Mrs M&S

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Am I the only person who thinks the concept of Mrs M&S is bollocks and finds the whole idea crap?

My current pet hate is the attempt to cut costs buy making so many of their tops shirts and t shirts and even jackets on the short side

I agree. It's not very good for those of us with a middle aged spread (AKA muffin top), if trousers are low cut and tops too short, leaving a delightful 6-inch gap!

TBF MIL has been heard to complain that Classics don't have elasticated jeans and trousers like they used to. MIL is only a size 10. She is a very retired school teacher though who doesn't believe appearance matters.

I think my issue is that they are charging too much for quality that's little better than Primark.

In the,early 80s I had some fantastic swishy wool dresses -one plaid, one embroidered on the bodice with a full skirt and cumbefbund, (27.50 and 30) gorgeous crepe pleated skirts similar to Jaegers £25, a couple of purecsilk blouses for £25 each and a marvellous cashmere sweater and cardi for £30. All that was half the price of department store lines but the quality, cut and colours were as good. Am guessing if they replicated that now it would be at least three times more expensive. Then, those lines were the top of their range. Would people pay for that sort of quality? I don't know. But I had some truly lovely pieces. Their Italian wool suits in the late 80s/early 90s were to die for but they were £115. The last suit of similar quality I bought was from Austin Reid for £325 in 2007.

I've several pairs of something called "the knicker". I think they were £12 in about 2005. They don't make them any more. But I still have them, still wear them (I have a rota of about 40 pairs). The cheaper ones for £8 and then £6 that were introduced later have been thrown away.

I know that sounds anal by the way but those were all things I bought when I'd just starts work and I remember because they were fabulous.

Yes, I love the ethical sourcing. That is what lures me into M&S.

I would like them to think carefully about colours. This is a pretty good bra, but not in this year's colours. Even knowing it would be under my clothes, I could not stomach it. I unhappily settled for it in a ghastly grwy and green combination. Turns out they sell it in plain white, but that isn't stocked in my local store, only online. I only know about the white version because I was linking for this thread!

I quite like the green black and grey sports bra.
Who knew they sold high impact sports bras?!

Side issue - white sports bra? Mine get worn and slung in the wash with the rest of my kit. They'd be manky grey within days!

With my £40 of sse vouchers every three or four months. I buy a £20 bra( £20 to be spent on food, £20 on clothes)

I take it back and get a £20 credit note which I spend on food.

There's nothing for me in that store and I'm 64

High impact and extra high impact, in fact!

I quite like white sports bras, because I have white sports kit, so I can sling it all in the twice/thrice weekly whites wash (along with laundry bleach). It might go grey, but it will go grey together.

WHY don't they get us all to take over? Or at least be their expert in-house focus group. I'm fascinated to think they might be reading. And if they're not, they're mad not to be.

Anyway, going back to PPs' comparisons with Uniqlo, I've just remembered that my MIL, who's 87, makes a beeline for Uniqlo every time she visits us in London - loves their jumpers and tops, and never ever goes to M&S

Arrogance.

After all, what can a group of intelligent women in their forties and fifties (or older/younger) know about what women in their forties and fifties (or older/younger) want to wear - and conversely, why these same women don't shop in M&S?

WHY don't they get us all to take over?

Bagsy "Head of Food Tasting" and "Making Trousers That Fit".

*WHY don't they get us all to take over?

Bagsy "Head of Food Tasting" and "Making Trousers That Fit".*

Can I have 'making dresses which aren't too short'

I would be Head of Colour, that way you'd have t-shirts etc that were navy blue instead of a indigo, and scarlet red instead of orangey tomato.

I would also like Head of Women's suits so that me and everyone else I know could buy a really fantastic work suit with a skirt/trouser/dress option like we used to in the 90's.

The high impact sports bras are good and I like the grey and green one too.

I might also consider "Head of Knickers that wash well and last"

I'll handle Ensuring Both Bras In A Multi-Pack Are The Same Size and run the workshop on: Popular Sizes: Is There Any Chance We Need More Of Those In Stock?.

As anyone for " Bra Backs under a 32 aren't that unusual"?

YY Chipped

I am a 30DD or E, depending on brand. But in M&S I can be anything from a 28E to a 32D and most stores don't carry anything under a 32 back so I have to order 6 different sizes online to have a chance of one that fits

Can I be Vice President of Stylish Dresses with Sleeves?

@ the workshop on: Popular Sizes: Is There Any Chance We Need More Of Those In Stock?

Can I also have - 'Let's make everything in petite (4'10 - 5'2), standard (5'2 - 5'6) long (5'7+)'
I would obviously need to liase with shinynewusername and attend her workshop.

I had several of those Italian wool suits in the 90s. They were fantastic.

Do you all think they are reading this. I'd love them to comment and ask for volunteers for real feedback.

I'm the 56, full time professional, one at uni, one in 6th form, slightly overweight, there's no point making a size 16 dress you can't wear a supportive bra under one. I am buying more in East, Jigsaw, Hobbs, and a few bits from Basler, Reiss, because M&S is so awful. We are late baby boomers with money to spend (no offence meant). We don't want to spend it in M&S. My 22 year old thinks Next is better - not great, but better for the odd jersey and sweatshirt.

I don't buy M&S food because I was cordon bleu trained, can cook myself and their fruit, veg, meat, fish are too expensive.

Seriously, this is a campaign MNHQ should get behind...

Can I be Senior Executive for Large Cup Sizes Are Not Unusual (Especially If You Are Wearing The Right Size Bra)?

Ohhhh 90s Italian wool suits ohhhhhhhhhhh
Yay to actual navy, not indigo. And yes to the multi-suit options - Hugo Boss has just brought this back via their Fundamentals range.
Different price bracket, but same idea, mult-option, multi-year!