Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To miss shopping in the 90's and early noughties

383 replies

witchofzog · 14/03/2018 18:36

I used to love shopping but now there are very few shops I actually like. I miss Jeffrey Rogers, Bay Trading Co, MK One, Pilot etc. Not high end clothing granted but there were always things I liked.

These days a lot of stores are online but I can't be bothered with what would probably be constant sending things back as a lot of things look great on the hanger but crap on me. Primark is ok but hell to shop in when I can go as it is so busy and don't get me started on the mirrors. New Look is ok as is H & M too but really that's about it. I actually prefer charity shops and car boots now but today I just feel really nostalgic for the high street of yesteryear.

Does anyone else feel the same?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
15
papooshka · 15/03/2018 20:57

I was an 80's girl. Remember Snob. Loved Knickerbox. Also does anyone remember a shop called Zoo? There was one in Harrow, I loved it. I used to work in C&A as a saturday girl....theres one in Calais still. I remember when Just 17 first came out as it was the 'sister' mag of Smash Hits. Read it avidly every week.

Fustyoldcarcass · 15/03/2018 21:28

Clearly I should have been proud of my dress sense as a teen. Mine was terrible. Orange skirt with decorative chain belt....silver jelly shoes....lime green floro Lycra t-shirt, combat trousers and track suit tops...platform white mules....string 'hip hop' vest with bra underneath....I think I was channeling Liam Gallagher, Rab C Nesbit and Bianca from Eastenders all at once.

It was a lot of fun though....

Fustyoldcarcass · 15/03/2018 21:33

And hair mascara, sun in, heather shimmer and body glitter!

I remember being pulled to one side by my teacher at school-I had blue eye shadow plastered on, body glitter and blue hair mascara in my orange sun-ined hair and was asked 'don't you think you've over-done it a little bit?'

EarlyNinetiesDecor · 15/03/2018 22:04

I also loved the fragrances in Gap, little metal sprays. Gap Dream was to die for and I’d wear it now. I think it’s available in the US but they don’t sell it here now Sad

Gap plastic bags with the drawstring were my PE bag of choice.

Steaksauce · 15/03/2018 22:25

I thought I was the knees of a bee in my black mohair cropped short sleeved top, red and green tartan trousers and the black version of these

Steaksauce · 15/03/2018 22:27

Oh. The picture won't load Blush

Those clumpy canvas heeled shoes.

I had a black pair, my best friend had a cream pair and I wanted them so bad!

ambereeree · 15/03/2018 22:30

Does anybody remember the bags from warehouse with warehouse in sequins? Mine lasted ages. And morgan jeans? I loved mine they didn't go baggy on the bum or thighs.

alltoomuchrightnow · 15/03/2018 22:42

I loved Zoo, Snob, Knickerbox. Zoo was the right side of quirky..it was awesome and not so stereotyped 80s at all.
I miss Sephora being in Watford in the noughties
Hell, I miss most shops

alltoomuchrightnow · 15/03/2018 22:53

I loved Hyper Hyper and Stirling Cooper. Most of all I miss American Classics (at the time, for the discerning Brosette.. Bros got their Levis, t-shirts and bandanas from there..I did the same) and Flip, both in Covent Garden
What was the name of the little shop that did perfume oils (inc smellalikes of famous, I think) and sold Beauty Without Cruelty cosmetics..loved that..(was a chain) I know was definitely one in Yeovil..I bought my first foundation from there and it was lifechanging!

alltoomuchrightnow · 15/03/2018 22:54

I have Millenial friends (I'm 47) who don't believe me when I say that Barry M ONLY used to be sold in Holland and Barratt, was quite 'cult', and at the time, only them, BWC and the Body Shop were advertised as cruelty free makeup

alltoomuchrightnow · 15/03/2018 22:55

Oh Kensington Market too..probably miss that the most..what a place..

alltoomuchrightnow · 15/03/2018 22:58

Laurence Corner for army surplus

Zoflorabore · 15/03/2018 23:34

Liverpool MNers- how about these beauties?

