When a girl is tired of Topshop, is she tired of life?!

[champagnesupernova]

Sorry to misquote Johnson but we only have a small branch in my town and I was v excited to have a chance to go to the Ox Circus branch at the weekend and didn't see a single THING that I fancied.
Admittedly, I'm pregnant but there really wasn't anything that I fancied for after the baby.

Should I write myself off as any kind of stylista now? I'm 32 - where else should I be shopping?

I went to Oasis and Hennes was similarly underwhelmed.

i do like their "Jamie" skinny jeans though. they are the only ones i have found that dont fall down or end up baggy at the arse. I have 3 pairs in different colours

I'm 24 and I've been over Topshop for years now and this is coming from someone who has previously worked for the company! The staff are rude, the clothes are ridiculously over priced, the quality is poor, the clothes are never true to size (which can give you a massive complexion!) and everything is copied from different brands and designers. I just cannot be bothered looking like a 15 year old either! Topshop=DONE!

Head to somewhere like AllSaints, Reiss and Zara - really good quality and styles that you'll keep in your wardrobe for years and years to come

I took my 15 yr old dd in there the other day .
She is a petite waif-like little thing , trying on TOP-SHOP skinny jeans , she cried.. .
The jeans actually gave her a muffin top....she only weighs 7 stone ffs !(not much but she is a shorty).
The clothes are not flattering, not even on my teenagers .

Exactly my point droves - I'm a petite size 10 too. The Petite jeans have always been too long for me and not to mention not actually being able to squeeze myself into aforementioned size 10's... It worries me how many other, young, impressionable teen's have had the same problem and really taken it on their chin.

The mistake you made was to go to the Oxford Road branch on a weekend - only go midweek - otherwise you'll feel old and fat if you're over 19 and over size 6. And it's quieter on a week evening, not just the numbers of shoppers, but the noise levels are lower!

Did you go into the maternity section? (you can go in via Regent Street) it's v good and I never had to queue for the changing rooms when pg.

oh, and I have clothes from there (that currently fit me,) that are size 8, size 10 and size 14. They are v varied and makes it hard to buy on line from them.

JudyPink - you are right about the staff being rude, I've noticed that too!

I actually used to work in the Oxford St branch - I transferred down to London from Newcastle after I finished uni. I was supposed to transfer straight to the Head Office but Arcadia being Arcadia, the plan fell through and I had to sort it all out myself! I couldn't bare the staff I had to work alongside, the general attitude was appalling and I was often left feeling very embarrassed infront of customers whilst cleaning up another colleagues' mess. I managed to get out before I had a very early mid-life crisis! I now avoid Oxford St Topshop like the plague. But that is by the by, the whole set up of Topshop is just disappointing now - such a shame, 4-5 years ago, Topshop is all I wore. But again, that might just be me growing up eh?

which can give you a massive complexion!)

do you mean complex?

If Topshop ever wanted to do some research on their typical customer I'm sure they'd find this thread to confirm it is not mums!

I dont think they cater for tennagers though, too pricey, I beleive their target market is 20s/30s but childless.

Which rules all of us old frumps out!

I have hearted French Connection for my transision from late 20s in to early 30s... Fashionable but classic. You have to be very lucky to be an over 30 mum who can get away with Topshop.. and why would we even want to?!

I bought a pair of woolly tights from Topshop about a year ago and they were rubbish. Spray-on clothes that come off in the bath would be more fun and last longer. I haven't been in there for anything else since about 1985 too!

It's not just the sizes that alienate us. I am a tall clothes horse size 8 (sometimes a 6) and find their jeans pretty unforgiving and a poor fit.

The rest of clothes I can wear, but they age me because they're just too bloody trendy. (I'm 34). I have to be very careful with clothes, if I shop at Boden I look mumsy, if I shop at TopShop I look a bit sad.

Oasis is the way forward, as is Toast, some H&M and Zara.

Feel I must defend old Top Shop slightly. I would never want to do all my shopping there (but the same could be said of any shop!)

I do refuse to subscribe to a view that says any particular shop is out of bound because of age. Personal style is just that - it may change with age - but everyones is different. I am tall and a size 10/12 so whilst not exactly Elle MacPherson, I think I still can still carry off stuff from Top Shop at 38...but only the stuff I LIKE - not because it is Top Shop IFYSWIM.

I really like their skinny flare jeans, as I think they are v flattering, and within the last year I have bought

this

and

this

Both of which I love, and I don't think you need to be 22 to wear.

In short, I wouldn't write it off entirely - but accept that it is certainly not the 'be all and end all' of the high street.

