Can we talk about clothing brands and target demographics?

[CrkdLttrCrkdLttr]

Because I’m thinking about the brands that form the core of my ‘going out to meet other grown ups’ wardrobe, and laughing at the Margaret Howell mail shot I’ve just opened. (Socks and sandals photo.) Beautiful young model, and each garment will be wonderfully well made - but I know no one under fifty who wears MH. That’s fine - but I wish the marketing acknowledged the fact.

When a brand does make an effort to engage with the real buyers of its clothes I’m full of awe and gratitude - Raey at Matches is usually great at this.

Studio Nicholson hovers somewhere in between. Again, everyone I know (in the UK) who wears their clothes is older and richer than me, probably in a creative profession. Not a wispy 20 year old.

I never used to care. But I’m wondering if marketing is the reason 99% of the middle aged and older women on MN exclaim that there are no decent clothes for them. There are - but not every brand tells you so.

WOW, @haribonoyoudont - that is an epic effort! Thank you so much. Hope you found it entertaining.

And thank you @botemp for gathering up the strays.

Had no idea we’d covered so many places.

(Definitely going to ask MNHQ to make people take a test on the list before they’re allowed on S&B! )

Amazing, thank you haribo and botemp!

Thank you so much haribo and botemp, I'll keep them with the Monty Don links.

There was another 'fashion at 50' type of article over the weekend: Sunday Telegraph, a printed copy and the online version is behind a paywall so I'm sorry I can't link. I'm also writing from memory so may not be doing it justice but anyway, it started promisingly with the writer talking about her teenage daughter who looks fantastic but won't step out of her fashion lane because it would be social death, and how liberating age can be. But then the writer seemed to lose her nerve and fell into all the usual cliches, including how to avoid looking like you're trying too hard - my least favourite of all. The clothes were fine but nothing I wouldn't wear already. I'd just love to read someone who said, 'Take some risks, who cares!' and pushed me out of my comfort zone.

Adding another round of applause and thanks to Haribo and bo.

Meanwhile on another thread a poster who is an "artist" has authoritatively dismissed a pair of sneakers as "not cool" and "something an OAP would wear.

Wow thanks so much for getting all those links Haribo and bo - Herculean effort!

The eBay seller with the Betsey Johnson skirt finally got back to me. She doesn’t ship to the U.K. 😢But I’ll keep my eyes peeled in case another comes up. Or, dh might go to the US on a work trip sometime soon, so if he does, and the listing is still up, I might be able to make it work.

(Definitely going to ask MNHQ to make people take a test on the list before they’re allowed on S&B! )
Please don't! I'm sure I'd fail it 😂.

Or do, but make a pass category for thrifty, upcycler, eco warrior who has a tiny budget and is trying to remove the items from her closet that were bought aspirationally but don't fit her current lifestyle. That way I can sit on the fringes and admire the stylish ones.

Thanks @CrkdLttrCrkdLttr! Both the Monty Don thread and the one on "Winning in the pursuit of elegance" have been completely transformational in helping me think about my wardrobe and how I approach buying clothes; and, as an art/design/fashion nerrrrd, I wanted to give something back, given how great this discussion has been.

Another thsnks on the collation! Also if anyone has a link to the Monty don thread, I’d appreciate that. I can’t find it in searching.

@NatashaDancing I saw that and composed a small essay in my head whilst in the shower last night. Unfortunately I went on the hunt instead of writing it after being reminded of some of the interesting brands above. It made me sad, mad and very defensive of Willism Morris.

Adding my thanks to @haribonoyoudont and @botemp and everyone else who has contributed to this. Will look up the other threads mentioned. I do hope this continues, if you can all bear it 😉 So refreshing to have such a thought-provoking and stimulating thread here 😊

Thank you so much, @haribonoyoudont and @botemp. A truly amazing effort! I've saved the thread and will hope we meet again on MN.

@LolaSmiles Plenty of room for you! (just have to clear the rarely-worn, aspirational items out of my wardrobe first) 😂

I refer you to my earlier post, @cloudberry:

I’m about to be much busier (not Joey Maynard code for up the duff!) and really need to spend less time on MN. So I’ll be perfectly delighted if someone else cares to start another thread when this one is full - but you may all have had enough by then..

😅

Monty Don thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/4281220-If-Monty-Don-was-a-woman?page=1

👏👏👏 for all the amazing knowledge that has been shared on this thread. And 💐💐💐for haribo and bo for that labour of love - thank you.

Question for posters who knew about Egg- have their clothes always looked like that?

I don't know how I didn't discover Egg sooner.

Yes, they have @NatashaDancing. I last visited in person decades ago and it all looked the same as the website. Obviously the brands they stock may have changed over the years, but the core themes - relative rarity, perfection, vast expanses of fabric so clothes barely touch the body - pertain.

Are you planning to run away from home and set up camp in Kinnerton St?

The Permanent Style blog is a great resource about all the mills, types of fabrics, finishes, etc. It's mostly supposed to be about men's (classical) style but really it's a nerdy treasure trove about fabric, drafting, craftsmanship, etc.

Venus, there's also forwarding services if you're desperate enough.

It was nice chatting with you all 👋

Thanks for that link, @botemp.

In the interest of fairness …

I should say I’m absolutely delighted with the thick, blue black Margaret Howell t shirt that’s just arrived. Replaces one I’ve finally worn to death.

Regarding this thread - the brilliant thing is there are still so many makers of clothes that we haven’t touched on.

So I wish you all …

Endless happy discoveries …

😘