M&S is cool, but we knew that, didn’t we?

[jellybobs]

Interesting article on the BBC website today. I’m actually really surprised that it’s not done a London Fashion Week show before.
Certainly over the last few years it’s become one of my go-to places if I decide I need new jeans, a particular kind of dress etc. It’s even acceptable to my 16yo DS who’s very particular about where his clothes come from and has quite a small list of “acceptable” high St brands he’ll deign to go into!

Is it cool to wear M&S clothes now? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cje3rk4p39zwo

I think I read that a former Topshop designer taking charge is part of the reason. I think vintage St Michael pieces have also been cool for a while now.

My issue with it is so many synthetics. I’ll buy certain pieces (eg a great linen dress they did this summer in three colour ways - the cut was amazing so I bought all three). But I wouldn’t touch any of the plastic stuff.

I'd be keen to hear if anyone has found nice natural fabric items in this year's collection. I was so excited to go to the big new Oxford St store yesterday, and at a distance everything looked lovely with interesting designs. But close up and being able to touch the fabrics, it was all so disappointing.

Agree re the fabrics being dissapointing. I too see something I love the shape of, then find out it is mainly made of polyester. I don’t want that next to my skin so end up leaving the store empty handed.

M&S come out with some great designs which are often ruined by the cheap quality imo. I’ve ordered a lot of things which have looked great online, but in reality are badly cut. I know they are trying to keep prices down but I’d prefer it if they increased prices and the quality of garments.

But then on the other hand, I went into Cos and while the fabrics are beautiful, the prices are way beyond what I can afford and so much more than they were a few years ago, even accounting for increased costs of making the stuff. It's a bit depressing, I am at the age where I do feel I need to wear natural fabrics to feel comfortable and look 'put together', but never imagined I would be getting priced out of owning an actual woollen jumper!!

Yep, most of it seems odd fitting to me too- style is good but not sure the balance of keeping it sort of affordable with a semblance of quality is working.

Some interesting shapes, quite a bit I’d like.

But also so pissed off with the plastic. And the ‘wool rich’ ‘cotton rich’ bullshit. Like they are doing us a favour with some sort of elevated fabric, when it is, in fact, plastic with some natural fibre in.

Give us decent fabrics and put a fiver on the price, if you must..

And 20% off this weekenf!

I think m and s is awful. The clothes look fab on the website,but in real life are poor quality materials to keep cost down and look cheap and rhe fit is bad

I’ve been really disappointed with the quality recently. Bought a lovely coloured merino wool jumper, washed it on a low temp (despite the label showing you can wash at 40), it has shrunk and the material is really thin and scratchy. Also some linen trousers which are like wearing cardboard. The quality at Uniqlo is much better for natural material staples.

To be honest if you’re a snob about the type of material, you’re not going to be able to shop anywhere on the high street.

I love M&S. The quality is great and the clothes are flattering and beautiful.

It’s not snobbishness, that’s silly.the materials are poor to keep the price point down.

It is snobbish, sorry. A jumper being 50/50 wool and polyester feels better than a scratchy 100% wool. Nobody can tell and realistically you can’t tell when wearing it, but people want to be all “I only wear natural fibres darling”.

okay, go buy from the shops that cost £100s for one jumper and stop shitting on the parade for the rest of us.

@wholikesliving A 'bit' of an overreaction and a complete misread of what people are saying.

I have shopped more at M&S in the past couple of years than ever before and above anywhere else. John Lewis used to be my go to for most things when in a hurry and needing fast delivery. I’ve hardly bought anything from them in 3 years. I really, really like M&S at the moment. However, I will agree with the quality. I’ve been refunded for at least 4 items in the past year after finding the quality much poorer than in the past for the same items, eg. Socks, and on one occasion a pair of trainers on which the sole came off on the first day.
i find some of the prices astonishingly low and would pay more for better quality.

Wowsers! This all seems to have flicked you on the raw.

If you are happy with it, that’s great, crack on. You can freely ignore the opinions of others.

Meanwhile, it’s not ‘snobbish’, I just don’t want to spend my hard earned on plastic that wears badly. And is destined for landfill and the ocean as microplastics.

I did buy a really lovely chocolate brown boxy cardigan last year , after 1 wash it had bobbled and looked awful . That’ll learn me , I do prefer wool but I buy from charity shops and Vinted . I do like M&S jeans though.

Don't bother buying any sleeveless tops anyway, the arm hole is cut so big half of your bra will be on display.

I like the jeans, trousers, some of the merino and cashmere knitwear and some cotton tops. I find the sleep wear and underwear to be awful quality now.

I'd rather pay more for the new trendier styles in better quality fabrics and with better workmanship in their construction. I'd love them to make a high quality range of Claudia Winkleman's Traitors wardrobe. In their rush to draw in younger customers they're forgetting about those of us old enough to remember the indestructible St. Michael clothes.

No, I can read what they’re saying. A lot of people think they’re better than others for spending £7000 on a natural fibre jumper that, to be honest, looks rubbish.

I definitely think the quality has gone down, things just don't wash so well, I've had things before like cotton t shirts that last 3 to4 years, now you're lucky if they last one summer, the quality is like h&m or primark.

It is snobbish, sorry. A jumper being 50/50 wool and polyester feels better than a scratchy 100% wool. Nobody can tell and realistically you can’t tell when wearing it, but people want to be all “I only wear natural fibres darling”.
okay, go buy from the shops that cost £100s for one jumper and stop shitting on the parade for the rest of us

Blimey you really love markies. I didn’t say anything about natural fibres. That’s not the drum I’m banging. I am ok with blends and polyester , but they come in different qualities, and m and s are poor, you can see it just by looking .

they use poor quality fabrics to keep the price point low. It’s fine you like it. But Insulting those who don’t isn’t going to change their opinion

Agree that the fabrics are mostly awful and that I’d rather pay a bit more for better quality. I still rate their jeans, and they do some lovely jackets occasionally, but most of the knitwear is awful and the knickers get worse with every set I buy, annoyingly.

I'm actually in head to toe m and s today despite all that! A lovely soft cotton long sleeve top and carrot jeans. Both brilliant buys, but I struggled yesterday to find anything that didn't feel off. And as I'm menopausal, it has to be cotton or wool or else I am a stinky mess

I’ve found this too - the binding on necklines seems to be badly stretching out after a couple of washes. I’ve got a topshop T-shirt that must be 10 years old that looks better than some of my recent m and s ones. Back to Uniqlo for me I think.

I like the jeans too. Still decent quality for the price.