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

Your words - “When parents pick up students I am often shocked how old they look. It’s all about skin care and a great attitude.”

I’m 31 and I generally dress in 99% M&S. Everywhere else the clothes are too teenage-geared, terrible cheap designs or too expensive… anything not M&S is Abercrombie or Nobody’s Child or Vinted.

I agree with you. It’s about a number of things.

a slim fit and toned body - lack of muscle tone or a belly and matronly bust is ageing.
good skin - full hydration, minimal alcohol and good nutrition, enough sleep.
great hair - healthy condition, a great cut and colour.
good make up , as you age it needs to look luminous and natural, not caked on etc
good quality clothes, that fit well, suit your body shape,and with a nod to current, not dated .
tobe confident in your own skin.

nearly everyone looks within 5 years of their age, either way. The trick is to look good for it, not try to look younger,

As I have never discussed fashion, you are obviously losing your marbles.
Here is to British Fashion, to individuality and to our great Industry.
And yes, here is to M&S!

Your words……

I seem to have hit a nerve with you haven’t I.
And I can grow the best lupins ever.
All over my garden.

I am sure you look fabulous.

The jeans are good. Trousers are strong.
Long time since I saw a nice dress there.

Saw a really nice leather handbag today.
Some nice tops, but all quite “fancy” IMO.

Liked the Sienna Miller collab, got a skirt.
Would like to see thick t-shirts, nice shirts.

I think it’s dreadful. I’m 47 so probably squarely in the target market, and I can’t find anything in it I’d want to wear.

I actually panic bought 4 or 5 items last year in a rush before a birthday party, in my normal size, and none of it fitted me. Tight on the waist, absolutely giant over my hips and thighs. I can’t work out who it would fit.

I am so disillusioned with what we are offered on the High Street I am doing a purchase free October-March. I just can’t be arsed to find that needle in a haystack.

What the actual fuck are you talking about? You’re ridiculous.

This!

It's not cool that men get a choice of lovely coloured 100% lambswool crew and V neck jumpers and women get polyester or wool blend crap. Every single year it is the same. Why can't m&s make nice wool jumpers for woman when they are making them for the men. Yes I can buy the mens and I do sometimes but they are quite long in the body and arms.

I find it all just dull and dreary. Nothing looks remotely interesting.

Totally agree. Obviously I am ancient but when I started work I remember buying fantastic M & S linen and cotton blouses for £12 each and a black wool crepe skirt for £25. I wore them to death but they were such good quality. It must have been about 1983 and they represented a big chunk of my wages. You can still get skirts for £25 and blouses for about £20. Of course the quality has gone down! But as is clear from this thread, some people want to pay more for better longer lasting clothes and a lot don’t.

Errrr, I don't know a living soul of any age who thinks M & S are 'cool.' Their clothes aren't that good quality now either. I recently bought some knickers, (a pack of 7) and they quality of them is poor compared to the 'same' knickers even 2 years ago.

I don't think I even know anyone who shops there all the time (for clothes) these days. No-one I know under 60 shops there. Several people I know get the odd bit of underwear from M & S, but as I say, even that's not that good now.

.

Quality is so poor -
The Italian range late 90s/00s
The autograph silk dresses around 2009
Portofino range .
Unbeaten absolute quality and styling .
They dumbed down in my opinion .
Should have aimed higher added £20 onto the price of everything and kept standards high .

I do think you can tell if someone is wearing a polyester or acrylic jumper from just looking at how bobbly it is. I saw some knitwear today on a shop and it was already bobbly on the hanger.

I went to their Pantheon store recently and they are certainly styling their clothes in a similar fashion to Zara and what I saw could have been Zara. It’s a shame that they are going down the fast fashion route I feel.

Btw if anyone still has any of the per Una y2k skirts , Aline bias cut , ruffle hem ,They do well on Vinted I just sold an old one of mine for £28! No offers it sold really quickly !

I wonder if the skinny shape t shirts are due to so many taking weightloss drugs
I quite like skinnyish but some are too skinny for me and emphasise my bust too much

M&S did absolutely loads of cotton dresses this summer and loads of linen too! It’s easy to find natural fabrics. They do quite a lot of merino wool too so I’ve no idea why posters keep saying they use plastic fabrics! Their cashmere’s great of course.

Many people won’t pay for good fabrics either and M&S were burnt when they upped their game on fabrics around 20 years ago. The non discerning average shopper would not buy them. Clothes are now very price sensitive and it’s inevitable shops use polyester and tencel. The price of wool, if you look at other shops, is high and so is linen. Marks do a good job at keeping items affordable.

I don’t disagree, except their cashmere isn’t great, it’s very low quality, cashmere comes in many grades.

but I do agree they are keeping the price point low, and for that, it is mainly low quality fabrics, poorly put together. Of course it is. The manufacture on a huge scale, with low quality fabrics, and workmanship, to enable them to sell a lot and make money.

lots of people want higher quality clothes, the popularity of places like Reiss and me and em, show that, but they are a small percentage, most want fast fashion.

i do think they are missing an oopportunity though, they can improve their jaeger and autograph ranges, to service that part of the market.

I do like the look of a lot of their clothes, but it seems to me that it’s made for a particular frame. Sadly not mine. I’m 5ft 6 and medium build.

I usually end up buying at least two sizes up - not a problem, happy to buy whatever size fits - but I then feel like I’m wearing ill fitting hand-me-downs or that I look like the chubby mouse from Cinderella (the one who’s top keeps rolling up). More often than not, they end up going to charity or to friends after a few weeks.

Also for me the colours and hardware (can’t think of the right word for buttons and zips - trimmings?) seem to just be a bit “off”. I often think, if only that had been an inch longer, had matte buttons, was a lightly richer or more muted shade, it would be a gorgeous top / coat / dress. I do realise these are the things that impact cost, and there is immense pressure on retailers to keep things affordable. And that maybe it’s just not my shop, and that for others it might be perfect.

I remember they had a premium range previously - autograph weekend? I loved that. I’d love them to bring something in that’s a bit like Cos - colour, shape and material focussed, that you can layer up and build from season to season.

Slightly off topic maybe but the kids school shoes are fab. Better than some of the brands that have width fittings.

I'm fond of M&S but all branches are not equal! The nearest ones to me are dire - lots of space but hardly any product, bits and pieces of 'sets' but no full range of colours and sizes, thin material where you can see the pockets through the legs of tracksuit bottoms. Tops are too short. The food has gone insanely expensive.
There are still some gems but I wouldn't say that quality is superior to lots of other shops.