I Wore H&M Every Day for a Week—These Were My Favourite Looks

Is it just me, or are there definite signs of spring in the air? The mornings are brighter, the weather is milder, and shops are full of the joyful dresses, pastels and florals that signify the official end of winter—and it cannot come soon enough. After spending the last month or so desperately wanting to wear light layers and sunglasses (and instead sweating profusely in a badly judged combination of knits), it feels like we’re finally ready to enter the new season, and my first thought is prepping my wardrobe for the sunnier months ahead.

My specialism is low-effort, maximum-impact outfits that can be assembled in 10 minutes or less, and having spent winter building up a reliable capsule wardrobe of key staples (e.g. the great knit, the heavy coat and the perfect pair of versatile jeans), I have been on the lookout for some exciting new spring buys that will mix and match with the practical pieces I already own, and after searching through the new-in sections of some of my favourite brands, one stood out for its impressive range of premium pieces at affordable prices.

I have been loyally shopping at H&M since I was a teenager, and as my tastes have matured and diversified, so too has H&M’s eye for directional design. We all know that you can grab a great white T-shirt or some easy basics from the store when you’re in a hurry, but I urge you to spend a little extra time browsing the premium collection in particular. You’ll find it full of luxe leather, designer-looking outerwear and some seriously sharp tailoring that will have people saying, “You got that where?”

After swearing off jeans for years because I could never find a pair that truly fit me, I found a pair of H&M skinnies that I loyally wore so often that they split. I find myself heading straight back to the store for all of my jeans and wide-leg and cropped trousers, so what better place to start the search for a seasonal wardrobe revamp? Having tried and tested Marks and Spencer’s latest collection in a rigorous, seven-day trial, I’m now ready to put H&M to the same test (all in the name of good research of course). And I managed to put together seven looks that I think you’ll like as much as I did. 

A couple of stock shortages meant that I couldn’t get my hands on any shoes to fit me in store (and as a size 8 shoe, I’m quite used to this, so instead I wore my own), but I have added some H&M substitutions below that I would have worn for you to rate too. We’ve also spotted that H&M is now selling sister brands Arket, Monki, & Other Stories, and Weekday on its site too, so there are more options than ever and all easily shoppable under one roof, so should something be out of stock, there’ll be something equally as good in the same category. So without further ado, this is my week in H&M outfits. Keep scrolling to see the pieces I really rated and which would be better left on the shelf.