discovering excellent design at affordable prices. It is almost as if you are uncovering a secret.
I believe that what Nobody’s Child has learned is that most people are not concerned about labels. People are primarily concerned about appearing fashionable and feeling confident in their attire. If you can achieve the correct fit, select flattering silhouettes, and pay close attention to the details such as how sleeves rest or where a waistline falls, you can produce something that rivals much more expensive articles.
Additionally, let us be honest. Many times when people compliment an outfit, they are not examining the label or figuring out how much you spent. They are reacting to the general impression, how it fits, and how it makes you appear. My £35 dress allows me to feel polished and feminine without requiring much effort, which is essentially all I desire from any item of clothing regardless of the cost.
