Okay so I bought this dress three months ago and since then, it’s been NOTHING short of my little serendipitous SECRET. But holy shit you guys, nobody believes me when I tell them where it’s from. Even now I’m still wrapping my head around how a casual £35 shopping trip to M&S landed me the dress that everyone loves. I mean it always felt like one of those purchases that I’d end up getting home, leaving with the tags on and then donating a few months down the line feeling guilty that I’d wasted my money on it.
And yet…it’s become the exact opposite. It’s happened four times now (four!) where I’ve been chatting to someone wearing this dress and they loved it so much they had to know where it was from. Four separate occasions where someone’s asked me if it’s Reformation.Reaction to being asked if it’s from Reformation: ? ?????
Flattered? Hurt? Pissed off? Probably all of the above?????? ?
backstory! So, three months ago (around this time actually – insane how fast time flies), I woke up late. Like, really late. And by the time I was rushing around getting ready for a night out with friends, I think I’d spilled coffee on my favourite blouse, overslept my alarm and had to sit in a client meeting that ran way too long. We were meeting up in Southeast Portland for drinks and I literally had ten minutes to get home, change and not look like a hot mess who spent her morning going arm wrestles with logo designs.
Long story short, I threw on the first clean dress I saw (this black midi with a small pink floral print) before running out the door. It’s from Nobody’s Child – you know, that… kinda sustainable? Brand that they have at the concessions? I always used to walk past their racks and be like nah on Instagram and immediately added to my mental Closetlove wishlist.
Well it sat in my closet until a week later when I needed something easy to wear and throw over a pair of jeans or leggings. Something that looked good but didn’t require me to think too much about what I was wearing. Something easy. This dress was £35, covered all those requirements and was AN OUTERWHILE SALE ITEM SO OBVIOUSLY I HAD TO BUY IT.
I threw it on with some statement jewelry I had laying around, ran out the door with my coat half on still doing my makeup in the Uber to the bar. Grabbed a drink and within twenty minutes of sitting down, this woman walks up to me and says: “I LOVE YOUR DRESS! Is that the Reformation dress I’ve been seeing EVERYWHERE on Instagram?”
…I about choked on my wine. “Oh noooo it’s actually Nobody’s Child! From M&S.” She legitimately did a double take. Like, WTF DID I JUST DO TO HER?! Make her think I spent money on something I didn’t? Insult her Reformation obsession?? Damn- she looked SHOPPISH.
She went on to tell me how much she loved the dress though and how great it looked on me. Then she told me how perfect the fit was which is when I really started to side-eye her?? Like maybe there’s something to this accidentally-secretive-Chanel-looking-bag because this wasn’t the first time I’d heard that.
Okay so like I said, this has happened four times now. Four times where people have thought my dress was from Reformation because it DOES look similar. I get it. Nobody’s Child has pretty obviously peeked at Reformation’s silhouette Bible and gone “Yep. We’re doing that.” Same vintage-y prints but modern vibe, similar sleeves, similar styles that are VERY Instagrammable. Plus they both push this whole “sustainable fashion!! !” narrative.
Oh and also the price points aren’t even CLOSE. Like this dress was £35, the nearest Reformation equivalent I could find was *checks notes* £180. Now before you go thinking I’ve spent my entire paycheck on Shein copies of Rachel Comey bodices, hear me out.
I ended up spending way too much time on BOTH of their websites trying to compare constructive details about why these dresses were so similar. How was Nobody’s Child getting away with this for less than a fifth of the price?! ?
Anyway – the reason I fell for this dress is because it DOES feel expensive. The Nobody’s Child Florence Midi is made from a viscose blend, which usually=garbage that falls apart after one wash in my world. But whatevs they did with this particular fabric, it’s working. It looks great, feels even better and has been through multiple washes and STILL looks like I just bought it from the store.
