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 don't normally shop there, as I find a lot of their stuff a bit fussy (I'm 46), but I've recently bought one of their jumpsuits...It looks lovely on - flattering and hangs well.

Overpriced, not stylish. I would avoid.

Some of the patterns are too busy and some of the styles are too old for me but the cut of their jersey dresses always fit my 32G boobs whereas other dresses don't tend to.

From what I've seen, a mixed bag. Was glad to hear they were doing a plus size line, Studio 8, but very disappointed when I saw the clothes - mostly frumpy, nearly all sleeveless and much too short for me at 5' 9''. From PPs, seems these last two are problems with the main line too.

floisme I think you're on to something there! Sleeveless polyester ick! Poor MOBs if this is all they have to choose from. I hope by the time my DD gets married / civil partnered / graduates you will have Flo fashions up and running!

46 year old and I have been in twice. Walked in and realised it weren't for me. Give it another go. Ditto.

I'm more a Zara, &Other Stories, Whistles and the like kind of shopper.

Having just looked at the website I wonder how on earth can they justify charging over £100 for a jersey dress?? Is the quality/fit really that much better than say Warehouse or Oasis? The design certainly isn't! If I was going to spend that sort of money I would go to COS or &Other Stories and know that I might come out with something vaguely stylish.

I am 35 and buy most clothes secondhand or in Primark/H&M. If I want to spend a bit more I go to Oasis (but usually only buy stuff from there in the sale).

Why am i thinking that the Op works for Phase Eight?

This thread is great free market research for the company.

cynical? moi.

I know what you mean cold, but I don't really mind telling them what I think of their overpriced synthetic toot stuff.

Like a lot of shops, some of it is lovely and some of it is awful or frumpy.

I'm 40 and work in a formal environment (accountant) so find it good for some work wear items. Some of it is too heavily ma made material but it's usually cut in a flattering way and the materials usually hang well.

I am a deeply focused shopper, so I literally only scan rails for whatever I'm looking for, and leave shops with no idea of what their general thing is. Actually, in no shop do I think 'this stuff in general is lovely' - I'm clearly fussy. I have one very nice, well-cut garment from Phase Eight (a very plain jumpsuit), but the other ones I tried on there on the same day were awful - weirdly-cut and with weird detailing.

On the other hand, I'm being left with more than a slightly bad taste in my mouth from this thread which is deeply ageist. 'Menopausal' used as a pejorative is particularly misogynist and ageist. Well done.

I too used to find the odd thing in there but haven't bothered of late. Probably half and half them getting frumpier and me getting a bit less frumpy over time (I'm 37).

As part of this quest to get less frumpy, my benchmark is whether the brand is on the 1st or 2nd floor of Richmond House of Fraser... HoF have put Phase Eight on their 2nd floor along with Country Casuals-type brands so I treat with caution...

I really like the different styles and the quality is good....each to their own I suppose!

I don't buy from there but my 30 yo sister does - she is large of boob and hates her calves and they do perfect shaped dresses for her once you hunted through the mob stuff.

Agree with hedgeschool re ageism which so often pops up on these threads with menopausal, granny etc ring used as lazy synonyms for frumpy. And totally agree with ktay re HoF Richmond . So dull. Never a huge Mulberry fan, I've been totally put off by the dreary, safe display of them in there!

ihate agree. The wording says 'market research'.

LadyAntonella Someone definitely should. I spent my lunchtime googling mother of bride (not groom?) outfits, just for curiosity. Jeez.

It's not just that I think they're hideous - that's only my opinion. They're totally unfit for purpose. If there's one thing middle aged women will agree on, it's that we like natural fabrics, not sweaty polyester. And many/most of us like sleeves - not a frigging shrug or jackette, a dress with proper sleeves. How are they getting away with fobbing us off with such crap?

I agree too with Hedgeschool and polyhymnia Middle age, menopause and old age are words for normal life stages, not shorthand for unstylish. Really tedious.

And I really don't give a toss if this thread is market research. In fact good on them for asking. Now please sort it out.

Floisme also agree - no bad thing. More brands should do this.

I agree too. There are not many brands that produce wearable, non- frumpy clothes for older women that don't cost the earth. P8 did, up to about 5 years ago, but now offers the same old stuff, in polyester. If it can revert...

OP back again! Definitely not market research, I don't work in a job even vaguely related to retail of any type. I was just curious. I'm trying to buy better quality clothes as I've always been a bit of a throwaway shopper, but while I can usually categorise shops in my own mind into where I might find suitable clothes, I can't with Phase Eight. I always feel it a bit frumpy (apart from the occasional thing) while a 28 year old friend buys loads in there and never looks frumpy. However, based on a lot of the comments here, possibly the cost of Phase Eight clothes is disproportionate to the quality.

I just bought a lovely evening dress yesterday from phase eight. I think it is very elegant

On a willowy youngster that looks stunning. On me (menopausal, busty, slightly overweight) it would look dowdy.

I don't think anything in particular. I very rarely write off a brand in its entirety. I have some stuff from phase 8. I find some of their dresses are cut well for those of us with norkage. I've recently bought a linen top and a fine knot jumper. Some of their stuff can be hit and miss but I find that with a lot of brands. I also have stuff from Hobbs, Fatface, Seasalt, m&s, coast, monsoon. With all of them I find some stuff I love and some stuff where I think . So I don't think you should reject them outright.

I'm 26 and I think they have a lot of really elegant dresses which are ideal for weddings, evening events etc. but I wouldn't wear them to work or anything like that. My in-laws manage a 5* hotel and we have to dress up when we visit, Phase Eight is the kind of place I'd go to get the right type of dresses, although I'd rather not pay full price. I'd wait til things are reduced to the 40 pound range.

I think it's one of those odd places that people of all ages can shop. My mum AND my grandmother (on different sides) both bought their dresses for my wedding there.

I always think it's trying to be coast, but failing