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?

I've just come back to mention the colours. Dear God, the colours......or at least, the shades. There's a particular hard, vile pink they seem fixated on, and a sort of lemon yellow, and......I could go on.

Do they not have eyes? The difference between classy, expensive-looking clothes and cheap tat can be a very simple matter of a few shades - it's not hard FFS but it makes such a massive difference.

I'd be so happy if I could go into M & S and buy a proper, well-cut, long-sleeved T-shirt in good quality cotton and a lovely, subtle colour. And some jeans that are just classic straight-leg jeans. Not boot-cut, jeggings, leggings, super-skinny, Capri-style, ankle-grazer, and on and on and on in 376 variants. That would be a start.

Oh and bin the sodding waterfall cardigans for the love of God

In M&S's defence, the men's clothes in the right section are fine. Dh buys his suits there, and ds who is 17 bought some clothes there recently and he isn't that square! Also the homewares are good, but competition is fierce from every other store. Back in t'olden days it was a choice between the ubiquitous M&S flowery sheets or Brentford Nylons.

Agree with others that there is an ocean of stuff in the big M&Ss and if, say, you go in for a jumper, where the hell do you start? And then I look up and see Twiggy and run off. I know that sounds (well, it is) ageist, but at 50 years old I don't want to think I'm in the bracket of sassy 60-something. It's difficult, because using "real" people is something that women always say they want, and then when we get it, it's "Er, no thanks."

I must say as someone closer to Twiggy's age I find it very hard to imagine she actually wears any of the dreadful clothes in 'her' range herself. Or who they could possibly appeal to.

There have been so many threads like this clearly spelling out what M and S need to do - and not do - yet they continue to ignore them. I just don't get it. If the new CEO wants to know what to do, just read one.

I too was insulted by the patronising 'Mr and Mrs ' thing - what world do these people live in?

The Twiggy thing has always baffled me as I don't think she herself has ever been known for her style (unlike, say, Mary Quant). It kinda says "Look! Twiggy is still alive! And SO ARE YOU!"

As someone who might conceivably be on an age to be Mr M&S Rhoda I have to disagree about the menswear. They always manage to get it slightly wrongcand make it looks dowdy, old fashioned or just slightly second rate.

They'll have something that is vaguely along the right lines, but the cut will be wrong or the colour or material won't be quite right.

It's like being in a retail version of The Prisoner

Excellent name LikeDylanInTheMovies

LikeDylan, I guess you must be a bit more stylish than Mr and Master Rhoda! Dh buys his shirts from Thomas Pink, being a bit of a snob and a spendthrift

Cheers. High praise from someone who goes by the impressive handle SchnitzelVonKrumm.

What I find extraordinary about M&S is that every so often there'll be a brave flash of genius, then it'll be swiftly stamped out. Like poor Twiggy - I totally agree with you, polyhymnia, I doubt she wears such frumpy stuff in real life, and yet the first collection she fronted up featured a brilliant pair of bright orange suede pumps that I've worn to death which I could see her wearing, amongst some other simple dresses and flattering trousers. Now? Wall to wall frumpery. Surely 50+ ladies deserve a bit more than apologetic cardigans and 'breathe-easy' fabrics?

Surely the whole point is that M&S's demographic is far too broad to pin down, either with imaginary 'Mrs M&S' or celebs that are never quite right. They wouldn't try to identify Mrs Percy Pig. So stop trying to appeal to a specific person and get on with putting quality basics back in the shop. HOW HARD CAN IT BE? MN run a free customer feedback panel for them in Style and Beauty at least every other week...

The food is dire as well.

I bought some basics in m&s last week now thanks to this patronising Mrs M&S bollox I might return it.

rhoda I doubt that. I was once mistaken for a tramp.

I don't tend to wear formal or work wear stuff, so I'm only going on the casual wear stuff, which they manage to arse up ever so slightly. Blue Harbour and autograph stuff in particular.

I imagine the suits are harder to muck up.

'Oh, and the person who thinks that scattering the same clothes all over the store, so that if I pop in looking for - say - trousers I have to look in every sodding 'collection' as well as all the odd corners of the store'

This drives me insane. You have to traipse all over the flaming store trying to find what you're looking for.

I really don't understand how they are getting it so very wrong

"MrsM&S" Hmmmm. They can call me what they like as long as the prices come down. I love a bargain. I am happy to mooch around until I find something I like in the undies section, food section and some of the per una stuff that flatters a 60 something's figure post children!

The mooch takes a bit longer these days as someone pointed out, and I agree, M&S does look like an overstocked jumble sale at times.
I do like their footglove shoes and leather handbags and leather gloves though.

oh dear oh dear oh dear

Thanks Mr Rowe for clarifying exactly who you imagine will be wearing THESE DELIGHTS

I am just about to hit 30 and I am rather fond of M&S. Especially their sports bras and the fair trade cotton, but I want to know what's with the salmon pink. I wanted to replace a favoured bra, but I couldn't, because the current colourway is discusting.

Now, the cashmere lined leather gloves are lovely. They should do them every year in standard neutrals and then every year bring out two this-year-only fashion colours. In genuinely nice colours. And then you could build up a little collection over the years.

I am still struggling to find much of a benefit in having a Sparks card. I bring it out religiously each time I shop but the offers it gives me are never anything I want at the time I want them. The best I have done was a small pack of Percy Pig sweets (really..... I am over 60 yrs old with fillings that go electric with sugar!).
Now THAT is something that needs sorting out new Mr CEO. Can I clock up points on the Sparks card like we do on Nectar and save them up for a big bit of cash off those lush leather M&S gloves.

Jasper the best M&S leather gloves I ever had were a delicate pretty pink pair, now sadly gone to recycling. Now they were lovely and YY to building up a collection of different colours each year.

M&S do get some things right, but really do need an overhaul as you do need to wade through a load of cr*p to find those special things.

They always manage to get it slightly wrong and make it looks dowdy, old fashioned or just slightly second rate

Yup. Every post on every M&S thread is basically saying this. So why don't they do what they have done so successfully with Beauty and bring in other brands? They could collaborate with brands like Uniqlo & Cos that are only in major cities at present or online only companies like Baukjen.

Sparks card is appalling. My "offers" at the moment include 5 for the price of 4 on prepared fruit and veg, 20% off cream and 20% off tea and coffee.

Wow. Those sorts of massive savings on my shopping are really going to force me off the sofa and down to the nearest Marks. As a contrast, Debenhams are running a bank holiday promo with up to half price womenswear and 40% of underwear and you don't even need a card!

Sparks is a marketing disaster.

At 36, I'm not really who they are targeting anyway but I do find when I see something I like in m&s once a year it is too expensive. I think they need to realise that the next generation of potential shoppers don't have much disposable income.

I can never remember what my bloody offers on the Sparks card are! It really is useless.

At least I get a latte at Waitrose.

Hisnamewas

Good grief. It looks like something a farrier would wear.

Oh.....the outfit finder. Good gawd. Don't do it people.