Okay – so, i am aware i may sound like a complete fashion phony ; i’ve never owned anything from Burberry. Not even a keychain. I’m the type of writer who covers fashion and style, and helps busy moms look semi-presentable while running around after toddlers at Target, and yet i have somehow completely avoided Britain’s most well-known luxury brand.
There is nothing wrong with Burberry – their products are gorgeous. Their classic trench coats ; *chef’s kiss*. Their checkered pattern that everybody recognizes immediately ; iconic. But here is the thing ; whenever i manage to scrape together enough cash for what my husband calls a “fancy purchase” (let’s be honest, that doesn’t happen very often, and usually only once per year if i’m lucky) i always gravitate toward these other British brands that nobody discusses but are equally amazing.
This whole obsession started with a handbag because does it always? My mom gave me an old Mulberry satchel that belonged to my grandmother – one of those structured bags from the 1960s that looked ancient compared to all the trendy bags i was obsessively desiring in my twenties. I remembered thinking it was pretty ugly, honestly. The leather was all weathered and discolored; the corners were scratched; and it certainly didn’t scream “young professional trying to make it in Minneapolis pr”.
But you know what? After carrying that bag for a couple of months, i received compliments left and right. People asked me where i got the vintage-looking piece. And gradually, i began to realize what my grandmother already knew ; this bag wasn’t just old, it was *quality* old. The stitching was still perfect after forty-plus years. The leather had developed this wonderful patina that you cannot fake. It had character in a way that none of my other bags ; even my more expensive ones ; do.
That bag essentially led me down the rabbit hole of British heritage brands, and i’ve been obsessed ever since. My husband thinks i’m crazy ; he says “why spend $400 on a sweater when you can buy one at Target for $25?” but then he watches me wear that same sweater for the third winter in a row and look just as good as when i bought it, while my Target sweaters have turned into cleaning rags, and he kinda gets it.
So let me tell you about the branded products that i actually spend money on instead of Burberry, because they deserve so much more love than they get.
First off ; Mulberry ; obviously, because they’re the ones who started this whole thing for me. They’ve been making leather goods in Somerset since 1971 ; and their bags are simply unbelievable. Everybody knows about their famous styles like the Alexa ; but i’m obsessed with some of their less trendy pieces. two years ago, i finally saved up enough to get an Amberley bag (had to eat pb&j sandwiches for lunch for like three months to justify the expense), and it’s hands down the best everyday bag i’ve ever owned. It’s structured enough that i don’t look like a complete mess at school drop-off, but the shoulder strap is so comfortable that i can wear it all day long without my shoulder hurting. Trust me, when you’re lugging around snacks, water bottles, extra clothing, and approximately seventeen small toys, strap comfort is not optional.
one reason why i fell in love with Mulberry is due to their overall philosophy on craftsmanship. I watched a video once of their artisans hand-stitching handles, and it was like watching artists at work. These individuals possess skills that take decades to develop, and you can see it in each and every bag they produce. When my Amberley becomes worn or faded, i know Mulberry will fix it rather than me needing to throw away the entire thing and start over.
As far as coats go (and we live in Minnesota where coats are basically a survival necessity), i am completely devoted to barbour. They’ve been creating waxed jackets since 1894 ; so they’ve clearly had plenty of time to perfect the whole “keeping British people dry” thing. about four years ago, i purchased a Barbour Beadnell coat right before my second pregnancy. It’s been through everything with me. Playgrounds in the rain, soccer practices on the sidelines, trips to the pumpkin patch where i inevitably end up lugging around a twenty-pound toddler while dragging a cart full of gourds.
What’s amazing about this coat is how it’s aged. The wax has worn-in areas to give this patina that is unique to how i wear this coat. The corduroy collar has softened and become more comfortable. It looks better now than it did when i bought it, which is the opposite of almost every other item in my closet. Plus, barbour will refax & restore their jackets ; so theoretically, i could be wearing this same coat when my kids graduate from high school. My friend’s father owns a barbour that’s older than both of us ; and he still wears it to walk his dog every morning. Try getting that kind of longevity out of anything you can buy at the mall.
Now if you want to discuss an investment that seemed completely ridiculous at the time but has absolutely paid off ; let’s talk about my Johnstons of Elgin cashemere sweater. This company has been creating knitwear in Scotland since 1797 ; like they’d been making sweaters back then when people were still traveling by horse-drawn carrots. three years ago, i purchased one of their cashmere pullovers using some of the money i earned from a small bonus at work. I’m not exaggerating when i say that every month afterwards i made peanut butter sandwiches for lunch every day to justify the expense.
