Welcome to The Great Try-On. With spring well and truly in the air, we seized the opportunity to try on some of the best new-in pieces from some of your favourite brands, documenting the process along the way. We believe that the best way to shop online is to see an item IRL and to read candid reviews, so we hope that this leads you to your most successful purchases of the year.
It’s been a tricky few months to dress for, hasn’t it? According to the calendar, we’re most definitely in the throes of spring, but outside, the weather feels more like the winter cold snap (albeit a little bit brighter), so instead of profusely sweating in faux fur and shearling or shivering in light layers, I set about finding the best transitional pieces on the high street, and where better to start than Mango?
I’m known for being very happy to while away the hours browsing around the shops to find hidden gems, but when it comes to Mango, it’s less a case of buried treasure and more like a stellar track record for heavy hitters. After all, this is the high-street brand that counts Katie Holmes, Sienna Miller, Gigi Hadid and Alexa Chung as fans, so if you’re going to find pieces with A-list potential (and an affordable price tag) anywhere, it’s going to be here. Currently in-store, there’s an opposing mix of two strong messages.
First, there’s the Selection edit—a glamorous drop of the kind of high-octane eveningwear that we’re used to seeing at the end of the year rather than the beginning. There is everything from wedding guest dresses to real leather separates, all denoted by their premium feel, cloth hangers and key positioning at the front of the store. And next, we have the everyday essentials—the knits, coats, dresses and jeans that keep us coming back to Mango time and again.
Desperate to see and test-drive the latest pieces to land IRL as opposed to looking at the pictures online, I popped into the store to try on all of the pieces that stood out and give you my full review on the ones that are worth investing in. Keep scrolling for my wish list of the best jackets, dresses, tailoring and separates brand new to Mango now. All you have to do is choose your favourites.