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.

Cos, massive dull clothes.

Monsoon for me - used to be my old faithful, the clothes just magically fit and were nice. Now it’s all polyester. If there was a fire the shop would melt not burn! No drop in price though.

I used to love Fat Face, white Stuff and Sea salt but I haven't bought anything in years.
Me and my friend went to them a few weekscaho as she needed some new bits but there wasn't a single thing I wanted yo buy.
Same with Oliver Bonas.

I agree with Bodyvshop as well. I used to love the avocado body butter but im not sure if they do that anymore as I e not seen it in years.
Im finding it easier ( and cheaper!) not to shop any more. 😆

Jo Malone. Perfumes are terrible and have no staying power. At almost 100 quid a bottle. The Aldi and Lidl dupes last longer 🙄

Just read through the thread. I get nearly everything from Vinted now, or small independent companies, I have bought very few things from an actual shop in recent years. What would you say is the reason behind all the disappointments listed here? Is it greed, is it rising costs vs consumers’ inability or unwillingness to pay more, or is it something else?

Lush.

I remember when Whistles was great and slightly edgy in the early 2000s. Haven't bought anything from it for years.

I so agree about Toast. I just got an email with their new clothes. Awful. Why the huge garish patterns? The shapeless dresses? So many sleeveless items which older women will not want? I used to love their stuff. Who is buying it now?

Yes, I used to love Whistles. What has happened to them?
I do still like Jigsaw - natural fibres and simple lines. Their coats especially are really good.

Where do I start? Whistles, White Company, Reiss- compared to years ago when it was silk and cotton, now a sea of polyester in the main.

Seasalt. Their fabrics used to be lovely quality, now they’re all stretchy, with painted on patterns, instead of the pattern being woven into the fabric.

All of the above! I was going to add AllSaints but I see it has made someone’s list. I’d be keen to know where people are shopping now. Who do you recommend?

The clothes and bags in Oliver Bonas (still like the other bits).

Another vote for Jigsaw and Next.

Jigsaw used to make lovely well tailored jackets with skirts or trousers, beautiful fabrics, well made. Now it's all odd polyester skirts with one side longer than the other and weird shaped garments, oddly coloured and god knows where you'd wear them.

Next used to also do some nice well made nice fabric clothing, although there was a tendency towards polyester sometimes. Now it's hopeless, horrible material, shoddy cut clothing.

Years ago, you could also get the odd nice thing in Wallis, too. Not any longer.

Yes, Hush has gone to the dogs too.

These are the reasons as far as I know

1. Women (compared to men) will impulse buy/ trend buy so you need more designs and colours to tempt them. Impulse buys are easier if it’s cheap. Hence all those attractive M&S jumpers that cost £30 and are made of air yarn or some other marketing spin on synthetics.
2. Those are produced in smaller quantities and cost more in the production process than longer production runs due to set up times. Making 10000 of the same design is cheaper per garment than making 1000.
3. Some won’t sell that season and you can’t keep them in stock ( unlike the basic men’s shirt) as you need to clear them out for new stock, so you put it on sale
4. If a high proportion of your stock is going to end up on sale then it makes sense not to have a high production cost because you will loose money. So make it cheaply in the first place.
5. Sizing. Keeping a range of sizes from XXS to 4 XL is more likely to result in unsold stock and also has greater production costs than the 1990s size 10,12,14 and that’s your lot, production model. So the way to make it profitable is cheap fabrics and basic sewing with all those flat shapes and elasticated waists and sleeves.

Theres probably more and I’ll add them if I think of them. Brands I’ve fallen out of love with - Sézane. Too many lines which are designed to look pretty in photos but are really only occasion wear. Again it’s not going to all sell at full price because it’s not going to be rolled over into the next season so it’s going to be cheaper fabrics. There’s still a lot of good stuff on there but it’s being drowned out by gimmicky pieces in my opinion. I give up looking because too much choice can be overwhelming.

Body shop

Joules...used to love their cotton tops...now the cotton is rough and the arms are tight...my old ones still going but getting tried.

Agree re all the other shops mentioned. I just don't buy clothes now

😂

YES! It's been like that for a while - drabs colours - it just all seems "off" now, I hardly bother with it,

M &s. Their quality and design went right down hill for years as everyone knows.

now the design is much better, some fab pieces this season, looks lovely on the website, the clothes are shit quality, with a poor cut, I get they do it to keep the price down, but they’d be better increasing price and making better quality clothes.

I think you possibly just don't like their style generally vs them having gone downhill? I never walk in there but that I want to buy half the shop but their stuff is quite distinct

My work wardrobe used to be a combination of Boden and M & S Autograph. Haven’t bought either for years due to declining quality, but still have Boden dresses that are about 15 years old and still look like new. Ditto an M & S Italian wool coat, and a couple of wool jackets.

Seasalt and White Stuff look like Sunday School teachers’ clothing - the plain stuff is OK, and some of the more interesting prints (rare).

I know it is dull, but for me Lands End quality is still good, particularly with linen, cashmere and cotton. I have wide leg linen trousers from Lands End that are eight years old; they still look good, haven’t worn anywhere.

I’ve had some (limited) luck with Monsoon this season. I miss John Lewis’s Kiin range for casual clothes, and Windsmoor for work wear, particularly their coats and jackets.

I’ve also noticed that some of their things develop holes but I still buy from them

itsnouse - that’s really interesting and makes sense!.
Extra frustrating if, like many of us on here I suspect, what you actually want is classic basics in natural fibres- like men!

IMO M&S has improved recently- especially for jeans and other trousers. John Lewis basics and and/or (their own label whatever it’s called) can be good. Also Tesco and Sainsbury’s- very nice things. Kind of ironic that at the time I can actually afford the places I used to like, jigsaw etc, with careful selection I wear tescos, and, IMO, look better than before!