The absurdity of Next

[leccybill]

How do they get away with it? And why is still so popular?

I did use to like it. And yes, the baby and toddler clothes are still gorgeous. But I stopped ordering for me from the website or directory because the items were NOTHING like those pictured - different cuts, different fabrics, more see through etc.
Plus everything went boxy, the vanity sizing is confusing, and there's very little cotton or natural fibres to be seen.
Plus I hate the whole 'Next sale' VIP drama when it's clearly 90% bought-in sale horridness.

But - I got a giftcard for my birthday so just been to the website for a browse. Saw a few tops I quite liked but the pricing is a bit stealthy now - as in, a top in a plain colour will be £12 but the same top in a print might be £18 or even £25. What's that all about?
The only decent things I saw were sold out in mainstream sizes - there's no 'email me when back in stock' option, even Matalan offer this.
I just don't get the popularity of it at all!

I find it frustrating as I've had some much-loved items from Next - fab floral bikini, great thick tights in cool colours, funky neoprene sandals that I adored and wore to bits. Yet 99.9999999% of it is bland and crappy, and I don't have time these days to have a comprehensive look.

I still go in to get underwear for DS because they do boxers with a soft fabric waistband. Thank you for that Next.

Agree though that the home stuff is DIRE. I just walk swiftly through thinking "no - blech - OMG".

Oh and I like jeans from Next, but off ebay as they never seem to have what I want in store.

Euphemia when I was a teen in the 80s, I had a friend who was at a different school and idolised a friend of hers there because "she shops at Next!" We didn't do much clothes shopping in our household and certainly never went to Next so for years I thought it must be some impossibly chic, intimidating boutique :) It actually took me a long time to set foot in one once I left home!

I tried on 4 pairs of trousers in Next today and none fitted or looked nice. I find their sizing very confusing. I have a pair of their size 14 trousers bought about a year ago that I loved and wear endlessly, but they are getting faded so when I went back to find something similar I couldn't find anything. I ended up getting something similar in a size 16, which I regret buying because they are too big so I have to hitch them up all the time and end up with a bunch of extra material over my crotch! But when I went in today all the trousers were super skinny fit and really unflattering, they gave me sausage legs, I had to practically squish my legs into them and they looked awful. (Although I am a size 14 my legs aren't actually that big, so it does make me wonder who on earth they are sizing them for).
It was either the super skinnies, or big flappy linen trousers that make me look the size of a house.

Yet for Next tops I am easily a size 12 so it makes me wonder if their tops and bottoms departments use different sizing methods....

I find it frustrating

They have the same tahirts and shorts and dress for 6 year olds as they do 16 year olds - no 16 year old wants to wear pinstriped dungaree shorts! Funny how they are always in the sale!

I think it's very much for mums who still insists on dressing their teen!

Thanks for that BWatchWatcher. I will buy my birthday cards elsewhere from now on!

I have to say my favourite work trousers are from next. And my work shoes. Otherwise it's kids clothes and homewear, I currently have some fancy planters in my shopping bag for when I become rich enough

I buy basics for DH and teen dcs - trousers, underwear, socks, shirts and the occasional jumper. I've got some nice work trousers from there. Actually, some of their work stuff is okay.

I went around their recent sale looking for a present for my niece and came away with nothing (ended up getting something in M and S!).

To,think, when my teens were babies, the Next sale was The sale to go to. I knew people who only bought clothes twice a year, at the Next winter and summer sales.

Heather - are you near me! The Costco has become a popular meeting point. It is near a hotel, and not far from a garden centre.

Heather and 228

County Oak?

I'm glad people have mentioned their workwear. I've had two very good, durable, nicely fitted, classic suit jackets from Next and a classic, durable suit skirt in the past couple of years. Also a leather jacket which I wear all the time and is brilliant.

I was absolutely never a Next person and only went in there in desperation when I was looking for just a normal black fitted suit jacket and had exhausted so many other high street options.

For workwear they have for me taken the place of M&S and that's something that M&S should be ashamed of because honestly how hard is it to do timeless classic black and navy suits ffs?!

I like their pjs and shoes. And sleepsuits for babies.

Another one here wondering if Heather is on about the Next near me. It's huge, has a Costa upstairs and is situated next to a fairly large retail park.