Sorry [[
www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=12556&parent_category_rn=203984&productId=1544907&beginIndex=0&categoryId=209700&langId=-1&catalogId=33057&viewAllFlag= this]] should have been second link!

i was thinking that the second one must have been slightly different nice dresses.

as i said earlier, there is some nice stuff and the staff in my local ones are really helpful

its all about getting bits from everywhere for me - topshop.com MUCH better than stores, and IMO best mat wear without making me feel dowdy... to be fair I work in fashion, but dont think im trendy especially.
It is expensive but you'll ebay on mat stuff
Clothes are going to rocket in price soon, cotton is v expensive and labour more (if you want to get from suitable places not sweat shops)

I kinda think best thing is investment buying ie if you love it buy it and wear for ever, doent need to be expensive just stick to what you love not like

Its inbetween seasonas at the mo, wait 2 weeks and be woo-ed by all the lovely jumpers boots and coats :-)
loving H&M but only if i have time to rumage!
GGeorge v dissappointing at the mo, and feel like new look is filled with 13 year olds with 'quirky' hair doos...

Aww I still love Topshop at the grand old age of 35! I'm a slightly odd fit - not short enough for "petite" jeans but usually too short for "standard" length. A few of the TS jeans ranges fit me perfectly. I don't have an issue with the sizing, I've certainly never felt that they were on the small side of each size (but then I think Dotty P's is on the generous side so I'm probably just looking at it differently).
I agree it's over priced, I've seen some stuff in there recently that I like but refuse to pay the prices for. But, if I need an outfit for x y or z occasion I can usually be guaranteed to find one in good old Topshop.

I have worried recently that maybe I need to stop going there as I approach my forties though...That does depress me slightly!

I've never liked Topshop. Guess I've been bored of life for a long time then!

Problem here is that topshop is one of the, maybe THE only 'high street' shop that does a tall leg length range of 36-38", most other high street shops only do tall in 34" which are ankle swingers on me. I still get trews from there cos feel like I have no alternative! Its either 40 quid there or 200 for designer.....

I've never been a fan of Topshop yet my brother, for some reason, insists on buying me Topshop vouchers for my birthday and I always struggle to find something. I was rather pleased with myself for getting (and fitting into!!) a size 10 shirt for work from there. However, the shirt was £30 - I could have got something similar for £10 in New Look. I only bought it to spend the voucher!!

Shame about the vouchers backwardpossom! I think I would just spend the vouchers on jewellery or maybe shoes? I do like Topshop jewellery - although, Topshop and Miss Selfridge jewellery is by the same company (Freedom/Diva) and sometimes there are cross-over lines between Miss S and TS; it's always much cheaper in Miss S, as I found out with a ring a little while ago. (£4 cheaper in Miss S and it was exactly the same).

Totally agree oggybags, it's about getting your wardrobe from lots of different outlets - fashion is about making yourself feel comfortable and different to the generic 'trends' one brand may encourage.

Still though, I can't fit into anyones jeans or trousers - I'm just too small! So I'll just stick to my dresses and tights

Its quite alarming what has happened to the quality of the clothes from ts as well.
CIRCA 1990`s they were quite good quality , thick material that would hang well iykwim?....now its just shiteola you can see through.
Honestly !.
Try it for yourselves ,....go to ts and hold a tee shirt up to the light and look through it .

I used to be a big fan, got discouraged a few years ago but then went there for a personal shopper thingy about 2 months after DS was born and it was fab. The stylist was lovely, she obviously picked out the stuff she knew would suit me best and I left there feeling good about my appearance for the first time in months. I didn't have to wander round the shop either so avoided being confronted by all of the size 6 uber-trendy teenagers.

This wasn't at Oxford Circus though where I agree that the staff are so rude. They don't bother looking at you and treat everyone as if they are a shoplifter - even to the extent that when I went to try on some bikinis I realised the tops and bottoms had been stapled together with the security tag!

I can usually find something I like - and occasionally love - but it takes more searching out than it used to.

I got a lovely lace panelled cardi in there recently and a super cute tunic/dress.

droves I think the see through-ness is deliberate - makes the grunge layering all the more effective + I understand that if you are 16 it is de rigueur for your bra to be on display....

I haven't been in Top Shop for years but have just looked on their website.

I don't think I really fit their demographic, i.e. I am over 21, not over 5 foot 9 and weigh more than 6 stone.

I mean, dear god, look at this. My mum had something like this in 1978 and I bet she didn't pay 50 quid for it.