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Original poster

M&S

119 replies

MehMam · 21/08/2023 01:03

I'm 46 and usually shop at the likes of Mint Velvet, Hush, Saint and Sofia, ME+EM, All Saints, Whistles, Zara and H&M.

These past few months, I've started to shop more from M&S as I actually do like some of the styles. I grew up avoiding M&S because it's where my mum has always shopped and it was full of non-descript, drab and boring fugly clothes.

What going on other than I'm turning into my mum? I'm worried! Anyone else?

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 22/08/2023 07:48

But I only buy online because their shops are so badly laid out and have no stock.

I think it is very branch dependent. I don't have that problem at Meadowhall.

BitOutOfPractice · 22/08/2023 08:06

@TVstolemyevenings if you are into the gym / sport their good move range is great. Good quality and prices. Would recommend.

Lentilweaver · 22/08/2023 08:18

@RampantIvy I am in Central London! Somehow size 12 in anything, or bra size 34 B is always sold out.

TVstolemyevenings · 22/08/2023 08:47

Lots of posted quoting me that they can’t believe o don’t like anything in there!

I don’t. Not the gym west or underwear and most certainly not the clothes.

I find the cut and colour of everything just the wrong side of frumpy. I have never seen anything I like.

and yes I have looked because it’s one of the few large shops at the giant retail place by me so I every so often go in there all hopefully when I read things like this. But i still hate it.

BitOutOfPractice · 22/08/2023 08:54

Just trying to be helpful 😬 @TVstolemyevenings

I’m sure you can believe other people do find stuff they like though eh?

RampantIvy · 22/08/2023 09:11

I don't shop in Zara because I have never found anything that would suit me, but I don't write off all the clothes as being terrible. I don't like everything in M and S either, but I usually find a gem or two.

I would like to know what the oh so stylish @TVstolemyevenings wears and where she shops.

Lentilweaver · 22/08/2023 09:59

With Zara I find their website very difficult to navigate.

TizerorFizz · 22/08/2023 10:22

@Lentilweaver I have used better. Zara tend to advertise looks in with the clothes.

I’m amazed how many people pop into a shop and expect to see all stock on offer. Everything is on line. Not in a shopping mall. The Goodmove offerings from M&S are really good. My bigger issue with Goodmove is that some trousers are too short for me.

lovescats3 · 22/08/2023 10:33

Always find m and s good.what is this story about people and the underwear about?

RampantIvy · 22/08/2023 11:23

TizerorFizz · 22/08/2023 10:22

@Lentilweaver I have used better. Zara tend to advertise looks in with the clothes.

I’m amazed how many people pop into a shop and expect to see all stock on offer. Everything is on line. Not in a shopping mall. The Goodmove offerings from M&S are really good. My bigger issue with Goodmove is that some trousers are too short for me.

I hate clothes shopping online
I want to see and feel clothes and try before I buy
I am often between sizes so I always have to take more than one size into the changing room
I don't want to spend ages queuing in the post office to return loads of stuff
I don't want to kill off retail by never using shops

I will only clothes shop online as a last resort.

TizerorFizz · 22/08/2023 11:28

I prefer trying on at home. Selecting sizes via a comments from other people. Plus knowing myself! Understanding about fabrics and gleaning info from comments and huge shopping malls could be housing sites. We need a reduced shopping footprint. John Lewis are doing this. I take anything back to a food hall. Never use the post office for M&S. Never queue as it’s auto return in the food hall.

RampantIvy · 22/08/2023 11:32

I tend to window shop online then go shopping. Returning stuff is a faff for me as it is a 28 mile round trip for me.

Chypre · 22/08/2023 11:32

I am 33 and I ship M&S online a lot! They are picking up fashion trends quite fast but do it in an actually wearable manner for us mortal humans with jobs and commitments, so cropped tops are indeed cropped full-size tops that would look alright in public, and not shrunken nipple belts that only look good on a static instagram photo.

Lentilweaver · 22/08/2023 11:32

@RampantIvy I also prefer trying on at home, especially since so much fabric these days is shiny or thin or poor quality. Also, I am between sizes too.

