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?!

Food = OK.

Indigo. Work suits are always too short in the arm.

School uniform = excellent, though socks shrink to mini socks that get eaten by machine.

Cards used to be cheap but they have put the price up.

Bras - but only because I can't be bothered to look anywhere else.

Flowers = good.

Odd thing happened to me today at M&S. Wrangled my unwilling pre-schooler into one of their smaller branches to do a return, but was told I needed to go to a larger branch? (The small store sells clothes - just not a huge selection). Had taken us ages to park etc. Don't think I've encountered this with a national chain before?

That doesn't sound right bewley. I take all my returns to our tiny branch - even children's clothes which they don't actually stock - and they take them as normal. How annoying for you.

Imo M&S gets a lot of flack, I do buy from indigo but there's too much blue, (unless that's why it's called that) - I wear browns and khaki. They could easy do some khaki as well as blue in their casual clothes.

I think manufacturers think all older women are grey so they want to wear turquoise or denim blue.

But in the past the people who shopped in M&S only had Etam, Top Shop as competition, so everyone went there. Now it's the other way round and all ages shop in Next/ Monsoon etc so hard for M&S to compete.

Not sure what the answer is.

But nice loose smart /casual jackets in natural fibre I can't find anywhere.

bewley, was it a (so-called) Simply Food shop? Our local M&S is officially called that, even though it stocks quite a lot of clothes, & they won't accept returns on any clothes other than ones you've purchased at that store. It's irritating.

That might be it Loon - although this one sells quite a lot of clothes and homeware etc too.

I love their Ultimate comfort t-shirt bras. They're very soft and the shape works for me, nearly all my bras are from that range now.

A couple of weeks back I bought a plain grey vest top and I'm going back to find a black one and maybe another grey. I've been looking for vest tops for my holidays and was finding it hard to find ones that weren't virtually see through or not too hugging. It was £10 but worth it, hangs well, it fits without gaping at the arms, or neck. You can't see my underwear or belly button thought it! Yay. I accidental put it on a "90 degree baby wash cycle " on my washing machine and dint realise for and hour. It has survived.

Every other season I find work tops that I stock up on. Nice plain colour, comfortable stretch fabric, not see through, pleasant shape, drapes well. Not an amazing item of clothing but nice, easy, blends in work top. I wonder why they couldn't do the same top in 6 different colours for people with different colouring. The seasons in between a suitable style come in a colour that looks hideous on me or a garish pattern.

They do the best roses - I buy two bunches for my flat every other Friday on the way home from work, and they last almost the full fortnight. Waitrose and Tesco are dead within the week.

Also the best strawberries and haven't made a meringue since I tried theirs years ago and realised mine would never compare.

Tights are good. I like the sheer ones with a grip on the sole. They cost £5 and usually survive a couple of hand washes before laddering. Often wondered whether the trend for 100 denier opaques that last for months is what killed off their business.

Their jackets and coats are always worth a look, and they do the occasional neat skirt. I have two that are dead ringers for Miu Miu.

Hate their cashmere. The colours are always really acidic and the shapes so boxy. Uniqlo has replaced my M&S habit for affordable jumpers that I can toss in the machine.

Yes, their strawberries are the best!

They have great kitchen stuff. My sister was going to go for Wedgwood crockery and couldn't believe it when the ranges in M&S were actually better quality and a third of the price.

Satsuma never disappointing

Sounds like plain but quality basics are the way forward. So no attempt at different ranges, but just seasonal, e.g. in winter plain jumpers in a selection of colours, v or crew neck; sturdy but attractive boots and shoes; in summer, classic linens and flattering swimsuits. So if anyone is looking for decent quality basics they immediately think M&S. And can then add 'fashionable' touches from elsewhere.

They do plain basics already. Stacks of jumpers everywhere you look, but the colours are crap and the cut is all wrong.

Black pencil skirts as far as the eye can see, but cut all wrong so they fall on the wrong part of the knee and make your hips look huge.

Yes, but surely it would be possible to have only plain basics that are well cut etc? It is surely not impossible?

It shouldn't be impossible, but apparently it is, given how long they've been getting it wrong.

Joseph does amazing basics; surely you could just copy their cuts and use economies of scale to sell identical trousers for £50 and not £150 at M&S, but somehow it's beyond them.

My sister says their V neck jumpers are exactly the same whether you're an adult or a child; no wonder they don't flatter tits!

I'd like to see classics with a twist. Denim and white shirts in a selection of different cuts; nice jumpers in different weights with a choice of necklines, not just v neck and crew cut.

Hush does very good basics, but the quality is terrible. M&S could be rendering their styles in better fabrics and their size means they could do that and still keep prices relatively low?

I bought 2 pairs of winter boots there last Autumn.

The Indigo range biker ones were great. Good fit and looked unworn after all winter.

The other pair stratched very badly the first time I wore them - the toes touched the floor gently for literally 5 seconds and the scratches were so deep they were unfixable. M&S refused to refund because apparently there was no issue with the quality despite the fact the dye was clearly the thinnest layer possible. The feedback I left on the website about this issue never appeared...funny that.

I do still look in M&S for pyjamas and pants but I won't be going near their shoes again.

The annoying thing is that they used to do it & do it really well.
I still have things in my wardrobe that are so classic & beautifully made that they look like new & have never gone out of style. Jumpers that are fitted, not baggy & boxy, in pure wool, some with angora or cashmere. Fitted white cotton shirts with just enough stretch to not gape over the bust or look baggy. Pencil skirts in fine, washable wool that fit smoothly. A plain black, beautifully cut wool & cashmere coat.
Don't know why it went so wrong, perhaps when they began to have clothes made out East instead of in this country. My nearest small market town had a garment manufacturer that supplied tailored suits & coats to them but had to close down when they moved to foreign suppliers.

I agree that there are loads of basics in horrid colours and the wrong cut. Also agree the fit of some of the pencil skirts is dreadful, I may have put on weight but not that much!

I now try Boden, Fat Face, Next etc. for stuff I used to buy at M&S

Perhaps the problem is that we the customer have change, we have certainly changed shape that is for sure.

I have middle age spread and buy a 16, tried on a new 14 t shirt and it was too big!!! floating out a bit like a maternity top.

So can they win, we are all fatter, with different amounts of fat in different places, so the nicely fitting shirts and skirts of the past just wouldn't cop it now.

Fragonard. Yum.

they do an amazing granola, with all teh seeds