I Have The Row Taste on an H&M Budget—Here Are 26 Summer Buys Under £100 I Love

Hi, I’m Emily, and I have expensive taste. As far back as I can remember, I’ve always had a preference for the finer things in life (a fact my parents have always lamented). It’s probably why I ended up working in fashion in the first place after being attracted by the beauty and luxury of it all. The thing is, like most of us, I don’t have the budget to indulge these habits often, and although sometimes I might be tempted, I’m not about bankrupting myself to own a full designer closet. Instead, I admire from afar and choose my moments to invest in capsule pieces that will elevate my wardrobe most effectively—a classic designer handbag, for example, or a beautiful dress that I know I’ll wear again and again. 

For my day-to-day wardrobe, though, over my 10 years of working in the industry as a stylist and editor, I’ve had to get really good at finding expensive-looking pieces at more affordable prices. My taste is very classic and mostly minimalist (my dream closet would be full of The Row and Totême), and luckily, this aesthetic is surprisingly easy to replicate on a high-street budget. You just have to know where to look, and I’m now an expert at spotting items that have a similar effortless luxury to them. 

If this all sounds familiar, I have a feeling you’ll be a fan of my weekly column where I scroll through all the new-in high-street collections and share with you the most expensive-looking pieces I can find. But today, I’m here to apply my talents to the latest summer drops in particular. The weather has suddenly gotten warmer (finally!), and lighter evenings are upon us. Summer officially starts in just a few short weeks, and I don’t know about you, but it’s got me thinking about which pieces I can add to my existing closet to make it feel exciting again and warm-weather-ready.

So below, I’ve compiled an edit of the 26 most premium-looking summer pieces I could find for under £100. Not only do they all feel elevated enough to satisfy expensive taste, but they’re also easy, fresh pieces that will revitalise your closet for the months ahead with as little effort (and budget) required as possible. Keep scrolling to see for yourself.