to think the hatred for Next is just backlash against the popular and successful?

[cosikitty]

I don't get it, they stock such a wide range of products and styles how can everyone on here hate them? Whatever you find in other shops, you can generally find in Next too.

It's just bandwagonning isn't it? It's popular so it's cool to say you hate them isn't it?

In my eyes, if I want nice kids clothes Next has it- from cute and girly, to hooker style, to nautical, to traditional, whatever you want they have it!

They have women's stuff in formal, casual, tarty, frumpy, maternity, everything under the sun.

I shop in loads of places, including Next, but all the Next hatred puzzles me.

I think some things are fine.

The school uniform is excellent quality.

However, not the shoes! -rubbish!

I don't hate Next, but I don't like it very much either.

I can't remember the last time I bought anything in there.

I work from home so don't need office wear and nothing else floats my boat - and I've tried, really, I've tried. I live in the arse end of nowhere and Next is one of the few shops we have

My local store is pants, but I refuse to open a credit account with them so online is out. There's a massive store near my Mum and a huge factory outlet shop but I've never found anything in there that grabs me enough to want to buy, given that I could probably buy similar in H&M/New Look/etc for a tenner less

I couldn't care less about polyester tbh, I'm not fussy on that count. I just find Next a bit blah

I thonk the mass hatred/concerted anti next campaign exists solely in the op's mind.

HAs had good and bad patches since it's existed.

I can remember a bad patch from the early 1980s (copy along the lines of 'has the shine come off?'). It stuck in my mind because I needed a suit, which was a big purchase for me then, and was sure I'd get a good one there and the choice was dreadful and overpriced, and one in articular had very poor quality fabric.

So I don't see it as a recent phenomenon, nor anything other than the ups and downs as retailers get it right or not. And of course, total recoverable with your next season.

For I don't think anyone would say that Next has been dreadful and 'hated' since that bad patch some 30 years ago.

When next first opened the range was smaller, beautifully co-ordinated and the quality was excellent. Now its horrible, cheap synthetic stuff which looks ghastly. 'knitwear' that is poorly made and will look dreadful after a wash, sweaty polyester suits and dresses which never quite fit, and endless accessories... Some baby stuff looks good - specially the hooker-style !

Their school uniform is great. Never buy clothes for me there, as I am a tall, slim pear and nothing fits properly.

I exclude them from my personal shopping trips on the basis that I find them very, well... "blah". I've gone in there in the sale a few times, but I just never seem to find anything which makes me go, "Oh, I REALLY want to buy that." Their clothes are so dull, and definitely mumsy. They look very "supermarkety" in my opinion, and why would I spend Next prices on supermarket styles?

My granny likes to visit our nearest one though, so I drive her over every few weekends, so I do go in reasonably often. I bought a plain cardigan once, and a suit jacket for work.

I don't have kids, so no opinion on the children's range.

I live very rurally, so there isn't much choice in clothes shops here. My cousin has a top position in high street fashion though, and we are the same size, height and shoe size. She receives a ridiculous amount of free clothes, and when she comes to visit, she always brings me big bin bags full of them, as she gets bored with them very quickly. From that, I wear a lot of Tophop, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins, etc.

When I go online shopping myself, my favourite place is Anthropologie's online sale. Actual INTERESTING styles, which aren't too wacky.

Rows and rows of shiny polyester trousers and ill fitting jeans sums up next to me.

Occasionally one of their glossy mag adverts will looking promising but the reality is always dreadful.

I hate the matchy matchy feel to the homeware - and the idea of buying next "art" is about the most singularly depressing purchasing experience I can imagine

I don't think I've ever seen anything in Next that could be remotely described as "hooker style"

The kids stuff is all cheeky monkey/pwincess bollocks. My 12 year old refuses to set foot in there because it's too babyish. My 8 year old likes some of the summer dresses, but then she also likes the ones in H&M which are half the price

The young children's stuff is nice, but once they are intothe 5 and over stuff it's bloody awful. The girl's clothes are far too 'old' for the age and really quite tarty.

I've not noticed the 'hooker' stuff but then my dds wouldn't shop at Next so I don't know...

