Me + Em. £350 for something that is 62% polyester!!

[pomeglamate]

I’ve been on the lookout for one of their oversized blazers in a colour/material I like and was foaming at the mouth when I clicked on this but then looked at the garment composition… 62% polyester! £350 for something that is 62% polyester!! Luxury heritage-inspired tweedy 62% polyester!! Deranged. Not sure what my point is with this thread really but I mean… wow.

www.meandem.com/intelligently-oversized-jacket-pecan-brown-multi

Not in this case, Claire Hornby retains full operational control and a significant share ownership. Private equity was only a small percentage sale to allow for expansion and for tne early investors to exit. This is not a company taken over by private equity, I think the term throws people. This was more about investment and a fairly standard business move of a business growing ay this pace.

perosnally I’ve not noticed any corners being cut. They have always done clothes in a variety of high end materials, I have noticed a decline with Reiss. Where next bought the majority of shares and the Reiss family own about 20 odd percent.

this season has been better, but with the advent of next, they started to move to more mass market and the quality dropped.

I’n amazed there is a “ Reiss family”! Always assumed it was a made-up brand.

Make it stop. @TheRealGoose have you nothing else to do but defend Me and Em?

No there actually is. I used to love their clothes and am wearing a Reiss dress right now, but I’ve definitely seen a decline. Clothes don’t wear as well as they used to sadly. I think this season though they’ve upped their game again.

I do own one, but God I hate ironing!! (All housework bar cooking, really ...).

I once amassed so much ironing that it took me almost an entire weekend - during which I watched all three Lord of the Rings films back-to-back!!

I don't understand MN's attitude to ironing or polyester for that matter.

So many posters going "eugh polyester" (unless it's a wedding guest thread where it's almost obligatory to wear something polyester from Phase Eight or Roman)

So many posters who only wear natural fabrics.

So many posters who hate ironing or don't own an iron.

The Venn diagrams don't really work.

I iron almost every morning. Even if a dress or skirt was put away ironed I still like for most of them to smooth it out when taken from the wardrobe.

I also hand wash almost everything except underwear and pyjamas.

I would like to be that kind of person - but sadly I am not!!

It's probably the idea of ironing, hand-washing etc rather than the act that is offputting to me. As when I do attack the ironing or hand-washing (or darning or hemming) pile, I find it quite meditative ...!!

Do you not have a job?

The person who irons every morning probably spends little time watching TV and surfing the internet. Don't see a problem with that.

I do iron everything @PhaedraTwoeven pyjamas, although I am laughing at the thought of your Venn diagram and its components 😂

I am the opposite. I like ironing and don’t mind cleaning. But ugh, cooking is so dull!

My husband puts any clothes that need ironing in a separate part of the closet. I know where this secret location is, so I sneak mine in there too. Every couple of weeks, he drags out the pile and irons everything—including my stuff. It works well for me. He’s incredibly fast and does a great job.

I work full time in an office at least 40 hour week. Why would I not have a job?

I really hate how big companies own several brands now. Like the Debenhams, Oasis, Warehouse etc behemoth. The Zara, Massimo Dutti etc group. Then the H and M, Cos, Arket and others. Next has Reiss and Russell and Bromley. I might have got a few names muddled there, but for some reason I really don’t like it. It somehow feels like there is less choice and the High Street is becoming more homogenous. Or maybe that’s just a me thing.

I rarely iron. Or clean. I watch very little TV.

I cook, I watch films (sometimes at the cinema), I cook, I listen to music - & I spend far too much time on MN & Instagram!!!

I also enjoy watching my partner iron & clean ... 😁!!!

No, I don't think it is. As sharing factories, production chains etc across the group will of course be a cost saving to the company.

The takeover company will usually praise the heritage & craftsmanship of the company it purchases (eg Russell & Bromley) while simultaneously looking at ways to lose staff, cut corners, & reduce costs/increase profits.

The second "I cook" should be "I read". I don't cook twice each evening! Not usually anyway ...

There’s a particular style of outfit from M&E that is very Labour 2024 election victory!

Steamers are good.

Wrap has some nice stuff but I’ve just discovered Free People which I had previously thought was all just overpriced flouncy tat but have realised they have some nice plain stuff. Just have to look for it.

I iron, but I do it whilst watching TV! I don't iron everything, but my linen and cotton wovens do still get a press.

As a side point, the quality of irons themselves has gone down. I've heard even Rowenta isn't what it used to be. (Being a sewist, I'm in the limited crowd of people who will never give up their irons.)

Some blame needs to go on textile manufacturing as well as designers. They're determining what fabrics are available and the cost. You can see this in knitwear too — so much absolutely crap acrylic these days, and the poor quality cashmere. I'll happily buy acrylics for babies rather than try to clean spit up off wool, but I want better for myself.

I'm thinking of buying a steamer - partly for selling old clothes (of which I have mountains as I'm a bit of a hoarder) on eBay/Vinted, partly for my own wardrobe.

Do you have any recommendations? I believe the freestanding ones are best, but I'd rather have a portable one for ease & storage.

I bought a little Tefal steamer for my daughter as she uses a vacuum pack when travelling to maximise hand luggage. It’s surprisingly effective when clothes need rehydrated!

Thanks - I may have a bit of a Google!!

I bought a steamer this year because the whole family was going to a wedding and it was the excuse I was looking for to buy one!

It’s been brilliant. I hate ironing (see the Venn diagram above) and it means I can now look pretty decent with minimal effort.

I have this one which happens to be on a really good special offer from John Lewis.