White Stuff- ugly stuff. What's gone wrong?

[PollyPerky]

A few years back I loved some tops and cardis. The tops were lovely fine cotton with pretty prints, or something a bit different about them.

Went in today and it is all dreadful. Frumpy, horrible grungy shades, or ghastly 'brights' and £49.95 seems to be the default price for knitwear.

I liked a white embroidered T- till I saw it was over £32.

I can afford £32- but didn't think it value for money.

I also wish they'd stop covering everything in bloody birds and now - bees as well.

I've got some bits and bobs from there I've had for years which I'd never get rid of - mainly skirts and knits. Currently the only thing I like are their knitted tights for winter, the rest is all really uninspiring.

Horrible isn't it? Such a shame. Their tops (you're describing the ones I loved too) were cut in a way that took about half a stone off me. Whenever I wore them people commented how slim I suddenly was. Now they just have badly cut, muddy coloured overpriced tat. I've stopped going in there, and it used to be the first place I'd look.

I also used to be a fan of theirs, now can't find anything worth buying. I remember wanting to buy every skirt in there! Shame really.

Another thread about this. Not sure how to link it.

Prices reflect the fact that they expect everyone to use the 15% off offers that arrive (to me anyway) through the post.

The pants used to be quite decent, now, not so much.

I used to love their things. Quirky but lovely and feminine. Not sure what it is but the prints are dreadful. I still have some of their lovely cardigans and gorgeous little t-shirts with a bit of something different. Now everything looks frumpy. I rarely buy anything from them.

Even with their 15 or 20% off the clothes are still the same:( Though I'd probably cough up for a T shirt if it was a sensible price.

The same goes for Monsoon - they are worse. Decades back- about 30 years- Monsoon was a niche shop with lovely ethnic -ish style clothes in really lovely fabrics and unusual knits. They were £££ too. The suddenly I think they sold out and became mass market. Today they look no different to loads of other cheap tat - you can't see the difference between them and Per Una for example. Just ghastly.

I remember wanting to buy every skirt in there!

Me too. The dresses were also lovely. I loved the style of their stuff. Everything is well a bit frumpy. The shapes are off. I think its also to do with their image. They have lost their way.

I was just saying this about Laura Ashley. When i was in my twenties their stuff was beautiful. I remember loving their prints. What the hell has happened. I havent been into a monsoon shop for years. I thought maybe the website was just bad. East is also hiddeous. Just really old fashioned and sending out the wrong image.

Couldn't agreed more. I love the jersey shirts they used to do; lovely colours and nicely cut with a bit of detail. Now everything's droopy and in horrible colours and prints. Can someone show them this thread?

Thread here on it.. lots of people recommending Mistral as good alternative...

Mmmm........I looked at Mistral and it reminded me of Saltwater- both frumpy imo.

Whenever I've been in there, it's looked like Per Una. Nasty fabrics (the 'knit'wear in particular) and twee details. The only things I've ever bought from there (and I have to say, loved) were their skinny jeggings in charcoal needlecord and navy velvet (separate items, not one hideous patchwork thing). I think they've discontinued them now.

I loved them at the time of the velvet green sell out coat. Does anyone remember that. It was the most gorgeous coat i had seen in a long time. I couldnt afford it then and it sold out. I remember the model wearing it.

This was round about the time:

skirt shabby chic

dresss 1

Not Saltwater! The other SW company - what's the same? Sea something or other..... Anyway- don't like it. Seasalt- that's it.

Seasalt has also become very frumpy. I quite liked their things. Not now.
I loved saltwater actually. It went bust.

About 10 yrs ago I could have bought everything in WS (almost). Today I just despaired at the crap in there.

Yeah, I used to wear a lot but three things went wrong:

the knits go bobbly - they even have a label on them telling you they're going to go bobbly. Well, that's just not good enough.

viscose - theirs creases horribly and has a terrible feel

the cut is now no longer good. M+S went the same way. You slice a couple of cm off here and there to save on fabric but it just gives a poorly-fitting garment.

All of that I guess is down to saving costs/increasing profits, and it totally shows.

Yes, me too. I remember wanting loads. Its all hideous. Dont like the prints or the style of anything.

I used to be such a fan of white stuff that the delivery man knew me by name.

I've never bought anything from WS other than tights, but my colleague buys and wears loads of things - to me they look like they've been washed far too many times even when they're brand new.

I went off them a long time ago but I do remember when they were mostly mail order (not even online) with a couple of shops in Cornwall and being really pleased when they opened a store near me. But in fact it all went downhill from there.

They used to do a fitted linen, V-neck top with a bit of ruching down one side which was so flattering and, if I'd known they were going to discontinue it, I'd have bought enough to last me the rest of my life.

Having been a recent convert to White Stuff and Seasalt type clothes after a big weight loss 2 yrs ago meant I could fit in their clothes, i'm really disappointed that they've both stopped doing the quirky touches and gone mass market instead. I went in the White Stuff store in town today and there was not a single thing I liked and previously there would be loads. It's all dull colours and not me anymore.

I know Boden is a dirty word on here but that's exactly why I'm doing a lot of shopping there at the moment. I've given up on the High Street as its all gone all in a direction that just isn't me.

Have you tried Nomads instead - i think its starting to fill the gap.

I got a gorgeous scarf in WS the other day, but that was all I would even have considered buying!