So is there anything we DO like in M&S style and beauty?

[Lottapianos]

Their clothing sales figures were released yesterday and are down for the 12th quarter in a row. I cant' imagine many on here will be hugely surprised! Their clothing frustrates me so much - an INSANELY huge range of everything, poorly displayed, way too much ageing granny type stuff, way too many frills and fuss, not enough good quality basics, much of it very overpriced. The usual complaints.

However, there are some things I do like:

• knickers - fit well and last well. I tried some from Sainsburys recently, they were the same price but did not last any time at all
• socks and tights - a nice range of colours (tights) and at a good price
• smellies - own brand bath and shower stuff if you love a bit of floral (I do!). Stila make-up. Fragonard perfume (wish it lasted longer though)
• cakes in the cafe!

I think that's it. What do you like, apart from their food and drink?!

Brora cashmere is expensive through cat even in the sale and M&S cashmere is much more affordable.

I bought a lovely black 100% cashmere jumper from M&S in the sale a couple of months back for £69.

M&S are just trying to spread their net too wide. I'm 40 and I like to think reasonably stylish and I look regularly to see what they have but you have to trawl through to find the gems.

Last week I bought two lovely autograph dresses in the sale which will be good for work. Their jeggins are my go to jeans (although for some stupid reason they've cut the line back and now don't have as many denim options.). I also bought a nice black linen blazer but had I viewed it on line only I wouldn't have bought it. Its nicer in the flesh.

To get those though I had to trawl through masses of beige and pastel frumpy stuff.

I love their underwear, jeans and blouses

Oh yes, molly, I forgot about the cashmere lined leather gloves. They are gorgeous. The ordinary cashmere gloves are utterly dire, though - I had a pair that developed holes after a couple of weeks of wear. Was then bought another pair as a present & they did exactly the same thing.

I love Brora cashmere but their prices have rocketed recently. Even the final clearance sales stuff is still expensive. Also you don't get much choice in the colours or styles - black and navy cashmere is rarely reduced as they are so popular and classic.

I like their tights and socks.
Their gloves and winter scarves (rather than the floaty decorative type).
Food is generally good.
Children's clothes are ok, my mum buys a lot for the dcs in there, but they are large.

I actually think they need to start again, scrap everything and then think about who they want to target and what they want to make for them.

Yesterday I bought a limited collection plain black one piece swimsuit, and black bikini from the same range. They were cheap, but the main attraction was the removal breast pads and that there was not added "structure" like control panels. Not that I don't need it, I just feel a bit "trussed up" in that style and I wants something comfortable for a hot beach holiday. I also bought a white cheesecloth cover up with crochet detail, as it was 100% cotton and not sweaty viscose or cheap Lyocell that creases as lots are.
Both of these were pretty basic items and I totally agree that this should be M&S's USP, along with affordable quality. The different brands and sheer quantity is mind boggling, as their design led stuff is way off the mark. They really don't know who they are selling to anymore.
Also used to like their 5 pocket jeggings and have them in about 6 colours from about 18months ago, but when I went to replace the dark indigo version, the style has changed, and is now too frumpy. Most annoying!

I've just given up with M&S, it wouldn't even occur to me to look in there anymore. For years they've had so many different lines and so many clothes, I just got bamboozled and stopped looking. The last few times I've looked at anything, the cut's been terrible, the quality questionable, and the style often just slightly wrong.

I don't understand why they would also publicise an item as a must have, and have every fashion magazine highlight it, and then only stock it in a few of the biggest stores, and have it sell out online in seconds.

Likewise - having a promotion (20% off schoolwear), but then not be stocked. It wasn't a sale, it was a promotion. I don't work in merchandising, but even I can figure if we're holding a promotion, we get more stock in. I couldn't clothe my daughter, as they had no stock in her size. Lost about £50 there. If that happened to everyone shopping for their 9YO girl, it's a significant lost income stream down to careless merchandising.

the way they've styled that biker jacket is horrific

But I don't think it's fair to say Whistles etc would do the item better - not for £39 they wouldn't. The same thing in Whistles would be £250 and the quality would be shocking (still smarting from a Whistles jumper that bobbled within two wears and became unwearably shabby within a couple of months)

I do still find things in M&S - am wearing a really nice jacket today from M&S Collection which is often quite trimly tailored and I always gets lots of comments about it and people are always amazed when I say M&S. I also bought a really nice jacket/coat from their Best of British collection but again it's styled and photographed appallingly on the website.
www.marksandspencer.com/best-of-british-silk-rich-checked-coat-with-linen/p/p22287914#bvHeader

It looks absolutely hideous. In real life it looks fantastic and is really good quality (apart from the weirdly cheap button they gave it). I do still find things in Autograph and Collection but nothing anywhere else. I'm really sad about it - I am a natural M&S fan and it feels right to me to buy from there. But they get too many things wrong.

