What do you think when you hear the brand name......

[ToucanPlayThatGame]

Phase eight? Who wears it? What age? For what sort of event? It's a make where I occasionally see things I quite like, but worried it's a bit mother of the bride. And I'm not old enough to have a child as a bride.

Anybody else got shops or brand names that confuse them similarly?

I bought one of their cosy padded winter jackets in the sale in January and I absolutely love it - great fit and properly warm in winter! Should last me a few years.

I've also bought a dress from there for a job interview - again it's a flattering fit and length.

I agree that it's very hit and miss with fabric and style, though.

Hit or a miss. I have some lovely knits from there but can't get a dress I like.

Have some of their dresses and a blouse i loved. Don't like anything they have at the moment.

I'm 47 so it's right up my street

most of the stuff is too short (i am 5'9") or has too much polyester or, annoyingly, would be nicer in another colour. Havent bought anything from there in years.

I've got one of those silk tops they did in loads of colours a couple of years back. Nothing else.
A friend has some lovely cocktail dresses from there.
It is all a bit blowsy.

It's all a bit synthetic isn't it, especially considering the price. I just searched on their website and they sell no cotton trouser for example (TBF they do sell linen trousers so it's not a complete synthetic hell).

I am 57, and have a couple of things I got from P8 years ago that I love - one a very chic jacket with lovely details, and one a lovely pale lavender lace blouse that looks very expensive. I haven't bought anything there for years though - and just had a rummage on the website and could barely find anything I'd like. The colour palate is so dull, as are the styles. Give us some sleeves, please. Sleeveless polyester dresses are 10 a penny, and cheaper elsewhere.

There is a nice-looking red dress, £250 - but it's 'FABRIC: 50%PL 31% CO 9%PA 8%PC 2%MF' I'm guessing that's mostly polyester with a bit of cotton and nylon and god knows what else. Go on P8 - translate! And please get a new design director.

SueTrinder agree - all polyester dresses.

Hit and Miss... could be like betty jackson but then puts ruffles , ribbons and shit on stuff.

But I havegot the best shift dress from there, lined, capped sleeves, high roundneck and pockets, like some one has cross bred a t shirt with a shift dress

Off topic bit whatever happens to Liz Claiborne?

Very old lady. I'm 36 and wouldn't wear anything from there. I shop mainly in charity shops but it's a label I would avoid.

It's like an older more subdued version of per Una
On the other hand there is the occasional gem - I've mainly given up looking though

I don't think it's for 30 somethings and I don't really avoid any labels other than those that plaster it across their clothes as a selling point.

Good for dresses. They have hundreds on line. I hope they dont close down.

I do hunt for the gems tho, always, wherever i shop.

Mint velvet is good for jeans and shoes but their tops and dresses are much frumpier imo

I'm 53 and most of their stuff is too fussy for me. Some of the dresses are nice. I do have one of their long sleeved Becca batwing jumpers which I love but it is synthetic which is a shame.

Lots of overpriced polyester

Very safe, lot's of hem lines that could do with being shorter and dresses that would look better showing a bit more cleavage.

I have about 4/5 lovely summer dresses from there but purchased about 4 years ago. They are sp pretty 1950's style, lovely pattern or coulours and good quality fabric.I went in last week and could not find anything I liked and yes lots of polyester! Although Joules, White stuff et al all seem to have a lot of expensive polyester at the moment. I bought a lovely sleeveless tunic dress from Joules last week and am a bit that I paid a lot of money for a polyester item. It will be going back if it shrinks!

I'm 39 and I find it very useful for flattering work dresses.

I used to buy quite a lot from them in the 1980s, work & going out clothes but at some point in the 1990s I stopped shopping there (thinking about it had a higher income). I've never gone back - I had children & now it seems a bit dull. I'm late 40s now.

I'm 33 - have a couple of plain-ish silk and jersey tops from there from a few years ago which I love and were a very reasonable price. But most of it is rather MoB-ish.

lot's of hem lines that could do with being shorter and dresses that would look better showing a bit more cleavage

Noooooooo!!!! I'm tall and almost fecking dress I buy needs to be worn with opaques / leggings and a cami or has to be altered so I don't flash people. There are enough shops with low necklines and high hems. But meh I don't love P8 anyway, so that would only be the nail in the coffin.

Hmm.
If there's really so little out there for mothers of the bride that they're ending up in Phase 8 sleeveless polyester then there must be a hulking great gap in the market....