Aibu to wonder how marks and spencer has not closed down yet??!

[Olaf4fuxache]

Last time I bought an item of clothing in there was 2005.I go in there regularly just to have a laugh at their clothes now! EVERYTHING is covered in lace,sequins,buttons,applique or some such shitty garnish.Nothing whatsoever one would want to buy.Cheap crap you could buy in primark for a quarter of the price,flimsy fabrics.Who the hell are their fashion buyers? Are they blind?Even my mother and grandmother think their clothes are frumpy and do not shop there anymore.How much longer do they think they can get away with the garbage they stock?The shops look like ghost towns,staff are unmotivated.They have no idea who they are targeting.Sainsburys Tu,or Tesco F&F have better clothing than they do.They understand their target buyers may not have rake thin toned upper arms,may have big tummys and crepey chests and have clothes to suit. FFS M&S!!!!Get your act together or you will go the same way as BHS,Woolies etc....And you know what?We wouldnt even care!!!

We have one very large clothing and food M&S on the high street then an out of town Simply Food and an out of town M&S Home. The latter is soon to close. The high street M&S is always busy all year round. It ain't going anywhere.

I buy food, knickers and socks from there, that's it and a make up bag. I find their clothes quality poor. I bought a top from there a few years ago and it didn't last long.

I buy footwear, underwear, sleepwear and food from their, but the women's clothes are abysmal. I tried on 6 items the other day which looked okay on the hangers but the fits were incredibly unflattering - it's the same story everytime I go into the changing room. I hadn't realised they'd got rid of Indigo until reading this thread and I'm gutted because it was by far the best clothing line. My mum used to work for Per Una aka. the crazy cat lady range. They used to make her wear a hideous cerise frilly blouse for uniform. She washed it about a zillion times so it wasn't so bright pink and even then it looked horrendous.

*There, not their

M&S is shit. So are their clothes. So is their food. Overpriced and shit.

Don't know how they are still about either.

I'm under 21 and most of my friends own clothes from M&S

Hmm some of the clothes are ok - have a few pieces of jewellery from there (mostly sale items), underwear and sleepwear are good. I like the home stuff - especially for gifts and I think the food is great.

I hope M & S don't close down, I for one would miss them a lot.

YABVU! I'm 34 and I love it! I buy most of my trousers there (usually jegging type things) as they do short sizes. Some stuff is hideous but the M&S collection line is really nice. Baby stuff is absolutely lovely! Also love the food. Dine in for 2 is fantastic!

Calm it kermit! @ Ohforfox

When you've been on MN for ages I think you inevitably develop something like the attitude of a gardner: Oh, it's that time of year, when the agapanthus isn't flowering ... again and there are threads about soft play centres and whither M and S. They're hardy perennials.

I've posted about the almost Proustian moment of novelty-within-repetition of the recognition horror of soft play.

I find the M and S threads interesting. There's something reassuring about them. And often people will pop up with an interesting insight. For example, you do often get industry experts popping in for a chat.

Chill.

Oh i don't know - I'd quite like a M&S bunfight. Next to the Percy Pigs, obvs.

I use their thermal leggings daily. Also their cashmere hoodies.
The good stuff sells out quickly leaving the mountains of shit.

Yes and catfromJapan I have contributed to them in the past as well. As you something reassuring about it. Last time I was "having a bad time" with M&S and didn't hold back on MN. I would complain about their spring or summer collection to my mother in the way Brits complain about the weather.

But this last year - I think its been a good year overall. Sometimes the material and cut lets them down, rather than the designs themselves (I guess how they make their money), so you have to choose wisely. Or wait for the sales.

I also like their bath oil/body oils and so forth.

Is there make up any good? I remember buying an eyeshadow once at it all fell apart in my bag.

WH Smith's has the post office in it in some places

I really like their food and shop there regularly. It's the only place I buy underwear as it fits well. I sometimes find nice clothes there but yes I think they need to go back to being the place you could go to buy your basics. It's exactly what is missing on the high street.

I won't buy viscose if I can help it. They need to reinstate decent cotton back to the high street. I buy in charity shops or eBay more now as I'm not wearing polyester

My 87 year old MIL from Newcastle now goes to Uniqlo for her basics. Says it all, really.

I wish they'd bring back the fruit purée and yogurt they used to do in the early 90's along with the garlic and herb crisps. They were delicious.

I miss their cheese and chutney sandwich.

Clothes wise I've bought lots of plain t-shirts but annoyed to see that some were shorter than others. I couldn't work out why the £2 price difference but realised too late . I also got some lovely jeans for £12 with a Sparks offer. Lately bought socks from Asda and M&S. Always bought the kids socks from Marks' but will only buy mine from there now too.

Olaf - blinking heck. That's out of order.

A new M&S has opened near us. The only queues seem to be for the cafe and the food hall.

I popped into M&S to have a browse and the early 70's want their clobber back!

There was a particularly vile yellow lace dress ( I say lace but it looked like it had been made from old net curtains bought from a jumble sale and dyed with a little tin of Dylon dye).

If they continue with the early 70s vibe, come winter the stores will be full of ponchos, max dresses and velvet hot pants.

I have to admit that I bought some plain socks.

Harsh OP do you really want to see another high street store close down?
And thousands of employees lose their jobs? Really?

My Mum has worked for them for years. Teh food and hosipitality is what keeps them going, you wouldn't believe the footfall through their cafes.
I buy school uniform, food, some bits from Autograph and limited for myself. Nought a gorgeous khaki mac recently. I agree some of the clothes are shit.

As a company they have always been good with my Mum, she loves her job there.

I like their food, DH buys their rugby shirts, socks and pants, l don't buy the clothes as I am a bit too tall for them to fit properly so don't tend to look. I do like the comfy foot-glove boots though and the cashmere lined leather gloves
If M & S went I don't know ehere DH would get his clothes, he Is very set in his ways clothes wise and was sad when BHS went as he liked their chinos and shorts.

I go there for jeans as they do the longer length - although I looked at about 3 styles/colours today which they didn't actually have in a 12 long - loads of short or regular though!

I also had a look at jumpers but couldn't see anything that I liked. It was either plain knits of the sort which used to be in their 'classic' section or added glitter which I don't want for every day wear.

Love their yoga pants, great price always see something I like but can't afford it. This season it's a dark red twisted waist dress,