Which brands/designers/shops do other people seem to really rate but you don't like, and why?

[Greenmug]

Can be clothing, bags, shoes anything. Just being nosy really!

[thinking101]

Well put rookie, it's obvious isnt it that you pick your pieces from more than one retailer and mix it up to get your 'style'

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Lol at 'mutton dressed as well presented mutton.'

Most of my clothes come from M&S Limited and Autograph ranges, Whistles, Hobbs, Warehouse (although it's gone really downhill in the last 4 years or so: haven't found anything in there for ages), charity shops and bits of VW.

It's so difficult to find decent fabrics anywhere. I'd rather have three good things than 15 bad ones, but even traditionally 'good' shops are just racks of polyester now.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Oh and some jeans and tube skirts from Topshop.

[Notfootball]

Mint Velvet - saw it for the first time ever in House of Fraser at the weekend. I actually said "wow" out loud and it wasn't a good wow. It was positioned right by the loos...

Fiorelli bags - I just cannot abide them, it's an irrational hatred but they always look so plasticky.

[rookiemater]

Ah see this is why I find the general dissing of a complete brand a bit of a no-no.

I agree that about 75-80% of the Mint Velvet range is old toot, but I feel that I have picked a few nice tasteful items from there over the years that I think you'd be hard pressed to automatically define as MV.

Equally I have scorned Next for years, went in over the weekend and thought that there small capsule summer range was actually rather nice, and very cheap compared to my usual purchases. I bought myself what I thought was quite a pleasant jumper for £30.

I could say that I hate everything from BHS on the basis that I haven't been in there for about a decade except to use the loos. It's probable that I wouldn't buy anything there, but without going through all their stock, it's hard to say.

[mammmamia]

Agree, I think it's hard to write off an entire brand or shop as not only will it differ piece to piece but also season to season - depending on their buyers, their senior buying directors, their suppliers... Next for example is awful some seasons but as Previous poster said its not bad at all this spring-summer.

For my part I can't bring myself to buy anything from FF, Boden, Whistles. Find whistles so overpriced.
But I have some amazing dresses from Cos for work
I'm tall and thin though (with tummy post DC) and mid thirties.
I have only just discovered Hobbs and I love it!

[FrugalFashionista]

Remus clothes are like perfume these days - 95% of the decent stuff is niche brands. I'm a deeply mainstream person and would love to get my entire wardrobe at places like H&M, Zara or M&S but I'm also quality conscious. Smaller brands and higher end still get it right but it's really hard to find quality items from the high street right now.

Niche brands that I like: MiH, J Brand, Me + Em, Repeat, Tara Jarmon, Tory Burch, 5Preview, Mimi Holliday, Beautiful Bottoms.

Mass-market brands that I like: COS; Bestseller sub-brands (Vila, Selected Femme, Only). Lots of US based big mass market brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors and Calvin Klein still make high quality clothes, including items from thick pure cotton.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

I buy less and less from the high street nowadays. Gap is pretty rubbish in my opinion and local warehouse has closed.

Problem for me is its so hard to find natural fibres on the high street now and I don't do polyester which even Whistles etc are selling at stupid prices.

I did buy a jacket in zara last week - the quality is shocking but I like the shape but it wasn't a wise buy. And was probably made by children somewhere just to compound my guilt.

However, I do wear uggs indoors and am saving for a Chanel re-issue

[Rooners]

I actually get a lot of my stuff from Toast.

You have to be fairly selective - I'm really not the floaty, swishy type at all and I like to wear fitted stuff.

I get things in their sale, never at full price as they are very overpriced for most of it.

They have very good customer service, are helpful about refunds - will do partial refunds for slight faults, that sort of thing (once there was a problem with a coat lining and they paid to have it relined)

I like the natural fabrics they use, especially the woolly jumpers, and the slightly masculine take, which suits me, I prefer to dress a bit blokeish.

But I can't afford to buy from them till it all comes out in the archive sale

Have well gone off Boden - last few orders have been SO poor quality, all made in China using the cheapest means possible. Really sad.

Also love Orla Kiely. But I am a bit behind everyone else I think

[TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge]

I hate:

Uggs.Ugliest things going,never look good and are far from practical so have no defence whatsoever.Some of the Ugg sandals are ok though.

Boden.Looks way too grannyish!Only ever seen one nice thing from there,a dress posted the other day.

Kath Kidston.Way way too childike and girly.It's a complete twee overdose.

Converse.Overpriced boring things that must lead to achey feet.Should only be seen on teenagers.

Quilted anything -bags or coats.Frumpy and unflattering.Include Chanel bags.

Pauls Boutique.

Radley bags.

Modula bags,really find them dull.

M&S.

Cos.Shapeless.The models look ridiculous.

Mint Velvet would be nice if they used colour.

Duvet coats.Just why?Actually,any coat people buy thinking they look great in Antarctic weather that we never have!

