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?

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Heavens! I had no idea clothes had a class system

You bet it does! I used to lecture in History of Fashion. It’s basic anthropology. What you wear sends so many messages even if you aren’t aware of them.

Everybody must know that. It’s just common sense concealed under mumbo jumbo.

@DillDanding

I’d love to buy clothes from Cos. But I think I’d need to be 5’10 rather than 5’7 and 9 stone rather than 10.

I do buy loads from Hush, Whistles, Mint Velvet and Me&Em. Had no idea I was middle class!

I'm 5'3 and 10 stone and wear a lot of Cos clothes and hope at least I don't look too frumpy or rolly polly in them. I have had some compliments! I have very small boobs which I think is crucial to how this style hangs on you.

I agree but I wouldn’t restrict it to the middle classes. Almost all fashion in the UK is disgusting and ugly. I spend a lot of time in France and Italy and the women look so much nicer and more stylish there. Many people I see here either look like a slob or a Mormon sister wife.

I saw a lovely dress in toast but it was a night dress!

Different tribes, that’s all, each with their own sense of aesthetics.

@RoyalFamilyFan can you show us some outfits you like to wear?

@Isababybel

Yanbu Who would wear this: www.toa.st/products/swingy-denim-dress-indigo?gclid=CjwKCAiA5t-OBhByEiwAhR-hm9Z9CnmiBr1nrrS2MNp-kyYcULaAk0CASlJi0O8xpLPAXyBV7NlIZhoC7J4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds An art teacher??

I actually like this 🤣

I'd never heard of Boden, COS or Toast till I joined Mumsnet. I now have a few work dresses from Boden sale, but don't think I'd suit Toast or COS clothes. I'm too dumpy so wouldn't suit.

I quite like Fat Face, and a few things from SeaSalt, White Stuff and Oliver Bonas. Only really upgraded from Primark and New Look etc when I turned 40, and got promoted to a more senior position at work. Felt I had to look the part, as well as having more disposable income.

I agree with you OP though hadn't particularly seen the clothes as middle class before you said that.

I'm well into middle age but small and petite. I have never been able to wear loose clothing as I look like a kid dressed up on her mum's cast offs. So my clothes have to be fairly shaped and only some styles suit my figure. Cheaper, lower market clothes actually work better for me mostly as a lot of "middle aged" brands are voluminous on me or over patterned which just doesn't work. I can just about get away with loose sleeves on a nice top. And nothing low cut because I don't have the wherewithal to fill it!

Most people I know, in and out of work, wear trousers or leggings plus tops - jumpers or t shirts mainly. Dresses tend to be shirt dresses or short and fitted. I rarely wear dresses to work and never at any other time unless for a party or special occasion. Hate tights, hate my bare skinny legs and the shoes required are less comfortable!

Gorgeous

@Isababybel

Yanbu Who would wear this: www.toa.st/products/swingy-denim-dress-indigo?gclid=CjwKCAiA5t-OBhByEiwAhR-hm9Z9CnmiBr1nrrS2MNp-kyYcULaAk0CASlJi0O8xpLPAXyBV7NlIZhoC7J4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds An art teacher??

YANBU OP, and that dress is a prime example!

@Booboobadoo

I'm loving this thread . And enjoying OP's forthright opinions.

I really like these sorts of clothes - not the purple trews or the floral jumpsuit thingy though. I have gravitated towards them as I've got older, don't want to be seen and want to be comfortable. I don't want people's opinions or comment on me in the way I may have done previously. They're like a sack-like shield! And I actually feel more confident within myself nowadays. I think it's also because I don't want men to notice me. I do make an effort, but in a different way to how I did when I was younger.

I had this conversation once with a girl working in Cos, very quirky and cool. We agreed that women who wear Cos clothes dress to suit themselves rather than men or indeed other women because you know that a fair proportion of people will be thinking; what is she doing wearing that shapeless bag?

@Thatsplentyjack

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!

100% this.

As well as the ‘do I dress for my shoulders or the rest of my body, I also have the joy of waistlines on dresses hitting mid ribcage. So so flattering.

(Can we all agree that there are clothes we all consider incredibly ugly at all price points, as well as clothes we think are really nice?)

I see Toast and Cos as much more interesting that Boden or Joules which are quite mumsy.

