TOAST - taking inspiration from the acrylic back catalogue of C&A men’s knitwear?

[IwankaTramp]

What happened?

It used to be so lovely....

I love that jumper. I don't £175 love that jumper, though.

I don’t mind the jumper but I know what you mean OP. Recently all the toast stuff is the same - very shapeless dresses, tops and trousers that all look very similar. I am quite petite and at the moment there is hardly anything that I would be able to buy, which is a pity.

It used to be a land girl look, but now seems to have turned into a “member of some strange religious sect”look!

I think it's the jumper equivalent of boyfriend jeans. I had one a bit like it in the 80s because I couldn't buy one with long enough arms

I've only recently discovered Toast so I don't remember its previous incarnation. I must say, i love it though. I avoid the droopy dresses, but the knitwear, t-shirts, trousers, tunic dresses and (some of) the skirts are all great. Some nice colours, nice quality, natural materials and stylish with a twist.

I am 5ft 7 though, not massively tall, but taller than average i guess, so perhaps that helps.

As I get older I have increasingly gone off patterned clothes for some reason.

As I get older I have increasingly gone off patterned clothes for some reason.
Me too. I would wear a bit of pattern on a top but not a dress full of pattern. Its strange isn't it?

Yes, is isn't it? I used to love patterns, now I'm definitely developing a real aversion to them. I wonder if it's some sort of yearning for simplicity and order ? But also I feel I just don't suit them so much any more (am 40).

Well I am 50 and have loved pattern most of my life. I agree that it probably is just the simplicity and order of things. I also like to focus on the cut of things. I have bought a few things with patterns - vest tops mainly recently that are worn with something plain. A pattern on shorts worn with a plain top and I do have a couple of jackets with flower prints which I love but I wouldn't wear a dress with head to toe pattern especially big pattern. The older I get, the less I like it definitely.

...and the strangest thing of all is, I haven't thought about it until recently. That I veer towards things that aren't patterned. I looked at my wardrobe and was surprised. The biggest reversal was print wide legs which I have loved. I just cant stand them now!

www.toa.st/eu/product/womens+dresses+and+tunics/c1jak/iya+print+silk+dress.htm

I got this and am not sure about keeping it, what do you think? The sale prices keep me coming back to Toast though their prices are outrageous in general.

Pic here

They used to have cool clothes - for example I bought some huge furry boots and an amazing brown wrap skirt. I used to shop for them when I had disposable income for clothes - in my late 20s and early 30s.
Now these clothes look like they are aimed at the over 50s.

Do Toast still do archive sales? I’d certainly buy some of their old stock again.

Now these clothes look like they are aimed at the over 50s.

Ahem...I am 50 and wouldn't wear them!

Sadly the days of the old great archive sales were over a few years back. Sad. They were superb.

shins It depends upon how it fits you. I personally like the print but I know it would look frumpy on me. Can you post a picture of you with it on? [ face hidden]

Bah! I suspect you’re right neveradullmoment, what a shame.

I don’t think anyone but the tallest, youngest surly faced model can pull off these clothes without looking like a sister wife. Not over 50 year olds.

Scrap that. Even the models look like sister wives

Since they moved to London they've lost their way.

i know - their new season is pants. Points in their defence:

1. lovely bargains in the summer sale on linen jumpers
2. the stuff came in paper bags, not plastic ones!

I don't think the current boxy styling and very long dresses flatter anyone either, if I was a 20 year old with an amazing body I still wouldn't want to wear this! They do have lovely fabric though.

Scrap that. Even the models look like sister wives

I don't think the current boxy styling and very long dresses flatter anyone either, if I was a 20 year old with an amazing body I still wouldn't want to wear this!

Absolutely. So they are making this for no one then. Maybe someone in their 30's who is built like a beanpole and can rock that look but apart from that, I have no idea who the clothes are aimed at. There lies the problem. They MUST have flagging sales.

Or they must have a big mark up.

I agree the dresses have taken a funny turn and I'm flummoxed as to why anyone thinks they're good for women over 50. But I love the trousers. (I've sitting on my hands all week the sale is so tempting.) And they're still the most consistent high street store I know for quality.

As an aside, I find a bit of an abstract pattern can be very kind to my ageing body. It's just florals I don't like.

I bought a couple of things in the sale. I’m a 14 but sized down as their clothes are always big. 12s completely swamped me. Cost me about £12 to try on some weirdly sized clothes abs send them back

@shins There's a model with a very similar look in this new 'anti-fashion' John Lewis ad campaign, especially the first pic: www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/jul/13/high-street-stalwarts-turn-backs-must-have-fashion
Nerdy postgrad who doesn't like make up, from some indeterminate point in the second half of the 20th century seems to be a cool thing now. (That's not supposed to be snarky by the way. It's a type of person I'd expect to have got on with at a similar age - it's just a bit strange adjusting to this look as the height of fashion. Geek chic gets ever geekier I guess.)

It seems like an odd dress to make in 100% silk, the style and pattern makes it seem very much a day dress that should be cotton or similar and suitable for every day stuff and chucking in the machine. The inconvenience of washing silk alone would mean I wouldn't order it.