What has happened to Next?

[ThatllDoPig]

Is it just me or has Next gone all. . .crap. I've got a voucher I've been looking forward to spending for ages, but every time I go in there I just can't find anything I like. The fabrics all seem not as good quality as they used to be, and just, nasty. I used to really like Next. Has something happened that I don't know about?

Next have also made their children's sizes smaller. I thought that they had, but wad confirmed by a friend who is a designer for another children's clothing manufacturer, so I guess she has a clue about theses things.

Their kids clothes were beautiful about 8 years ago when I had DD1. She was totally kitted out in the stuff but then when I had DS it started to get a bit rubbish. By the time DD2 came is was terrible but now, it seems to be picking up again.

Clothes are awful, and the shoes sizes are way out. I ordered 6 pairs online, all the same size, and not one pair actually fitted. Most were far too big but at least one pair felt like they were two sizes too small.

When Next first opened in about 1983 (?) I was 21 and their target customer, young, slim and keen to wear trendy but stylish clothes. Next really was a High Street revolution back then, competing only with the likes of Top Shop and Miss Selfridge, where you couldn't buy great looking office clothes. Not sure if Chelsea Girl was still around then? Anyway, maybe I'm expecting too much to find suitable clothes there for me now at my age, but surely they can sort out their shoe sizing issues?

I'm also in the country, hate taking a full day to go to my closes mega mall and shop all day, so tend to prefer to shop online these days. I'm going to look at some of the other brands suggested on this thread.

I've been saying this for a few years now. Next used to be one of my favourite shops, I could always rely on being able to pop in and pick up something. Now it's crap. The quality seems to have gone way downhill and at 42 I find much of it very old-fashioned. Principles became my new favourite but they closed!

When my kids were younger I dressed them in quite a lot of Next clothes but again I struggle to find anything these days.

I don't even buy the boys' clothes there any more. The boys t-shirts don't seem to wash well at all and the knees on the trousers don't last. They are all so expensive!

The women's clothes often don't fit me well, and if they do they don't hold their shape after a few washes.

Next is too expensive for what are essentially disposable clothes.

Agree OP, their clothes are very 'stylised' these days and matching outfits, even the childrens' ones. I used to use them all the time for DS (20) when he was little, but there's nothing much there for my 8 year old. I had a voucher given at christmas and struggled to spend it.
The womens' tops are all a bit frumpy frilly like a slightly younger Per Una.

the quality has gone dowb but is still expensive. i dont even look now.

It's crap - really overpriced for what it is.

You may as well get your clothes from Sainsburys (not slagging off Sainsburys at all - you can get some good basic stuff from there and it is cheap and washed well).

In 1984/4 I was a solicitor and bought quite a lot of my work stuff there - well made and with a bit of a stylish twist. Now I think an admin person working alone in a portacabin at the back aof a warehouse would struggle to find anything suitable. I work for a charity now and have to look smartish but not OTT - I buy better makes on ebay - Hobbs, Brora etc. and they last for ages.

Their quality is not consistent. Son's pyjamas are falling apart and getting holes after half a year. But the rain jacket I got him was fab. Some of their children's shoes are well made and last ages. Some not. And I tend to buy swimsuits from Next too. But not the tops because their sizing is odd I find.

I don't even look there anymore.

TBH I think it's their Homes section that is keeping them afloat - am surpirsed they haven't gone under in this recession climate.

Nothing's happened - well not recently anyway - its been crap for ages.

Agree. Haven't bought clothes from Next recently due to crap poor quality and horrid design. Got some fab wedges that I bought 10 years ago which are still going strong (except I can no longer walk in them ). I can't imagine buying anything today that will last longer than 6 months TBH.

I quite like some of their girls stuff, but it varies considerably from lovely, sweet designs to tarty. I mean, who seriously puts a baby girl in skin tight leggings? Or tshirts with hearts all over them (and that applies to their ladies wear too!)

I also think their homeware range is way overpriced too.

Sorry, not leggings, meant jeggings (and they were stone wash)

I used to buy loads of stuff from there. Not any more! It's really gone downhill. I don't even like the kids stuff that much now either.

i used to buy all my kids clothes from Next and Verbaudet (sp?)....

so for myself id better start looking in Zara and Gap etc then hadnt i...i hate shopping - part of the appeal of Next was the ability to shop online and try at home.

nothing ever seems to fit me in shops.....and ive no imagination so i see a dress and happen to have jeans and boots on i look a prize pillock stood with ankle socks and a dress on trying to decide if it will look ok with heels etc....