What is it with today's clothes?

[aftermay]

I had a few hours for shopping today for an interview coming up.

Rubbish fabrics. I went everywhere. Looked at cheap, looked at expensive clothes. Poorly made, strident colours (even the dark ones) and all bloody polyester. Having a rant here, but where else is there to look?

[prozacbear]

I agree with what people are saying about waist definition - before pregnancy I had a tiny waist compared to the rest of me and buying clothes was hell. Now the my waist is larger but hips smaller - I have no idea why - and I find shoppign much easier.

COS? - it seems to be good quality and doesn't shrink (yet). Also Zara? The cottons are suspect but workwear & smart/casual fairly reliable. Mango is good but schizophrenic from season to season. If feeling flush - French Connection, Ted Baker, Paul & Joe, Michael Kors - I'm trying to spend more and own less, the goal being clothes that don't unravel/shrink/fade.

Avoid Topshop - not built for real people. For students and 'creatives'. I used to wear Topshop at university; wandered in the other day and backed straight out; insanity! A beanie hat with the word 'nerd' printed on it - eh??

[alemci]

yes I think the viscose does shrink. bought a lovely phase 8 top last year and i think is has done this. also it rides up. does it cling to other fabric underneath?

try and buy cotton as much as i can. isn't cotton jersey similar in texture to viscose?

[Shattereddreams]

I got a nice cotton tunic in gap recently with zip on shoulder, but it suits my shape, not for you wrap dress ladies. But I also bought a cotton shirt dress, and a cardy for £9 which is 80% cotton with some nylon and silk. V nice.

And leggings in American Apparel which are cotton not viscose

I bought a cotton mariner style top in m&s a few weeks ago, the limited range so £39.50
It shrank on first wash. And I also bought a elliptical hem dress tunic same range, which after a wash shrank to stop above fanjo. They went straight back, the woman at M&S was really stroppy about refunding, checked the labels and said viscose doesn't shrink..... Ummmmm, I beg to differ. I've stopped buying it purely because it ALWAYS shrinks.

Had some success lately with Joules, selected Boden tops but absolutely given up on high street.

But kids clothes? Cotton jumpers and cardy's and trousers galore. Except school shirts. I just want cotton school shirts and tights and trousers.

[Lavenderhoney]

I once worked in fashion and the male designer used to use himself as a model to design and get the cut of the skirts:) and no one said anything - such a creative:)

I am slim with a large bust, so clothes either fit everywhere but there, or close round my bust but hang like a sack everywhere else. At least you can buy bikini separates now, which was almost impossible a few years ago.

It's interesting about the cotton shortage.

[Bunbaker]

I'm fed up with the vast majority of tops that are too low cut. Being somewhat meagre of bosom they look awful on me and only accentuate my lack of curves

[HotCrossNaanAndRessurectiOn]

I've been shopping recently and there was just nothing that I liked. I have a feeling that its going to be one of those years where I just don't like the trends.

The sizing is lousy as well - in the same shop I can be one of three sizes.

[scarlet76]

I am also trying to stick to buy better buy less. It is hard. You really have to trawl all the high street stores to find the odd decent thing.
I wanted some denim jeans that were 100% cotton. It's amazing how many have polyester in them.
I also wanted a cotton high neck blouse. Eventually found one in H&M but the stitching was awful.

[Bunbaker]

I meant to say that most bottoms gape at the waist on me.

[Bunbaker]

"Bun I do tend to stick to the brands which I know will fit me, and if I'm not sure I'll ask sellers to post measurements. That way you can compare it with stuff you already have which fits you well."

The problem is that I am pear shaped with a small waist and most clothes are for women with little difference between waist and hips and just gape at the waist. It would be an absolute waste of postage for me to order clothes in more than one size every time I want to buy some.

"I absolutely despise having to try on clothes in the store!"

I don't. Perhaps it is because I can make time to shop on my own, and I quite like shopping.

[aftermay]

In the end I've placed an order for a couple if dresses from Banana Republic (25% extra off sale items) and Gap. Last few things I hit from them I had to send back. They just seemed better online vs all the rubbish I touched yesterday.

Interesting about the cotton shortage. It makes me feel better to know it's not just me! If I look like a sack of potatoes in a cotton dress it may be the flimsiness of the fabric making it cling in all the wrong places.

[alemci]

will you take the M&S jumper back Luciani? - that is terrible.

[HeyLuciani]

Oh, I agree. Needed to buy a dress recently for a funeral......went everywhere trying to buy something appropriate that was not cheap and flimsy. Ended up buying a dress from Jaeger which was lovely, but pricey. Couldn't find anything in decent quality fabric in the normal high street shops. Given the recent weather I wasn't prepared to freeze in a flimsy bit of viscose!

Ordered some cashmere cardis from Boden, sent them straight back - very thin material, not like they used to be. To be honest, if I'd been asked to guess the fabric in a blind test I would never have guessed cashmere!
Another cashmere jumper I bought from M&S in January already has holes in it.

I am also fed up of buying pathetically thin t shirts which get those little holes in them after 2-3 wears (yes, I'm talking to you Gap/Banana Republic/Top Shop!). Bought a few ok tshirts from Kew last summer, but then they shut down.

