Remember when Next used to sell good quality clothes?

[peaceanddove]

I was browsing eBay and looking at vintage 90s Next & Laura Ashley clothes. On a whim I bought a cream, knitted cotton jumper with a roll neck, from Next. It's just arrived. OMG it is such good quality. It's really heavy but soft and just looks like a very good quality sweater. Love it.

Also, was thrilled to spot a candy floss pink, fluffy sweater from Laura Ashley circa 1995. Thrilled because DH bought me the said same sweater Xmas '95, and I loved it so much. Until I shrunk it Again, the quality is just amazing, so heavy, soft, seams properly finished.

It's made me so nostalgic for when the high street sold good quality clothes.

About 16 years ago I bought six basic long sleeved cotton t shirts from Next in different colours. I still have them now. Admittedly after such a long time they're a little faded, but they're still holding their shape, the hems and cuffs haven't unravelled and they're comfortable and flattering to wear because they're a decent length which sit on your hips. They came from Next's 'staple' range but obviously had an element of lycra in the cotton mix which made them a good reasonably heavy fabric.

However I've not seen anything similar for years and years. The basic long sleeve t shirts Next have now are utterly shapeless (no waist) and sit on the hanger like an old dishcloth. There's no elasticity whatsoever in the fabric, which is so thin as to be virtually see through in some, if not most of the colours. There's barely any hem, and it's stitched loosely in such a way that you just know it'll catch on something or come apart. I keep looking at these t shirts hoping they'd have improved but they never do and there's very often threads hanging off them before they've even been sold.

More generally, I've found that for years now, despite having some attractive shoes, almost all of them come up as very narrow. That never used to be the case as I used to buy shoes and boots regularly. Guess it's a cost cutting exercise to use less material but I've lost count of the shoes I've had to send back so won't order them now.

I just find going into Next to be thoroughly depressing. Most of their stuff looks and feels really cheap and the styles are so often 'off', like a nice shirt ruined with a stupid random pocket on one side - in fact Next seem a bit obsessed with adding useless breast pockets to t shirts, blouses, even jumpers. Or the neckline doesn't sit properly. And almost all the fabric is thin and crap.

Yes definitely. And their shops in the 90s were lovely - they were much smaller and were smart with a boutique-y feel. I used to buy workwear - I was in my early 20s and just started working.

So different now, their clothes look cheap.

I used to buy lots in both Richard shops and Principles Petite. Principles (now in Debenhams only) is not a patch on what it was. The cut and quality were excellent, and great for my petite frame. I remember buying a thick crepe jumpsuit from Principles in about 1993 and paying £75 - quite a lot for the time, but their sizing in everything they made was consistent and looked almost made to measure for me at the time, so well worth the price.

I also used to like Next for pretty much everything.

Nowadays I shop in Phase Eight and Boden and probably pay more per wear than I did back then.

I buy clothes from charity shops, usually Men's jackets for another charity. I can often buy very old St Michael brand jackets, I assume from very old men! I practically boil them to clean them, sometimes twice and they literally come out like new. They must have been fantastic quality as they are everyday items that over the years have had a lot of wear.

I can remember paying £75 for a stunning, red angora jumper from Next in the early 90s. It was my best Xmas jumper for years. You'd struggle to find a jumper priced more than £35 in Next, now. Everything feels so insubstantial and flimsy, even their 'cosy' jumpers - there's just no weight to them. The cream, vintage sweater I bought off eBay this week is heavy.

I think men's clothes seem to be more durable, functional and of better quality.

Men usually won’t stand for crap quality, but it appears that enough women will.

A quick perusal of the Next website tells me all I need to know: clothes for people who have given up and want to disguise their bodies with clothes that look like pyjamas and probably feel like them: you’ll find very little in the way of waistbands or tailoring amongst the Next own brand clothes but plenty of printed jersey ‘smocks’ with a bit of glitter for Christmas. Christ.

@WellTidy

I used to buy lots in both Richard shops and Principles Petite. Principles (now in Debenhams only) is not a patch on what it was. The cut and quality were excellent, and great for my petite frame. I remember buying a thick crepe jumpsuit from Principles in about 1993 and paying £75 - quite a lot for the time, but their sizing in everything they made was consistent and looked almost made to measure for me at the time, so well worth the price.