[muser31]

boden and radley bags white stuff fat face!

[muser31]

and yes, uggs and converse! although i wear converse type shoes, but only out of convenience if i have to run to the shop or something!

[doubleshotespresso]

Uggs-just ugly and everybody looks the same these days which I find depressing.
mulberry bags- not to my taste at all, unoriginal and seriously overpriced with ridiculous brass discs, lasercut with the logo. The beige of all handbags for me.
All the faux McQueen/skull high street bags/clothes like Ed Hardy and Pauls Boutique. Gaudy and just gross.
lUSH cosmetics-have never understood the appeal and hate the shop.
Any item with "Keep calm....."
Superdry/Northface / any and all overpriced "trendy" sportswear.

[nilbyname]

thinking I think your dress and Boyf cardigan sounds lovely.

I think the odd thing from white stuff/fat face is ok, but it does have a definite look. Almost a uniform, so mixing brands is better.

I'm 37, I shop in-
H&M
Top shop
Primary
Zara
French connection
All saints
Some mango but it has g

[nilbyname]

Gone downhill.
& other stories
Cos some lush basics with a twist
Mint velvet.

Blogs are a good place to get ideas as is Pinterest.

I think supermarket clothes are pretty horrendous for adults! Quite like gap, but it is overpriced! Cannot abide next, it's really really fashion nadir.

[thinking101]

I uphold the right to defend Mint Velvet

It is all dark and gloomy when you look at the overall range when standing at the concession. It is a stark contrast to Wallis next to it in the branch i go to.

From there I have:

Tunic dress which is ut quite curvy, silk panel front with cobalt/lilac abstract water colour style print - this suits me as the print isnt too loud given my size and shape.
Wool/jersey silk bubble hem dress x 2 one wine one black so east to wear
70% Wool jumper - have you tried to buy a wool jumper for under £75 recently
Silk front T's - recommended on here - got me out of jersey/studenty looking type things.

Im happy with the fabrics and the quality of cut. However I have a friend who is tall and lean type shape and many things in there dont sit well on her. So its horsers for courses isnt it.

[Rooners]

I like Cath Kidston for some things, but generally not the clothes or the bags - too many flowers, I was into that stuff when I was 15, that's 25 years ago. Cannot revisit!

But we have got a children's duvet cover from there and a few odds and ends. And a tent, which is hopeless quality. Most of the stuff is made abroad, again, and the quality just doesn't stand up - it's kind of gimmicky and appearance-based and I can't stand that.

Increasingly I want something to feel like it was made with a little care and attention. The world is full of badly made clothes.

[UterusUterusGhali]

I have stuff from most of the places mentioned.

I don't get the raving about Great Plains. I have about four ts from there, different styles, and while they were lovely, soooo thin and lasted only a couple of wears before becoming holey. Vair disappointing.

[Shimmyshimmy]

Only had one thing from Great Plains - washed badly, never bought from them again...they just aren't cheap enough to take the risk on.

[Rooners]

I agree on Great Plains. I used to try ordering stuff from them and it arrived either massively too big or too small, the sizing was weird, and things were wrong like loose buttons or hems coming unstitched.

I gave up in the end.

They arethe same company as Toast I think? They have another one as well but can't remember what it is - possibly French Connection?

[Rooners]

Brands

Our principal brand is French Connection which accounts for 88% of the Group’s revenues.

Our other brands include:

TOAST: a range of beautifully crafted ladies’ and men’s clothing and unique homeware, available on-line, in selected John Lewis stores and through a growing number of dedicated high-street stores;

Great Plains: a fashion basics range produced in-house and supplied through wholesale to multi-brand retailers mainly in the UK; and

YMC: a fledgling, edgy, contemporary fashion brand for men and women with two stores in London and a growing wholesale base.

Each brand targets a different audience and has achieved high levels of recognition for style and design reflecting the creative passion and skill poured into the design and manufacture of their products.

[plentyofsoap]

Primark. It is like entering hell.

[Rooners]

We're getting a new massive Primark here soon. Used to be BHS.

I mean what the actual JEFF

[angeltulips]

Brands I've always hated: Karen Millen (too shiny, shocking quality), Boden & cath kidston (twee), white company, Zara (like the clothes but cut weirdly so never go in anymore as nothing fits), whistles (weirdly frumpy), fat face (ugh),

Brands I like: uniqlo, top shop, cos, & other stories, apc, acne, Paul & joe, Sonia rykiel, apc, Alexander wang, vince, theory, Calvin Klein, Joseph.

[flowery]

Toast - shapeless
White Stuff - sludgy colours and shapeless
Mint Velvet - sludgy colours although I do have one lovely jumper from there
Wrap - sludgy or anaemic colours and shapeless

I need bright colours and stuff with shape. I do not wish to look like I'm dressed in a sack.