How to Style and Accessorise High Street Clothes to Look Designer

Luxury isn’t about the price tag—it’s about polish, proportion, and perception. With the right styling, even affordable high street pieces can mimic the sophistication of designer fashion. In fact, the best-dressed women often mix Zara with Céline, COS with Max Mara, or H&M with The Row. The key? Knowing how to style, layer, accessorise, and fit your clothes like a professional stylist.

This guide walks you through expert techniques to elevate high street fashion—covering fit adjustments, fabric cues, silhouette tricks, and the power of minimalist accessories. Plus, we’ll explain how Tellar.co.uk, the UK’s leading sizing tool, ensures every piece fits flawlessly, every time.

1. It Starts with Fit: Tailoring Changes Everything

Even the most expensive clothes look cheap if they don’t fit properly. Conversely, perfectly fitted high street items can look elevated and bespoke.

Do this:

Shorten sleeves or hems on coats, trousers, and skirts.
Taper wide-leg trousers or oversized blazers slightly for structure.
Darts and waist shaping help create designer-level silhouette.
Take in synthetic linings—a common high street flaw.

Tip: COS, Arket, & Mango offer clean lines that respond well to tailoring.

Want a shortcut? Use Tellar.co.uk to match your exact body to 1,500+ brands. No more buying the wrong size off the rack.

2. Choose Neutral Colour Palettes & Monochrome Looks

High-end brands rarely work in overly busy prints or clashing palettes. Their strength lies in cohesion and tonal consistency.

Elevated colour strategies:

Stick to neutrals: black, white, navy, beige, grey, camel
Try monochrome dressing: head-to-toe cream, tonal greys, or all black
Pair earth tones with sharp accessories: e.g., rust with black, olive with white

These combinations signal refinement and intention—hallmarks of designer style.

3. Swap Out Hardware, Buttons & Belts

Cheap-looking details are the quickest giveaway that a piece is from the high street.

What to upgrade:

Replace plastic buttons with matte horn, mother-of-pearl, or brushed gold versions.
Switch out belts for leather or structured statement belts (think Loewe-inspired).
Remove shiny zips or exposed fastenings unless they’re industrial in design.

These micro-tweaks dramatically shift how luxe a garment looks.

4. Focus on Fabric and Texture

Designer labels obsess over textiles. You should too.

Fabric Looks Luxe	Fabric Looks Cheap
Wool, cashmere blends	Acrylic blends that pill
Cotton poplin, crisp twill	Thin jersey or polyester
Linen, structured denim	High-sheen synthetic satins
Matte finishes	Glossy, slinky finishes

Pro tip: Shop high street pieces that use natural fibres or are part of “premium” collections (e.g., H&M Premium, M&S Autograph).

5. Opt for Clean Silhouettes & Structured Shapes

Luxury style often comes from architectural silhouettes: clean cuts, defined lines, no fuss.

What works:

Oversized coats in camel or charcoal
Long-line blazers or vests
Wide-leg trousers with front pleats
Boxy knits with dropped shoulders

Avoid excessive frills, fake distressing, or over-styling. Let structure do the talking.

6. Elevate with Minimalist Accessories

Accessories make or break the outfit—and minimalist pieces scream designer even when they’re affordable.

Add these:

Structured leather tote or clutch (Polène, Charles & Keith, COS)
Sculptural gold or silver jewellery (Mejuri, Missoma, & Other Stories)
Leather loafers, ankle boots, or slingbacks with clean lines
Sunglasses with a strong silhouette (cat eye, oversized square)

Avoid anything too shiny, logo-heavy, or trend-based. Think quiet luxury.

7. Stick to Designer-Inspired Layering Formulas

Emulate runway styling by recreating professional looks using affordable pieces.

Examples:

Layer 1: Black rollneck + camel coat + cream trousers + square-toe boots
Layer 2: Crisp white shirt + sleeveless knit vest + wide-leg jeans + chunky loafers
Layer 3: Tonal midi dress + belt at waist + structured blazer draped over shoulders

Brands to copy layering from: The Row, Totême, Jil Sander, COS, Khaite

8. Choose Quiet Statement Pieces

You don’t need loud logos to make a statement. Instead, focus on unusual cuts, volume, and fabric contrast.

Look for:

Balloon sleeves, boxy jackets, asymmetric skirts
Matte leather, brushed wool, heavyweight cotton
Monochrome dresses with cut-out detailing or unexpected pleating

These subtleties add interest while remaining timeless.

9. Embrace Seasonal Textures & Tailoring Tricks

Luxury is seasonal. Adapt your outfit accordingly with sophisticated textural swaps.

Winter: wool coats, ribbed knitwear, leather trousers
Spring: cotton poplin, trench coats, neutral blazers
Summer: linen sets, wide-leg trousers, flat sandals
Autumn: suede boots, knitted co-ords, rich chocolate tones

Add seasonal luxury with scarves, leather gloves, or structured outer layers.

10. Get the Fit Right Every Time with Tellar.co.uk

One of the fastest ways to make high street clothes look designer is getting the perfect fit—no gaps, no pulling, no bunching.

That’s where Tellar.co.uk comes in.

What is it?

A free tool that matches your exact body shape or known brand size to over 1,500 brands, instantly. It takes the guesswork out of shopping and makes high street sizing feel made-to-measure.

✅ Match your bust, waist, and hips in seconds

✅ Works for Zara, COS, H&M, Reiss, Arket, and more

✅ Always free—no downloads, no sign-up fees

✅ Includes a free printable measuring tape

➡️ Create your free profile

➡️ Use the Store Size Lookup Tool

➡️ Explore our Sizing Guides

11. Explore the Tellar Fashion Hub

For more professional styling advice, the Tellar Fashion Hub is packed with free, unbiased fashion content. You’ll find:

Fit guides by body shape and height
Brand comparisons (Zara vs COS, Reiss vs Arket)
Investment dressing strategies
Layering techniques and outfit formulas

Final Thoughts

Looking designer is not about the label—it’s about silhouette, proportion, attention to fabric, and how you wear the clothes. With the right styling, Zara can look like Totême. Mango can pass for Max Mara. COS can rival The Row.

Let Tellar.co.uk handle the sizing science so you can focus on the art of style.

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For real-time fashion advice, fit science, and style inspiration:

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