What is up with M & S?

The only time I go into M&S these days is as a short cut from the car park to John Lewis! Colours are awful. The last time I went in to actually buy something was last year. Found a blouse I liked and went looking for a skirt to go with it - everything clashed - put back blouse and haven't bought anything there since.

oh the other week I noticed that our large store appears to be on the brink of giving up entirely on children's clothes! Shoved into a tiny corner.

And this in the youngest population in the country.

I have been shopping for clothes for GC and M&S have the poorest selection. Clothes for girls seem to be far too grown up for the suggested age, I do not want my GDs to look like miniature 21 year olds.
When they took the manufacture of clothes out of the UK the sizes went haywire especially in underwear, I have not been able to wear M&S bras and briefs for many years. The food department is the only reason I enter the store now.

Fortunately for me my nearest M&S is 15 miles away. Last summer's disaster when the fabric of a quite expensive silk/cotton top came apart in my hands six weeks after I bought it was the final straw and I decided never to shop there again. Since then when I go shopping I just walk right on by. I was shopping in a town I rarely visit last week. I was in and out of all the other shops looking for some clothes and doing Christmas shopping. When I came to M&S, I ignored it and that is how it is going to stay.

I never have been much of an M&S shopper I used to find their clothes boring and their stock control was always/is(?) very poor, they never had the style/colour/length I wanted in stock, and I am a very average height and build. Boring clothes one occasionally requires so I did shop there on occasion but the really shoddy quality that has consistently characterised their clothes since Stuart Rose took over and continues under the present management is quite unacceptable and they have lost my custom long term.

Over the last few months they have been revamping our local M&S. We were promised bigger & better and we would all love it. Unsurprisingly everyone I've spoken to while shopping hates it. I used to be a complete Per Una fanatic but in the last couple of years most of the clothes have become unwearable. Skirts too short & too tight, colours & patterns horrible and fabrics thin and cheap feeling. I'm still wearing mainly Per Una but mainly garments I bought anything up to 10 years ago when the cut was good and the fabrics were interesting. The final straw came when I had a quick look round at the weekend and found that Per Una no longer had its own counter and fitting rooms. One of the girls told me that the idea was that we should just be able to see all the ranges across the shop. What's the point? Why not just call them all M&S full stop?

Done it. Thanks for that link.

everydaysexism.com indeed.
report the b** and they will get tweeted
www.everydaysexism.com
complain to the b*** - people are having some success with newsagents categorising all serious interest periodicals as mens!!!

They've just put on display a big magnet and a marble run.

And they are labelled BOYS STUFF.

First time I've ever been to M&S and not been tempted to buy anything [other than a rather lovely handbag]. Long queues at checkouts but someone stood in the middle of the shop playing a guitar; what was that about? One thing that did look rather lovely was a sort of fifties style dress that looked as if it was made of crimplene; the cut and style was beautiful. Not however, the sort of thing that I could wear now. Funny things, knickers [and socks]. Like light bulbs, they all seem to go at the same time. Perhaps they should have a 'use by date' on them. Be warned, your elastic will go it 2 years, 12 days and thirty seconds..and counting.....

Last week I was looking for a nice v neck cashmere sweater to give to my sis for her 60th.
M and S you would think, this time of year...
They had the most dingy and depressing colours. What is it with M and S and colour? For years they were fixated on powder blue and scarlet and they have diversified a bit. But they ain't got it yet.
Trudged to the opp end of the centre and in JLewis they have fewer shapes, and fewer colours - but my goodness what beautiful colours they were - deep sky blue, peacock blue, leaf green etc.

I had a very interesting experience in their Gibraltar store this year.
I was spoilt for choice. There were so many lovely things to buy; things that you just don't see in the uk.
I asked the assistant why this was. She said: the shops in the uk have to take what they are given; but the Gibraltar shop can pick from the whole of the uk range.
Confused of Westcliff.

When the children were small, we lived in Leicestershire where our market had a stall full of M&S seconds, from the factory where they were made in Leicester. Down the road from our house was a knicker factory where I used to go and buy my supplies from the factory shop. Happy days - I'd have to go to China to find those now!

