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?

Some clothes are to some people's taste and some are not.
I like Seasalt and Boden and Monsoon and White Stuff.
I have a name-alike who is always using my email instead of her own, and I find the bodycon dresses she orders absolutely horrible.
But each to their own.

People are deliberately misinterpreting what OP pretty obviously meant by "middle class clothes"

She is referring to companies like Toast, where the clothes have a very healthy price tag, and aimed at a certain target audience. Which would fall under stereotypical "middle class"

Of course this thread will descend into a faux pretence that no one can possibly understand what OP clearly meant and will turn into the standard "oh, money doesn't equal class, I'll have you know...oooooh clothes have classes do they..." Tedious.

Yes OP, you are correct. A lot of those Toast type companies do shapeless shite clothing. God knows who's buying them, because I haven't seen anyone dressed like a Mormon. But someone must be...

I hate the class obsession, but in this instance of course there are such things are middle class clothes. By price alone most working class aren't going to be throwing any expendable income at Toast clothing.

@MrsMadderRose Yes classy dresses and silk shirts is what I would buy if I had the money and figure. Not these ugly things.
I mean you can all wear what you want of course, I am sure of you wear ugly clothes my views won't stop you. But I really don't understand the attraction.
There are so many lovely clothes out there whatever your personal style. Why buy ugly clothes and then try and make them look okayish with the use of accessories? Why not just buy nice clothes?

People like different clothes and have different amounts of money to spend on them shocker!

Nobody requires you to buy them or even look at them.

I feel good in my Toast clothes. I find them comfortable, understated yet beautiful. But equally, I can see what you mean OP, not least because I’ve heard similar uncharitable opinions in real life from my nearest and dearest.

I think for me part of the appeal is being comfortable, in beautiful fabrics, yet not noticeable. And indulging in the 1920s lady novelist fantasy in my head, which is far more real to me than everyday life. (God, it sounds as though my clothes are actually a cry for help😂).

Having said all that, I do think Toast is having a particularly dreadful season this year - the stuff I have from them is from past years and a bit nicer I think.

100% agree, when I first joined mumsnet I was excited to see all these new (for me) brands being talked about all the time as I stuck in a rut with my style.. one look at them and I've decided tk stay in my rut. How frumpy and dowdy! Sorry but you couldn't pay me to wear anything from toast, cos, Seasalt etc ...

Of course we don't have to stick to clothes "for our class". I'm middle class/partly working class background and I wear a mixture, M&S jeans, Hush, H&M, Uniqlo, and bits of pricier Isabel Marant, American Vintage or Ganni when feeling flush. I wear what I like. But fashion and looks are definitely used to encode class/make statements about who you are, what you can afford, etc.

@Aderyn21

That dress is shocking!

I know! I just think if you are buying it you have the money to actually buy something nice instead. So why!!

I only read makeup/hair threads on S&B. Someone would post a choice of two nice dresses to wear to a wedding. Usually similar to coast/Wallis nice dresses, budget of max £100 and would get back links to shapeless sludge stuff for hundreds of pounds. If you like colour don't bother posting.

@RoyalFamilyFan

Or this. It is incredibly ugly. How can anyone see this and decide to buy it?

Oh my word, it's surely a joke... I would look absolutely horrendous in that and my family would laugh me out of the house. Bet it's not cheap either and hardly a timeless classic that you'd wear for years.

They might look better on taller people but it's no challenge to look good when you're tall.

I'm tall and that's definitely not true. What you mean is its bit hard to look good when you are really thin. I'm not massive but look ridiculous in baggy trousers or dresses like that because I have wide hips and wide shoulders. Infact I agonise over clothes all the time!

@Itsnotdeep

Are working class clothes attractive?

Definitely not. Heels are too high, cleavage is on permanent show, dresses are short and cheap.

Heavens! I had no idea clothes had a class system.

You didn’t know that the working class can’t afford to spend £100+ on an everyday dress or jumper?

Haha! Love it OP! You’re dead right. Though I think the examples are more Psychoanalyst meets meditation guru

Maybe the middle class thing comes from the fact they evoke professions that are seen as luxuries to joe public.

I shop a lot at Boden. Agree lots is awful!! But if you steer clear of the “such fun!” stuff, thr basics are great.

Anyway, great thread. Making me laugh!

I like Brora, is that ok?

I agree all the clothes you posted look fairly awful.(in my opinion) I'm less than 5ft and if a model can't make them look remotely attractive there's literally no hope for me!
Every time I go on style and beauty I wonder why I am there as I'm neither stylish or beautiful (but if your examples are currently stylish, then I'm ok being a unfashionable frumpy thanks!)

As I suspected there would be, there is plenty of wide eyed ‘clothes? Class? I don’t know if there is such a thing.’

A bit like people who insist they never even noticed that suchabody was Asian / black / in a wheelchair

I used to live in an extremely expensive city and the streets were littered with Toast, Monsoon, White Company, Seasalt, Sweaty Betty, Joules. Also a Whistles, Jigsaw, Hobbs.

Of course, there was a New Look and a Primark there too. But it’s daft to think if you go shopping in Blackpool or Bradford or somewhere the shops will be the same as in very affluent ones.

It looks nice and comfortable to me.

I have sensory issues and I'm more interested in how clothes feel (super soft cotton, long sleeved, neck not too high or too low, nice and loose).

It's great that women are dressing for comfort rather than the male gaze.

I don’t like that frilly collar outfit but I love the others. I couldn’t be affording things from Toast though.
I like things that are very plain. I’ve been trying to have a much smaller wardrobe to try and give myself some head space. I don’t want to think about what I’m wearing, what goes with what or if things can go in the wash together. Ive been wearing the same charcoal dungarees for four days with a different white t shirt each day…….it keeps me sane.

How do I know what social class a garment is please, OP?

I agree with you OP.
My in laws all wear the brands mentioned here and they always look so dowdy. They never seem to change their look and it seems as if they are wearing a uniform.
I don’t know if it’s a regional thing. When I visit the West Country and the Midlands I notice it a lot.

I guess I shop in quite a few "middle class" brands but though in general I find things I like there, I also find stuff I would never buy. I would love to find a shop where I liked absolutely everything!

I would look absolutely horrendous in that and my family would laugh me out of the house. Bet it's not cheap either and hardly a timeless classic that you'd wear for years.

Exactly. I thought more "high end" shops (as opposed to New Look or H and M for example) had good quality stuff that you would wear for years. I couldn't countenance wearing this for more than a few minutes (before seeing the error of my ways)

Gosh, the tone turned fast. Oh well, it is AIBU.

I think OP and those who agree with her should give us examples of clothes they think Toast-and-patterned-sock-lovers should be buying.