Ghost - then and now

[comeondover]

I bought some beautiful pieces from Ghost 15 - 20 years ago. They were well made and the cut was incredibly flattering - on the bias, hid multitudes.

What are Ghost clothes like now? I think Touker Souleyman (sp?) bought the company, and given his enthusiasm for cost-cutting on Dragons' Den, I'd love to know if they're still lovely.

I first bought Ghost 40 years ago from a modern boutique in Harrow. It was crepey fabric with satin edges, in muted colours, very drapey and so different to anything else in those days - I've kept so much stuff, can't believe I didn't keep any of it, it was very delicate, so perhaps it just disintegrated!

I have two huge suitcases full of Ghost dresses and tops. All vintage and need to get rid of it. I used to wear Ghost all the time 35+ years ago as I knew staff who worked there so got it relatively cheap.

@Rina66 It does not disintegrate - I have bought out the odd thing from my massive collection, all squashed up in the suitcases, washed it on 30 degrees, hung it up to dry and it looks like new. The fabric (washed/treated viscose) made it really easy to pack for trips as you just hung it up in the bathroom for half an hour and it was good to go! Baby Ceylon was another company that made almost identical clothing in the same fabric.

I went into the Ghost shop recently and the clothes/fabric was nowhere near as good as the old stuff. Wouldn't buy it now.

I was only joking about the disintegration @BarmyFotheringay - it did all wash very well and ironed back in to shape beautifully. I remember I had gorgeous skirts (with matching kimono style jackets) that had what we call a yoga waistband now, I loved them, they were so comfortable and you could adjust the length by pulling it up or down or folding it over. They were very ahead of their time, I miss it, funnily I don't buy anything from them now though.

I went into the Ghost shop recently and the clothes/fabric was nowhere near as good as the old stuff.

Sad to hear but good to know @BarmyFotheringay

I was under the impression it was back in fashion, what with the long bias-cut skirt trend? Certainly have been seeing Ghost a lot more recently.

I used to LOVE LOVE LOVE the look in the 90s (and still do), but I’m not tall enough to wear it. Always very envious of my tall thin friends who looked/look fabulous in Ghost.

I have two huge suitcases full of Ghost dresses and tops. All vintage and need to get rid of it

@BarmyFotheringay How wonderful! Why do you want to get rid of it? I've got quite a lot of early 2000s Ghost, from when they used to do the knock-down bargain warehouse sales in London. I wouldn't part with it for anything.

I have two beautiful Ghost dress/jacket combinations from the early 2000s. They are beautiful and I will never let them go…or wear them again! I don’t think they make clothes like that anymore or certainly not at that price point. Also a beautiful beaded Whistles dress from the same era that I was so happy to see my daughter wear to an occasion recently ☺️

@Time40 Well I used to be a size 10 but not so much now! I am moving in the next few months so need a big clear out and have to be realistic that I will not be that size again anytime soon...
Loved that they were 'Made in England' as well.

@BarmyFotheringay you’d have a lot of vinted buyers off this thread if you let us know when you do get rid 😁

I've got 3 Ghost dresses from the 90s. Lovely heavy, drapey material that is so flattering. Sent for a dark green bias cut, button front one a couple of months ago for a wedding. It was dreadful. Thin fabric that was a mass of creases that wouldn't come out. Looked like something of a market stall. The Ghost we know and love is long gone I'm afraid.

@WashableVelvet Sold a couple of things on Vinted last year but realised that taking pics and all the bother was so time consuming. Also many of the items are black which do not photograph well. I would rather someone came round and made an offer for the lot!
@thenightsky Yes, I feel the same. The way they washed/treated the fabric made it really flattering.
I have some 'Handwritten' stuff as well which was a later label from one of the original Ghost designers.
I was lucky that I worked in Hyper Hyper when they had their first shop in there.

I never bought Ghost in the heyday so can’t really compare ( I do remember coveting it though!)
I bought a dress from there last year, on sale; they do good discounts. heavy satin fabric cut on the bias. I thought it was nice and definitely worth £40

@BarmyFotheringay if I were a size 10, I'd be straight round. Even though I look terrible in black.

You could put the whole lot on ebay as one item and then nostalgic MNers could fight each other for it! How much would you sell it for? I'm thinking of some thinner friends who do look good in black...

I'm short and fat and 50 and I didn't wear ghost in the 90s (cost) but I bought a few of the midi skirts last year to wear with boots and a jumper as my personal work uniform and I've been wearing, washing and ironing them weekly for about a year now and I'm happy with the quality and how they have lasted. I bought a cheap New Look version (wanted a colour Ghost don't do) and it's way nastier.

FWIW I think if you wear them right they look great on the short and fat of arse! The bias cut skims and fits my shape where more structured clothes just box around me and less structured ones swap me. I don't look like a statuesque model obviously, but then again I was never going to 😂

Actually that said I just remembered I bought a dress recently and had to return it. The fabric was fine but it had a weird seam right up the middle of the bodice that stopped it hanging properly. Very odd design choice.

Tell us more about needing to get rid of it all . What size is it? Is it coming up on Vinted?

That was my experience. I found a dress I adored that was exactly right for my body shape. I was so excited to try it on. But the seams were all rucked. I looked like a bag of spuds. Also, I don't know if they pattern cut for taller women now, but the length from shoulder to waist was so long and the neckline so deep my boobs were hanging out and I'd have needed 1980s shoulder pads to get it to sit properly on my waist. Weird sizing.

I have always thought the material too thin (never bought anything) and that if you had a pimple anywhere on your body, it would show through!!!

i’d happily buy them from you 😂x

I did have a long navy column dress that I bought in the 00s I think. Ended up charity shopping it I think.

My SIL’s bridesmaids dresses of which mine was one were baby Ceylon. I’ve kept this. Hardly worn it though.

I have quite a few Ghost dresses from 20 years ago that are still going strong and my daughter now wears some of the stuff that I have put too much weight on to wear anymore. But the new stuff is awful quality. I bought my DD a pair of PJs as a Christmas gift and they started coming apart at the seams within a month. I bought myself a long sleeved maxi dress but it had a thick seam down the front of it which never sits straight and look awful so that is going on ebay. I wouldn't touch Ghost with a barge pole now.