What everyone wants- rather shit but cheap as chips.

Solitaire!- every garment was covered in a plastic bag and the staff used to walk around with microphones.

I have asked this question on Facebook before but nobody seems to know the answer-
There was a burger bar, on the corner of Whitechapel. It's now Holland and Barrett or Wongs Jewellers.

It had possibly orange plastic seats, you would get a burger/chips and drink for around £2, i went a lot no wonder I'm fat

Does anyone know what it was called?

eggsandchips · 16/03/2018 00:00

Anyone remember the thirst with 'babe' across the chest? 🤪

eggsandchips · 16/03/2018 00:00

T shirts

wwwwwwwwwwwwww · 16/03/2018 00:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn - wrong thread.

alltoomuchrightnow · 16/03/2018 00:48

oh What Everyone Wants! That's what I was trying to remember! I"m sure there was one at a London tube station that I went to whenever up there.. I had a black lace blouse from there that I wore for about 20 yrs! It was my all time favourite top, it was £5.00

Motoko · 16/03/2018 01:17

Oh yes, I remember What Everyone Wants too! I don't remember where it was, but I usually did my high street clothes shopping in either the Whitgift Centre Croydon, or the Arndale Centre in Wandsworth, so it was probably in one of those places.

eggsandchips · 16/03/2018 06:02

I also miss Versace red jeans, wash in and wash out hair colour and sugar magazine. Coffee shimmer lipstick was also a rimmel classic. Flex shampoo....the natural collection at boots was really good, la senza was good. I felt like a dinosaur now but it was a cool period. Wimpy too, all gone :( cheese n onion pasties at lunch time at Greggs and cigs for. 79p. Liam Gallagher was attractive. Ahhh....

JacksGirl123 · 16/03/2018 06:06

I've still got a coat I bought from Pilot and have spent years and a huge amount of money trying to find a lipstick that suits me as much as coffee shimmer did!

nowater34 · 16/03/2018 06:22

ambereeree

I either had one or wanted one.

eggs

Yep and all the 99% angel 1% devil etc. I wasn’t allowed to wear them.

BikeRunSki · 16/03/2018 06:34

alltoomuchrightnow I am also 47, and I used to get Barry M stuff from the Body Shop as a teenager.

PussCatTheGoldfish · 16/03/2018 06:37

Oh boy, yes I had a Kangol hat, and platform silver sketcher trainers GrinGrinGrin. And cream block heeled canvas shoes. I still have a silver strappy NL top from the late 90s that I will never fit in again.

In our local town we had New Look and Select which saw most of my custom. Lakeside was brilliant and when Bluewater opened we were so excited. My favourite was Oxford Street though.

I miss the freedom of only having to think of myself! Today a trip to London includes so much more planning!

Yy to Barry M I had blue glitter and stick on stars.

Mindhunter · 16/03/2018 06:39

I never shopped in Bay Trading as they had communal changing rooms and I was much to shy for that. I miss buying junk from the body shop, Woolworths and our price. I also used to have so much fun trying on awful things in clockhouse (c&a) for a laugh.

DeltaG · 16/03/2018 06:48

Oh God, those were the days! I had a pair of the original Nike Air Max, which I saved my paperound earnings for a YEAR to buy! Never taken such good care of anything before or since!

I lived in Birmingham, but we weren't allowed to go into the city alone until our 13th birthdays. We used to traipse around all day on Saturday, buying Rimmel nude lipsticks and Bodyshop coconut perfume!

This is back when the Pavillions shopping centre existed and I loved going in there to Dolcis and La Senza and HMV. Then we could just about afford a fizzy pop from the food court on the top floor.

I live in Switzerland now, but apart from C&A, I still come back to Brum to do a lot of my shopping Smile