To feel so disappointed in clothes shopping now compared to what it used to be like?

[mrsgreggspastry]

AIBU to think that there used to be far more choice and just more appealing clothes than there is now? Just everything, the fabrics, not something I pay much attention to normally, but now things just seem so thin and cheap looking. The colours, styles, choice, everything. I can remember going to the shops and really struggling to choose between so many lovely things. Now it's hard to find things I like at all.

Uniqlo doesn’t make trousers for the long of leg☹️☹️

I love their thick cotton t shirts and merino cardigans.

I never order online though as I have heard their attitude to refunds is appalling.

It's only Levi premium lines that are made in the USA. They do a 'made in the USA' range of 501s but they are a premium 501. Standard 501s are made predominantly in China. Also Vietnam and sometimes Turkey.

Superdry are good for cotton T-shirts. Rapanui as well. Hollister do most of their trousers in longer lengths which is good for one of my DCs

I returned a Uniqlo order recently, with no problems.

Superdry has nice cotton, but whenever I've tried their tshirts, they were cut wrong for me. A lot of their tops for women are too short on me. I did rate their line of muscle tank tops from 2 years ago (but not with the giant and deep armholes the term often accompanies) that they called surf tank tops. The designs were nothing great, but the cut was very comfortable. I often struggle in the summer with tops being too low-cut for my preference. A lot of their stuff has giant logos - why?? - but some of it is fine.

I can't find women's smart trousers to fit my needs - natural material (wool for winter, linen (with lining, not loose linen trousers) for summer; I'd be fine with cotton), deep side pockets, long enough. I've been wearing men's jeans for a decade, but have switched over with formal trousers too.

Yep, the shops hold less stock now too since online shopping increased like mad over lockdown. I feel forced to just go online tbh as the shops on the High Street have so little!

I totally agree - this has happened in the last 20 years or so. The quality of fabrics and how clothes are made is totally appalling.

And I don’t know where these quality brands are that some people speak of. I am in London so have spent lots of time looking at all sorts of brands in real shops, in lots of different price brackets and most expensive brands are just as bad.

Has anyone noticed how few things are lined now?

I cannot find lined trousers now.

@SaturdayGiraffe I agree about trousers not being lined. My go to shop used to be Reiss but lately, their trousers are New Look quality ; no lining, poor finish, poor cut. So sad.

Back in the 2000s and 2010s, I used to love clothes shopping and was spoiled for choice in places like Mango, Reiss, Monsoon, Mint Velvet, Warehouse, French Connection, The White Company but now, I very rarely see anything I like. Clothes these days seem to come in horrible colours (khaki and puce) and tend to be covered in dinosaur frills.

Does anyone know if menswear has suffered the same decline in cut and quality and if not, why not?

Agree. And somehow online shopong has made everything worse

@LadyAstor there are plenty of wonderful clothes being sold. The problem is that those ‘legacy’ brands you mention - and even more so places like Next - are long, long past their peak. The creative and entrepreneurial drive that made them exciting places to shop, once, has gone. Costs have risen too, so they gradually source cheaper fabric, processes and labour to avoid increasing prices to the point where they alienate their customers. They are not the same as when you first found them.

Over the past decade I’ve read and posted on countless MN threads that sing the praises of new places. Brands that are finding new ways to negotiate changing circumstances. Designers with something new to offer. The outraged resistance on the MN Style & Beauty board is really something to behold …

@CapaciousHag I understand your point and wouldnt be interested in shopping in most of those places now, as Im not their target demographic. I'm just reflecting on how easy it was to go shopping and have a wide choice of good quality clothing back then.

I shop at a variety of online retailers and have done since 2000 with the launch of ASOS or as seen on screen as it was back then.

Now I shop at Jigsaw, Joseph (sale), Pure, Anthropology, Reiss, Barbour, Sweaty. Betty and various boutiques in Cheshire and the Midlands but its much harder, even when paying more, to find well-designed, good quality clothes that arent covered in frills or dinosaurs.

Buying clothes on a whim is out of the question now, it becomes a project. It's soulless. Even if there are other brands out there doing stuff differently, you still have to seek them out, do your research. I don't want to apply too much thought to things, I want to look reasonably stylish on a medium budget without devoting much time to it. Now you have to read reviews, is the sizing true etc. if you had access to the clothes physically you can see the fabric for yourself or try it on.

Was it in this thread that someone needed some trousers and bought loads online spending £700 - they only needed one pair. They found a pair and returned the others. How have we got here, how many people could be bothered to do that, or have the funds.

I am resigned to the fact that my dress sense is going to decline. I have some good stuff, but it was not bought recently, and I will just buy "it will do" clothes going forward. Unless the situation improves.

I went to Guildford at the weekend. Just been paid, feeling flush. Guildford has had some shop closures but it's a prosperous area and still has lots of shops. So much stuff in the shops that I never see anyone in the streets wearing. Who is buying all the crop tops?

A lot of the higher end stuff is expensive, and still not great in terms of quality. I have been seeing a jersey blazer from Whistles online, saw it in the flesh in Guildford. It was akin to something you would have bought in BHS years ago but not BHS prices. Saw a blazer in several colours in M&S that gets good reviews online - it was just a thin floppy offering. Okay it wasn't expensive but the reviews were glowing...it's like people have already lost sense of what is quality and what is just tat they are being fobbed off with.

Karen Millen (the actual Karen Millen) is being interviewed on Woman’s Hour - Radio 4 - right now …

I did an online shop at H&M then other day for pretty pleated midi skirts one in blues and one navy. The blues one was massive! I’m a standard 12, 5ft5.

Same with 2 pleated blouses, both baggy and massive and material cheap.

I’ve seen a few younger women on the tube wearing crop tops and cargo trousers but agree most of the high street is rubbish quality, overpriced etc.

@GonnaGetGoingReturns I have a shirt from H & M in a size 6 that is roomy on me. I got this last year in a physical shop, it was the smallest size, the material was okay and I like the design. I am a size 14. 🫤

I missed Womans Hour, what did Karen Millen say? I used to love Karen Millen years ago, things were very showy but also very well made. I doubt its the same now.

KM sold the business in 2004 and had no further involvement. She made £30 million from the sale - but some time later was declared bankrupt. More recently she was invited back to the store (now owned by Boohoo) to produce a small capsule collection.

Sorry, was distracted at the time, only got the rough outline! Missed the bit on her future plans.

I agree it’s totally crap these days. As others have said, I also spend most of my time online clothes shopping which then is just depressing as the material is crap/ flimsy / doesn’t fit (I’ve not changed size for years) and then end up packaging it up and sending it back. Very tedious.

How so?

I miss DP so much

Me too

Horrible ecovera Viscose used for everything like it's the holy grail

I love cotton for skirts not Viscose and not at £50

I love viscose. It’s cool in summer and hangs well/doesn’t crease.

I think there are few types because I have viscose dress exactly as you describe, but touched something from viscose in a shop and 🤢 I actually check labels now just out of curiosity sometimes.

FIY Primark is now running cotton and linene clothing lines