So which one of you wrote the M and S piece in the Mail then?

[badietbuddy]

Eh? I thought it was very good as it happens, I think they need a complete overhaul, especially with underwear. I am not a peculiar size, so why do none of the bras fit??

Read the blurb!
'Perfect for a host of formal occasions, achieve an elegant look in these smart trousers'

I think what Leah's article does very well is capture the idea that we all want to like M&S and want to shop there and every time we go we are hoping it will be better than last time. But it never is.

My favourite bit in her piece is about the giant stack of tins of biscuits looking a bit desperate in the middle of a clothing department. That really does say SO much.

BUT BYT you can imagine a 75 year odl woman wearing those who might had arthritis etc

i do think we cant bleat " who caters for the over 40s" on one hand and dimsiss anything for over 70 year old at the same time

Those jeans are fab!
'pull on' - as opposed to what? I generally pull on trousers.
Jesus, they are hideous.

My SIL used to insist on buying me a Per Una cardi every Christmas.

i do agree, i'll be very grateful for marks and sparks by the time i'm 70. they have so many of us to cater for, it's hard for them.

I suppose we should just acknowledge the classic range is for the old ones. Ok, we given them classic.

Now, who is per una for because it depresses the hell out of me

portfolio is dire i think. htat is worse than classic

i LIKE indigo

My portfolio top is svar nice. I will try to find

Basically no one store can be everything for all people - but they need to do one thing or a few things well for some people - pick a market or 3 and stick to it.

Theres nothing I would really head there for - so if I had some money in my pocket I would go to John Lewis for kids clothes, Top shop/all saints/urban outfitters for mine, H&M/Uniqlo/urban outfitters for his.

As I said before some of the limited collection is good and the store near my work (Moorgate) ok too but I'm not sure if the limited collection is like radio 2 - has it got better or have I just got older?

it is this. Although the neck looks poor in the picture, doesn't it. It's very nice in rl.

I really don't like all these fdifferent collection names. I just don't understand it. Puts me off.

oh god top shop is a bit empreros new clothes for me
Overpriced acrylic

i have never managed to buy anything out of topshop, god knows i've tried. the fabrics are so yick.

but... its no worse that Next

you mean I can't tempt you with this?
Cripes

What not even a pair of jeans - boyf or skinny? or summer vests? or little t-shirts? [amazed emoticon]

Ah. Always liked Leah's thoughts when she was a mnetter. Sensible and intelligent but witty too. And the article is just that.

lol.
actually i take that back, i bought a great pair of maternity jeans in there, having been given a pair by a pal for first preg. both literally fell apart days before baby was due.

dan i missed the mner's bro being site photographer. well he should be ASHAMED.

leah has done a lovely job but i do think is wrong about consistency of sizing - all i know is that limited collection is tiny and everything else is vast.

and that is mean about plus size too dan, where do we start the ghetto from, size 16 maybe?

john lewis has an inbuilt willingness to change and m&s the opposite. and i think all their food apart from reduced fat hummous is wildly overrated.

I did see a nice grey jumper dress as I scurried through today. But I hid my eyes because I've no money til payday. My Mum (she of the short legs) wears Classic stuff, she's 67. The oldies have to get dressed from somewhere.

The staffing and morale thing IS an issue. I remember shopping at the Marble Arch one quite a lot and lurking around whilst some marketing, head-honcho patrolled the shop floor and berated the staff on their displays and layout. He'd usually be wearing some interesting glasses (nowt wrong with that!) and be very brusque with the part-time students and middle-aged female staff who looked very downtrodden and patently disinterested.

I also remember the absolute disregard that most shoppers paid to these displays. Putting skirts back on the trouser stands. Taking piles of items into the changing room that usually STAYED in the changing room. There is a lack of that "special" shopping experience that you get in other stores. I was in the Kew concession in JL the other day and that felt very nice. Unfortunately my friend was buying and I sat like a man and read the paper at the special place set aside for such purposes.

Leah should have written that article up and then sent it straight to M&S - I'm sure she could have got a paid gig as an advisor.

oh coke there is a whole thread about said dress

yes I said to her Kew was an eg of caring service( in ours anyway) where oyu tell kid yourself that they wouldnt send oyu out in anything daft. Staff wear clothes and look like they might NOT be actually in Iceland selling prawn rings

No it was different to the one you liked. Maybe. I think.

ooh have only just clocked aitches use of LSOS

very good

I've tried to search for the thread, stop changing your ruddy name, I can't find it.

My sarcasm was lost on them lot on the KP thread. I'm v disapointed.