I also used to like Next for pretty much everything.

Nowadays I shop in Phase Eight and Boden and probably pay more per wear than I did back then.

Oh the Principles shop was brilliant in the 00s with lovely fabrics and the former concession in Debenhams not Ben de Lise. I used to buy loads

Men wouldn't put up with trousers or jackets with no pockets.

Next was a beautiful shop.

Carpets and wood fittings. The jewellery was under glass on the counter. You asked for what you’d like and they wrapped it in tissue paper. I had the loafers from there, saved up and the quality was fantastic. Early 90’s

Also early 90’s I bought a leather rucksack from River Island which is still going strong now. River Island was a totally different type of shop to how it is now.

Yes, River Island used to be quite aspirational. I remember when our local one opened and it had wooden flooring, rugs, brass fittings and light jazz playing in the background. I was shocked when DD dragged me in there a few years ago, and it was wall to wall polyester tat.

I have a silk/wool mix jumper from Marks that I bought in about 2000. Its colour is still lovely and it still looks pretty good, and I wear it often.
Sourcing recent vintage on Ebay might be the way forward..!

It took over from Chelsea girl.

It is depressing. I don't need any clothes with Covid lockdown and just wear stuff I already have to work

I'd struggle to buy socks there, it's gone so downhill. Used to get beautiful haltneck evening tops, lovely cut trousers, classics; beautiful homeware; and what on earth is going on with men's? The quality is like poormans BHS or Woolies."designer" motives in everything- but even Tesco's have a motif deer too.

I look around for myself and come out empty handed but do find their mens clothing is good for what it costs. I have bought my 15-year old DS a few things there and it is good quality.

@peaceanddove

Yes, River Island used to be quite aspirational. I remember when our local one opened and it had wooden flooring, rugs, brass fittings and light jazz playing in the background. I was shocked when DD dragged me in there a few years ago, and it was wall to wall polyester tat.

It was lovely to walk into.

The wooden floors and ours was on different levels. I remember the jazz and the brass fittings. Looked really good. River Island now has a smell of synthetic fabric as you walk past. It used to look like quality clothing.

I remember the days of Chelsea Girl and Concept Man.

I used to absolutely love the Next 'Lift, Slim and Shape' jeans. They used to fit like a glove, were made from really good quality thick denim and were sooo flattering. The current version of those jeans is not a patch on what they used to be like - they're thin and skimpy now. But then, I think they used to be around the £40 mark 10ish years ago and they're still selling for the same sort of price.

To the PP who talked about the Glasgow Next and it’s late 80’s industrial chicness, I went for an interview for a Saturday job there and of course I didn’t get it because I wasn’t cool or trendy enough...seems laughable now that Next was ever cool 😂

When I was in sixth form, only the coolest and prettiest girls at college got Saturday jobs in Next. I was one tier down and had a Saturday job in Benetton - but it taught me how to immaculately fold jumpers whilst standing

DS was born in 1992 and I can remember getting a few clothes from Next for him but he didn't wear them for nursery in case they got ruined. A woman at work, this was in the 80s always used to bring the Next Directory in and we all used to look at it and the lovely clothes

It is a real shame. Especially for working women as their suits and work wear used to be good. They did the occasional lovely piece at Christmas - especially dresses and in summer too. Trouble was you could recognise it and see it on everyone!

Now it is shit colours and very viscosey (makes me sweat!) and most dresses above the knee anyway. I have had the odd top and trousers from there. In fact, in my clearout I came across a rather nice pair of side zipped trousers. To be kept for when I (yeah right!) loose some weight.

I still have a LBD from Next from 1986.It is so beautiful, simple and classic.I wore it so much then and could still wear it now if would still fit me. Absolutely wonderful quality .I have taken it with me on so many house moves and could never throw it out.It reminds me of being young and fun.I have kept quite a few pieces of clothing from that time but that dress is just my favourite.

Imagine men wearing horrible polyester shirts with no shape and trousers that are see through and have no pockets!

And Wallis, they were brilliant for coats. Just trashy today.

When dd (almost 19) was small the next clothes stood out from the rest of the high st in quality- lovely thick cotton.
Now it’s just cheap thin tat. I very rarely go now