What I am doing these days with M and S and many others like Zara and Cos is ordering to the store, trying on in the store, and then returning right away. Saves a trip to the post office.

RampantIvy · 22/08/2023 11:35

I find the Meadowhall store well stocked so I haven't needed to order to the store so far, but it is an option.

Amispringy · 22/08/2023 11:43

ohcrums · 21/08/2023 22:08

I'm scared to buy their pants after I read a thread on here about odd changing room behaviour and reviews at m&s online

Could you explain please

I love their pants. They last for ever

You're not allowed to try them on though

EvenlyDetermined · 22/08/2023 12:38

I much prefer shopping in person and have two large, well stocked branches of M&S within half an hour of me. I order online too as we have an M&S food at the end of my road which makes pick-up and return easy. I don't expect to find everything in store that is online but sometimes I will find things in store that I wouldn't have found online and its much easier to try on say three different styles of jeans in a couple of sizes each (I'm between sizes) in store. I also order off my phone while I'm still in the store if something suits but isn't quite the right size or I want a different colour.

BasiliskStare · 22/08/2023 13:24

I wear their jeggings which are not expensive and comfortable.

I get frustrated when I want a decent navy blue sweater / cardigan and I am surrounded by lime green or peach. But I have bought some decent longer length cotton shirts from there and they are good basics - & I bought a cotton jumper which I wear a lot.

I too tend to avoid the obvious patterns.

RampantIvy · 22/08/2023 13:44

I get frustrated when I want a decent navy blue sweater / cardigan and I am surrounded by lime green or peach

That is my main gripe with M and S. I often see something in a style that is perfect, but in the wrong colour. I suit jewel winter colours, so I avoid shopping there in early spring and early autumn.

TizerorFizz · 22/08/2023 18:52

On line they will have lots of navy! Lots of colours. You can easily filter out what you don’t want.

Northbright · 22/08/2023 19:19

Agree M&S has improved hugely in the last couple of years. In the 90s it was brilliant for simple, well-cut good quality clothes. Eg there was a white tshirt with a heart shaped neckline that Jen wore in Friends and you could get a very similar tshirt in M&S that lasted for ages! Wool rollnecks in nice colours, good trousers. In the last 10 years (until recently) the clothes were so badly made. The static coming off jumpers was unbelievablePlus as already mentioned they could bugger up any nice design. I remember a maxi dress cut nicely in the seasons tangerine which looked amazing BUT NO...turn it around and the back has some weird spidery crochet thing going on.
However in the last couple of years things have really turned around. I really like the trousers particularly, some of the shoes and the sports kit. And the Fantasie bras are fantastic.

Northbright · 22/08/2023 19:25

Having said that, the linen blend wide leg trousers (not the pure linen one) cooks your legs like sausages..sweat pouring down...so possibly not breathable material.

FleetwudMac · 22/08/2023 19:27

M&S is great at the moment. I'm 37 and my colleagues are generally younger and shop there too. We have two locally, both huge and relatively new!

Poblano · 22/08/2023 19:27

I buy a lot from M&S as they make blouses and shirts with the right sleeve length for me (I have long arms and I hate sleeves that don't reach my wrists). They also have a good choice of trousers in different styles and colours.

I often order online as I prefer to try things at home. It's easier to return online orders using the machines in store than it is to queue and return a store purchase at the tills.

FinnRustle · 23/08/2023 11:01

Apart from the cray-cray Nancy de l'Ollio Per Una Years, M&S has had two big problems to deal with in the last decade - fast fashion from Primark/supermarkets, which led to all those horribly cheap and nasty fabrics, and the pandemic followed by hybrid working, so less demand for their reliable office separates, which led to all those really, really bad fleecy onesies with Percy Pigs on them.

The great strength was always high quality basics, which is much more in line now with sustainable shopping ethos than it's ever been. The Goodmove range is genuinely excellent, and the basics are getting better. If they can establish a niche as purveyors of the best WFH clothing - comfortable fabrics, stylish enough for Zoom calls, durable and wearable - it could be a turning point. I loved the Best of British range they did a while back, but the designs were just a bit too 'directional' for me.