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Original poster

M&S blaming skinny trousers?!?

173 replies

Chickenitalia · 09/01/2020 14:37

Truly read it all today. Poor sales due to men shunning skinny trousers, amongst other things including overbuying on food and poor supply chain.

Am I the only one not at all surprised? The only men I know who shop for clothing in M&S would not wear skinny trousers ever! I know there have been some dubious buying decisions recently but this one is baffling.

Surely it can’t be long before M&S hits the ropes now? (Been said before I know).

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51045282

OP posts:
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OldEvilOwl · 09/01/2020 16:03

I bought ds some school trousers there off the peg age 9-10 (he's 9) and they wouldn't even do up! I never used to have to try things on him anywhere else. Got them from matalan or Asda instead since

bluebell34567 · 09/01/2020 16:03

ocado may lose some customers in the process of merging with M&S.

Devereux1 · 09/01/2020 16:04

I just cannot work out what on earth anyone in charge there is thinking!

The problem is the men and women at the top in M&S have been there for years. That is the M&S way. They don't like bringing outsiders into the fold. They can't face criticism. They always arrogantly think they know best, more than anyone else and that includes customers.

I've heard the culture at HQ in Paddington is terrible. M&S doesn't have the brainpower or culture to fix this.

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OldEvilOwl · 09/01/2020 16:05

I did buy three bras from there today which were in the sale so was quite pleased with them. Then I had a quick look at some pjs and they were either size 8 or size 24, with nothing else in between!

thebabessavedme · 09/01/2020 16:06

I walked through a store with dh the other day and pointed out to him the most hideous womens jumper and sang 'I predict a profit warning' Grin

SallyLovesCheese · 09/01/2020 16:07

I remember I loved Per Una in my early 20s - I had some fab long skirts and tops, about 15 years ago. It seemed to cater to a slightly younger audience who didn't want to shop in Miss Selfridge or New Look.

Then, around 8-10 years ago, Per Una changed and seemed to be full of middle-aged or older women looking at sequinned jumpers and mid-calf length woollen skirts. So M&S basically turned Per Una into an extension of the rest of their shop, rather than catering for a slightly different market.

I used to buy their wide-fit heels in bright colours, but they seemed to stop selling them. I used to buy all my jeans there because I'm a petite and could get my size, but now they all seem to be bloody jeggings or skinny. Size 12 petite bootcut in dark blue just aren't available there anymore.

So I gave up. Can't remember the last time I shopped in there.

Ninkanink · 09/01/2020 16:09

I will continue to boycott M&S until they change their policy on men in women’s changing rooms/bra fitting service areas. They told me clearly to fuck off, so I did.

fedup21 · 09/01/2020 16:10

I think my mum is the only one I know who still buys stuff in there! She is nearly 80. Is that their target audience??

I’m mid 40s-working and a ‘standard’ size 12-I haven’t liked anything in there ever! No, tell a lie-I think I might have bought a Per Una top in about 2003. I get my basics from other places...
Bras from Bravissimo
Jeans from Next/Gap
T-shirts from H+M
Black work trousers from George at Asda!
Knickers from Sainsburys

Devereux1 · 09/01/2020 16:13

I like the idea of a boycott.

NoM&Suary.

One/three months of cataclysmic sales and hoards of women taking up space in their men's changing rooms will do nicely.

T0tallyFuckedUpFamily · 09/01/2020 16:15

I can’t imagine their woke policy of making the changing rooms mixed sex, helped. I genuinely feel sorry for the staff, but did chuckle when I saw the news this morning.

birdsdestiny · 09/01/2020 16:19

I usually spend quite a lot at M & S at xmas but went elsewhere due to their policy on mixed sex changing, cant say I missed shopping there. I will not be shedding any tears for them.

Beautiful3 · 09/01/2020 16:19

Hate skinny jeans with a passion. They give make my crotch itch! Cannot buy any other style so am stuck wearing the buggers. Unless you have skinny legs, they make your legs look like fat sausages.

BlaueLagune · 09/01/2020 16:24

I like M&S and I don't want them to go under. However, they could potentially be well served by just doing food, lingerie and kidswear (though my husband gets his suits from them).