It looks great tucked into a blazer for work, it looks great with sneakers for the weekend farmer’s market and it looks gorgeous with heels for a night out. It actually fits MY body too. So many cheap dresses are trying to sell you on one body type and everyone else is just screwed. This dress works for my shape (size 8, small chest, extra loloñs in my hips) and it worked for my friend Emma’s too when she borrowed it to run some errands (size 12, COMPLETELY different shape). Hell, even my mom was able to zip it up in her size 10 (very squished) but still have it look good!
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I became OBSESSED with finding out if this was a fluke or if Nobody’s Child consistently offered pieces that over-delivered on their price tag. So….yeah. Ask my bank account. Because I ordered three more dresses.
First up, I snagged this linen shirt dress that is honestly BEAUTIFUL. It’s one of those pieces I see from higher-end brands that I LOVE but would never actually spend that kind of money on. But because it’s Nobody’s Child, I already have three things to wear with it (some distressed jeans I’ve had for ages, a cozy black sweater and this pair of orange trousers that are basically sunshine wrapped into pants) and was able to justify buying it.
This terracotta dress literally became my weekend uniform – perfect for running around outside in during the warmer months but still looks stylish enough to wear into downtown for some brunch and errand running. Oh and THEN I borrowed my cousin’s wedding so I can wear this green tie-front to that too. Bonus!
And you know what?? NONE of these dresses were more than £45. My usual clothing budget can get me TWO pieces from Zara if I’m lucky, but now I have an arsenal of closet staples that appear WAY more expensive than they are. Crazy.
But the real kicker here? The sustainability. Don’t get me wrong, I KNOW Reformation punches WAY above their weight when it comes to being a transparent brand and working to create pieces with as little impact on the environment as possible. They use deadstock fabrics whenever possible, they’re open about how much it costs to produce each garment AND they donate excess fabric to non-profits and schools.
But! Nobody’s Child is also trying to dip their toe into that pool without breaking the bank. They claim that 90% of their collection is made with sustainable materials. They also have a blog post on their website that explains (while it’s not perfect) they are constantly looking at ways to improve both their sustainability and overall quality of their clothing. Now, I’m no fashion school graduate and couldn’t tell you THE BEST ways for brands to be more sustainable but I do think there’s merit in brands like Nobody’s Child trying to make “eco-friendly” clothing affordable to people who CAN’T spend $200 on a dress.
I care about sustainability. But I also have student loans to think about, rent, a very modest graphic designer salary and just life bills that DON’T care that something is made ethically. If I can spend under £40 and have something that makes me feel good knowing it was made with as little damage to the environment as possible, SIGN ME UP.
Obviously the true test will be if these dresses actually LAST. The most sustainable item of clothing is the one you own forever, regardless of price tag. But from what I can tell, my No-Body’s Child secret is holding up VERY well.
No pulling at the seams, no colour fading and fingers crossed no mystery holes popping up after the third wash. Last weekend I wore the black floral dress while running some errands and was AGAIN asked where I got it from Hahaha damn girl Shakespeare referenced everywhere I go.. Literally.
This girl ended up getting super excited when I told her it was from Nobody’s Child (how MU CH do I rock, amirite?) and even googled them on her phone to see more. And that’s when it clicked for me. I don’t care that people THINK my dress is from REFORMATION?? ?
I wear this stupid dress all the damn time because A) It’s comfortable as fuck and B) It actually DOES make me feel put together and feminine without trying too hard. If someone else wants to THINK I spent more money on it than I actually did, that’s cool too.
My guess is that NOBODY’S CHILD has spent way too much time looking at-Reformation.best.sellers and took notes. Fit their pieces TO US instead of trying to shove us into a one-size-fits-all bodice, pick flattering silhouettes that offer something for every body type and pay attention to the small details.
How does the sleeve rest when you fold your arms? Where does the waist hit? How does the skirt fall when you’re standing versus sitting? It all matters.
hell HALF the time when people say “omg love your outfit” they’re probably not even LOOKING at the tag or judging how much you spent. They’re looking at how YOU look wearing whatever you picked. And that black floral dress makes me feel awesome. So if you’re looking for similar style/ fit? Keep chasing THAT feeling and you’ll find your own version of my £35 Nobody’s Child secret.
