Toasties - the countdown to Christmas

[Countmeout]

Just getting a thread ready.

i vaguely remember that dress @mizu is it sold out maybe?

Those trousers look lovely on you @Netcam

The only sale decs @mizu were two sets of paper stars.

Hope you’re feeling better today @ScottishMouse @oddandelsewhere

Thanks for the reassurance on the paper chains. Yes, the dress is probably sold out. Lovely trousers @Netcam

Thanks @IlovePond, DH wasn't keen, he said they looked too flared, but I thought they were quite flattering and interesting looking for my almost 55 year old body, so have kept them. Also decided to order the Toast panelled indigo denim ones in size 8 to try. My last purchase of 2024 and I'm only going to shop from my wardrobe in 2025!

Why are they seemingly drip-feeding access to the sale? Do they not realise that those of us deemed "unworthy" might just decide they don't deserve the custom any more? I probably make 5 or 6 orders in a 12 month period, roughly half of that will be full price items. Maybe that's not a lot, but I think what I find objectionable is the elitism from a company loudly blowing its own trumpet about how ethical it is. Excluding people on financial grounds would not seem to me to be particularly ethical...

I know this shouldn't be a political thread and I'm not a regular, so I'll toddle off now, but, if anyone from Toast just happens to drop in, I'd like them to know this. Because it seems a strange way to do business.

@CoubousAndTourmalet Stay and hang out in the angelically patient / philosophically forbearing / grumpy curmudgeon corner with me. They let we peasantry in eventually!

@mizu That dress is pure effortless elegance! I keep reminding myself that it wouldn't look like that on me :)

I agree with you @CoubousAndTourmalet

On a related note:

I apparently don’t have the ‘right accent’ for a Toast customer and, as a result, am often treated with suspicion when I bounce through the doors of a real life shop.

You may have read my post earlier in the year when I mentioned overhearing a very loud conversation between two staff about me being a shoplifter who had apparently stolen a top and was now wearing it 🙈 I was the only one in there, so they obviously meant me. (This is a shop I go in regularly, btw so some of the staff recognise me - although perhaps it’s as an infamous potential thief, not as a regular customer!)

I could have been furious, but I went with disappointed instead!

The exceptions to this ime, are the Toast York and Harrogate shops - very friendly staff, who, presumably due to location, are not frightened by a Northern accent 😹

I do like the clothes and homeware, though. And this lovely thread!

Edited to say: There are, of course, many lovely staff in the other branches I have visited - but all the ones in York and Harrogate - particularly York, were nice and very helpful !

oh yes, that's very odd. I got my Kindred sale email yesterday, and then today I got an 'early access by invitation only' for the account I opened when I was helping look after a very elderly friend. She didn't have kindred and by the time we started that account for her, she was rarely ordering things, though she bought loads over the years by phone. We only bought her very wonderful pyjamas and matching gowns towards the end which she used to wear as she swished around her fancy care home. We didn't buy anything for her this year though, so it must be an odd kind of algorithm they're using

@IlovePond I've only ever shopped in the York store but I agree that they are lovely. Last time I was there they tracked down a skirt I wanted that had sold out online in my size and in the York store. It took her ages on the phone but she was so helpful, I was really impressed.

I have noticed that they've added a back in stock notification which is really useful!

I was saving this, for after all our sale fun, but in the interests of corralling the feedback on this topic, here goes:

Toast, you cannot market yourself as being part of the solution, helping to create a more sustainable world, when you deliberately engineer and work so assiduously to maintain a two-tier society among your own customers. We see what you are doing. Stop it.

I have had really mixed reception at the Harrogate shop depending what day I go. Some of the staff are lovely but some have been really unpleasant; whispering to each other and giving me awful looks whilst serving me. I wondered if it was because I don't buy much as I usually try on in the store and then buy online, but if it was that, it's a really bad look to treat potential customers badly and unbeknownst to them I actually do spend a lot online at home. It's put me off going to the shop in person.

That’s disappointing to hear @JJkate

All three of my sale orders have been dispatched. I didn’t order the cotton hemp denim smock in the end as no-one here said they had bought it. Probably just as well as I got an email today saying my cc was maxed out (too much waitrose shopping 🙄).

Hope it’s all lovely @Theteapotsbrokenspout

My sale order is apparently arriving tomorrow! Sadly I won’t be there as I am waiting to have my appendix whipped out. Happy Christmas to me! I’m hoping I can get home tomorrow otherwise DH will have to wrap his own gifts!

Hope you feel better soon @ScottishMouse and have a speedy recovery ❤️‍🩹

I did see that previous post of yours @IlovePond , I was rather shocked. I should probably point out that I was here before as Pyrenean Aubrie but my account was accidentally zapped when I had a computer issue (okay, I confess, being a complete Luddite, I clicked on something I shouldn't have 🙄so my chap confiscated my laptop for a thorough clean-up). MN told me my account couldn't be retrieved but okayed a new one. New one is still my dog names.

I have never visited a Toast shop, not yet at least, being in the wilds of Lancashire, but I've made a note to stick with the northern ones in the light of your comment about accents. I have a very slight touch of scouse, still, even after 45 years away from Liverpool 😆which would be pretty much guaranteed to give off instant shoplifter vibes! If I do venture into Toast at any point, I'll try to be very careful what I wear.

Being vaguely biker/metalhead in my youth, in combination with aforementioned scouse accent, I was regularly followed around whenever I dared to enter an upmarket shop of any sort. Goodness knows what they'd make of me now, at 60, with long frocks and witchy hair but it would be interesting to find out.

@ScottishMouse oh my goodness, was that totally unexpected?

My best friend who was never ill, never, had stomach pain one day and it was an appendicitis! Don't think she'd ever been to the doc / into a hospital before that.

Agree with @Stravaig re the tier thing. Just do a sale!

Blimey @ScottishMouse - hope all goes well.

Totally out of nowhere @mizu. Fabulous timing! In one way it is - I am off work for 2 weeks - bur I would have preferred to have these two weeks ailment free and then get some sick leave from work another time.

@ScottishMouse You're having an adventuresome Christmas! Hope you're home and well again soon ❤️

@CoubousAndTourmalet - I remember your old username now! I think Toast York would be your best bet - it’s a small shop, but in the lovely old part near the Minster!

I thought I was playing safe wearing Toast to a Toast shop, but apparently not! Since then, if visiting Toast I try to ensure I have only a very small bag with me and am preferably not wearing a coat. I also try to avoid being in there too long. (Usually I like to look at everything that interests me in a shop, but this seems to cause alarm in Toastworld!)

TBH, I really don’t understand why I continue to go in-store. I have boycotted companies for much, much less😹

It would also help if Toast would move into the 21st century and use security tags and cameras!

Re: Sale

Some extra things have been added since I looked yesterday - there’s a linen dress I quite like the look of, (the one that also comes in a green crinkle cotton).

Does anyone have this dress, and, if so, how does it fit?

I also quite like the look of the blue jumper with the neck buttons, (the one that has a matching hat), but the reviews say it’s close-fitting, which is not what I want.

Does anyone have this jumper? If so, what is it like?

Thanks