I'll admit it: I have a love-hate relationship with shopping on Zara's website. Sometimes the way they shoot the clothes can make it hard to see how they will really look and fit IRL, making it more of a guessing game than I'd like. After years of being a loyal Zara shopper, though, I can basically find my way around the website with my eyes closed, which means I have come to know how and what to shop on the site and have a near-zero return rate to show for it. In fact, I've low-key become an expert in finding the most expensive-looking things at Zara. My credentials are that whenever I wear something from Zara (like this lush suede jacket I bought this spring), people are always shocked to find out its origins.
I thought this one hack was well-known, but after chatting with a few friends and colleagues, I figured I'd share my insider intel, after all. My secret? Shopping the ZW Collection. Each season, the Spanish retailer crafts a collection that's a notch above the rest of its offering. The ZW Collection is where you'll find more directional and trend-forward pieces and, in my experience, where the quality and design elements also far exceed my expectations (and tend to hold up over time). I know you might be wondering, but is it way more expensive? While yes, the prices are a tad higher than non–ZW Collection, they're only marginally so—a $120 dress versus a $70 one, for example, which in my eyes is well worth the extra spend to get something you're more likely to wear on repeat and keep in your closet. To see what I mean, I've put together an edit of the best ZW Collection pieces for spring 2025 here. Shop now; thank me later.
If you told me it was Bottega Veneta, I'd likely believe you.
Get ahead of fall's most viral trend, a plaid shirt.
The shape is so right.
Yum!
It's already en route to me and headed straight for my suitcase.
Every designer is doing modern-day lace, and this one rivals even the most luxurious designs.
The not-skinny-but-not-baggy pants everyone will copy from Bella Hadid's Cannes look.
The color and shape are both so good.
Spotted on Courtney Grow's IG story, so you know it's bound to sell out.
Easy and cool.
Buy now; figure out undergarments later.
These are way too on-trend right now to also be on sale. Make it make sense.
Something Rosie Huntington-Whiteley would wear with lace tights and point-toe pumps.
The front is good, but the back is something else entirely.
Chic, chic, chic.
The base to endless summer outfits.
Love the layering effect going on here.
*The* shorts silhouette of the season.
Just add a long pendant necklace and you're basically a Chloé runway model.
Immediately yes.
Polka-dot dresses are set for wold domination this summer.
Incredibly good.
The two-tone contrast is so timeless.
Prepare for an avalanche of compliments.
Don't even think about forgetting the matching pants.
The suede jacket that nobody believes I got at Zara.
Proof that everything is better in butter yellow.
Fashion people are reaching for colorful striped pants over their jeans and denim shorts these days.
So Saint-Tropez-coded.
Pretty!
Yes, suede is still the moment.
I'm normally not a huge print person, but I'm in love with this swirl pattern.
If I see you traveling in this outfit, I know you're the coolest girl in the airport.
A well-structured LBD will last a lifetime in your closet.
Wear it open as a jacket over a tank and linen shorts. Perfection.
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I Write About Shopping All Day—30 Chic and Fun Accessories From Zara, Nordstrom, and RevolveFrom big beads to tassel-adorned bags.
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Keep This Between You and Me: I Just Found a $165 Alt for The Row's Viral and Sold-Out $1300 HeelsYou're welcome.
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These Rich-Looking Pieces Are All Under $100 and Will Transform Your Style Now Through FallAffordable and stylish.
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The 33 Best Anti-Trend Items at Zara, According to a Fashion EditorTime for a summer basics upgrade.
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What If I Told You My Necklace Wasn't The Row, But $38 and Technically a Bag Charm?Yes, I said $38.
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Shoes Are Rarely Classic, Trendy, and Pretty—That's Why This Style Sells Out Every YearThere's a pair for everyone.
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My Mom Somehow Always Finds the Best Items at Walmart—Here's What She Sent Me to BuyYes, I was surprised too.
