toasties going into,summer . No end to,us.

[Countmeout]

New thread

@Lagirl20 i have an olive donegal cardie and the blue donegal knitted jacket and they are both lovely to wear. No bobbling at all, slightly scratchy but nothing my sensitive skin can’t handle.

I have had a spendy sale.
2xsilk socks. Gorgeous but will wear on special occasions as very fine.
Falk plum socks. Lovely colour and cosy.
Navy donegal jacket. Over sized but good basic.
Japanese chore jacket. Beautiful fabric. throw it over dresses.
blue block print pj shirt. Will wear over plain summer dresses.
navy cashmere cardie. Good basic. The rust coloured one also. Really soft knit.
4 coloured patch silk bandana. Colours much duller in real life but tied on black leather handbag and looks fine.
birkenstock taupe sandles. Good for holiday in lisbon.
Green denim shirt. Good for this cold summer to go over dresses.
Oak bread board. Will look nice in kitchen.
linen stripe Alix’s. Good for summer but a bit neat around the waist. Will try and loose a couple of pounds.
green bark velvet throw. Totally different to how it looks on screen but they are so well made and sumptuous. I have the slate one. Gave this one to mum who is less colour fussy.

must not look at toast website until winter sale now!

I enjoyed the live yesterday too. I wonder if one of those people is the Nikki replacement? They both seemed really good and not too over-effusive, and the new style presentation of the clothes was very helpful

A big box arrived today - five tops and an incense holder. I'm keeping the incense holder and the lounge tee is navy in a large is lovely so am keeping that too. The striped jersey button up shirt in small really gaped at the bust but was quite big elsewhere (didn't even bother to try the XS , the two Emma tees in small and XS which should have fitted me even in 'new' sizing were really tight. Glad about the lounge tee, but really getting pissed off with the sizing. There's no consistency at all!

@Primrosespaw ooh I’m waiting on the silk socks. Did you notice they are further reduced? Toast refunded me the difference.

@Snowyowl78 i managed to get the second green pair reduced futher, the gold was bought right at the beginning of the sale so wasn’t sure they would refund the differnce. They really are gorgeous and will wear them with some black velvet cropped trousers and a pair of DM loafers.

@Primrosespaw they sound lovely! Are you planning to handwash them?

@Snowyowl78 i think I will, or put in rinse wash for 10 minutes, which is how I wash pure wool. Then air.

i wonder if anyone ever buys anything from the mens section? I have noticed they sometimes have really lovely jumpers and jackets. I would quite like to get the Blackhorse Lane denim jacket in small, especially as I lived and taught in Walthamstow for many years, which is where the item is made. Might take the risk and return if needed. I have broad shoulders but quite short.

I’m really enjoying hearing what some have kept this time round. I’ve ordered a few items I’ve previously missed out on, which has been quite nice.

The most recent order has included the crinkle cotton pinafore type dress, and I think @Countmeout has it. It looks great, but the bits under the arm stick out - it kind of looks like on me how it looks lying down. Count, did you have this? I wonder if they might flatten/settle once washed.

@ScottishMouse @faustina there was some chat about the Arc pants, I have them in raw denim and they are really nice, and incredibly comfortable. Faustina, if I can remember you have them in the natural colour.

I am eyeing the Kitty clogs mules, not that I wear anything heeled, but they do look lovely.

@FitzLea - yes, I was suggesting to @ScottishMouse she might like to try a pair as she was looking for recommendations for jeans. I have the natural ones, though a bit heavy for summer, but was thinking of trying the mid denim when it gets towards autumn. they are comfortable aren't they.

Evening Toasties.

I ended up going back into the sale despite best intentions. I am trying a couple of pairs of Cotton Twill trousers - Kathe in Dark Pear and Panelled in Oil Cloth. Similar colours and I'm not sure I really need them....the dangers of a prolonged Toast sale.

@FitzLea I am fairly full of bust and sort of fill it 😳. Have you tried ironing it so they sit better?

Thanks for all the feedback on the Donegal jumper! I will update when I buy it

I love all of the sales chat and hearing what works and what doesn’t, particularly those surprises which you take a gamble on and prove to be perfect. I had one such item - the chunky cotton knitted tank in nasturtium. I dithered and ordered just to see but when it arrived I discovered a beautifully knitted, perfectly sized, rich and flecked colour that looks fabulous over a dress or a shirt but equally works with nothing underneath. Yesterday I wore it on its own with the Bronwen stripe cotton trousers and, because it was cold in London, the garment dyed denim shirt in woad (blue) worn open as a jacket. I had the turquoise version of the tank in my bag but annoyingly it has sold out in the 12 while I was dithering. I know I am going to get lots of wear out of the nasturtium tank in summer and in winter.

