Cos clothes - any thoughts?

[Naicehamshop]

A friend has just highly recommended Cos clothes. I had a quick look on the website, and it all looks a bit... well, odd.

Doe it all look a lot better on?

I agree that the quality and cut is amazing for the price, especially in the sale.
The styling on the website is bizarre but by now I am pretty good at working out what suits me.

DD16 is tall and willowy like the models on the website. She also likes to dress in that style - she just bought this combo:
www.cosstores.com/gb/Women/Sale/Fine-rib_off-the-shoulder_top/239674-58517255.1#c-22755#Rel?PC=

It looks VERY good on her, great quality fabric too.

It depends on your shape, not much is fitted. It's perfect for some shapes, often drowns me a bit as I'm fairly petite. But as pps have said you can get the odd gem. Or indeed lots of gems if that style suits you!

Thanks for all the comments. I'm sure it would be best to try stuff on, but I think I might just take a chance on those slim fit trousers online and see how it goes!

I used to badmouth Cos and very loudly too but then I literally underwent a mid thread conversion and it's now one of my favourite shops.

It's exactly as other posters have said, you have to try on. The most unpromising things can look great on a real body - and vice versa.

I still don't buy as many things there as I'd like because I don't live near a branch. Agree with previous poster that you can sometimes find similar styles in little sister H&M but you have to rummage and the quality isn't as good.

I do think it's a strange business model to have so few branches outside London and such an unapproachable website.

I like it as they cater for all shapes. Unlike a lot of the high St that really only use one standard model shape.

I wear a fair amount of Cos and agree with PPs about good fabrics and the need to try stuff on. One of the things that hasn't been mentioned is that I found that on the high street, dress hems were getting shorter than I would have liked, so things that I expected to be just above the knee were coming in mid thigh. With Cos it's the opposite. That may not be a plus for everyone though.

I'm 5'2 and everything I try on from there looks like I've borrowed it from a much taller older sister!

Yes, I've found this with a lot of things, not tried any of the dresses yet because of it.

You have to hunt , but some of their dresses work for petite frames. I agree with the others you have to try things on.

I'm 5ft 8 and a 14/16 and l I've their stuff. I particularly like the cut and shapes. I did my degree in fashion and love working out how they made some of the more complex cuts (sad l know) there is nothing else like them on the high street.

I always get complimented on Cos stuff but you have to look carefully at it. I love the fabrics and quality of their clothes. No one else on the high street had this. Lovely deep hems on things to make them drape and fall properly. This makes such a massive difference. Heavyweight material that makes things hang well too.

I love their dresses. I'm 5'5" and fairly portly (about an 18-20). Their shift dresses suit me and always get compliments. I've five now: I wear three for everyday workwear and two are a bit smarter. Usually team the dresses with flat boots or brogues. Not sure how this might work for summer though, I like a bit of stretch and structure.

Yes, as pp have said, you have to go a shop and try loads on. When you find something that works, it really works. The quality is great and it washes very well.

My beef with Cos is their propensity for high neck lines - doesn't work for me, so they might have a dress, for example, which is great in all other respects, but the neck line is just too high. I need it to be below the collar bone.

I buy "basics" like knitwear, Breton tops etc from Cos - they wash brilliantly. I have a couple of great dresses, but as we don't have a shop here I wouldn't chance that kind of thing online, so rarely get to go in and try on. I agree with previous posters that things which look like nothing on the hanger can look amazing on.

I have bought this season's Jacquard coat, lovely green pattern . First ever purchase from Cos. I cannot tell you how many people have asked me where I bought it . I sized down for a tailored fit .

Cos is my absolute favourite shop. Most of my work stuff is from there. Agree with everyone else - the shapes can be weird and some is hit and miss so you need to try on, but when it is good it is brilliant!

I love Cos, I don't think it's everyone's cup of tea but they use lots of natural fabrics and I wouldn't wear head to toe some of the outfits they style but they have some great tops, dresses, jackets etc and they are good quality.

When Cos clothes work, they are amazingly brilliant - fantastic fabric, brilliant quality and just real wardrobe workhorses. I've had quite a few things in heavy rotation for work for years, and they still look great.

But like many PPs have said, you have to try on so so many things (I would say I have a hit rate of about 1 to 10) to find those little gems. For me, it's worth it as when they are good they are really really good. But I've stopped ordering online and now just shop in person, as the ordering and returns process is expensive and lengthy.

Really? - They offer free returns with every order - and no lengthier than most paces ime....

£6 shipping fee, admittedly delivery is usually quick, and yes free returns but it's taken up to 3 weeks for refunds to be issued. I'll suffer it for the clothes but it could definitely be better.

I wouldn't buy Cos online. I like their stuff but it has a really high try on to buy ratio for me.

I am short and fat - polar opposite of their models - and coats and jackets look brill on me. As do dresses and knits.

Fabrics are heaven - shirting like theirs usually costs 200 quid. Crisp, fresh, after 5 plus years.

I love it for all the reasons outlined above, their quality is excellent. A friend of mine discovered Cos on a trip home recently-she's worked in fashion in NY for 20 years. She was quite wild with joy as she bought half the shop, couldn't believe the gorgeous cuts and colours and fabrics at high street prices.

They are quite bonkers as well though, admittedly. Someone on here described their tent dresses as "Ready for your mammogram"..

GiddyGoat sorry, my comment could have been clearer. £6 delivery charge, which I think is pretty high. Yes free returns, but takes weeks (minimum of two) to get the funds actually refunded to your account. Plus, you can't get proof of postage as it is a Dutch (I think) postage label, so Royal Mail say they can't track it. So on a large return, it can be quite nerve racking until the money goes back on your card. Hence why in-store shopping only for me now.

I knew you'd appear on here floisme! Basically, everything I wear is cos. I'm 5'3, petite and slim. And about 50% of their clothes look great on me - I always try on - and I've heard of every size and body shape on here say pretty much the same. If you don't like the basic aesthetic then obviously it won't work for you but otherwise, make no judgment until you've tried on several dozen things. At least half of several dozen things will make you look slightly demented, but the other half will get you compliments galore.
Count - I got that skirt in the navy. It is awesome - obviously teamed with a slim fitting top rather than the abomination on the website. Makes your legs look ultra skinny.

One of my favourite jumpers ever is from there - I think it must be four years old now, but still looks new. The slim leg trousers are good too. I'm short and curvy, so lots of it is no good for me - but the quality is excellent and sales can be v good.