How Me+Em cracked the style formula for busy women – and the best pieces to buy

Even if you’re not about to be photographed, this intentional creation of flattering clothes should appeal – and oddly it feels like a rarity on the UK high street today.  

“What is so clever about Me+Em is the very broad range they produce, there is literally something for everyone and to suit all body shapes,” says the brand consultant Isabel Spearman, who has previously advised high profile women including Samantha Cameron and Akshata Murty on style. “This is usually a very hard challenge for brands to get right, whilst also maintaining their core vision, but Me+Em has nailed it.”

It is true that Clare Hornby, who co-founded the business in 2009, has an innate sense of what busy women want to wear and the limited amount of time that they have in the morning to make that decision. Her clothes are designed to be solutions-oriented, to go together easily as outfits, and to be adjustable for both comfort and maximum wearability. Belts might be reversible, shirts can come with two necklines. These clever features give the customer a eureka moment when shopping and a feeling akin to a two-for-one deal. 

“The fact that pieces are multi-purpose makes the prices feel justifiable,” says Anna Berkeley, a personal stylist and founder of Think Shape. “Let’s face it, the clothes are not cheap, so it means you feel you are getting the wear out of things.” Dresses, on average, cost £275 – an apparent “high end of the high street” sweet spot.