Does anyone remember when Next, Warehouse and Wallis were really good?

[Orangeanddemons]

And just look at them now. Not much difference between any of them.

The Wallis Brothers used to buy the mock ups from the Parisian catwalks, and take them apart and copy them. Now it's polyester frumpsville.

Jeffrey Banks and Warehouse, how good was that? When is The BritishHigh street going to produce affordable good design ever again. They all look the same to me now

USED to be, not see to be. Bloody autocorrect.

I still have the first Next directory somewhere, which included Uma Thurman as a model and had a section for horse rugs! I also still have some Next clothes from the early 90s , at the time they were expensive (£35 for a blouse) but the quality was really good and they have lasted so well. Now the shop is full of polyester but I still find the odd thing I like, don't think they will last 20 years though.

I've been loving Warehouse the past few months - think they've really upped their game. Online only though - most of the shops are a bit small and shit. Quality has deteriorated slightly though.

They're building a new snazzy 2 storey Next in my town (cleverly located near to a John lewis and soon to be Waitrose), but no amount of glitter will help unless they improve the quality and style of the clothes. It's all to "work" serious for me.

On a side note, where have all the Oasis stores disappeared to?

I don't get Next. They charge you for their catalogues. Why?

the homeware catalogue? i bought one the other day. I like to have it.

I wouldn't buy a clothe one though, don't think they still do that.

Both. I think they still do the clothes one. M&S/John Lewis don't charge for theirs (unless I've been unwittingly shoplifting ) Seems odd that you have to pay to look at their items. I like the catalogues, they are very different to looking online.

Oh goodness yes. Wallis used to be my staple when I was late teens and early 20s ( way back when in the 70s) and Next used to send catalogues out with swatches of fabrics in them.

I bought my first interview jacket,shirt and skirt after graduating from the next sale and thinking that I had made some good purchases. I think that since then I have maybe bought a maximum of about five items from there. It just doesn't appeal

I don't buy into that crap about cotton being more expensive. I don't like Fatface and White Stuff, but all their tops are cotton, and at the same price point as the likes of Next, Warehouse etc. the cotton crop did fail about 6 or 7 years ago, bug has since recovered. But the shops still sell polyester shite.

I'm having a complete crisis in clothing confidence after having my dd and have no idea where to shop. Where are you lot all going now?!

I think Next have always been awful but used to love Warehouse. I too have some lovely silk dresses from there, you just don't see anything like them instore anymore. Wallis have really lost their way, horrible polyester, frumpy clothes. They have sales on constantly, I can't see them lasting much longer.

Wallis is truly truly dire. Possibly the worst of them all.

Wallis is basically Bon Marche but with darker colours now.

Just lost a long post but adding to the role call if WHERE TO BUY DECENT CLOTHES IN DECENT FABRICS NOW???

I'm willing to pay but the expensive places are also shite. I'm just revamping my work wardrobe after mat leave and liking Hobbs best but still getting polyester suiting and dresses. Phase 8 seems affordable by comparison but is also acrylic/ polyester etc

I hate those mixes with 3% cotton or wool or silk in amongst the shit.

Everything is dry clean bloody banana republic

Anywhere that might sell some cotton or wool does really basic plain styles.

And don't get me started on boden

Is it going to get better or are clothes fucked now and I'm doomed to go through life buying heaps of crap that doesn't last?

I thought it was like Bon Marche too. Although Wallis has so many hideous patterns it looks like so done has vomited on the clothes

But everywhere now sells horribly patterned polyester. It must be what the fashion designers want us to wear.

I spent days trawling the shops recently looking for some plain long sleeve T-shirts and struck lucky in Matalan in the end.

Ooh I nearly started a thread about Wallis being very cruise shippy these days!! Horrible tat. Mind you M ans S isn't much better. I miss Principles ..the real one not that thing they do in Debenhams now. Can't understand why Wallis is still going. Also has anyone noticed just how expensive high street clothes are now ? Everything I pick up seems to be 10 -20 quid more than I would expect

Weirdly I've had some good quality fabric tops from matalan and new look recently, shops that to my mind are cheapish. Yet Boden and great plain sect it's all polyester!

I remember Warehouse in Argyll Street, in the 80's and I bought some great outfits. The Next Shop in South Molton Street was a regular haunt and I bought very stylish dresses and jackets, suits or so much that was well tailored and in lovely fabrics. I still have and wear a few items from 20 year's ago, which always get commented on as they look so different to much available now. Wallis was my go to for interesting dresses and coats. I think our clothing retailers are lazy and lack imagination. I buy less, because I rarely get excited by what I can find on the high street.