Their clothes are vile. A year or so ago I was in Liverpool with my mum, which is a fantastic store, but I was looking around saying they'd have to pay me to wear the stuff. Years ago I did wear quite a few of their clothes because they were the only ones I could get to fit me easily, but now they are horrible colours.

As for skinny jeans my legs are too fat muscly and I can't wear them at all.

They also have a strange policy of closing stores when large housing developments are being built in the areas they're closing the stores in. They are told footfall will increase by a lot, but they ignore it and close the stores down regardless (often when they've already relegated them to their awful outlet store). Examples would be Newton Abbot and Aldershot, both of which have thousands of new houses being built around them.

ItIsTheWay · 09/01/2020 16:24

They make all the adult clothes for a certain type of man, it's all about the needs of the staff network and money for themselves, not making money for shareholders or the customer.

YourOpinionIsNoted · 09/01/2020 16:24

Perhaps they stocked up on men's skinny jeans in the expectation of wokeblokes rushing to shop with them now that they are super inclusive?

Sadly, it seems that posturing on twitter does not translate into sales. Who'd have thought it eh?

Sarcelle · 09/01/2020 16:25

Some of their spring ranges has started to appear in my local decent sized branch. I won't be bothering.

I wish they would inject a bit of continental styling, like Massimo Dutti or Zara before that went down the tubes.

Iwantacookie · 09/01/2020 16:26

M&S reminds me of the school pta.
People who have been there years are doing it they're way or not at all.

FloatOn · 09/01/2020 16:35

Wrote to their Try Tuesday service today to tell them how I felt about their new inclusive mixed sex changing rooms. Not expecting a response, but the other women boycotting might have something to do with their losses rather than skinny jeans.

goingtoneedabiggercar · 09/01/2020 16:36

I got good basics for my hospital bag for a reasonable price. Lovely white sleepsuits and vests. I also like their bibs. However I was in having a look at Christmas and all their clothes for little babies is either plain white or impractical. There was a shortage of sleepsuits with a nice pattern especially for boys but if you want to arse about putting a 5 week old in dungarees and socks they seem to be the place to go.

ItIsTheWay · 09/01/2020 16:41

Perhaps they stocked up on men's skinny jeans in the expectation of wokeblokes rushing to shop with them now that they are super inclusive?

Sadly, it seems that posturing on twitter does not translate into sales. Who'd have thought it eh?

Jo Swinson, Jeremy Corbyn, Harry Sussex, Gilette and M&S listen to the Twitter mob - Go woke you go broke!

pigoons · 09/01/2020 16:52

Umm I like m&s for boyswear and I occasionally find dresses I like (skater dress). DH is tall and skinny and loves the slim fit taller jeans (only online). I buy online and collect from m&s food near my house. It's really easy

1forAll74 · 09/01/2020 17:06

M&S are not words on my radar anymore, I haven't been in any of their stores for many years. I don't need to eat their food,and most of the clothes that I have seen advertised,are quite old fashioned looking.

I used to like their bath products,and underwear,which were good, but you can get likewise in other stores, with better choices.

Ariela · 09/01/2020 17:22

All their pockets are too small.
If I buy jeans I want to put my phone IN the front pocket and my wallet or purse IN the other. Neither are massive.

And I wish they did a Radley style 'Percy Pig' tag for their handbags, that would be so cool
(Note this is my idea and I have mentioned this on previous M&S threads and it has been very well received)

jay55 · 09/01/2020 17:26

I've got M&S socks from ten years ago in better shape than the ones my dad gave me for Christmas a year ago, most of which have worn in holes in the heel and been binned.

I did do well with dresses for my hols last summer, but have not been able to buy work wear for ages.

At some point they seemed to halve the length of the zip on their trousers and cheapen the fabric making them impossible for those of us wide of hip to put on.

Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons · 09/01/2020 17:35

Well DH wouldn’t buy skinny jeans & my daughters & I won’t use changing rooms that men can enter so our money is going elsewhere

Oh & my mother who was a M&S devotee is apoplectic that they don’t care about women’s safety or dignity