I Tried on 30 Pieces at H&M—See the Outfits That Won

Welcome to The Fast Fashion Sweep, where our editors will make the rounds at three of our favorite affordable stores and share the hero picks that look as good IRL as they do online. We’re continuing the series with H&M, but stay tuned for our download on the best picks from Zara and Mango, too.

Oh, H&M. I love you and I loathe you. I love that when I meander through your doors to simply restock a few everyday staples, I'm happily surprised by all the affordable trendy items I spot hanging on your racks, too. Even if I wandered in just to buy a T-shirt, my shopping trip usually ends with me making my way toward the dressing room with a stack of clothes piled as high as my head to try everything on, you know, just in case. Suddenly I've tried on 50 items and a solid hour has passed…

If you found yourself nodding along with the above sentiment, then this goes out to you. I sifted through all the latest pieces to hit the store, along with some of its great seasonless basics, and tried everything on so you can see how it all looks IRL. I'm sharing all the details of my latest outing to my local H&M complete with dressing room outfit photos to simplify your next shopping trip. Instead of doing the legwork yourself, take a cue from the following outfits I put together from H&M's latest.

From the prettiest summer tops to solid office-approved pieces and even a pair of jeans I nearly lost it over, I found so many items to love, but only a handful of the outfits I tried on really stuck out in my mind. Keep reading to see which look beat out all the others and peruse the H&M shopping picks for each one.

Just when I thought I couldn't possibly need another pair of jeans to add to my collection, I found this ecru pair. With a simple white tank and my go-to sandals, this is an outfit I can see myself wearing on repeat for the foreseeable future. I decided to take a size up here, and I think it gives the jeans a perfectly slouchy look. 

This pretty tank deserves its own close-up shot. I love how the ribbed material and knotted straps make it feel special but it's still the type of easy basic I'd want to reach for all the time. I always need more of these special basics in my closet, so I was particularly excited about this find.

Buttery margarine yellow is shaping up to be the next It color of the year, and this floaty little top is what I'll be adding to my wardrobe to nail the trend. I'm wearing it as an off-the-shoulder top here, though I also experimented with pulling the sleeves up to create a square neckline.

When you have brunch at noon and a safari at 3 p.m. In all seriousness, though, zebra is the only animal print that still feels really fresh to me right now, and I love how it really pops against more classic neutrals like these linen shorts. I could easily see this bodysuit tucked into jeans with heels for a night out as I could worn for daytime like this. 

Like I said, I was smitten with the above off-white jeans and wanted to wear them as a base to all the summer tops I tried on. I'm a sucker for a good white top, so I had to try on this smocked tube top while I was at it. Flattering, comfortable, and on-trend‚ smocking is always a good idea.

Fact: Everyone needs a slip skirt in their lives. The tricky part is finding one that lays in the right way, hits at the right length, and doesn't bunch up in awkward places. I won't lie, it's not every day that a fast-fashion version checks all those boxes, yet this one passed with flying colors. 

Polished and professional yet eye-catching, this is exactly the kind of outfit I always want to put together in the morning before heading out to the office or to meetings. Most days, I'm confronted with the plethora of black trousers in my closet, so these tomato red pants are just the jolt of energy my work wardrobe is in need of.

This one was probably my favorite of the bunch. From the silhouette to the pleating and the off-white color, this knit skirt and top set reminds me of something you'd find at The Row. Don't tell H&M, but I'd pay way more than $35 for this mock-neck.

Other items I was wearing:

Next, the only fall 2019 jewelry trends that matter, ranked by necessity.