Here’s the thing ; i wear this sweater from October through April constantly, and it still looks brand new. No pilling. No stretching. No funny yellow-fading-because-i-had-to-splatter clean a mysterious stain off of it. When you calculate cost-per-wear ; it probably is the most economical item in my entire wardrobe. I recommend johnstons scarves to other moms as gifts for teachers or their own moms ; because the quality is so overt that even people who don’t care about fashion can feel the difference immediately.
For shoes, i have to discuss Tricker's ; even though personally speaking ; 90% of the time i wear ankle booties or sneakers because chasing small children is pretty physically demanding. However, my husband received a pair of their Stow boots for his birthday two years ago ; and they’ve basically become his most treasured item. He wears them to work, to dinner, to any event where he wants to appear like a functional adult. They took forever to break-in ; lots of whining about blisters throughout the initial several weeks ; but now they fit perfectly and look even better than when they were new.
The great thing about heritage shoe brands like Tricker’s is they’re designed to last literally decades. These aren’t shoes you’ll replace within two years because they’ve fall apart. My husband’s boots look like something our kids may be able to inherit one day ; which is a pretty crazy idea when you’re used to replacing shoes every season.
If you prefer something more formal ; church’s produces incredible dress shoes that i see on fashion editors all the time. Their women's brogues have a sort-of cult-following among people who really know their stuff ; and they’re commonly paired with modern/unexpected pieces to keep from appearing too traditional. As a mom ; my entire wardrobe is basically elevated basics ; therefore i appreciate church’s aesthetically.
Sunspel is another example of an amazing brand that creates great product. They’ve been producing luxury t-shirts and underwear since 1860 ; which means they’ve had enough time to figure out how to make a white t-shirt that doesn't look pathetic and grey after three washings. A stylist friend finally convinced me to try their sea island cotton t-shirts after she saw me cycling through countless cheap white t-shirts that would either stretch and lose shape immediately.
I spent $75 on a single white t-shirt, which seemed completely insane at the time. But that was three years ago ; and i'm still wearing it regularly today. It hasn’t stretched; it hasn’t yellowed; it hasn’t developed that weird ba-con neck thing that occurs with cheaper tees. When you’re a mom whose basic uniform is jeans and a white t-shirt ; possessing one really good white t-shirt makes such a huge difference in how put together you look.
As far as accessories go ; beyond bags ; Smythson has been making beautiful leather goods and stationery since 1887. For my blog launch, i decided to treat myself to one of their notebooks because if you’re going to take this whole content creation process seriously ; you should at least look professional while jotting down ideas. Writing in a Smythson notebook with their signature blue page style makes even my random musings on mom fashion seem important. Their smaller leather goods also make great gifts ; i’ve given their card holders as gifts to friends, and they are used instead of tossed in a drawer somewhere.
Listen, i’m not gonna lie to you ; none of these options are price-friendly. These are serious investments that require planning and saving ; which isn’t always possible when your main concerns include paying for daycare costs and grocery bill and all of the other expenses associated with raising kids. But my strategy has always been to save up for one superior item instead of purchasing five okay items that you'll need to replace in one year or two.
It requires self-discipline (not necessarily my forte either…especially when Target has cute sweaters for $20) — however, i have slowly created a portfolio of heritage brands that serve as the foundation of my wardrobe. These are the items i reach for when i need to look presentable for school events, when i meet with other bloggers, when i simply want to feel like myself rather than somebody who has completely given up on looking decent.
What i like about all of these British heritage brands is they don’t need perpetual revitalization or celebrity endorsements to remain relevant. They create beautiful and functional products that work extremely well and last virtually forever. In a world where fast fashion dominates and everything else feels disposable there is something really appealing about owning pieces created with real history and craftsmanship.
Of course, i still admire Burberry from afar — but perhaps someday i will finally purchase one of their classic trench coats. Until then, i am happy promoting these other amazing British heritage brands that are surely worthway more recognition.
They exemplify levels of quality and attention to detail that seems increasingly uncommon — and additionally there’s something satisfying about wearing something that causes people to ask "where did you get that?" Rather than being instantly recognizable.
Fashion — just like parenting — oftentimes the road less traveled results in the most interesting discoveries. And honestly — my kids think all of my clothes are "fancy" regardless of what label is on them — so maybe we should just invest in some pieces that will still look great when they can borrow them
