What has happened to Zara?!

[Shinyflecks]

Nothing to buy, weird awful acid colours
Rows snd rows of discounted crop tops. They’re on the way out surely?
I’m 39 - I have an event tomorrow evening
AIBU - Am I now too old for Zara?

I actually think the only logical explanation is they're a front for some sort of money laundering outfit 😂 they just pretend they're selling clothes to actual people and seeing how far they can go before people start clocking on.

@GetOffTheTableMabel

I’ve always struggled there. They don’t increase sleeve size so you put on a size 12 shirt and the sleeves are the same width as the size 8 top. Nobody is that shape.

I have this problem there too, so have ever shopped there. I went in recently after losing some weight and everyone raving about it and it was full of absolute tat.

@MyNameIsAngelicaSchuyler

I’ve got a beautiful wool skirt from Zara that I bought in 2003. Now it’s piles of absolute tat.

@MyNameIsAngelicaSchuyler - agreed - I had a lovely black and white tweed suit I bought from Zara prob late 90s/2000 period. Horrid now.

It's still popular. I was near the one off the Kings Road on Sunday and every other twentysomething passerby seemed to be heading in. It may be that you feel too old for it now.

If you thought Zara was bonkers then try Uterque which sells equally mad neon/bright colours/jackets but for triple the price. They used to have nice classic stuff too.

I would link but it appears they've teamed up with Massimo Dutti now.

I'll try Mango instead.

60 this year...I still find Zara great for jeans, coats and the occasional plain shirt or t shirt. I've always preferred Massimo Dutti and have several things from there still going strong. Sadly I no longer have the lifestyle for most of their stuff. On another note, a dress I liked there is 99€ here in France, £149 in the UK!

@Thatsplentyjack

I've always thought zara is weird. Some of the stuff looks relatively normal on first glance, bit in closer inspection will have something weird going on. I've never got the appeal but it's strangley popular here. In the closest shopping center there's always people queued outside waiting for it to open . Although they do tend to open just slightly later than the other shops.

You have got it spot on.

Ooo thats a nice dress. Oh but its got a massive ridiculous bow on the back.

Ooo they are nice trousers. Oh but theyve got a stupid hole in the crotch.

Ooo thats a nice skirt. Bugger its crocheted around the waist to show your knickers.

Funnily enough, I always find their simple/plain knitwear to be just what I'm looking for.

Most of the rest seems to be batshit stuff that would mark you out as looking barmy in sizes to fit a 5 year old boy.

i think zara has gone down hill. mango however has got a lot better. they seem to have swapped

Their last wearable collection was summer 2020, they did some great, well priced clothes for about 5 years then seemed to self sabotage

They don't cater for people like me who have huge boobs and huge hips. Even when I was skinny I struggled!

Just got a lovely furry jacket delivered today (can’t remember the last time I got anything there) and the quality of edges on the zip is appalling.

Also their website is just painful. I want to see the clothes, not some bizarre pose covering most of it.

@GetOffTheTableMabel

I’ve always struggled there. They don’t increase sleeve size so you put on a size 12 shirt and the sleeves are the same width as the size 8 top. Nobody is that shape.

I agree! I lost weight going from a Zara XL to a M size but I still find things too tight on the upper arms in a size L, but often too big elsewhere. I lost patience with Zara because I used the website rather than visiting a shop and it is absolutely rubbish at showing what the clothes look like. Don’t show me a dress on a model who is swimming underwater or performing an eye watering yoga pose because it tells me nothing about it. As for the clothes, I agree that it is nothing like it was a few years ago but just occasionally there is the odd gem, but the gems are getting much more rare.

@ABitOfAShitShow

Just got a lovely furry jacket delivered today (can’t remember the last time I got anything there) and the quality of edges on the zip is appalling.

@ABitOfAShitShow - Zara quality always was bad - I recall buying a fairly decent work skirt and the hem was falling down!

In Europe it's always cheaper and quality seems slightly better too. Or maybe my imagination.

There's plenty of great stuff in there - most of Trinny Woodhall's styling is based around Zara pieces. They also cater for much younger people who like more extravagant fashion. Is that really so awful? I've been shopping there monthly since I was a teenager and there has always been a mix of clothing aimed at different levels of maturity.

Like many retailers, it’s suffering from trying too hard - trying to please everyone and not knowing or appreciating it’s demographic. M&S and Next I find the same - all slap dash, stuff for 7 foot size 0s and not much else. I honestly dread going back in the office full time as I’ve no clothes!’

Totally agree the website is shocking, the posing is unreal. I normally only ever buy if seen on a blogger or tried on myself. However it is fast fashion so am reducing the amount of times i go in or look on the website so i am not tempted to buy. Started following Andrea Cheong on Insta recently - she goes into stores from Zara to high end and examines clothes telling you what materials is like and how to spot bad quality and things that will last. Her tips are unreal and really opens your eyes. Based on this oi had to buy a pair of work trousers recently as going back to the office soon, zara pair was 25e but was not nice material, went and bought a pair for50e ( on sale) by a brand called second Female, made from recycled materials, but quality feels unreal after examining them using Andreas tips. These should last me about 4 time's as long as the Zara ones. That said i have trousers from zara that are about 5 years old, and still good. They need to reduce the amount of lines they do and focus on making good quaility clothes

Until 10 years ago they sold nice clothes then something happened, prices got cheaper but designs seemed change to young adults

I’m in my 20s and I’ve never been able to find good stuff in Zara. It doesn’t help that their website is a nightmare to browse either.

@LittleGwyneth if you have been following Trinny lately - she has been giving out loads about zara especially about their sizing. She even said in one video she might stop showing stuff from them as it was so bad. But i do agree she does good styling with Zara items

Last two times I went they tried to stitch me up at the counter (overcharging) so don't bother going in anymore.

@LeQuern
You will succumb

I'm in a rather nice rust coloured seasalt dress today, so comfortable

[quote gogohm]@LeQuern
You will succumb

I'm in a rather nice rust coloured seasalt dress today, so comfortable [/quote]
Nope. Shan’t. Grew up wearing ClothKits and Laura Ashley. I. have a physical reaction to muted patterns, ‘soft’ colours and tunics. Awful!

I always visit the Zara in Á Coruña when I visit familia there and have no trouble with finding things I like. I visit a Zara in England? I struggle to find anything I like.