My only beef with Next is that it's a bit middle of the road, middle aged.
But the fact that the clothes appeal to me more and more suggests I have become exactly those things myself and that's what grates

You guys must be looking at a different Next to me.

There's a few iffy bits, but it's mostly about as far from "hooker style" as you can get as far as I can see there's even a dress that my extremely fussy 12 year old might like expensive for what it is though

I like next.

My maternity wardrobe is from there and a lot of my normal wardrobe is from there too. Most of dc clothes are from next too. They wash brilliantly and ds1 clothes were passed on to ds2 (baby clothes) and they are perfect too. Dont look over used at all.

I hate most of the adult clothes in Next. I might buy some trackies in there but I find their clothes slightly dated if I'm honest.

I love their home wear though, as well as their hand bags (good quality!) and many of those shoes. Their children's stuff is gorgeous too. It isn't cheap but it's not extortionate either.

I do have a soft spot for Next because I can get perfect boys' jersey boxers for DS with soft, oversewn waistbands - IMPOSSIBLE to find anywhere else. Also great kids' t-shirts, DD has several from the boys' range as well as girls. And they are great for long winter socks and tights.

The women's clothes are mostly a bit boring, but with occasional sparks of genius, so I like to have a look round. My favourite swimming costume ever was Next with a fabulous designer-looking print, I wore it to bits. Have also had much-loved jeans and pjs from there.

When you look at the M&S thread, I think Next have a much better idea of their market and know what they're doing. It's not high-fashion land, but it doesn't try to be, or not in the main. It's not worryingly cheapo. It's everyday, reasonably priced, reasonably well-made stuff.

I am old enough to remember when Next was new and was seen as a bit glam (well oop north it was!) As a teenager my best friend had another friend we were all in awe of because, as my friend said in hushed tones, she "shops at Next" :o

It's a backlash against the bland, mediocre and ill fitting.

My favourite things about NEXT are the women's petite jeans, kids clothes and homware. I have also had some lovely work dresses. The rest is a bit, meh.

I like the girl's clothes - they seem good quality to me and if you're just buying t shirts and jeans, they're a similar price to the supermarkets. For myself, I find I can buy similar tops in Matalan or somewhere for half the price. I used to shop there quite a bit when I was looking for office wear though.

What I don't like is that if you order online they very quickly without you asking for it set up a credit account and intend to start charging catalogues to it. It took more than one attempt for them to cancel it. Puts me off ordering online with them. I felt tricked by them.

I don't hate next . It's just the last few years I've been given next vouchers for my daughter (who is now a very small 14 year old) and I've really struggled to find anything I liked ,either for her or for myself. I did used to like the baby clothes /toddler clothes, though I normally bought them from 2nd house.
cosikitty I buy clothes from Tesco, Asda and Peacocks mainly. Funny you mentioned Tesco, I could walk in there and find half a dozen things I like within 5 minutes, both for myself and my daughter.
I never buy clothes online or via catalogue, so that isn't an issue for me.
And I don't do sales shopping on boxing day either. I don't want or need anything that badly.

Don't hate it, it's just all a bit predictable. Sam stuff each season with. Few different fabrics.

I go into a branch of Next and all I see is acres of crap. Awful shop, some nice kids clothes.

Inspired by this thread I've just been into Next. Kid's clothes were nice, they had a huge range for girls and lots of things I would happily buy for DD.

Women's clothes, no, sorry. I would have really struggled to pick anything for me apart from a couple of work dresses. Whereas I went into Zara and French Conection and could have bought loads. I did try to look at the Next clothes objectively and ask myself if the item had been in a different shop would I buy it, but no. Yellow and blue pinstripes anyone?

I've just had a quick look at the maternity range. Not very exciting, and of course the standard stripy t shirts!

I don't mind Next stuff. I bought a nice cream coat there last rear and their home wear is quite nice. Zara I find a bit .. odd. I really try to like stuff there, but it never quite happens for me.

Not keen myself. I find very little of their stuff fits me very well and it's boring and unimaginative these days. I have only every bought a few items in there and it has always been sale stuff.