It’s not often that I have to find myself eating my words, knawing and taking big bites, but with COS (Collection of Style, H&M’s higher-end/quality, minimal store), I have seasoned those words to perfection and I’m taking bites with gusto. From being skeptical, to easing myself into it, to downright loving it, I’ve done a complete 180 and though I don’t go in as often (blame the Regent Street location – AS nightmarish as Oxford Street I find these days so I’m hoping an online store will come our way soon…), going in today had me touching and stroking and basically wanting everything in the store.
The irony of it is that I just don’t look like a COS customer at all. Wearing a blue floppy hat, ruffly cuffs and collar and sheer shimmer tights, tasteful Jil Sander/Dries Van Noten-clad Parisians/Belgiums in the store were probably aghast that I was even touching the clothes…
I think their SS08 campaign imagery shows the versatility of COS pieces though, in that because of their simplicity, allowing the all-important details to come forth and be highlighted, adding the odd styling touch such as the red bow, the various net skirts, works favour of the pieces. Translation for Susie, paying the Topshop-prices for COS, is a better investment in the end as the opportunity to play them up up up are endless and of course wearing COS au natural, has joys of its own.
I spy a bow and structural corset top (it’s actually a double layered top….)…
A black netted skirt is adding to the tulle ideas but this one is of a more simple yet effective nature…
Bare and unadorned works too…
Times UK has coined a phrase ‘masstige’ (as in prestige for the masses…. yes… it sounds stupid but works as a label…), makes COS fall into this category and whilst the article is championing the rise of the Jaeger/Jigsaw/Aquascutum/Reiss ‘Go Brits!’ lot, if I am going to be joining the supposed ‘middle market’ because I’m now getting older or quivering my boots about the recession and supposedly spending my money in a wiser way (these are all general trends that are supposed to be happening to us ppl…or so they say…) I’ll be getting my fix of ‘masstige’ from COS.
COS I want it, COS I want it… (hopefully no one else GOT that Bille Piper song reference…)
Some of their things are lovely. They all look good quality too. I reviewed the collection last week for my blog :]
Have you seen the whole booklet? I know there was one free with April Vogue, but there’s another extended version on the COS website.
It has interviews & shizz and its really quite good :]
I wish there was a COS store in the US. It looks like they have cool stuff at reasonable prices. Wonder if they plan on opening one up stateside any stime soon.
Tulle is a very fragile and tempermental material. It has the ability to make things look absolutely chic or just poufy. The latter is absolutely disgusting! Party dress for young girls can be made with tulle to try to look elegant, but they usually go too far.
Hehe. Billie Piper! Now I’m embarrassed that I got the song reference….
I quite like the ruffle dress and the bow top. 🙂
I really like the first picture! I’m a fan of the yellow collar peeping out of the navy coat. It looks like a good line; I definitely like the simplicity of the pieces, because then you can focus on things like the collar, the tulle, or the big bow. Very cool. I bet you have lots of ideas for that leather jacket, too!
there is always so many things I want from there even though the prices is higher than what I normally buy..
I love COS! I happily take 4 hour train rides to get to the nearest store. I remember being a bit disappointed when first entering the store, because it does look a bit blah at first sight. But I love the materials and the little details and the way everything looks and feels when put on. I bought the most comfortable and beautiful oversized black wool cardigan there!
I love COS because you can totally dress up all the pieces, although they work well on their own too. Great workwear to evening wear stuff I think. Its amazing to think they are part of H&M because the quality is much better. I think I will try and brave Regent Street to have a nosy too..
I love the look of COS clothing the exact kind of clothing that I like looks simple but not and reminds me of marni and not being able to afford designer prices this would be the closest I would ever get…however not living in London I have never had the chance to visit the store…
I love COS but do not own a singel item, because they don’t fit me properly. It’s a shame. I try pieces on once in a while and can hardly avoid starting to cry 🙁 So nice and so not fitting. Nothing for tall girls with boobs. Definitely tall but no boobs please!!!
Oh how I wish this store would come to Glasgow.
Ah Susie – I’m a COS devotee. It is the perfect place to be amazed and amused. You are so right to think about price because it delivers the goods completely allowing for shoe indulgences elsewhere. The pieces are pure delight to dres up and down.
It is a great browse experience and I’m really selfish I keep COS to myself – no friends and no clients not even magazines! Damn you!Katex
Ah Susie – I’m a COS devotee. It is the perfect place to be amazed and amused. You are so right to think about price because it delivers the goods completely allowing for shoe indulgences elsewhere. The pieces are pure delight to dres up and down.
It is a great browse experience and I’m really selfish I keep COS to myself – no friends and no clients not even magazines! Damn you!Katex
oooh, I like that gray ruffled dress 🙂
i found everything in there too plain and wierdly boxy at first (maybe as i suffer from the same problem as mahret above) but i am starting to love a lot of their stuff.
post-work trip to cos tomorrow looks likely…
I love COS the bf & I have done two trips from Glasgow to London recently main reason to go their !
oh, what can I say? I think I have filled my blog with COS-loving phrases and I just can’t get enough. Season basics are COS in my closet. Rumor has it they’ll open a shop in Amsterdam but I don’t even mind going to The Hague every now and then and spending an entire morning shopping at COS. My friends are starting to think I own some shares of the company!
Funny to read this today, I’ve had the same experience with COS-love. When I first heard of the ‘higher-quality H&M’ coming to Belgium, I was very interested but soon found myself a bit disappointed by their collection – too boxy and “design-y” for my taste. I adored their color-palette though. This Saturday I casually popped in to browse their scarves, and ended up with a silk knitted sleeveless top in rich purple, and an amazing dress in petrol-blue (40‚Ǩ! I was tempted to get the green one as well). I also got a gorgeous yellow scarve, neon belt, sunglasses and a monster-pendant. I’m going back next week to get a cardigan (they ran out of my size) and decide over a yellow pleated top which I’m still contemplating on. I’m hooked now 🙂
haha, when i first went into the COS store a couple weeks ago i had the same love-attack. i was awing and ahing as i checked all the blind stitched hems and soft leather. but i had the same ‘soon-dissapointed’ phase like kim up there. partly ‘cos’ the fabric were so easily wrinkled. i have a dislike for wrinkly fabric =T
i tried applying for a part time job there but their online application kept failing to send!
i love their white leather sandals though
Don’t we all do love COS? At least I’m loving COS!
scrummy, my favourite is the zip dress methinks. i do wish we had stores like this here in nz..