I have the pintuck chambray dress coming and the indigo cotton twill dress: I know the pintuck dress works in a 10 as I tried it on several seasons ago but I do recall it was a tad short for my liking so will see when it arrives. The twill dress is a gamble too, sized up as per the review recommendations. Other sales hits have been the forge creative oval oak board (beautiful quality, almost a work of art), the utility jacket (of which there was much talk on here) and the woad denim shirt.

In other brands, I have been watching and listening to the debate around Me & Em on Mumsnet and in the broadsheets following Victoria Starmer and Angela Rayner giving the brand publicity recently. I bought some of their stuff early on in the brand and then either I fell out of love or the brand lost its way a bit. Anyway, following a new job I started last autumn and the need for a bit of office wear more formal than Toast can deliver, I rediscovered them. I would definitely advocate for their wide leg tailored trousers if that is what you are looking for: very flattering and look really good on. I also have a number of their pussy bow and other blouses and they are great. Probably my favourite piece though is their cotton utility midi skirt in tan which I absolutely love. It is cut well enough to wear to the office with a blouse and great for the weekend with a Toast tee. One of the Toast or the Me & Em belts finishes off a great look.

I have also rediscovered Jaegar via M & S and have just bought the relaxed cotton stretch cropped jacket in navy which is amazing quality and value for money at £99.

@ToastCosILoveIt I didn't get the indigo twill dress after dithering for ages and mostly sold out. Wasn't sure what size to go for either, 10 or 12.......let us know how both dresses fit.

Will do @mizu , I am a 12 and ordered the 14 as recommended. I meant to say that Me & Em seems to come up very true to size: almost everything I have bought there in a 12 has fitted well.

Funnily enough I’ve also been looking at the me and em website recently, also inspired by VS as well as the blog midlife chic where she promoted them recently.

I don’t find I get on as well with their fit though and find their price very aspirational. Even more so than toast I think and they don’t seem to reduce as much in their sales😁

Anyway I have ordered a pair of cargo trousers from me and em as well as the oil cloth panelled trousers to compare and pick which pair I prefer. These are the me and em ones www.meandem.com/casual-crop-trouser-light-khaki# www.meandem.com/casual-crop-trouser-light-khaki#]]

I missed the wrap jumpsuit in the end @BarnacleBeasley so will be interested to hear your feedback.

https://www.meandem.com/casual-crop-trouser-light-khaki#

Sorry seemed to mess up the link in my first email 😳

@FitzLea I have this and ended up sizing down to avoid the sides sticking out. It means that it's pretty snug around the chest and anything I wear underneath has to be slim fitting otherwise it bunches up at the armholes whereas I think in the model shots it was styled with something looser underneath. Am happy with the fit of mine but would be interested to know how a looser size would hang as it might be more versatile in the winter to be able to style with more long sleeved tops.

Just jumping on here to have a moan.. the quality of finish is sadly declining I find this last year or two.

This stitching is diabolical.
Just clumped up, twisted, no tension.. could literally pull it out with my fingers.

It's not the only item I own finished like this, but I'm wearing this today and just fed up with it.
I hope Toast employees read this thread.. please get your quality control sorted out.. these are expensive items, we will shop elsewhere and there are now plenty of other emerging Toast rivals.

@MrsRadichio i buy probably 50% of my new clothes from me and em. Their quality is so good and their fit is exceptional and consistent. Their sales are excellent. I mainly buy trousers and jeans but have also a few skirts including a leather one and a knitted skirt/ tank combo that had a lot of wear. And I bought a pair of their trainers which are so good. So definitely worth a go if you are tempted. I’m 5’1 and currently a 10 or w27 in me and em if that helps

Yes, I completely agree. It is one of the things that is turning me off Toast. For that price, I expect much better quality than there has been the last year or so.

@AvaGardens
I would get onto Toast customer services about that.
Not much they can do on an anonymous forum.
It's completely unacceptable and they should refund you.

Yes @Poplinskirt I've sent them an email today, of pics of this and some of the other items with loose buttons, dodgy unfinished button holes, snarled, wonky stitches etc.
I've now learned to turn each item inside out and check through each piece as it arrives.
Compared to items from a few years ago, 3 years seems to be the date upon checking my spreadsheets (seems to be a popular tool here!) When the finishing just isn't what it used to be.
More so on their items from China than India, Portugal etc

@faustina they are great, but I find I don’t like the way it looks with a tucked in top, so I always opt for loose tops when wearing them. Does limit their wearability for me slightly.

@Countmeout I don’t have an iron, but I’ll
give them a steam this week and see if that helps. @puddles75 thanks for your feedback on how you found sizing. I took my usual size, but this is fitting how I’d expect a size up to fit.

Just arrived in the post, my last sale buy.. Navy and Propagator buttoned cotton hemp tops, the ones that look like cardigans.
Gorgeous colours and soft light fabric, but using my new method I turned them inside out.
However, I'm keeping them because I really love them.

I'll just do a bit of hand overlocking.
Another email and pic sent to customer services.