What IS it with Next?

[CurrantBun]

Why has Next womenswear deteriorated into chav-dom?

And why do they assume that if you're petite the only item of clothing you must want to buy is cheap polyester black trousers? Assorted styles, admittedly, but all cheap-looking and black. Teamed with a nice acrylic sweater

Yeuch. I wouldn't even go in there but when you're a petite size 6 you don't have a mad amount of choice on the high street.

My SIL lives in NZ and used to live in Next when they lived in the UK. She asked for a top from Next for Christmas, but after trawling round all three of the Oxford Street branches I couldn't find asingle top that I wouldn't be embarrassed to send her.

Apologies to anyone who shops in Next and loves it.

I went in the other day and walked straight back out. Hideous. They have those outlet shops where clothes are a fiver and I can never find anything there either. They can't give the stuff away...

yup. But is there anywhere good for petites now? (not size 6 unfortunately. 10 edging towards 12). I've almost totally given up on clothes shopping as its too depressing.

I'm sure Next kids stuff used to be nicer than it is now too.

principles used to be very good for petite, but I havn't been in there for ages....

I'm not petite but I could not agree with you more about Next in general. It's lost something.

I have never liked Next, even when they were expensive their clothing was always really badly made.
Even I can hem a pair of trousers that stay hemmmed for more than a week.

how about monsoon, they had some fantastic dresses in there that would really suit petite people. very expensive though.

next used to be fab in the 80s

Yes I remember when I was at school someone describing their ex's new gf as 'very Nexty' meaning very elegantly & fashionably dressed.

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Next boyswear is grim.
All slurry colours and hideous logos.

Did Next get taken over or something?

yy gap kids (boys stuff anyway) also crap atm.
Am buying ds things from H+M as they at least have a bit of fun about them and generally no HUGE logos

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I agree about Next. I have some stuff still from 1983 that I wear occasionally and still get comments on but I never buy anything for myself out of there now.

Boys stuff is crap and girls stuff is fine but they never have the right sizes.

M & S have some lovely stuff for girls at the moment but expensive and I went in to pumpkin patch yesterday for the first time and was surprised it wasn't as expensive as I thought.

Principles has its sale on at the moment

I know what you mean Currantbun. I used to buy all my clothes from Next as I am 5'2" and size 6. But their size 6 is bigger now so it doesn't fit me as well and I don't appreciate the fact that if you spark as you walk in their trousers!

Topshop petite stuff is better. Haven't tried Principles for years. It is a nightmare.

Next and GAP are the dullest stores on the high street.

I had a fantastic experience at principles in the summer. I hadn't been in for years but was looking for womething nice for a evening wedding and went in on the off chance. A very attentive sales lady helped me pick out some stuff and took me to the changing room and then commented on how I looked positively or negatively. She fetched other combinations of clothes with no problem and even offered to get the white trousers I loved altered free of charge. It was like having a personal shopper and yes I sepnt money in the shop and have been back since.

I am a principles convert

I hate next.

NineUnlovelyTinselDecorations, if you don't mind my asking where do you buy clothes that fit you? We seem to about the same size (although I'm only 5'1") but agree that Next's size 6 is now much bigger than it used to be.

Agree also that back in the 80s/early 90s their clothes were much better quality and far more stylish. All that went along with the blond wood fittings - now even the interior looks cheap and don't get me started on the lighting in the fitting rooms. Even Jordan would look pale and washed-out.

Perhaps I'll give Principles a go - haven't been in there for years as the clothes always used to be a bit too smart and "grown up" for me, as I mainly wear jeans and casual clothes. Gap isn't great at the moment either - you used to be able to rely on them for classic 'preppy' clothes but they seem to have lost their way a bit this season. I had a huge wardrobe 'weed' last winter and I wish I hadn't now as I can't find anything to replace the things I got rid of!

Have managed to find quite a few nice clothes for DS in Next, interestingly - and none with logos either (which I hate). I get most of his clothes in either Mothercare, Next or H&M. John Lewis have some more unusual things, and if you want high-end then Monsoon do lovely kids' clothes. Haven't bought anything from there as £24 for a jumper he'll only fit into for a few weeks seems a bit steep IMHO.

Sorry Currantbun, only just saw your last post. The truthful answer is that I have more or less stopped buying clothes for the time being as I am too skint But when I was still buying clothes, I would buy things from Topshop and Miss Selfridge petite range (Though I am 32 - you do have to cherry pick through an awful lot of polyester and grim designs!) I also bought from Next where necessary - especially jeans, which were sometimes okay. My norks are quite large despite my small frame so I could get away with a size 8 in Monsoon, well for summer tops anyway. Laura Ashley sometimes has stuff that fits me, especially dresses. I wore a lot of vintage stuff that fitted me so nicely, it's a shame it's all worn out now.

Top tip - you can but H&M knitwear size 32 safe in the knowledge that it will shrink, which annoyes everyone else but is fab for people our size!