Toast stuff is great for the “I just wandered in from the Tuscan grove/Highland moor” vibe. The only problem I have with it is that it only looks great on willowy six footers and I’m not one.

I used to work for one of the above mentioned brands, used to get a lot of free clothes because I had to wear stock and also had a good discount. Had to be quite picky and find my "style", and can confirm that lots of the clothes looked different on younger bodies against younger faces. The best dressed members of staff were either really strict about dressing for their figures and persona (easier when you're a pencil) or were bold dressers. I religiously picked the more structured dressy dresses.

I am short, curvy and really boobilicious. I really struggle to not look matronly or frumpy and I need my clothes to have structure or I really do look like I chucked on a sack.

@Incognito22333 but why buy ugly clothes in the first place if you have to work hard to team them with other things to look good. Why not just buy nicer clothes, or at least more classic looking clothes that you can accessorise?

I just think if you are buying it you have the money to actually buy something nice instead

But 'nice' is pretty subjective, don't you think?

I personally like dark, slouchy, oversized things -- I'm fussy about textures, and clothes and shoes need to look good and be comfortable to move around in, because I walk or cycle to work in all weathers. I don't expect everyone to approve of that, or find it 'flattering', though.

Yes, I really want to see what fashion you like, OP. I like very boring fashion myself which I make interesting with accessories.

Difficult to explain without writing an essay but all aesthetic opinions are subjective and highly influenced by cultural norms.
I wear cos, toast etc. amongst others. I went to art school in the 80s so my youth was spent in oversized vintage clothing, dungarees, doc martens and stuff borrowed from boyfriends, often paint spattered. Sometimes vintage girly things semi ironically. My cultural context makes me find tight clothes, sparkles, animal print and man made fabrics cheap looking and often too busy.
I'm not arrogant enough to think my taste is superior, its just my taste, like my accent and taste in music, a product of an interaction between my personality and the circumstances of my upbringing.
I don't think plain and shapeless look ugly they just put the focus on the fabric and sometimes an abstract shape rather than the shape of the body and often draw focus to the wearers face, hair or accessories.
We don't think men look ugly wearing simple plain dark comfy clothes, we think they look stylish and serious, when you realise that you can dress like that too its liberating.
We used to think home furnishings needed to be patterned and have frills and tassels to look nice but we've now all accepted plain grey sofas and white walls and wooden floors look good, our grannies thought they looked harsh and uncomfy.
It's easy too, you can mix and match from different years or even decades and accessories, interesting hair styles stand out against plain clothes (i tend to the cool trainer or coat rather than chunky art teacher jewellery though). I dont wear make up day to day either and ive got broad shoulders and a rather straight up and down figure so loose, boxy clothing and more "manly" styles just fit me better.
I don't like Boden though, too many frills and polka dots.

I agree with OP! The clothes posted are ugly and quite frankly - wasteful. Why are they making clothes so ugly and expensive? It’s like they’re designing clothes solely to stock up their next “sale”.

Seasalt do have some nice bits (rarely but they do!) but their clothes are often 6ft too long in colourways brown, grey or black only.

Cornwall is mizzle, drizzle,grey and murky without Seasalt adding to the dinge.

Disclaimer - I have no idea what class I’m in & I have no fashion sense.

@TremendouslyJolly

I agree but I wouldn’t restrict it to the middle classes. Almost all fashion in the UK is disgusting and ugly. I spend a lot of time in France and Italy and the women look so much nicer and more stylish there. Many people I see here either look like a slob or a Mormon sister wife.

Whereas I find the Italian style too 'done' and in some cases, slightly tacky. But I would certainly prefer it to slobby, I was in Rome last September and didn't see a single person in joggers or athleisure wear unless actually exercising. The men are infinitely more stylish.

But I do love dungarees and spend most my life in them (denim)

Think we ought to reinstate the Elizabethan sumptuary laws as it might clarify matters for us!

@TremendouslyJolly

I agree but I wouldn’t restrict it to the middle classes. Almost all fashion in the UK is disgusting and ugly. I spend a lot of time in France and Italy and the women look so much nicer and more stylish there. Many people I see here either look like a slob or a Mormon sister wife.

Why is it disgusting?

Just posting the ugly dress someone else linked to.
People talk about how women these days are not frumpy like older women used to be in the past. I laugh at that because my 90 year old gran would have rejected this dress as too frumpy.