Toasties - still loving the knitwear and the chat!

[IlovePond]

I have set up a new Toastie thread, guys.

I was disappointed in the coat @mizu . It looks very straight and I cannot fathom the colour . Never mind it being ££££.
Not sure about the trousers in the video. However I would say 70-80% of people I saw at the shopping centre today were wearing wide legged trousers.

I am regretting not buying last seasons denim shirt dress. I had a trip to the Abraham Moon factory shop at Guiesley yesterday, and the sales assistant was wearing the dress and a pair of the burgundy Fracap monkey boots. She looked fab. We had a chat about Toast, including size variations! I’m hoping there might be some returns available in next sale.

The Moon shop is worth a visit. They sell factory second throws, cushions, fabric by metre, and wool and cashmere scarves. It’s a distance for me to travel, but worth it for the bargains I got.

I’ve returned my last two sale purchases. The charcoal linen dress is incorrectly sized. I have the blue in a M and it’s loose fitting. The charcoal in M, I could barely squeeze over my boobs.

Then disappointingly the space dyed tank is going back. I sized up as it sounded too neat for me in the reviews but the sides just stuck out. Now I think of it, a bit like those barrel leg trousers in the Live!

I have to say that Live was a disappointment for me. Basically just talking about one trouser shape. It felt like they thought they needed to explain them to us ? I prefer to be shown a range of items and to see styling ideas. I know it was about trouser shapes but I only saw the barrel or balloon I think she said once. Anyway to me they all looked barrel…. I was expecting a range of different shapes, and all on one model so no seeing what they looked like on anyone my size. Maybe I’m just grumpy but it felt lacking.

@IlovePond - I am also a fairly recent convert (from 2020). I remember being blown away by the collections in 2021 (even as I was laughing at people up ladders in woods and mushrooms in pockets).

Indeed @Stoic123 😹

Those ecru barrel jeans have totally sold out! I thought i saw a navy version modelled with some other new stuff but it doesn’t seem to be available yet.

I think I can see a blue denim pair modelled with the brick coloured cotton smock top. I will try those when they appear.

@mizu I so love the Boilersuit and want so much to be a Boilersuit person, and hope someone on here suits it , I’m really disappointed because I know that although it looked ok on me it didn’t fit in the way I like ie like on the model . It’s pretty much the same as a denim Boilersuit from now deceased and missed Spry workwear …I wear in in the house only.
Whereas the tie waist jumpsuit is perfect and so is an old jump/ Boilersuit from Maison Scotch which has a belt.

@Stravaig I sense exasperation and of course you’re absolutely right Toast should stick to the classic workwear formula in order to reduce impact on resources.
My own grump is that I hate their support of Chinese enterprise , however much they protest ; it is always linked to exploitation.

As for cowboy legs I admit I’m a huge fan. I like to experiment with silhouettes to some extent and this is one I love .

Absolutely with you on Toast’s bizarre support for Chinese manufacturers @OftenOrange.

I am well aware that much of my existing wardrobe comes via China, (mainly due to its ubiquitousness on the High Street and my previous lack of awareness), but I am trying to do better moving forward.

However, it’s Toast’s boasting of its ethical credentials, whilst working with China, that really annoys me.

I brought it up at a Kindred event where the big cheese responded with: ‘The quality of the Chinese goods is excellent’. Maybe so, but a deliberate ignoring of the point I was actually making - about ethics - as 90% of Chinese cotton comes from Xinjiang and is produced by forced labour.

When I persisted, I was told that Toast were ‘moving away’ from Chinese goods due to customers’ concerns, but there would be an increase in prices as a result.

@IlovePond Slapped wrist and naughty corner for you for daring to call them out on ethics!
No one in their right mind sucks up that nonsense, we all know that the company is there to make money , and lots of it and they’ve targeted the ever growing market supporting fair trade , sustainability etc.
I don’t remember any of this when the Setons owned the company, there was a tacit understanding that they produced high quality goods that lasted ages , and that they provided work in a rural part of Wales .No need to labour the point thanks.

Indeed @OftenOrange 😹

@OftenOrange my sister would laugh at this. It's a running joke between us that I love a boiler suit but can never find one that I love enough to feel comfortable in and keep. So I've had 3 or 4 but have always sold them on!

I'll definitely try this one on. Cheltenham store closed til 11th Feb for refurbishment so after that.

Anyone seen the Kate Sheridan video on the TOAST page of Instagram? I've had one of her tab bags for years and love it so much.

an indigo tie waist jumpsuit size 12 is on Vinted if anyone’s keen, I think someone said they missed out on it before, can’t remember who!

I had a little shopping spree in Hampstead last Friday. A delayed flight out of Heathrow had a silver lining 😊. I bought the pleated organic skirt in both colour ways as I'll wear the navy one for work and the duffle green one at the weekends. They are true to size I would say and feel lovely to wear.

