Nostalgia for high street shops of the past

[TastyLikeARaindrop]

I'm feeling nostalgic. I'm struggling to find a winter coat and I just KNOW I would have found the perfect one in BHS. I also loved their underwear, thermals, slippers, pyjamas, dressing gowns, simple but good quality tops and jumpers and Christmas bits and bobs. My local also had a affordable but great restaurant with a little play area and decent loos. Dh and I used to take the dc there for breakfast on Saturdays as a treat.

Anyone else feeling nostalgic for long gone shops?

C&A I have a vivid memory of trying on something from the Clockhouse range as a teen that was very Clueless inspired. It was an outfit that comprised of a fluffy pink cropped kind of jumper and some pinafore dress/ skirt.

I also miss the River Island of yesteryear. The stuff they sell now is just not a patch on the stuff they sold before in terms of quality or design.

I got a much loved stonewashed denim jacket from clockhouse around 1986. I was still wearing it when dc's were born in the late 90s.
My dd likes River Island but it always looks like a jumble sale when I go in there.

Topshop Oxford street in the 90’s. Actually have a tinge of sadness that my daughter will never experience the excitement and joy of saving up for a special Christmas shopping trip to London to visit topshop. They always stocked all the brands I only ever read about in Just Seventeen (Mikey jewellery anyone?) and had vintage stuff in the basement. It was never the same towards the end sadly. It was fantastic in the 90s.

Jane Norman. Bought all my trousers there.
Etam. Progressed to Etam when I outgrew TammyGirl and their satin shirts with small necklace detail that attached under the collar.
Also loved McKay's teen clothing range called 'Kylie'.

The local Saturday Market when I was a teenager, selling Indian cottage skirts and blouses. The clothes shops on our high street - not big names, but selling impossibly trendy clothes for a 16 year old.

I don’t think it’s the clothes I miss as much as the carefree size 6 body that I inhabited at the time that made whatever I wore look fantastic.

Principles. Quality and on trend

As an adult - Eddie Bauer for clothes, and The Pier for household and decorative things.

Internaçionale and Bay Trading. C&A. MK One.

I just miss the days when high street shopping took up a whole Saturday, tbh. It's not the same, nowadays.

I really miss Past Times. It actually had really lovely, individual, good quality items.

I could spend a whole afternoon in Topshop Oxford Circus. And have lunch there, too. Then pop into the adjoining Miss Selfridge.

Video shops. Not blockbuster but those off licences you used to get with a video section at the back, getting The Goonies out on a Friday night with lots of snacks.

I miss all the small independent book and music shops that amazon killed off, always on hand with expert advice and friendly service.

Debenhams

OMG, Past Times… I absolutely loved shopping! I’d go to Oxford St, Covent Garden or the Kings Road. Or I’d bus / train to a shopping centre and spend the whole day there. By myself, or course! I remember when Bluewater opened…

I miss Woolworths, BHS (as mentioned above) and Debenhams.

Bay Trading and Oasis when they were my high street aspirational budget.

I know it's still trading but I remember thinking Next shops were very posh when they first opened (& that Next hardbacked catalogues that were dead fancy compared to the standard Kays catalogue!)

I miss a mooch round Debenhams pre Christmas, good for pjs, party wear and clothes for the kids.

La Senza i adored that shop so so much

I already miss Wilkinsons

Feeling quite privileged to have worked at Bay Trading and had the company discount in the 90s (many many bright coloured silk blouses purchased) and I did my 4th year work experience at Just Seventeen in 1995 and getting to take some Mikey jewellery home!

I miss virgin megastore on Oxford Street, so many fun times waiting to meet bands or picking up CDs.

Wallis, Debenhams, Jane Norman, the vestry, Principles, BHS

Oasis and Warehouse too

I miss Pastimes, too. I still drink my morning coffee out of one of their mugs.

I miss turn of the century Debenhams, Richard Shops and House of Fraser as it used to be. I think I just miss the whole 90s, early 2000s shopping experience. I used to shop all day on a Saturday - I'd leave DH at home and scoot off to be the first person in cruising around the make up counters in Debenhams. I'd try on armfuls of really good quality, well-made clothes. There was a shop for fat girls like me (something + something??? I can't remember the name) where I bought the most tremendous afghan-style coat and a beautiful ankle-length fake leather trench coat. Their clothes were wonderful. They had a shop in a little shopping centre off Oxford Street, just over the road from wonderful Borders bookshop.

Timothy Whites
Athena
Old Habitat ( loved their catalogues)

C&A. We bought all sorts in there, skiwear, suits for DH and DS, dresses, underwear, casuals etc. Massive shame when they shut down the UK operation. But occasionally come across one in European cities - the last we found was in Berlin and we bought a trolley load of stuff!

Pastimes, Debenhams and BHS.
I didn't realise till this thread that Oasis had closed too! 😥