9 Timeless and Elegant High Street Buys From Zara, COS and H&M

Finally, February is upon us. For some, it’s a chance to check in with our New Year’s Resolutions. For my best friend, she went into 2026 with the intention of shopping more thoughtfully this year. If you’re as interested in fashion as we are, one of your goals for the year may be based around your wardrobe, whether that’s leaning into your personal style, finally collating your capsule wardrobe, or being smarter with your money. For my best friend, it’s the latter, and with a shopping editor to hand, she set me a task of hunting down expensive-looking high street buys that will instantly bring the polish she’s searching for, without breaking the bank. Truthfully, it’s been a lot of fun.

Woman wears high neck blazer and black tailored trousers — *Zara High Neck Button Blazer ZW Collection (£90)*

My daily routine is focused on sourcing the best buys. A few hours are spent hunting down elevated, affordable buys, then researching the most notable luxury investments of the season, and finally tracking the rise of fresh yet enduring trends. With it comes a pretty concrete understanding of where to look for sophisticated buys that don’t require months of saving, and now I’m putting all my expertise to the test to curate an edit of budget-friendly buys that could trick any onlooker into thinking they’re designer investments.

Shopping budgets can look different for everyone, and for my friend, she’s focused on a few smart additions that come in at under £100. Naturally, I headed straight to Zara, H&M and COS, trusting their reliability in creating elevated buys with an affordable edge. This trio of high street heroes knows how effective subtle details can be, whether it’s a bold collar or interesting button motif; the understated effects can be striking. After a few hours of searching, I put together a selection of budget-friendly shopping ideas for her to peruse, covering trusted tailoring, easy outerwear, and a few accent accessories that make reliable outfits feel fresh. Whilst I tried to whittle down my selection to 9 standout buys, you’ll also find a few extras that I simply had to share. Now, scroll on for an instant infusion of elegance.