I also bought the striped wool cashmere in olive which I'll be wear with the green skirt: super soft and love the stand up collar. www.toa.st/products/stripe-wool-cashmere-half-sleeve-sweater-dark-navy-olive

Finally, bought the baya indigo twill shirt. It goes beautifully with the navy skirt, or as a little indoor jacket over something else. www.toa.st/products/baya-indigo-cotton-twill-shirt-indigo

I tried a few other things on: the green and navy dresses that are styled with the pleated skirts are huge, with the small fitting me as a size 12, but they're very a-line and would definitely need the belt to pull them in. They're also very long so they'll swamp you if you're not careful. I like the way they're styled with the skirt but the reality of moving around in every day life isn't something that I think you can carry off the way the styled photo looks.

I retried the striped brick gathered smock top in small, having ordered the medium and sent it back, but even the small seemed big, but not in a good way for me.

I also tried the garment dyed linen shirt in oat but preferred the gut and got of the indigo twill shirt above. And I tried the indigo twill culotte jumpsuit but it's very similar to a toast dress I have.

That was it, the shop looked glorious, staff super helpful and a positive trip. If money were no object I'd really have stocked up 😍.

Just had an email about the Hooded Waxed Cotton Parka, such a beautifully crafted thing. The long lean shape and wrap over neckline are especially appealing, very Aragorn wandering the wilds.

In truth it's one of those yellow-greens that do nothing for me, plus scarred by my encounter with an earlier swingy version, where I excitedly tried it on, only to find DCI Vera Stanhope looking back at me.

Hoping someone else can do it justice!

@Stravaig yes! I want to try on too but the price is eye watering. Aragorn ♥️

@OftenOrange Sorry, I do try to intersperse the grumpiness with joy and appreciation 😆
(I wrote more about cowboy leg trousers, but it turned into multiple paragraphs, so I'll maybe save that for another time :)

@IlovePond I say go for it! I've often thought that if I were independently wealthy, making my own clothes would be one of my first indulgences. Just to have the time and resources to experiment and learn. I'd need someone to teach me some technical skills though, or even do it for me 😆.

I think we have lost so much craft expertise, not just as individuals, but at the professional level too. I do notice that the indie brands I love which are made in the UK are often quite basic in their shapes and construction skills, very reminiscent of grandma's paper pattern books.

@mizu Relying on you to venture forth and report back from the wilds a Toast shop then!

@mizu I saw that Kate Sheridan video on her instagram I think. She's great isn't she? I have three of her totes now, they're so useful!

@Stravaig I had an earlier version of that coat. I'd wanted it for ages and refused to admit it looked awful on me for some time.

@ToastCosILoveIt - that sounds like a very productive shopping trip. The indigo baya shirt is on my list. I'm just worried that it has no pockets though.

The reworn indigo quilted jacket arrived and has gone straight back. It's ridiculously tiny. I can do up the buttons but it's very tight and looks silly. I also notice from googling that it's from at least 2018 so I think the price they wanted (£95) was a bit optimistic. It wasn't pristine either

Lovely buys @ToastCosILoveIt. I felt exactly the same about that dress, beautiful but not for me. I’m now wondering if I was too hasty sending back the pleated skirt, I loved it on first try and the reviews are great.
@faustina, that’s a shame about the quilted jacket. I was hoping it would be fabulous.

Faustina, I have an indigo quilted jacket at home that I’ve worn only once. If you’re interested, I can put it on the Facebook group and tag you. It’s a size 12. I’m not at home until late Friday but can post pictures on here then. It’s lovely but I end up rarely wearing jackets (and have other toast jackets I reach for if I do).

@Stravaig - I broke the sewing machine EVERY lesson in my Year 7 Needlework class, (showing my age 🙀), so I think the fashion world may have to wait awhile for my entry onto the market! I wasn’t a bad basic knitter at one point but I can’t really do it atm for various physical reasons. I would like to try again at some point.

I agree that lots of skills are being lost - I do so admire people who can sew, (also those who can sing, dance, play instruments, do DIY and a whole range of other things outside my skill set!)

I agree with you re: that overcoat and others similar. I just cannot carry them off, lovely as they are.

@TosstTastic your shopping trip sounds great. Should I get to KC this weekend I will definitely try on some of the new stock.

@ToastCosILoveIt - that would be fabulous if you could give me first refusal on the jacket, and I think @ScottishMouse is after one too so perhaps she could have second refusal? Is it the same as the reworn one? Collarless and with buttons but also two little tie ribbons? Did you also find it really small to size? I'm looking for something I can wear over a jumper

Hello Faustina, no, it's not that one. It's boxy with a collar and buttons up the front to the collar. It's got pockets too. It may not be what you're looking for. I'll post photos anyway. I've been meaning to sell it for a while as I just don't wear it and it's beautiful.

Hello, sounds like you had a very fruitful shopping trip ! How do the skirts feel when worn? I can’t wear pleats high up to the waistband as it accentuates my hips and makes me look enormous. These pleats seem to fall lower down with a flat panel circling top of hips and waist so I’m hoping the overall look will be fairly slimming. I think they will be super useful skirts providing they suit me. Any feedback much appreciated.