Is it just me or is high street fashion utterly boring right now?

[nicelongbath]

Went for a rare mooch on the high street this week and I don’t think I have ever seen such a dreary, uninspiring season of clothes.

Everywhere seems to have simple basics in muted colours - a sea of black, grey and beige. I barely saw a stripe, let alone any more interesting patterns. I counted one jumper in Zara that wasn’t sludge coloured. I got temporarily excited when I thought I’d spotted some colour but realised I’d wandered into the kids section (and even that was mostly dull). Also no interesting shapes or styles anywhere, everything felt very same-y.

I’ve never felt less inspired to buy anything in my life.

I've not been out to the actual shops but I really like autumn colours, I'm being shown plum, burgundy, teal, plaid. Really love the colours. I was reading a thread about sea salt earlier and google started showing me adds, lovely cord skirts and shirts in dark autumn colours.

I've felt like this for a few years. I still bought the boring things if they were soft and non scratchy and would keep me warm over winter but now the quality isn't even there either!

I love muted colours. My whole wardrobe is devoid of anything bright. I just bought a sludgy green coloured jumper from M&S.

I don’t mind the colour palette generally but I can’t get away with brown now that my hair is grey! And as someone who is older, with curves, I can’t wear oversized jumpers or shirts, short boxy tops, or wide sleeves! They all look great on my bean pole daughters but terrible on me! Desperate for the basic shapes to revert to more flattering styles!

I also love jewel colours. I found it's slightly better this year as I've found some more burgundy tops I like, but the darker beiges and neutrals of recent years really wash me out

I think there are some signs of the wider-leg trouser plus fitted top type of shape coming back. Good for me as I am a pear

Wide leg trousers and shorter boxy tops suit my belly. Elastic waist and non-clingy tops, fitted across the shoulders and then straight down to just below waist.

This is definitely the ‘uniform’ in my office among the fashion conscious. Long may it continue, it’s such an easy and flattering look.

This is the first time in forever when Ive seen colours and styles I like. Lots of berry, pink, navy and moss. Not so many patterns admittedly.

Thank heavens for that although I am more of an apple nowadays unfortunately!

I quite like the current silhouettes but I am very tired of the black/grey/cream palate beloved of my colleagues.

I wear colour (black and white next to my face give me a deathly pall) but, short of installing a mirror, I don't get to see it 😄

I’ve found some great stuff this year but I quite like boxy and oversized clothes, wide legged trousers with something tucked in and a sweatshirt over the top etc, thermals always on underneath as the flappy stuff is chilly otherwise!
The popular burgundy colour really suits me, it’s a colour I’ve liked and owned for years and this year I’ve picked up a few extra things.
It’s been good for me thus far.

I would mind some jewel colours but I think the closest I saw was a dark plum. Admittedly it wasn’t a very extensive search as I got disheartened and went back to Vinted where I’ve been hoovering up all the bright, patterned clothes everyone seems to be casting off.

I can see how anyone not in the Autumn season might be struggling, but I don't recognise the idea it's all black, grey and beige. There's a lot of brown, orange, green, navy and some teal thrown in plus various shades of purple.

I find the quality uninspiring, knits that are clearly going to bobble, pulls or loose threads in the garments already. Thin polyester that ironically will still survive us. I wonder when we will hit the absolute bottom, whether people will refuse to buy the rubbish and what happens next. It would be lovely to go back to slow fashion.

I’m with you. Everything looks so dull and bland and it all looks exactly the same in every shop. The ubiquitous wide legged trousers, brown and grey everything. They’re just seems to be no choice, no variety and no colour.

Yes...I agree with the OP.

My general assessment: All clothes look like clothes you can wear to work. So boring.

Everything is baggy and shapeless and in horrible dreary colours. Not remotely interested in any of it.

At least I'll be able to save some money 😃

OK there was plenty of brown, a little moss green and a bit of dark plum. Some rusty orange. Yes all very autumnal sure but just in a very drab, neutral way. Really very little else. Nothing I could get excited about!

I’ve just bought a teal and emerald patterned dress on Vinted which still has an autumnal feel but way more interesting than anything I’ve seen from this season.

Yes there seems to be a total blurring of any distinction between clothes for different occasions. It all just feels like “clothes” - very functional, plain.

Great if you like that kind of thing but just unexciting.

I actually think it’s better this year than last! I’ve just bought a beautiful blouse from Roman in plum, a red tartan shirt from Next (all the checks line up, mother of pearl poppers, looks much more expensive than £28) and am considering a pale silver grey top with flowers and diamonte centres from M & S (it’s £50 and I just don’t know if I’ll get enough chances to wear it)

There are a lot of things I like this season but I agree, nothing I’ve seen looks new or exciting. It’s all reruns of old and familiar trends and has been for some time.

There is so much rubbish in there that looks so cheap but is expensive for what it is. I went in a number of shops today and the one I would mostly likely buy something from is New Look. H&M had some nice blouses in that I was taken buy but not enough to buy. I think the worst offering in my eye was River Island. I just can’t find myself paying good money for polyester in any shop.

I have been horrified that once good quality brands that I could rely on for great blazers are now doing everything in a “wool blend” with polyester and rayon. I was rather pleasantly surprised with & other stories though - some quite cool things there and 100% wool or at least 80% wool. It was online purchasing though so they might still let me down in the flesh.

I don't think high st fashion is ever all that ground breaking though. It has to have mass appeal and so probably loses something in translation.
I tend to use the high st shops for things like basics, underwear and PJ's and then go to other specific shops that suit my individual style.

By ‘interesting’ you seem to mean bright in colour and full of pattern

this is obviously a look you really like but as you say, it’s just not very fashionable. You have found Vinted works. It’s great when your personal style doesn’t align with current fashions.