Have you noticed how expensive clothes are now?

[higgyhog]

I don't have a bad income but recently everything from Council Tax to pension contributions has increased a lot. Browsing the shops for some summer clothes now and I'm thinking there have been massive price rises since last year. I used to buy Whistles and jigsaw, they are unaffordable now. I splashed out on some Mohedra clogs ( the green ones, they are lovely) and two T shirts at Toast last week, and that was £179! I used to buy two or three pairs of sandals each year but I think the old ones are going to have to last a bit longer. Has anyone else noticed that the things they like to buy are now unaffordable?

You are shopping in the wrong shops. I have never paid that much for footwear and T-shirts.

And I don't live somewhere warm enough to need several pairs of sandals. Mine last me for years.

I think your tastes mean you are shopping in v expensive shops!!

Nope. I always buy top end stuff and never pay full prices for anything. As an example, I paid 50 quid for the most beautiful cashmere jumper at the Chinti and Parker sample sale - original price 350. You can always find bargains on the net or amazing sample sales in London. Of course 200 quid is expensive for clogs and two t shirts.

In most shops, prices have gone up and quality has gone down. Polyester is taking over, regardless of price.

Sandals? flat pair for walking ( have old special all terrain ones) heeled sandals for work and something pretty for going out. The ones I'm replacing are 3 years old and have lasted quite well. I suppose i do like "nice" stuff but up until now buying the must haves early in the season, shopping in the sales and off ebay and filling the gaps with Tu and H&M seems to have worked quite well. Now a nice bra in M&S or John Lewis is £34 -38 and with two pairs of matching knickers the total is nearly £70. I'm good at budgeting and inventing - and I can sew - so I will still manage to look OK this summer but my comment was really that from going Phew! at the prices and only buying my very favourite things it is now a question of Phew !!!+++ and thinking I won't be able to justify them. The Toast purchases were after a boozy lunch - something I'll avoid in future when I have shopping in mind.

I agree with you! Marks and Spencer have gotten so so so expensive

Polyester etc. I think that is part of the reason LK Bennett has gone under. I would not shop there when all the clothes were so synthetic.
On a happier note I did get a very nice dress from Sainsbury's in the sale for £6.60, so i'm not a total spendthirift.

Check out M&S outlet stores - I’ve bought the most gorgeous underwear from there from the Rosie collection - 3 quid for knickers. There are loads of bargains out there - just need to look.

PMSL! You are shopping in the wrong shops. Zalando has cheapish Mohedra clogs and you can get decent t-shirts from all sorts of cheap shops.

Clothes have never been cheaper in my opinion - Primark, Asda, Matalan all sell virtually disposable clothing!

It sounds like you're shopping in expensive places. I rarely buy new, and never pay 'full price' for clothing. I do buy expensive brands - I'm quite fussy about quality - but usually find them on eBay and in charity shops.

Brastop or similar for bras, M&S sale for knickers (do you really need matching sets? I haven't 'matched' underwear since my early 20s. But I am a bit slobby!).

Posted too soon. I was going to add that I'm frequently shocked at how cheap clothes can be. Ethically produced clothing would cost a lot more than most of use are willing to pay.

What is of greater concern is the utter cheapness of clothing. It really should make you wonder how those low prices are possible - unless those working to produce the garments are paid a pittance.

Whistles and Jigsaw have always been overpriced, particularly the latter. I have never bought a garment in either shop.

In addition, matching sets of underwear are not high on my agenda!

I don't mind paying a bit more for clothes if they are going to last.

I'm tired of clothes falling apart after a few washes. Just price doesn't always equal quality.

i do make my clothes last. The gorgeous sea green silk/cashmere cardigan with a silk frilled bustle thing was bought 12 years ago and gets a couple of outings every summer. I sold the last of my Whistles dresses for half what i paid for them on ebay, so not bad purchases. There is a huge Hush following on here but their sweatshirts have gone up £10 from last year.

I have lots of black underwear that makes its own matching sets in the winter, but in the summer I like something pretty and for the bras and knickers to match.

I agree with you. High street stores are very expensive now for stuff that should be affordable. Saw a nice top in top shop - £65

I'm fairly ancient and when I was first married (and in around the same income bracket allowing for inflation) I could afford to get my curtains made in John Lewis, that became unaffordable years ago. I particularly enjoy shopping in Toast, except for the horrible baggy dresses. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, the knitwear is lovely, the T shirts are flattering and fit - who else does a half sleeve style? It is a pleasure. Just a bit sad to think this sort of pleasure will be outside my price range soon. I know the business rates on a medium sized jewellers in our local shopping town are £75k a year, so the days of this sort of shop must be numbered.

I agree, OP. While there are still cheap places selling fast fashion, the middle-market stores have put their prices up dramatically, while quality has dramatically declined.

I had a quick browse in Whistles this morning, and it was largely polyester. Even the likes of Warehouse and Oasis now charge £45 for a polyester blouse. Meanwhile wages have stagnated, and all our other costs have gone up too.

I have responded by dramatically reducing what I buy. Certainly, not much is purchased these days without at least a discount code, or a sale.

M&S do a “half sleeve style” t shirt.

John Lewis, Bonmarche and Uniqlo all do half sleeve t-shirts.

The problem is it's hard to know what is quality and what isn't these days.
I am happy to pay more if I know something is decent quality. But just because something is expensive doesn't mean it will be. So you may as well buy cheap.
I have a lovely Pringle patterned v neck sweater that's Over ten years old that I dig out every year and threaten to chuck but it never seems to wear out. I doubt if I bought one from Pringle now it would last and wash as well but it would still be £££

Yes, but their half sleeve T shirts are not as nice ( I'm not coming out well with this one am I?).

As mentioned on a couple of threads, Bon Marche have cotton Ts in plain colours, Linen dresses and tops. They also do good Linen trousers and shorts.
It all a question of hunting these articles out and not being too precious about labels. You can always cut the shop name out!

I know what you mean. Things are either too expensive or too cheap. Clothes also wear out very quickly too.