to think that Marks and Spencers have lost the plot with women's dresses?

[MaMaLa321]

I went in today and, for a start, there's very little in stock.
But what was worse was how unattractive everything was.
this stood out, especially. Even with a gorgeous model it looks uber frumpy.

I like it. Although I would wear with a couple of the top buttons undone.

@MaMaLa321

I went in today and, for a start, there's very little in stock. But what was worse was how unattractive everything was. this stood out, especially. Even with a gorgeous model it looks uber frumpy.

Cotton Traders have a far nice denim dress for the same price denim dress

Cotton Traders link www.cottontraders.com/women/dresses/midi-dresses/prairie-denim-midi-dress/AG10684.html

I’ve seen far worse. I agree with previous posters, in that there are much nicer dresses online than in the store.

That's awful.

So much of what's in the shops at the moment is horrible. It's like fancy dress or pantomime costumes.
Zara - I'm looking at you.

@Branleuse

like this www.marksandspencer.com/ditsy-floral-puff-sleeve-midi-tea-dress/p/clp60512046?color=BLUEMIX

why??

This looks a bit like one of my grannies nighties.......

The dress you linked is fine, you can wear it with trainers or flats or heels, to the park or to work, and you can move around without showing your arse. It also comes in lots of sizes which is great. What dresses would you prefer? You can buy those instead.

For those of you who remember the scene from The Devil Wears Prada about how high-fashion filtered down into the main character's mousy little blue-green jumper, this is what you're seeing here. Ruffly, modest dresses were very high fashion three years ago- see Batsheva or The Vampire's Wife for examples. They looked subversive and interesting at the time, especially on skinny, edgy teenagers. Now there are available at Marks and Spencer's (but with less interesting cuts and cheaper fabrics). Some of them are fine, as per my previous post, it's nice to have a comfortable dress you can wear everywhere.

But the sad fact is that if you put a 40 year old size 14 woman in a baggy floral prairie dress with a ruffle, unless she also has some SERIOUS edge and taste going on with her hair, shoes, makeup, etc - she's going to look frumpy and comfy, not interesting or sexy or fashionable. If you want better dresses that are more fashionable and interesting, you're not going to find them at M&S 😹

The dress isn't awful, but the footwear is wrong IMO
M+S have gone way down in quality and style.

They lost the plot years ago. They don't know who their target market is. They should go for flattering classics in bright colours and good quality fabrics. Instead they're trying to attract the H&M crowd - not a chance! The only thing they do very well are shoes - they had some really fabulous and exciting designs that ended up in.the sale, presumably because the H&M crowd don't go in there looking at shoes, which is a real shame. They need to find a niche and aim for it. Maybe the problem is that the older woman with disposable income tends to hang onto her clothes for years and not be influenced by fashion. So yes, go for well-made classics..

I don't mind the idea of that dress, but the cut of it is awful, really frumpy, even at my age

I hate that dress. Frumpy and sad.

doris9034
Branleuse
like this
www.marksandspencer.com/ditsy-floral-puff-sleeve-midi-tea-dress/p/clp60512046?color=BLUEMIX

why??

This looks a bit like one of my grannies nighties.......

Or something out of Little House on the Prairie.
They've got loads more on the same theme. Am I missing something fashion wise? I really don't like them.

Agree that M&S seem to have lost their way with women's clothes. I asked if they had any cashmere in our spanking new store and was told to look online.

Men's, children's , homeware etc much better. And I spend too much on their food.

As many many posters have said - that dress is perfectly innocuous. In fact, it’s decent.

@SingingInTheShithouse

I don't mind the idea of that dress, but the cut of it is awful, really frumpy, even at my age

Yes. Same here

For me, M&S never seem to get things quite right. They get the cut wrong, they add frilly shit, colour is slightly off.

I have a similar dress to that I wear quite regularly but it’s a different cut, slightly different black, no frilly collar. Really versatile and can be worn with trainers/boots/etc to work/pub/chilling at home and it just works so much better

See this thread highlights the issue - even we can't agree what type of clothes are good, and we all have such specific requirements it's hard for M&S to meet them. Some only want short sleeves, some want long, some like linen, others don't. If they stick to plain classics they're slated for being boring. If they add "fashion" details they're slated for that too.

@Whatwouldscullydo

Well that's the trouble with m&s. They no longer think their core market they used to have is good enough so they try akd rope the ginger ones in trying to be all "trendy" and fail miserably

Sorry @Whatwouldscullydo but this has made me howl.. poor gingers

They no longer think their core market they used to have is good enough so they try akd rope the ginger ones in

Were redheads previously excluded from M&S...?

"This isn't just a jumper, it's an M&S jumper. Oi, ginge! This isn't for the likes of you, get out!"

I went last week and it was really boring and naff all of it.

And they have changed a best selling basic t shirt bra that had no padding for larger boobs.

To some god awful straps that cut into your shoulders, and new elastic at the back that gives me horrendous back fat!!?

They keep doing this.... changing good basics that millions of women buy, if it sells keep it as it is!

They even changed the big pants and put fat rolling lace at the front so now they just slowly roll down all day.

@campion

doris9034 Branleuse like this www.marksandspencer.com/ditsy-floral-puff-sleeve-midi-tea-dress/p/clp60512046?color=BLUEMIX

why??

This looks a bit like one of my grannies nighties.......

Or something out of Little House on the Prairie.
They've got loads more on the same theme. Am I missing something fashion wise? I really don't like them.

Agree that M&S seem to have lost their way with women's clothes. I asked if they had any cashmere in our spanking new store and was told to look online.

Men's, children's , homeware etc much better. And I spend too much on their food.

M&S menswear is bloody awful. Like Iain Duncan Smith's holiday wardrobe.

I think they had a fantastic season over the summer, the Ghost collaboration has been some of my favourite pieces on the high street this year.

I don't like the dress you link to but they're got lots of other great things right now.

Not RTFT but I find most dresses frumpy wherever they are sold.

But I remember going into the big M&S in Liverpool with my mum a couple of years ago and saying they'd have to pay me to wear most of the clothes.

I like their food and their knickers. But they've lost the plot with the clothes (years ago).

If they stick to plain classics they're slated for being boring

There's a pretty large core audience for plain and boring though. Unlike frumpy, mustard-yellow stuff (which is my abiding memory of what they had in their Liverpool store).