High street fashion is so awful at the moment?

[Moonlightfrog]

Just been into town. Went to Primark, M&S and Next. I am after a winter dress, but primark had no dresses at all, Next only had 2 casual type dresses (both denim shirt type dress), M&S was all brown and beige and over priced.
I don’t have a huge amount of money to spend on clothes, I have gained a little weight (thanks menopause) and my trousers are a little uncomfortable so I wanted a dress that I could layer and wear with tights and boots as it gets cooler, possibly needle cord in a plain colour. I was hoping to grab something in town whilst shopping with dd but the clothes in the shops are just disappointing.

Are there any good online shops with high street prices?

Before anyone suggests vinted, I have been looking but can’t really find what I am looking for…..I’m not even sure I know what I am looking for.

Have a look at Debenhams on line, it's reasonably priced.
low delivery charges and easy returns

People still promoting that entity?

You’re not alone, @Moonlightfrog:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5578804-finding-quality-items-amongst-all-the-polyester-tat?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

Joe Browns always has lots of dresses in colours and prints, if that's what you're looking for.

I only like Tu at Sainsbury's and M&S for clothes - and Vinted I'm afraid.

I walked around a shopping mall looking in every shop to just try and understand my style, never mind whether I could afford them. Hated it all, universally.

I agree that Joe Brown's is very good.

Although absolutely every single shop I could afford to buy from let me down this summer when I wanted a very specific type of casual skirt. In fact, many of the shops didn't have ANY skirts at all.

Tu at Sainsbury's , great selection online

Thank you, I will look at TU online…as they are always out of my size in store.

every thing is shit and polyester. I shop a lot on H&M as can filter by ‘material’ so I only select cotton

With Vinted it's best to search by brand. You will then find things you like.

For example I've bought 3 dresses recently for autumn. 2 Jigsaw and a White Company ( I also look at Hush and Mint Velvet) £20 each and really good quality, so they'll last. I have Jigsaw dresses that are 15 years old and still good as new.

So pick brands you like and you'll find loads of great things. Boden do a lot of needlecord so you should find that

I was looking for a top for going out over autumn/winter. The shops are filled with jumpers, I’ve never seen so many. Not a lot of dressy going out options but I eventually bought 2 from next. Couldn’t find anything suitable my usual go to places like M&S, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis etc.

There's lots of dresses on Next online - have recently got a few from Fatface (through Next as I pay for the annual delivery pass and can take returns relatively easily back to store if needed). And get email from Seasalt, white stuff and Joe Browns who all have dresses. I just think the options in actual stores are very limited.

I was going to say something similar to @Topbird29 . I actually think the style in shops at the moment is okay, certainly better for me than the oversized, frilly, floral styles that have been everywhere for the past few years. M&S have some nice clothes but depending how big your local store is you may be better doing click and collect.

I got a beautiful cord dress in the Cos sale - CORDUROY MINI SHIFT DRESS - NAVY | COS GB (I didn't pay £85 for it). You don't say your size but this is on ASOS Nobody's Child Birch tailored cord pinafore mini dress in black | ASOS. ASOS (and the brands it stocks) can be hit and miss for quality but that's good for the sale price (again I wouldn't pay full price for Nobody's Child).

Everywhere is a sea of brown or nasty green. Very depressing.

I'd really like a denim tunic mini dress (Whistles have a lovely one but their sleeves are way too long for me) or a burgundy cord one, with sleeves. Both are proving elusive.

I used to love going shopping for clothes but now (older and cba) vinted all the way! Have bought some gorgeous items which would've cost a lot for less than half the price.

I got a lovely beedkecord dungaree dress from Trespass. Via eBay

Fashion chain stores aren't really for 'shopping' any more, unless you're near flagship stores. They're for displaying a selection of styles (most do this badly, I agree) and completing online purchases - collect, try on, return.

Debenhams is now a dropshipper, @Bitolderandwiser. Quality and returns are unreliable.

OP, check out White Stuff, Nobody's Child, Seasalt and Joules for what you're after. You can filter by fabric on M&S and Next. John Lewis also worth a look, and you might try La Redoute. Further up the price ladder, Gudrun Sjoden is majority natural fibres, then there's Toast and Poetry. Mountain Warehouse always has reliable cotton dresses.

It's worth looking at supermarket ranges, but be aware the corduroy's often polyester - you always need to check these days. Happy shopping!

I’ve had some really nice things from Peacocks this year. Very reasonably priced

It's dire. If you don't like "chocolate" brown, olive green or burgundy, there's no point looking.

I quite like Green, I am ok with some browns but I don’t like beige or anything floral. It’s more the shape of everything that I don’t like, the barrel leg trousers make me look even shorter and wider, the huge fleeces make me feel itchy and sweaty (it’s still pretty warm in the south) and most of the jumpers seem to have no shape to them. Lots of boxy and baggy clothing.

I have a few bits from seasalt and white stuff, mainly picked up from charity shops and vinted. Luckily I am in an area where every little town has a sea salt or white stuff….oh and fat face, so the charity shops often end up with many of those items.

But why do you need to buy new?

So many tonnes and tonnes of ‘autumn’ dresses and other items have already been produced and are going to waste. Look second hand. Vinted is awash with autumnal dresses.

I really like Unfolded. They are also a slow fashion brand which gets bonus points. They've got this cord dress in at the moment which might be what you're looking for: thisisunfolded.com/products/unfolded-sandie-round-neck-cord-pinafore-dress-green

Beige and brown are so not my colours. I often find dresses on weird fish that don't drown my 5' height, although I have struggled to find as many i like as usual there lately. I spent a lot of the summer unsuccessfully trying to find short/knee length sleeveless dresses that weren't too low or fitted (50yr old perimenopausal primary teacher!). I'm not holding out much hope for autumn/winter.

What is beedkecord please?