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?

T shirts are T shirts are T shirts. Etc.

I shop on ASOS and Zara generally as can find cheaper bits but yes... struggling to find decent priced items.

this one The fabric is slubby, the neckline different and it is just so lovely. I do understand some people will think I'm mad, but I will wear them a lot.

Too expensive or too cheap is about right I think. I used to shop in jigsaw a lot and barely look there now. I buy a lot on eBay actually as I have expensive tastes and limited budget

We've never been more spoilt for choice. There are clothes at every price bracket available like never before! You don't even have to leave the comfort of your own home, you just order them to come to you, try them on and then send them back for free!

Am I the only person on here old enough to remember when the high street consisted of Dorothy Perkins and Jaegar, along with the tiny boutique that was run by your auntie's sister's best friend called Angela, who insisted on asking out loud in front of everyone if you needed a larger size to take with you into the changing room? Plus the one hideously awful 'department store' that sold stuff that your granny wore.

I've been shopping for the slingbacks on ebay, a bit of a gamble but even the posh brands are quite cheap.

"Clothes also wear out very quickly too."

I don't know where you buy your clothes, but that is not my experience. I buy from M and S, Debenhams, White Stuff, Matalan, Sainsburys, Primark, Next. So not high end shops, but I never seem to wear my clothes out.

You aren't in the shops I frequent! Asda is very good value.

Just had a quick look on Toast and their cheapest plain t-shirt is £45! I almost died! I can't believe anyone would pay that for a t-shirt. Not a dig OP, I'm sure they have superpowers or something but that's crazy money.

Re underwear, OP, it is worth looking in TK Maxx. I used to buy Chantelle bras in HoF or Fenwick, but they just got too expensive (£40 for a plain but excellent bra). Then I realised I can often buy them in TK Maxx for £12.99. They didn't have them this week, but I got a DKNY one instead (same price) and it is also excellent.

Uniqlo are really inexpensive and great cotton and wool knits.

Yes, yes I have. Years ago when I had less disposable income I could afford Whistles or Jigsaw. They were a bit of an investment to me but not outrageous. Now I still buy Whistles but only in the sale. Jigsaw have gone to shit style-wise. And the polyester? Just no. Also it would be a cold day in hell before I paid over 50 quid for something from Topshop.

E-bay all the way here. Have done for years.

Miles cheaper, the clothes are often a bit older so better made and better quality fabrics and it's not adding to land fill.

Clothing seems to be at two extremes, cheap in the supermarkets, Primark etc, then really expensive in places like Hobbs, Boden, Jigsaw etc. I always look for stuff in the sales and I also look on eBay for quality items. Some of the labels have outlets on eBay, too. I've had a few Jigsaw items from their online outlet.

I hate buying clothes online. I am not a standard size or shape and much prefer to go into actual shops and try clothes on before buying. I realise that I am a dying breed though.

I think the mid-level clothing stores have definitely increased their prices significantly. Apart from Jaeger who seem to have changed all their fabrics to much cheaper ones and forgotten how to cut clothes in their race to the bottom.

I try to buy good quality and look after it so it lasts but options are more limited these days as prices have risen and/or quality dropped. I buy mainly in sales or sample sales. I'm lucky living in London as that means more sample sales (thank you shopping gods!) I went to the Shaune Leane (jewellery) sample sale early today and it was AMAZING!

There doesn't seem to be anything in the 'middle' shops anymore. Obviously you can get cheap stuff in supermarkets/Primark but the old mid range places don't sell anything noticeably better, just more expensive. It's still all polyester, cut too short and full of garish patterns. It's really hard to find strong material, items which are well made, cut to flatter etc unless you spend lots. The ugly shit is still £25 - £30 per top. Why would you buy that when it's the same as Asda for £10?
I want a £30 top to be noticeably better than that.

I agree Iwanna

I would see 'middle' clothing retailers as Uniqlo, M&S, GAP, Zara, Monsoon, Oasis, Warehouse, Next, ASOS - possibly including Fat Face, Joules, White Stuff and Crew at the upper end of mid range. They all have plenty of cotton t-shirts etc.

Yes, there are lots of cheap clothes about if you consider Primark, etc. However, when you consider how those clothes could be made for such low prices (and the human impact of that) as well as the impact that fast fashion has, its hard to justify shopping in these sort of places.

I think the prices in mid-high end high street shops have really gone up. But OP you can find those brands second hand or in outlet stores. Online Brand Alley might be good to check out. This means you can continue to buy quality items rather than go for disposable ones.

Do you remember C&A - coats & ats - Margolovebutter - remember my mum taking me there. Dotty P & Jaeger was all there was outside the big cities & Jaeger was way out of our price bracket. Hand made, hand knitted & hand me downs was how we managed. The only new from shops clothes were shoes & underwear. I know Boohoo sells some things at less than cost to get people on to their website but I struggle to understand how so many brands sell such cheap clothes - even with cheap fabric, a free pattern & my own labour I would struggle to make a cotton skirt or dress for what Primark etc sell them for.

We called C & A something else....

Top shop underwear looks nice, I don't have a splendid bosom so the smaller sizes will be fine. Uniqlo is fine for basics, though as the only shop I know of is in London a bit hard to be sure of sizes when ordering. Fat Face is boring, though I do have one nice Tea dress from them. And Other Stories is one of my favourites, but they are quite pricey too.

Boden? The quality has taken a nose dive but is still ludicrously expensive for what it is. I see John Lewis have a small range. Desperate times, I guess.

Cos, however, is excellent.

£45 for a plain cotton jersey t-shirt? What on earth for?