To think so many middle-class clothes are ugly?

[RoyalFamilyFan]

I admit I am hardly a style guru. But when I joined Mumsnet people talked about lots of companies I had never heard of like Toast. So I followed links of clothes posted and looked at the websites mentioned. And was shocked at how ugly so much of the clothing was.
Shapeless grey dresses. Black loose trousers teamed with black tunics which make the model look like she is a member of a cult. Shapeless brown t-shirts.
They are just so ugly. AIBU?

Not everyone thinks those kind of clothes ARE ugly though. Some people like the look of them. I don't particularly like the examples you posted or the brands mentioned, but I don't like that chequered abomination you posted either saying you did like it –it's even worse than the shapeless sacks!

I personally think 'classic' tailored dresses, of the sort you might find in the M&S workwear department, are ugly, because they're really not to my taste. Ditto the 'nice top and jeans' look – to me, it's frumpy and outdated. But to others it's classy and attractive. There's no right or wrong really when it comes to fashion, someone's ugly will always be someone else's pretty.

I love patterned Lucy & Yak dungarees and I do wear patterned socks with ankle-grazer jeans and Vans I've also shaved my head in the past and have a couple of shapeless dresses and jazzy patterns in my wardrobe, so you'd think I was one of the annoying try-hard quirky arty London types (which does describe me quite well tbf)

@Siameasy

Yanbu I think this regularly. They want to look sexless and frumpy. Not too daring oooh might attract a man! A man might look at you -if so report him to 101!

What a silly comment.

@RoyalFamilyFan

Or this shapeless dress. It doesn't look good on a model, it isn't going to look on good on someone without model proportions.

Yeah, that's horrific.

And is that longjohns she's wearing underneath?

@CaliforniaDrumming
I just like either classic jumpers/t-shirts/blouses in nice colours, or something really quirky that is fun.

i don't mind the 'ugly' dress that been labelled frumpy, as people have pointed out, paired with the right accessories it would look amazing.

Some of the other stuff is just... bloody awful.

I have a fairly quirky dress sense though.. i like vintage/goth, wide brim hats, brightly coloured hair, skulls, pentacles...etc i'm plus size and use a walking stick...people stare, so i might as well give them something to look at. most of my wardrobe is collectif, hellbunny, dotty and dolly, yours and so on.

Of course shops have a class/demographic, and their price-tag can sometimes mean only people in that demographic can afford it.. but i love that women these days are more free and will often dress for themselves, not for other people.

I must admit.. i do occasionally chuckle as my 12yo dies inside whenever i get out the car in my 40yo gothic, tattooed, plus sized glory... but i'd rather be me and be comfortable in being me than some cookie cutter boden/joules photocopy that seems to the 'in' fashion locally in women my age. i am not a lady who lunches or turns up in my athleisure wear.

@Siameasy

Yanbu I think this regularly. They want to look sexless and frumpy. Not too daring oooh might attract a man! A man might look at you -if so report him to 101!

I disagree. The right type of man is attracted to women who are attractive and stylish. It’s rarely about the clothes.

I know I wouldn’t want a second look from a man who liked women dressed in tacky, “everything on show” type clothing. For one thing he might look like a wrestler dressed in a suit with bulging biceps threatening the fabric. Or conversely he might be sporting a tight T-shirt, alarmingly tapered trousers at half mast, presenting a fake tanned ankle ( no socks even though it’s winter.) and pointy brown shoes or clunky new trainers. They might have sculpted “hair” too which would ruin pillow cases.

@RoyalFamilyFan Agree but DH irons all my linen stuff. That's why I keep him!

Also, Gucci! Wtf is with Gucci 😂 some hideous items

Can we stop describing clothes as architectural? Please and thank you!

I feel like there's a missing middle ground at the moment.
I don't know where to shop or what suits me anymore. Might be after 2 years of being shut in plus a bit of mid-life changing body stuff, but I can't find well-cut comfortable stuff in natural fabrics. And money is a real consideration.
Also, all the jeans I try on now look awful on me so I've still got the old comfy pairs just about limping along but ready to give up.
I love old style longline cotton pleated mens bib shirts, tank tops, mens jeans, nice leather boots and the kind of stuff you'd find in charity shops in the eighties.
I've started making my own stuff now. Got a load of nice trouser and top patterns and some really lovely Japanese indigo print fabrics, plain twills and chambray. Also knitted quite a few jumpers & tanks. Worked out quite a lot cheaper than buying, not that I could buy it as I can't find it.
Seriously considering a pattern cutting course so I can design stuff around my oddly shaped body

SwanShaped It is simple, plain and cashmere. I like the colour too.

One thing I have been doing lately is wearing lighter colour clothes in winter- like a cream coat, light coloured scarves, lighter jean colours. I think it's very easy to feel a bit drab at this time of year, whatever the shape or colour or cost of clothing, if you look around in the high street most people are in black or grey. Adding some lighter colours or bright colours has meant I've enjoyed winter fashion more this past couple of years.

I have to be careful I don’t look overtly sexy because of my body shape, how I walk and my general persona/look.

The shops you’ve listed are great for me.
I don’t like Boden or White stuff but love Toast, Hush. Mint Velvet, Jigsaw, Reiss & Poetry

YANBU Toast is rank

@RoyalFamilyFan

People keep asking what I like. I cant imagine I would go somewhere where I would ever wear this, but I like this.

Are you joking?

Okay this is a middle-class site and this dress is lovely. You don't have to dress in shapeless grey or sludge colours.

@Siameasy

Yanbu I think this regularly. They want to look sexless and frumpy. Not too daring oooh might attract a man! A man might look at you -if so report him to 101!

Ridiculous comment.

I'm wondering if & daughter pay their hand knitters a living wage, rather than exploitative piecework rates.

Who are 'If & daughter'?

Slightly not the point but why is there a thread dedicated to Toast on S&B? Do they plant their staff amongst MN users to promote their stuff? Do they pay MN to have this so obviously promoted?

FWIW, I agree their stuff is overpriced and really dull. I have enjoyed looking at all the awful clothes posted here, especially the dresses for toddlers.

@Thatsplentyjack

YANBU there us most definitely a middle class uniform. A popular one here is wearing little plimsoll type trainers with jeans and colourful/patterned/character socks poking out the gap between the trainers and jeans. It just looks ridiculous on an adult. No idea where they fashion came from.

Oh lord, I do this. But it isn't intentional and certainly not something that was a fashion I was aware I was following. I've only ever worn plain socks at school and I wear Converse type trainers (usually Deichmann imitation ones) because they are comfy and I have never got myself out of that rut in 25 years. So some sock shows betwixt jeans leg and shoe. How can it not do? There is a gap there that is filled by sock. It's just how ankles work!

@CaliforniaDrumming I would wear linen then too! I used to wear a lot of linen blouses to work when I could be bothered with the ironing.

RoyalFamilyFan

People keep asking what I like. I cant imagine I would go somewhere where I would ever wear this, but I like this.

Elments of it are good but it looks like a shirt dress with part of an eyelet curtain and part of a jacket attached, and it has an odd hemline

That's perfect for wearing to the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel @RoyalFamilyFan

@BarbaraofSeville

If you want drab and shapeless at Matalan prices well here you are.

My boss has just come into work wearing that (or a more expensive version). It looks much better on her than in the photo - but she's tall, incredibly slender and it's being worn with a pair of shoes that cost more than I earn in a fortnight and a coat that it would probably take me a month of overtime and eating plain boiled rice to afford - and then it wouldn't go on over my biceps.

@RoyalFamilyFan see I hate that dress! Even more than the grey shapeless ones!

It just shows fashion is so personal.