You can buy a full outfit from H&M for the price of one item elsewhere, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be happy with the purchase. As with any fast-fashion retailer, some of the affordable goods at H&M are worth it — while others are almost guaranteed to disappoint.
Knowing how to discern the good from the bad at H&M has obvious benefits. You’ll minimize that terrible buyer’s remorse feeling, stretch your budget, and, probably, spend less time requesting returns.
You can develop a keen sense of value for H&M goods quickly when you know what categories, styles, and fabrics generally work. Here’s a look at my top picks.
Read next: How to shop H&M
Cotton tees and tanks
I love H&M for 100% solid-colored cotton tees and ribbed tanks. These are among the easiest wins in the store, especially when they’re discounted. They’re soft, breathable, and affordable enough to wear recklessly.
The best options are the simple silhouettes with ribbing. These pieces are thick enough so as not to be see-through. They’re great for layering but they can also hold their own on your ultra-casual days.
Pricing
H&M’s cotton tees and tanks range in price from $8 to $13, but they are often marked down.
Read next: The P.E. Nation X H&M collection
Cotton poplin button shirts
H&M’s neutral-toned poplin buttoned shirts have clean lines that make them surprisingly versatile. You can wear these tops:
- To work
- As a light outer layer on cool summer evenings
- As a swim cover up (try this for a preppy upgrade to your beach days)
- Under sweaters and blazers
- To dress up shorts
- To add polish to your jeans outfits
Easy to dress up or down, these tops are the ultimate elevated basic. Their cost-per-wear potential is high.
Pricing
You can buy an H&M poplin buttoned shirt for $15 to $40, depending on how fancy you want to go. The most versatile option is the standard striped, long-sleeved buttoned top. Versions with tie-fronts or tapered waists are cute, but slightly less functional.
Heavier knit sweaters
H&M can be a hero or zero for sweaters. Your heroes are the cotton blends, wool blends, and heavier knits. These will feel more substantial and maintain their shape better over time. Opt for a neutral tone for maximum wear-ability.
The zeros are thin knits, blends with a lot of acrylic, and scratchy, overly textured pieces.
Pricing
H&M’s sweater pricing varies from about $20 to $60. The best options are at the high-end of that range. You can buy a cotton-blend boat-neck sweater in beige for $60, or $51 if you get your 15% discount for donating old clothes. Or you can get a polyester/acrylic blend for half the price. The cotton-blend is probably the better buy.
Straight-leg jeans
Trendier denim cuts can be risky, but the straight-leg jeans are usually reliable. This classic shape also doesn’t go out of style, so the cost-per-wear potential is strong.
Lean into clean washes. Whites or darks are the most versatile. Mid-rise or high-rise waistlines will also have more wear-ability than low-rise styles.
Pricing
H&M’s trendier jeans are more expensive than the classically styled options, which is great news for budget shoppers. You can buy Mom Slim-Fit High-Waist Ankle jeans for $35, but the wide-leg culotte jeans are $50.
Blazers and tailored basics
These will be your investment pieces, because the best options come from H&M premium lines. Even with a higher price tag, these garments look more expensive than they are.
Opt for upgraded fabrics, clean cuts, and intentional tailoring.
Pricing
A good, classic blazer from H&M will cost you $50 or $60. You can also get the same level of polish with a tailored vest, for half the price.
Linens
H&M’s linen dresses, trousers, buttoned shirts, and dresses are easy to wear and super comfortable in hot weather. And linen, despite its penchant for wrinkles, has an upgraded vibe that can elevate any outfit.
Pricing
You can buy items from H&M’s linen collection from $25 for shirts and shorts to $50 for dresses. In the middle of that range, you’ll find pants, long-sleeved buttoned tops, and trendier styles (like wrapover pants).
Shirt dresses
Here is another category where H&M delivers on affordability and style. Like the buttoned poplin shirt, H&M shirt dresses have clean, classic lines — so they won’t go out of style. You can dress them up with delicate jewelry and kitten heels, or dress them down with sandals and a ponytail.
Pricing
H&M sells simply styled shirt dresses for $30 to $40. That’s a great price on a piece that is almost an entire outfit.
What not to buy at H&M
You will want to be selective about buying these from H&M:
- Thin polyester tops
- Heavily styled pieces with embellishments, complex stitching, or complicated construction
- Flimsy knits
- Pieces that look stretched or shapeless before you put them on
Buy the boring stuff at H&M
The best H&M pieces are classically styled basics. They may look boring next to the trend-driven display and designer collaboration garments, but the classics are usually better for adding polish and grace to your wardrobe. They also end up being the pieces that deliver tons of value, because you end up wearing them on repeat.
In short, you can shop smarter at H&M by transcending the trends — and elevating your basics collection at the same time.