Is M&S really having a moment?

[friedaddedchilli]

I keep seeing/hearing that M&S is having an amazing season, but I'm not getting it. Browsing the website I see nothing special. What am I missing? What have you bought recently which has really thrilled you?

I’m the exact same

I thought it was last year.
I loved the Sienna Miller Collab. & bought a beautiful silk shirt from the Bella Freud collection. I also purchased a brushed cashmere cardigan from Jaeger in the sales This year I've bought a very pretty frilled white cotton skirt that I will wear for years and a suedette jacket. But the clothes that have launched recently are pretty ordinary & have really shot up in price. Especially basics like jeans & wool jumpers.
I'm now buying a lot more from Uniqlo - cooler styles & better prices. Plus Zara for cotton basics like lace edged vests.

I've found the complete opposite. I can grab a pair of size 10 jeans off the rack and know they are going to fit me perfectly. I've found their sizing bang on!

i’m not sure if M&S is having a moment right now but it has improved massively over the last few years. I visit a physical store once a year in May (Oxford branch) when I’m at an annual conference nearby. It’s a kind of snapshot for me.

Back in 2017 I visited in May and ended up taking photos because it was terrible. Here are some key pieces on offer in a reasonably stocked branch. These were not the end of summer dregs - they were in the most prominent places in early May. You could almost feel the static electricity just walking around the shop.

To me M&S is a very long way from this! Though I do miss their straightforward Lambswool jumpers as the manmade knitwear looks awful after one wear and the cashmere though lovely is a bit of a step up.

i was in there yesterday and was really impressed by the choice of trousers, actually bought some black wide legged ones. Good range of sizes and leg lengths.

I quite like some items, and I love my Rosie bra from M&S. but the sizing?! It’s ridiculous. Everything is massive. A size 8 would fit someone 4 stone overweight.

I’m quite a normal healthy BMI & not a M&S size 8. Their sizing isn’t that generous. I’m pretty much the same dress size everywhere, including M&S.

I do struggle with their lengths. With a 33” inseam sometimes I need a tall, but other times the tall is puddling on the floor. I always order 2 lengths to be sure.

I like their wide leg jeans and cords. My favourite buy is their grey suede barrel leg trousers - so looking forward to wearing them! Not a fan of their knitwear though.

Online is amazing but they hardly ever have any if it in my local store. Sizing us all over the place so need to try on otherwise I’m buying a 10, 12 and 14 just incase.

Was going to buy a nice striped sweatshirt I saw online in M as thats usually my size but I happened to see it in another store and the M was huge!

Im really liking their bags at the moment too.

I think the quality has deteriorated. Lots of knitwear described as “cloud yarn” which is horribly synthetic and goes bobbly within one wear. Nylon dresses and “vegan” plastic shoes.
I do agree the jeans are good value, a variety of styles and nice quality. The Rosie underwear is nice too.

I'm allergic to all wool, cashmere etc too, and fine H&M quite good for non-wool knits. I'll take a look at Primark as well!

Unfortunately they seem to have forgotten that influencers won’t keep the door open, the website is full of bizarre poses of skinny young models all looking thoroughly fed up with skirts too short, flared trousers sized for giants (model is 5’11 is in small print) and no tops are shaped suitable for over a c cup. I should be their target market, or perhaps my mother, maybe my daughter but on a recent trip together none of found anything we liked!

Yep, me too. And their new 'Air Yarn' bobbles immediately too. I wore my new Air Yarn jumper to drive 2 hrs to visit DD. By the time I arrived it had bobbled terribly where the seat belt went across my chest.

Keep any eye on Vinted for the carrot jeans. I've just bagged a pair for £9!

Thanks for the carrot jeans tip off. Like PP I bought a 14 but have lost weight and could do with a 12. Off to look now.

Quality is dire now. All the 'linen mix' and 'wool mix' at increased prices...we see you M&S. Maybe you can't find the 8s and 10s as the fellas don't fit in them...

I went into my local M and S a couple of weeks ago, and the clothes section was dire. All the racks were spaced very far apart and the clothes all seemed to be black or brown with occasional white.

The whole set up looked hideous.

Ive never been much of a fan, it mostly all seems very safe, boring and 'middle of the road' to me.
Lets just say I know Im over 50, I dont need my wardrobe reminding me of the fact!LOL😄

I think a lot of the stuff looks nice, but so much of their clothing comes up so big that I just can’t be arsed with it anymore as I don’t know what size to order.

Even the same style but in a different colour seems to have different sizing. Very frustrating. And don’t get me started on their jeans that lack front pockets. I’d rather pay a bit extra and not end up having my phone fall into the loo because it’s in a back pocket.

I can never find any small sizes (8-10) and everything seems designed for someone with a large waist or stomach - a built-in pouch if you like.

I believe London branches may have some nice items but sadly, they never seem to make it to the regions.

Thanks, I’ve been looking there & eBay but will keep looking. Sounds like you got lucky as sure they sell very quickly and £9 is a bargain!

I'm 44 and I always fancy things when I go in there. Last week I was in there looking at perfume, and the most stylish woman was next to me. I wouldn't like to guess her age but she was a fair bit older than me. She had on a mac, barrel jeans and orange sling backs on. She looked so chic! I couldn't let her go without paying her a compliment so I said I liked her shoes. I want to look like her when I grow up! 😆So even if it's for the over 45s, I'm happy to shop there if I can look like her.

I bought a jumper made of air yarn last year and I had to return after about three light wears, not on for very long. Bobbled like hell,was a beautiful blue and so soft but total waste of money.
Returned, received a full refund, think it was about £22,the assistant asked if I still had the tag for some reason, I didn't but keep all my tags now! Had the receipt. It's put me off as many of my other jumpers had worn very badly.
The jeans sizing is all over the place, length too is never the same and the black jeans always seem to be tighter and rougher feel to the denim.