I really don't understand the hate that so many MNers seem to have for M and S! They are more like a department store than a shop, they do have lots of discrete ranges to help you focus on the ranges that suit you, and yet people are complaining that there is too much choice? I don't get it. Ok if you don't like polyester or whatever, but it's hardly limited to M and S and at least their prices are fair. The complaints are so disparate - too expensive, too cheap, not enough stock, too much stock, it's like people just love to hate it. Or have ridiculously high expectations that they should always find the perfect item there for any occasion.

Although having said that, if they've changed the dark indigo jeggings there will be hell to pay as they are utterly perfect.

Cat. Sorry. No problem at all.

But I think the point about polyester is that Thierry demographic don't like it, and are prepared to pay more for better fabrics. This is exactly what they are doing wrong

Fragonard patchouli and fragonard vetiver are perfection in a bottle.

Absolutely beautiful fragrances.

I have very small and narrow feet. M & S used to be one of the few places I could get shoes to fit, but they seem to have changed their supplier and now nothing fits anymore

I like some indigo clothes, avoid per una like the plague but their autograph range do very pretty skirts for young girls.

I did like their £12 v neck jumpers with 3/4 length sleeves over a long (prob h&m) vest for work in winter with black skinny trousers, a blazer and heels but I don't work anymore.

oh those mega autograph heels - just reduced even more to £32

M&S are sometimes good for bits. Those heels Gretchen mentioned are flipping gorgeous. The occasional thing they get spot on.

School uniforms are good.
H&M girls underwear is way better. The cotton is much better in the H&M ones.

Some food, tho I don't have all-encompassing love for all their food. I think their ready meals are only fair. Just about. I do love and adore those teacake things with the marshmallow.. In fact they might be just my favorite thing about Marks.

Re clothes, I just don't think they know who their target market is anymore. A few years ago I really liked their clothes but find them too frumpy and overpriced now. :(

Still like their meal deal for a tenner tho ( probably cos of the wine..,:) )

Agree with lurking, their ready meals aren't great. Tend to the bland. My DH won't eat any of them and I only buy one or two.

Yup the website is awful. The selection options are unclear and it's so hard to use.

Also, you used to be able to get deliveries to France from the uk website but now you get sent to the French site - which is more expensive and even less intuitive AND you're only redirected once you go to checkout and then it empties your basket!!! Aaah!! I've given up on it now.

Agree that lots of the food is bland - the curries deffo lack oomph.

The two for £3 salad pots are useful for work, and I like the chcocolate Brazil nuts etc. Their flowers are usually reliably good.

I like the perfumes. the bras are awful, the fitting service even worse. Like some of the food but not enough of it to make a special trip there. I've found the plants and flowers reliable for the most part and I do always manage to find decent stuff for christmas presents for the children when they have sales and promotions

Shia, I have Fragonard Cedre and I adore it, but find the scent doesn't last very long at all. I did sniff Vetiver recently and its heavenly but the lack of staying power puts me off buying another

I do over half our weekly food shopping in M&S (Waitrose desert, here) and only do the dine in when there's a good roast and a good pud (apple pie or similar) because it then easily becomes a dine in for a family of 4 with leftovers, so long as you buy extra veg. I also don't bother when the wine choice is crap. Last week, I just bought a nice bottle of wine on its own because the "chez pierre" in the offer in the small M&S I went to is hangover fodder.

This week it's picnic food with a free bottle of wine, so chance to spend about £12 on a shitload of naice ham and chicken drumsticks, maybe with a pud, and get pished on decentish wine when the kids are in bed.

While we're at it - the wine is good.

At Sainsburys, £10 wine is more miss than hit.

And M&S, £10 wine is actually more hit than miss.

Tesceurgh don't seven seem to stock £10 wine. I don't do ASDA and don't have Waitrose.