So is there anything we DO like in M&S style and beauty?

[Lottapianos]

Their clothing sales figures were released yesterday and are down for the 12th quarter in a row. I cant' imagine many on here will be hugely surprised! Their clothing frustrates me so much - an INSANELY huge range of everything, poorly displayed, way too much ageing granny type stuff, way too many frills and fuss, not enough good quality basics, much of it very overpriced. The usual complaints.

However, there are some things I do like:

• knickers - fit well and last well. I tried some from Sainsburys recently, they were the same price but did not last any time at all
  
• socks and tights - a nice range of colours (tights) and at a good price
  
• smellies - own brand bath and shower stuff if you love a bit of floral (I do!). Stila make-up. Fragonard perfume (wish it lasted longer though)
  
• cakes in the cafe!
  

I think that's it. What do you like, apart from their food and drink?!

[skillsandtea]

YY to their underwear and cakes. Also really like the REN beauty range. Recent convert

[Ladyfoxglove]

The food. Just the food.

[Lottapianos]

I find REN shockingly expensive skills - is it worth it?

[ThePerfectNegroni]

Knickers. Bras are terrible. Food is getting average- for the same price waitrose is better. Kids clothes wash terribly. I'd rather go to debenhams, gap or sainsburys.

[skillsandtea]

I have very crap skin so if anything can make it feel good then I'm all over it.

[Lottapianos]

Agree very much about bras - both the products themselves and the fitting experience!

[Rivercam]

I love the Indigo range of clothes and have bought a few things in the sale. Also, quite like the M and S Collection range.

[Lesuffolkandnorfolk]

Nuxe is a great addition to their beauty range and the L'Huile Prodigieuse lasts a long time.

[lurkingfromhome]

I absolutely love the Apivita skincare range and buy the sachets of masks (weirdly, the sachets are better value than the full-size tubes) and the lip balms all the time.

That said, I recently found the masks on Amazon from a seller based in Greece who is doing them a bit more cheaply, so much as it pains me, that's another thing to add to the list that I probably will buy elsewhere now ...

Ren is great, though, and they often have a 20% off deal, so will continue to buy that in M&S.

Food is getting samey and the quality is dropping a bit, I think.

[BelindaAllWorkedOut]

I love the Formula skin care, and have just started using the serum for 40 year old skin. Very nice.

We eat a lot of their food and really notice the difference in quality of their meat and fruit and veg compared to, even, Waitrose.

Re style and beauty, I like many of the Autograph shoes and some seasons they have excellent hand bags, too. Also, their leather gloves are great quality and v affordable.

[stephenisjustcoming]

I like the Rosie for Autograph bras/pants and stock up when they're on offer.

Sometimes I walk in to the Marble Arch flagship store and see something that's so unusually brilliant that I buy it on the spot - a pair of grey buckled ankle boots from Limited Collection, a swing coat, a pretty green summer print skirt - but that's getting v rare now.

The giant chocolate buttons are good. Put them on a fancy plate and you'd be able to pass them off as being from a chocolatier.

But I'm really disappointed in the tights. They used to be gold standard! The last three pairs I bought were too big, too small and too easily holed, respectively. For the first time in 20 years, I'm buying tights and hold-ups somewhere other than Marks. I think overhauling the hosiery standards is the key to M&S' recovery...

[carrie74]

School uniform for the kids.

And some of the food (not really close enough to actually buy it regularly, although one nearer has opened today, so will look forward to some ping and ding dinners from there...).

[niminypiminy]

Funnily enough I was looking at their website today, and found quite a few things to like in their Autograph range

smokey blue duster coat

metallic effect jumper

sheer hem shirt dress

marble effect tunic dress

That's just a selection. I've bought quite a few things from Autograph, including their jeans which are fantastic value for the price.

[PeoplesFrontOfJudea]

The NUXE reve de miel lip balm in a jar is nice.

In fact, I like their beauty hall in general.

[polyhymnia]

The Autograph tights.

Used to like some pieces from Autograph Weekend when they did that range, but it disappeared a few years ago and I haven't liked the main range so much since.

The range of beauty stuff is good - I personally prefer to shop for that sort of thing in Space NK, but they do have some good, lesser known brands.

On food, fruit and veg good, but I find the ready meals, etc tend to the bland. Cakes are generally a bit too sweet - prefer those and the sandwiches from Pret.

[squoosh]

Food and the beauty hall are winners for me.

The clothes are a big fat miss.

[Orangeanddemons]

The clothes are nasty. They could get it so so right quite easily by coming on here and talking to us but they don't. And continue to produce large quantities of polyester over designed shite. Although I did like the duster coat above.

[Marcipex]

DH rolled about laughing in the men's section, saying 'don't buy me any of this will you'
I still buy the multi packs of pants and tights, that's about it.

[atticusclaw]

Rosie cashmere nightwear is lovely but limited edition and sells out way too quickly. Why? I just don't get it. Who is ever going to know if anyone/everyone is wearing the same nightwear as them? . There seems to be no reason behind it other than to limit their rapidly declining profits.

[Marcipex]

God, the polyester.
I have hot flushes, there's no way on earth I would buy polyester. Who wants the stuff?
And huge bold prints on summer dresses with halter necks, I want to wear a bra without it showing.

[LoonvanBoon]

I like some of the Autograph underwear & tights. The bras fit me really well. I wear the mens socks (I think they're the "ultimate" ones) under boots in Winter.

Children's school uniform clothing seems okay, & children's underwear - some of it shrinks in the tumble dryer but that happens with other brands too.

The Limited Collection power stretch jeans seem to suit my figure (apple shape) & don't go baggy. They only ever seem to have them in one shade at a time, though, & evidently ignore all the review comments asking for other shades such as dark indigo.

I used to buy their cashmere when it came under the Autograph label, but the M&S Collection stuff isn't quite as good - bobbles & goes floppy after washing. It's sometimes available new at massively reduced prices on ebay so I occasionally buy it there rather than from m&s itself.

Oh, & I did get a lovely Autograph coat - mainly cashmere - in the sale last Christmas.

Clothes-wise, they do way too much stuff & too much of it is shite. There are still a few really good items, but I can rarely be bothered to search the website. And there is never, ever anything I like when I actually go into a clothing store. All the above stuff has been bought online.

[Pollywallywinkles]

Some of their shoes are good.

There is the odd thing I like but invariably its not in my size. I don't want to order it off tinternet, I want to buy it there and then.

[Ihatemytoes]

I've wanted a pair of dark grey skinnies for ages. I'd looked everywhere, then found them yesterday in M&S! £22.50 and they're absolutely perfect, so flattering. I'd link, but I can't find them on the website.

[polyhymnia]

Agree about the cashmere not being as good as it used to be, sadly. That us the sort of thing they should be getting right.