To find clothes shopping depressing. It's all the same

You missed out three words in the title. In the UK.

I agree with you completely OP.

I hate shopping. I am fat which makes shop hard but also tall for a woman which makes it nigh on impossible!

HOw can you complain in your OP that Every shop is selling exactly the same stuff and it's all just so soulless. And then a few posts on complain:
Just too much choice.

So odd.

I disagree completely with everyone on this thread. Yes, of course teenagers often wear similar clothes but that's completely normal. And there are still "tribes" of course - around here there's the girls who still wear leggings and swishy hair, the girls in the wide legged jeans and funky tops/hackets and a strong contingent of the "sporty" girls - but as a nearly 50 year old, I'm spoiled for choice. Admittedly, as money is tight, there are lots of places I can't go which would even further expand my options, but I know if I want jeans these days I go to M&S. Next is my default for tops and trousers and dresses. New Look is less reliable but I have a few great things from there for specific occassions. I go to Mint Velvet to spend a bit more on slightly nicer tops and jumpers for work.

Other than jeans I make 95% of all my own clothes. Interesting fabrics, unique items, and they actually fit properly!

The problem is that teenagers all dress identically, because social media means that none of them has the courage to stand out and make a statement.

this

Plus parents, grandparents everyone dresses the same as 15 year olds.

and this

I loved all the shops on your list, but nowadays I can still get excited by Mango, H&M, Oliver Bonas, & Other Stories, Dunnes (I'm in RoI).

And M&S - A bit.

All of those have their own vibe.

You reminded me how much I loved Warehouse and Oasis though. RIP. 😢

I've been banging on about this for ages but fashion is so homogenous now.

God I thought I was the only one. I can’t stand shopping now, and I used to love it: beige leggings suit no-one and I look like a cartoon character in barrel-leg jeans. I like Joanie - the fabrics are a bit crap (a LOT of polyester and viscose) and you have to wade through things with patterns that look like a 70s caravan’s curtains, but there are always some gems in there and definitely no sludge.
(School tribes: always an indie goth 🖤💜)

Fully agree. It’s absolute shit. If anyone has any advice of where to look for clothes for a woman in her late 30s, who doesn’t want to look 65, please let me know! It’s all overpriced, ugly and awful quality.

Uniqlo isn’t in most cities though. And yes you can buy online but I think if you want quality you want to see it first

I can’t sew for shit but thinking about teaching myself because I’m so fed up

Top tip: £5 fitted tees from Nutmeg (Morrisons). Really great quality - I live in the black or white ones most of the year and pick one up whenever my size is in stock. And I love jumpsuits from Lucy & Yak - not cheap, but they do offers every so often. Really quirky and different. Also agree with Tu, although they're not cheap any more.

I love clothes and I am happy to spend my retirement staying fit so I can still wear whatever I want. Most of my clothes come from Uniqlo or M&S and the interesting individual bits are either Vinted or expensive. White T shirts are cheap. Gym stuff is M&S. The rest, I think about.

I really like Uniqlo. If you're not in London (I'm not) then hardly anyone else is wearing it and it's mostly cotton. But I do like block-coloured basics as well as their more unusual print t shirts which I suppose could be seen as boring.

I think youngun's fashion changed in the pandemic, when I was made redundant from fashion buying because nobody knew what the future looked like. They've never really got out of leggings and loungewear.

Tu at Sainsbury. You need to poke around a bit, but they have some good stuff. Stock changes regularly, so keep an eye out, there's always a few interesting bits. Sizing is fairly consistent too.

I never go to the shops anymore for this very reason! And the changing rooms are awful it’s like wonky mirrors at the fun fair 😂 Order everything online, try it on at home and return it if it doesn’t suit.

And it’s all crap quality. Even the supposedly better stores. I bought a long sleeved T shirt from M and S yesterday and had to return it as the material was so thin you could see my bra!

Next is full of nylon /polyester crap..don’t go in their with a naked flame!

Totally agree with you OP - I used to live Chelsea girl also, which I loved.

Totally agree. I hate clothes shopping now and I used to LOVE it! Everything is poor quality, sludgy colours badly cut, looks cheap and tacky. There's no sense of real style or glamour, the materials are thin and plasticky. It's so bloody grim. Fast fashion has killed the high street and teens all look the same. It really shouldn't be like this. But it is...😓

Who knew that social media would actually wind up encouraging uniformity.

@Jabberwok
you might have served me. Went to Bristol when I wanted a change of scene from Bath!

I had a job in the centre of Bristol for 20 years and mainly worked with women (I'm male) I've done so much shopping for women's clothing. One of the few skills I have is I have an eye for colour and I was also honest enough to say "no that doesn't suit you"

YANBU. I really miss Debenhams stores - so much variety under one roof.

I was the teddy boy...love 50s music. If I'd been female I definitely would have gone for the rock chick look!