I like those summer linen shifts and their men's suits are perfect if you have a 6th former who has to have at least 3 on rotation. They are only around £100 each, trendy enough and pretty good quality.

Well this year I was up at 4am with the baby on Boxing Day. Nothing to do, DP was up so I thought you know what, I'm actually going to see what this Next sale business is about.

I arrived at 5.10am
I was given a ticket and told to join the queue. No ticket, no entry.
I made friends with two ladies behind me in the queue who told me they were veterans and proceeded to split up and sprint towards their desired sections once we were through the doors.
The whole place absolutely stank of BO. I have never in my life smelt such vile odours coming from my fellow shoppers.
People were picking up entire rails of clothes and sorting through them in their hands so that no one else could get a look in.
Once the items they didn't want were sorted, they were thrown on the floor or on the furniture that was also for sale (ours is a home store)
Entire families were pitched up and SLEEPING on the sofas which were for sale and refused to budge when asked repeatedly by staff.
I bought 2 baby items. Realised one wasn't even in the sale. Returned it.Went home and vowed never to go to Next ever again.

THIS IS NOT A PLACE FOR RICH OR CLASSY SHOPPERS. I have seen more decorum in Harlow Primark.

I think the Maidstone one has a costa as well. I sometimes pop in if I'm over that way

But when I went in today all the trousers were super skinny fit and really unflattering, they gave me sausage legs, I had to practically squish my legs into them and they looked awful

I've noticed that. I tried a pair of skinny trousers and as well as being too tight around the thighs, when I looked in the mirror they gave me a severe case of Camel Toe
I had to size-up to a 14 even though I'm usually a 12.

Their core customer is over 40, so surely it would make more sense to have relaxed skinny trousers as well as super-skinnies.
Only the very young and toned of thigh look good in the very tight skinnies. The rest of us look like sausage thighs.

Are you reading this NEXT? Take heed.

I like their house stuff and bed linens but their clothes! The quality has gone right down over the past couple of years. Just ordered some t-shirts and cami tops last week and they're awful. Thin, nasty, see through. eurgh. They all went back.

I was a teenager in the 90s and Next was too old for me. In the last 10 years I've had several really good suits for work, but the last couple of years they've been weird fabrics, weird cuts and generally cheaper-looking. I liked their baby stuff when DD was little, but have been less impressed later - I agree with the PP who described it as overdesigned.

It's one of those shops where you have to buy in person, and be prepared to sift through the dross to find the occasional gems. Bit like TK Maxx really

Why they still think that it's OK to charge for a catalogue is beyond me

I went in yesterday and some of their summer basics look really good. Great selection of shorts including some pure linen pairs. Lots of murky colours and tassles round the rest of the shop. Older clientele- 40s-50s, but that doesn't really match the shops image.

It would be great if they fully embraced that older demographic as we are poorly served, but their main problem is I have no idea who they are meant to be aiming at. Mint Velvet and Phase Eight aim clearly for the slightly more mature whereas I see Top Shop and River Island as younger, but Next - I'm clueless.

Mind you I also paid a visit to M&S clothes hall and have never seen such a vile collection of rancid offerings, so I feel it's a bit unfair to single out Next.

I used to live Next in tge late 80s. (I'm that old). I remember buying a fab lipstick from there when I went to visit a uni with my then boyfriend. I don't think I've bought anything from Next since the early 90s with the exception of baby clothes

The VIP sale is fantastic for branded stuff.

There is a LOT of tat and some real Per Una-style horrors, BUT:

• Kids clothes are decent quality and there is usually some really nice stuff, specially for summer.

• The perfume dupes are pretty decent. Just Pink is almost identical to Ralph Lauren Romance and Nude is close to a Chanel scent, maybe Coco or Coco Mademoiselle. For a tenner I'm happy with that!

• They do PJs, harem trousers and jeggings in long/extra long leg length, which is a God send for the tall among us

• The shapewear is pretty good.

• You can get Next day delivery on branded clothing -e.g. Boden, Joules, Coast etc etc - quicker than you would by ordering direct from the brand.

Agree the sales are dire, though!

Kids stuff is still good.
Adult stuff is truly awful. Design, quality and sizing all over the place. I gave up years ago.