Oh so very true GGC....I can distinctly remember paying £7 in M&S for a shetland wool jumper with a pleated wool skirt to match in shades of cream and lilac/lavender. I was 17 and it was equavalent of a whole weeks wages. That set lasted me years and years and never really wore out. I come from a very working class background - this is not a class thing. Buying quality clothing that lasts seems to have gone quite out of favour. About time we brought it back.

I couldn't agree with you more GGC. It would be good if they did read this thread!

Not sure if anyone from M&S reads this or not but when we first were married in the 1970s it was our dearest wish to be able to afford M&S because the quality and style was exactly what we wanted. We shopped there for years but over the last 10 years or so we only go there if we can't find anything else.

The quality, style and service have all but disappeared. Cheap imorted tack is just that - cheap. You get what you pay for and until they buy decent stuff again I feel they are doomed to continue their slow but steady demise. Changing the CEO is not the answer - it needs a change of attitude.

Rant over.

Annodomini, well not quite waltz........I over simplified it a tad. Its certainly a lot more convenient than trawling around the shop for my size - they never have my size - but in truth the collection desk is badly placed. As soon as anyone is waiting at it you block an aisle and thus spend the 5 mins or so saying sorry for getting in folks way, so yes, its badly organised.

Anno We probably were there at the same time!

I got my slippers and then got some really nice clothes (2 tops and a jacket) at a very reasonable price , at the Outfit store (BHS?) and a short dressing gown from Tesco!

Result, one happy shopper no thanks to M&S!

anno Please buy it.
You will be sorry you did not.
The whole world is going to pot anyway. Let's join.!

Oh yes, Johanna, I was looking at a lovely, amethyst coloured, long cashmere sweater, but reluctantly decided that I would have to make do with the two I bought last year.

Have you looked at the new cashmere knit ware?
Not bad at all.

Waltz in. Hilda? I waited in quite a short queue for about ten minutes to collect a swimsuit I had ordered on line. Their system is chaotic!
Ella, I wonder if we were in the same store at the same time! I bought yet more knickers - five pairs for £7 - not bad value! Job for tomorrow - clear out all the old raggy pairs.

Went to M&S today to get some slippers.
Everywhere I turned there were assistants in groups of three, chatting.
At the shoe section, two women asssistants were actually trying on boots!

Get a grip someone!

If there is something I want to buy from M&S and know I dont need to try it on...presents for GCs, basic underwear, stuff for husband etc. I order it on-line for 'store collection'. That way I can just waltz in and pick it up, saves so much hastle - its as if they have done the dashing around for me.

Have just returned from a trip to our local M&S to buy a bra. I wanted one without wires and had found one earlier in the year there and wanted to buy two more. When I asked the assistant where they were she said I would have to order on line. She was quite rude. Presumably on line can check the fit should I send a photo I wonder? I went to Debenhams where at least they can order it in store.
The local M&S here is always poor for choice. The range of toddler size boys clothes is poor. It is a waste of time visiting the place!!! Grrrr!

After reading all the negative comments here I find myself asking why anyone bothers looking for clothes in M & S. I only buy knickers there, when I find a suitable style and fit I buy half a dozen pairs, and children's socks as adults socks are too big for me. In the past I bought their 34AA bras but now they only stock them in mega padded "two sizes bigger" styles and children's bras.
I am 5ft and 7st 7lbs and size 6 so usually need to buy from petite ranges. The minuscule M & S petite is only available on line and is even more dire than their main ranges.
Petite ranges, across all stores which offer them, lack style choice and quality and are invariably aimed at the very young or very old, I am 55. Principles used to be good but since being taken over by Debenhams has gone downhill. Monsoon did a reasonably good range but that has now been discontinued. Next has the most extensive range but much of it is very boring and there is far too much polyester. Banana Republic Petite is easily the best for fashion conscious women in their 50's but unfortunately it is not available on line unlike their standard sizes. I now buy over 90% of my clothes from ebay and mix and match items from petite and standard ranges. The majority are from Gap, the old Principles, Banana Republic, H & M, Next, Topshop, Monsoon along with various others. Where do other small fashion conscious women buy clothes I wonder? There is so much more choice for large women but unlike the overweight or obese, who could possibly lose weight, I have no control over my height.