Four divine high street pieces you will have in your wardrobe forever

Shopping on the high street doesn’t have to mean fast, throwaway fashion. Consider what you buy a little more carefully, and your high street purchases can last you as long as any “investment buys”. Here’s a taster of some of the fabulous, long-living pieces you can pick up on the high street today.

A masculine tailored coat is a great wardrobe basic. It will make dresses and skirts feel more modern and it smartens up denims effortlessly. This Maje coat comes in a classic shade of charcoal; much more forgiving than black on Irish skin tones but just as versatile.

Straight coat with satin borders, €395 at Maje

This is a gorgeous down jacket that you could easily pay four times this price for on a designer website. The kind of piece you only buy once, I, for one, would be very happy to pull this coat out of my wardrobe each winter. The velvet finish adds a luxury feel to what is essentially a utilitarian item and gives it a premium look but at a high street price.

Long velvet down jacket, €299 at Massimo Dutti

I think a shirtdress is a really solid piece to have in your wardrobe, as it often provides the answer to any number of sartorial dilemmas. It can be made to look conservative and office appropriate where necessary, but just as easily you can open a few buttons both at the top and bottom of the dress, throw on a pair of heels and fabulous earrings and you’re good to go anywhere after hours. This polka dot version from online retailer uterque.com is especially fabulous.

Polka dot shirt dress, €199 at uterque.com

Trousers are a very sophisticated way to approach evening wear. These velvet wide-leg pants from LK Bennett are an elegant option if you’re tired of wearing dresses every time an occasion comes round. The texture and colour are both luxe, giving the trousers a very premium feel. These will never go out of style and can be worn so many different ways, they’re worth every penny. They also come in navy (show in main shot).

Rust wide-leg trousers, €283 at lkbennett.com