Have you fallen out of “love” with a shop you previously loved?

[Britpopbaby]

For me it’s &Other Stories. Granted I looked in yesterday and did try something in but there’s been a change of direction and Inam not liking it.

The Next directories were awesome! My older sister had an account & I'd flick through and dream!

Haven’t RTFT, but my experience is that anything which is bought by private equity invariably turns to dogshit. This is not limited to fashion either. It’s nearly all consumer markets.

I say this as someone who works on such deals.

Yes, it was, £180 full price was even more so! But you know what? That coat is fabulous. It fits like a dream, is so warm, goes with so much & I wear it a lot still.

I have a longer coat that's similar from House of Fraser. It was £100 in the sale. Had vouchers given for my 30th in 2002. It still looks new. Admittedly not worn it quite as often, but I'll never get rid of it.

Since I've had expensive coats that have come & gone & not lasted at all.

Quite literally, in the case of the water companies!

I think the name did it for me more than anything 😁 so weird and cool to English ears! But yes now you mention it the clothes were sumptuous. Interesting about the chief designer.

That is SO interesting! I am a lover of TU. I find their quality great & buy PJs/ underwear/ socks over & over. My favourite bra is from there, & I love that they have it every year in different colours: same product consistently. All my pants come from there- same/better quality as M&S.

I buy all PJs for DH & 3 XDS from there too- wash over & over & great variety of styles/ good value.

Yeah, Monsoon. I used to buy ton there. Can’t remember the last time I got something from them.

Sweaty Betty, Brora, Belstaff.

This! I had looooots of tops from Joules (2016-2020), bought recently from Vinted (new,with tags) and couldn't fit my arms in it🤣

Agree to both. I bought a Prince of Wales grey check trouser suit. It cost me £90 and my Saturday job paid me £1.75 an hour so there were lots of extra hours, birthday money, etc to pay for it.
I loved going into the stores and they would put the whole outfit together.
All of the suits and coats were wool, cool wool in the summer. The shoes were lovely as well.
The original Autograph was lovely - I can remember Linda Evangelists doing the adverts.
I never liked OG Per Una it always looked like tat on the hangers.
Other High Street stores started looking so tired after Next arrived. It is such a different place now - it’s started to look like the shops it wanted to get away from like Dorothy Perkins.
I really miss being able to buy such beautiful tailoring on the high street. I suppose we wear less of it now?

Yes Mint Velvet

What’s happened to it? It’s not the same.

there isn’t a single brand of fashion shop that I get excited about anymore. Used to love (and spend) loads.

Yes - I'd forgotten they were called Next Directory, thanks - and someone mentioned the fabric swatches they had upthread...

I think they realised people were taking them for inspo and entertainment so they started charging for them - maybe £5? - but worth it - a sign that you took style seriously! 😄

Have you tried London fragrances from Shure cosmetics. Their job Malone copies are excellent £3.75 for 100ml I got the collection, better performance and mileage. The absolutes violet&amber, rose& musk rose&oud are better than the originals. Also love the blossom &honey, bluebell and sea salt. I will never buy Jo Malone again and I am a perfume snob.

Isnt it true that unless you pay the earth now all clothing is being made on the cheap.
I remember when I was a kid, my mum used to go into towm once a week to M+ S and come home with some lovely treat...a cake, a pudding or some savoury thing. The quality of the stuff was amazing. Like good home cooking. Now, although it's still nice, it's definitely got that off the conveyor belt, mass produced quality. Same with the cothes. Clothes from there years ago had things like amazingly well crafted seams, lovely buttons, wonderful details etc. You kept things for years. As if a proper dressmaker had run something up for you. Now, it all feels disposable. We're living in a disposable, mass produced world . Nothing has that special quality any more unless you are a millionare and can pay for it. Even going out for tea and cake has changed. 20 years ago you could have a pot of tea and a home made cake for a very reasonable price in a cafe. I was on a not brilliant salary but remember some weeks managing to go out up to3 times a week for tea and cake with different friends and relatives and not even noticing the money I was dpending. Now I'd have to take out a mortgage yo do thst and I'd get a shitty bit if cake too !!!! Big business iscruinig evrrything..

Too much polyester everywhere!
I had to find a dress for my DS’s grad - I looked in person and online. I found one dress - unf it was polyester but I had no choice as time was running out.
I miss the days of Oasis, warehouse, Gap, decent Next and M&S. We have Uniqlo now which is good for basics I suppose (returns policy is awful though so it puts me off).
i occasionally find something in White Stuff - mainly long sleeved tops that I wear w jeans.

Also, remembering the good old days of Next…I was getting £4 an hour in the early 90s as a student and when the big Christmas sale was on - which always started on 27th so their staff could enjoy Boxing Day too - they paid quadruple time. £16 an hour for the first two days of the sale.

The days when staff were valued are long gone. I’d go back to that time in a heartbeat.

😂🤣ive spilt my tea

I still have black knee-high boots from Russell and Bromley that I bought over 25 years ago!! I was sad when they closed, although I think that was the only time I shopped there (was after DM’s private was granted - I’m sure she would’ve approved.)

How lovely for you to have all the gifts.

In case you're interested, you can buy very simple guides on how to cultivate a pleasant character with basic good manners.

Don't worry that they might be too advanced for you-there are plenty that even five year olds can understand.

May I suggest that that is your next puchase.

Hush. I’m sure it’s not my imagination that everything used to be £20 cheaper less than 5 years ago.

Why did Uniqlo stop selling the skinny jeggings? This summer has slightly restored my faith with the Claire Wraight Keller collaboration and the airflow t-shirts are banging. BUT BRING BACK THE JEGGINGS!!

I will go against the grain regarding Zara, this year has been fabulous.

In the 80’s Next used to have a second range called Next Too. It was fantastic design and quality.

When Ted Baker originally started in the 90’s their stuff was so exciting. They also had a range called Blue Baker which was amazing.

@Vitrolinsanity I assume they stopped selling jeggings as they are fashion death at the moment - its all about baggy or even wide fit jeans and trousers (much to my delight as I look like a sack of spuds in jeggings)

My friend had a Desigual coat shed bought on holiday abroad. I coveted that coat.