Matches is closing. Here are some gems to buy on sale.
Finding the silver lining in the wind down of one of my favorite retailers.
Matches has been a cornerstone of the London retail landscape for me since I was a young girl - I remember visiting their store in Richmond all the time with my mother, admiring the designer items that were obviously far out of my allowance budget as a teenager. As I got older, Matches became the place that I could usually find items that were sold out across other retailers like NET-A-PORTER and Moda Operandi. Not that Matches was ever a secret, but it always felt like the lesser-known, little sister to the bigger fashion retail giants. The announcement that they were closing down made me sadder than I thought it would - it was like a nostalgic heartbreak.
Admittedly, my heartbreak didn’t last long and quickly turned to excitement when I realized that this would likely mean an incoming wind-down sale. And my goodness, are things on sale. And not the typical clearance sale where it’s only the bad stuff. This is the good stuff - and it’s up to 80% off. I told myself I’d wait, that I did not need to buy things just because they were on sale, that the deals would only get better and better with time. But because I have no self-control, a marketing email finally lured me in. So - I have scoured the many pages to find some unbelievably good deals, and it only felt right to aggregate them and share them with whoever stumbles across this newsletter.
So, without further ado, my picks across categories…
Dresses
This one-shoulder dress by Johanna Ortiz is getting me so excited for summer. Can be dressed up or down, I love the colors in it - it’s just so chic.
Taller Marmo is one of my favorite dress brands - I recently wore a little red mini dress from them and never wanted to take it off. This black dress is incredible and something you can have in your closet forever and pass it onto a future generation as some sort of feather-lined heirloom. Given the regular full price on this style, this is a steal.
Speaking of little red dresses, I love this one from Kika Vargas. And it’s under $100!
16Arlington is another evening wear favorite - and I can see this sequin halterneck dress being a hit at so many different occasions. If you told me it was a vintage piece worn by Cindy Crawford in the 90s, I’d believe you.
This Toteme dress may be the most versatile piece in this list - it’s the perfect lightweight dress for the summer that can be worn to dinner with heels or in sandals to run around during the day.
If you have an event that you need a show-stopping dress for, this ALEMAIS one is it. Red, sequins, long-sleeve - checks all the boxes for me.
Another perfect summer wardrobe addition, I’ve tried this STAUD midi dress on in store before and it is gorgeous. Such a good price for it.
One more Taller Marmo rec (it’s the brand that keeps on giving) - this ivory dress doesn’t heave the feather drama of the black one above but it is incredibly chic and honestly perfect for any brides out there.
Outerwear
This linen blazer from Another Tomorrow looks like tailoring perfection. I love a tie-waist on a blazer to give a bit more shape, and the color and material makes it perfect for summer.
AGOLDE is my favorite denim brand (more on that below) and this denim jacket from them is a great option for something more oversized but not full-on boyfriend fit.
I am a firm believer that every closet needs a trench coat, and this one from Nili Lotan is so good. Trench coats can give Inspector Gadget if not tailored right, but if there’s ever a brand that knows fit, it’s Nili Lotan.
This Toteme coat out of my shearling dreams. If you’re going to do it, this is a really good price.
This faux leather bomber from The Frankie Shop feels like one of those items where you know the cost-per-wear will be incredibly low. I’d reach for this all the time.
I love Molly Goddard’s pieces, and this wool coat is giving me throwbacks to school uniform days in the best way. It’s cozy, chic and feminine, and I love the contrast collar.
I know we’re going into summer but shopping off-season gets you great deals - like this one! This chocolate brown puffer from Alex Eagle looks like a warm blanket disguised as clothing.
Another Toteme coat - still pricey, but at a much better price point than the shearling. The black version of this coat has been on my wishlist for a while, but I am loving the beige too. It’s something you’d have and wear forever.
Sweaters
This Toteme gem that I have had my eye on for SO long. I love the stitching that they’ve carried over from their well-loved scarf coat.
This Joseph sweater is very versatile - you could dress it up with black leather pants and heels or down with a pair of slouchy blue jeans and sneakers.
I’ve loved this Khaite sweetheart-neckline sweater for a long time - and I’ve never seen it on sale like this. Sadly the XS-S is sold out but it’s still available in M-XL!
For anyone who has been looking to bring some red into their wardrobe, this Arch4 red cashmere sweater looks divine.
This Missoni sweater brings such a fun pop of print. Great price for Missoni too.
A great charcoal-grey cardigan from Nili Lotan. Can be worn in so many different ways.
A Khaite sweater that is far out of my budget but at 40% off is a great deal for one of their cashmere sweaters. I love the high-neck and oversized sleeves.
I love this taupey sweater from Raey - the split side and curved hem makes it more interesting than just a classic crew neck.
This striped sweater is such a Toteme classic. I know there are plenty of lookalikes out there for it now, but I think the cut and way it drapes is just perfection.
Denim / Pants
These KHAITE Albi jeans are a great light wash option for something high waisted but not as tight as their Danielle style. I have these in a darker wash and I love them for more casual use.
I love the wash of this pair. As mentioned earlier, AGOLDE is my go-to for jeans - the quality is incredible but their sizing is all over the place (I have a 3-size deviation across their different styles), so proceed with caution. In general, size way down on their baggier models.
Another pair from AGOLDE - the flair on these are very 70s in a great way. These would probably look as good with heels as they would with sneakers.
These fabulous silver pants are why I love GANNI so much. They’re bold but not overly shiny in a tin-foil sort of way, and I like that they’re slightly cropped so that they dont overwhelm.
This dark wash wide-leg pair from Tibi is so cool. I love the pleat detail at the waist.
This pair from Studio Nicholson. Something about this wash of blue always feels very classic, and I love the barrel-leg silhouette here.
A great pair of relaxed, white jeans for summer from WARDROBE.NYC
This pair of pleated Issey Miyake pants look like a dream for summer and a fun alternative to the usual linen pants.
This obviously didn’t even scratch the surface in terms of the full breadth of the sale, so definitely encourage perusing at your own leisure - these are just a few things that stood out to me. Happy shopping!
Neesh x