My Mom and I Agree: These New Zara and H&M Arrivals Are the Definition of 'Worth It'

21 pieces we're shopping.

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PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 04: A guest (L) wears a loose low bun hairstyle with honey-blonde highlights and face-framing tendrils, black cat-eye sunglasses, large gold hoop earrings, a black leather clutch bag, a camel wool long double-breasted coat with wide lapels and black buttons over a black high-neck knit top and black leather trousers, brown suede gloves / mittens, black patent leather pointed-toe pumps shoes, A guest (R) wears a slicked-back low bun hairstyle with medium-length light brown hair and a center part, black oval sunglasses, chunky gold hoop earrings and a thin gold chain necklace, a black pebbled leather shoulder oversized Evelyne handbag from Hermes with gold hardware, a long beige cotton trench coat with double-breasted black buttons worn open over a white draped asymmetric top and black wide-leg trousers, black patent leather pointed-toe pumps shoes with stiletto heels, outside Hermes, during Paris Fashion Week - Womenswear Spring Summer 2026, on October 04, 2025 in Paris, France (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

I never needed a moodboard—I had my mom. As much as I hate to admit it, so much of my personal style is derived from what she wore while I was growing up. It wasn't until later in life that I learned how many of her pieces from that era hailed from Zara and, later, H&M. So, while browsing the new-in collections at both brands recently, I called in the expert (her) to weigh in on the pieces worth shopping right now.

We have 30 years between us, but I was shocked at how similar our picks were. We both co-signed trendier pieces like balloon pants and brown sneakers, for instance. The classics were there, too: My mom has long loved cuffed denim, so I agreed to test-run the look for the new year. And I managed to convince her to try out the sporty ballet flat trend (in winter-proof velvet, no less).

So, if you want the insight of two New Yorkers as you scroll through Zara and H&M's websites, you've come to the right place.

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Julia Marzovilla
Julia Marzovilla
Fashion E-Commerce Editor

Julia Marzovilla is the Fashion E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she reviews the latest launches from fashion and beauty brands, finds the best on-sale items around the internet, and interviews experts to find the best products in any category to share with her readers. She also creates shopping guides that span every vertical on the site as an expert in everything from the best laptop bags to the best laser hair removal devices.

In her near decade of experience, Julia has both written for several top outlets in the E-Commerce space and worked at major fashion labels. Prior to joining the Marie Claire team, she contributed similar shopping stories to sites such as Bustle, InStyle, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, and worked as the Trending Fashion and News Writer STYLECASTER. You can find her across the internet at @JuliaMarzovilla. In real life, you can find her creating shopping guides for her friends, cooking or baking in her too-small kitchen, or buying tickets for the next time Harry Styles is in town.

Julia has a Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Journalism from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. She lives in New York City, her hometown.