If H&M wasn’t on your shopping radar before 2020, chances are that, now, it absolutely is. Even in the face of a harsh retail market, the high street mega brand has had a knockout year, and seemed to have a knack for designing the pieces we actually wanted to wear in that precise moment, before we even knew we needed them in our wardrobes. Many of these items were so in-demand, they proceeded to sell out faster than banana loaf baking tins.
Now, to list every H&M best-selling item of 2020 would likely take hours and would require the entire Who What Wear team to down tools and pour all their energy into it. So, we decided to take a sartorial walk down memory lane to revisit the cult H&M pieces that you can still buy a very good homage of.
From the £50 boots that look significantly more expensive to the beautiful two-piece that’s been reinvented in dress form, keep scrolling to see H&M’s best-selling items, then shop the closest thing to the originals.
Let’s start with a product that’s still in stock, shall we? When we spotted this collared knit on fashion stylist, Hannah Lewis, we assumed it would be found on the likes of Net-A-Porter or Matches. In actual fact, it’s H&M, and comes in two gorgeous colour-ways.
Sadly, Aïda Sané’s H&M quilted puffer coat sold out in record time back in November, but the brand has thankfully followed it up with some equally excellent outerwear options.
At the start of summer, you couldn’t scroll through Instagram without seeing this blouse-and-skirt co-ord. While the top is sold-out everywhere, we were shocked to discover the skirt is still available in most sizes. We also love H&M’s new puff-sleeved blouse and dress, which were clearly inspired by this airy duo.
Expensive-looking boots are hard to come by on the high street, especially for a mere £50. Cue H&M’s knee-highs—a pair of boots so luxe, we’d never have guessed they were so affordable. We love how they’re wide enough to tuck our jeans into, too.
None of H&M’s knitted dresses hang around for long. In our experience, they’re cut better than any others you’ll find in the same pricing category, which might be the reason for their in-demand status. Below, you’ll find our current favourites, all of which we’re predicting will sell out fast.
Another co-ord that H&M got so right was this smocked set, which put smocking details on the map this summer. The brand continues to champion this detail in the form of blouses, skirts, and even dresses.
Escapism came in the form of this bright and breezy H&M midi dress this summer, when the style set wore it for picnics in the park and visits to the seaside. This exact frock is long gone, but there’s a host of puff-sleeve iterations to be had online right now—even one in a gorgeous and super-similar hot pink shade.