[katrinefonsmark]

I agree herbaceous. I go in a little at the waist and am shortish. I so envy people who can shop based on whether they like the clothes. It's all very well Gok saying buy for you shape when you can't. You have to be medium heightwith out much waist definition then the worlds your oyster.

[herbaceous]

Can I also moan about the shapes? Everything is designed for cylindrical women with no tits or waist but good legs. The fact that I go in (slightly) at the waist is my one redeeming feature, and I don't want to wear something that hangs lifelessly from my ample norks, disguises my best asset, then finishes at my thunder thighs and fat knees.

There are only so many occasions a wrap dress is suitable for.

[olgaga]

Bun I do tend to stick to the brands which I know will fit me, and if I'm not sure I'll ask sellers to post measurements. That way you can compare it with stuff you already have which fits you well.

I absolutely despise having to try on clothes in the store!

[Bunbaker]

"To be honest, I do very little shopping in shops nowadays. As long as you know what size you are in a particular make, ebay is great. I've bought some really nice new or very nearly new M&S/Per Una/Next etc jackets/trousers on ebay."

I find clothes sizing is so inconsistent these days. Whenever I try clothes on in shops I always have to take two sizes into the changing room. I would be a permanent fixture at the post office if I ordered online and would pay a fortune in postage.

[alemci]

yes I agree. everything is viscose and I find I sweat more in it than cotton even though it is supposedly a natural fibre. I do try and buy cotton as much as possible and buy some stuff from John Lewis's own ranges and phase 8 which seem quite reasonable quality. Also East in the sale is quite nice, I know some of it is a bit frumpy but some of it is lovely.

Also any jumper I buy including expensive makes bobble. My M&S cardigan and jumper bobbled on the arms the minute I put them on on the inside of the arms especially.

Also Laura Ashley tended to be reasonable and Boden in the past. I did buy a wrap top from Boden which was Viscose but it is lovely and drapes well.

I won't buy cheap stuff now. I would rather not bother.

[tomatoplantproject]

Tis a terrible state of affairs. A few years ago I decided to swap quantity for quality and am finding it increasingly hard. All my work clothes are Hobbs and muddled through at weekends but I'm now on mat leave and needed more relaxed clothes that could cope with baby sick etc. Have discovered baukjman online, mixed with gap for some bits. Also recently found duo for boots. Finishing everything off with scarves for brightening up. I'm justifying it by not having bought much for ages cos had a tiny capsule wardrobe when pregnant. I used to love places like oasis and monsoon but hate everything in there at the moment.

[FrugalFashionista]

The era of good quality fast fashion is over for now because of rising commodity prices, supply problems and increasing demand from emerging economies (they use the cotton they cultivate locally).

There has been a huge investment in polyester production infrastructure in Asia - it's very cheap to produce. Viscose (a synthetic cellulose fiber) has replaced cotton in high street shops. It drapes well but feels flimsier and requires continuous ironing.

The cotton shortage has influenced fashion too. We have gotten cropped, skinny, sheer and semi-transparent trends because these styles require less raw materials and are cheaper for the manufacturers to produce.

You either have to buy higher-end to get quality fibers or hold on to your old clothes and embrace charity shopping. Vintage connoisseurs say that good quality items are increasingly rare in 2nd hand shops too - imagine the time when all of it will be depressing viscose and polyester tat...

[olgaga]

Demand is outstripping supply, and cotton prices have soared.

I couldn't believe I handed over £8 for the thinnest, tackiest Tshirt in New Look last week for DD, but she had her heart set on it.

To be honest, I do very little shopping in shops nowadays. As long as you know what size you are in a particular make, ebay is great. I've bought some really nice new or very nearly new M&S/Per Una/Next etc jackets/trousers on ebay.

[Longdistance]

Well it's lucky you don't live in Oz.

I find the clothes here dreadful. But, it is the same cheap fabrics, poorly made, awful prints. Just yuck.

I normally get money sent to me for Xmas and birthday (January) and I still have the money

Dire doesn't cover it.

I too would like some stuff for interviews. Just some nice quality smart clothes/ shoes living in flip flops, doesn't constitute for smart

[NotQuitePerfect]

I agree. Hate polyester - why would I want to look/feel/smell like my MIL?

Phase Eight good, but like somebody else said, wait for the (frequent) sales.

I've had a couple of really nice, thick, well fitting tee shirts from White Stuff recently. I know MNs generally HATE WS but I think they're good for certain things (bags, leggings, tunics). But probably not great for workwear.

Gap are rubbish these days - t-shirts like dishrags and jeans go baggy & scruffy really quickly.

[armagh]

All the plastic shoes depress me. Cheap and nasty looking but often not that cheap!

[Lavenderhoney]

I think this all the time! Thin t shirts really annoy me, Zara etc. I found a heavy quality one in monsoon, just white though. I don't want to show off my bra:)

I haven't been clothes shopping for months, except essentials like replacing a white t shirt. I have a coat from libertys ( young, single, money) that is over 10 years old and I wheel it out every winter. With the boots I bought at the time to go with it..