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C & A Modes

(117 Posts)
Mazgg Sun 15-Jan-23 10:29:58

Can anyone remember what C & A's more expensive range was called? In Newcastle (Northumberland Street Branch) it was on the top floor.
My friend and I have been trying to remember this without success. The ground floor had that weeks special buys, I remember hot pants, knitwear. It was the place to go on Saturday to buy an outfit for going out that night.

nanna8 Sun 15-Jan-23 12:11:21

I remember C and A when I was a teenager. I wish there was something like it now. I suppose H and M are a bit similar but really, not a patch on them. They were cheap but reasonable quality and great to browse round.

aggie Sun 15-Jan-23 12:12:04

I got my “ going away “ suit there ! It was hanging in the wardrobe a year ago , daughter visiting took it down . The skirt was moth damaged but the jacket was like new , she took it and wears it !
It’s at least 56years old !

sodapop Sun 15-Jan-23 12:57:33

Yes it was and still is Sixth Sense, I recently bought a blouse from that range from the store in Limoges.

Callistemon21 Sun 15-Jan-23 13:13:42

Callistemon21

Oh! Shows my size 😁

It was always on the sloppy side
😁

Gin Sun 15-Jan-23 13:50:16

Tannith, I also worked in the Marble Arch branch in the late 1950s, on Saturday Morning ( the West End closed on Sat afternoons then) and Thurs evenings for late night shopping when we stayed open until 8 pm. I was still at school. I moved from the ‘bargain basement’ to the Green. Room upstairs where they sold more expensive clothes because I spoke nicely!
In the holidays I worked in the offices adding up all those little cardboard price tags on an adding machine. No computers then!
I still buy clothes from C&A when I go back to The Hague on a visit.

Chestnut Sun 15-Jan-23 14:07:48

Just looked at C&A online and although they ship to China and Brazil they don't ship to the UK!!

Chestnut Sun 15-Jan-23 14:20:19

I remember buying clothes for the whole family in the 1980s and early 1990s when they were making children's clothes in really vibrant colours, pink, yellow, green, purple. My most vivid memory were the shell suits in those colours. We all had one and sometimes wore them together, so I suppose we were the Shell Suit Family! It didn't last long though, probably just as well.

joannapiano Sun 15-Jan-23 14:23:06

I bought a trendy mini PVC Mac in pink, from C&A in Oxford St. while I was at College around 1967. My boyfriend said I looked like a giant condom, which put me off wearing it for a while. Still married him, though.

Fleurpepper Sun 15-Jan-23 14:23:18

Chestnut

Just looked at C&A online and although they ship to China and Brazil they don't ship to the UK!!

sitting on hands!

halfpint1 Sun 15-Jan-23 14:23:32

I shop in C & A regularly, love it. My first teenage 'reefer jacket'
came from them (in England) and they've never failed to
clothe me since.

Callistemon21 Sun 15-Jan-23 14:26:26

joannapiano 😂

My going away outfit was a bright pink wool suit, the same kind of colour as in Chestnut's photo. It was a lovely suit but what was I thinking to buy bright pink?

It was from Richard's Shops as far as I remember.

AGAA4 Sun 15-Jan-23 14:30:25

My friend and I went to C &A most Saturdays. One time we both bought dresses for a party that night. I met my husband to be at that party. My friend had her heart set on him too and sadly our close friendship ended.

Oldbat1 Sun 15-Jan-23 14:31:29

Used to go to C&A in Edinburgh it always seemed huge. This was 60s and 70s. Those were the days Woolworths for the cafe, BHS, M&S, Jenners (very upmarket) and Littlewoods, and Saxone for shoes. Had a walk around C&A in Funchal Madeira when we were there on holiday.

Witzend Sun 15-Jan-23 14:38:59

Some of the Dutch C&A family used to live near here, and several of their children attended the same junior school as dds.
It was a catholic school, the head was a nun, and it was very noticeable how each year at prize giving, the headmistress’s prize for each year would go to one of the (long distinctive Dutch name) pupils.

I was naive enough to be shocked at first by what was evidently blatant sucking-up to obviously very well off parents, until an Irish friend told me that was Irish nuns for you, always sucking up to what they saw as the ‘gentry’. 😂

Helenlouise3 Sun 15-Jan-23 14:43:51

I bought a hoodie and a velour lounge top from C & A in Budapest in November

tanith Sun 15-Jan-23 15:15:11

I envy those of you able to still shop there.
Gin I worked there 1963ish

Chestnut Sun 15-Jan-23 17:30:24

Shell suits are still being worn! So do we think Lewis Hamilton has been shopping at C&A?

Jaylou Sun 15-Jan-23 17:33:28

They also had a range called "Rodeo", not sure if it was posh or not. I miss C&A and BHS

DerbyshireLass Sun 15-Jan-23 17:42:11

I loved C&A. So sad to see it go from the U.K.

I may be wrong but I think it's a Dutch company.

dragonfly46 Sun 15-Jan-23 17:54:36

Yes it is a Dutch company. I too love their clothes. There is a branch in Amsterdam if I remember rightly.

varian Sun 15-Jan-23 17:57:52

I remember buying a long sleeved polka dot cotton shift dress in the Sauchiehall St branch of C&A in 1965. It was 10 shillings in the sale.

Lexisgranny Sun 15-Jan-23 18:17:55

I have an idea it was called Rodeo Drive and was probably the most trendy range. On the other hand I was probably in my 40s then and thought anything under 30s wore was trendy!

I seem to remember going into C&As in Nice and the clothes were totally different from those on sale in the UK. I have noticed this in M&S in different countries- though it’s probably not that surprising really, tastes like recollections also vary.

Fleurpepper Sun 15-Jan-23 18:25:07

Rodeo was the sport range.

Lexisgranny Sun 15-Jan-23 18:35:55

Yes, that figures. I must be linking it with Rodeo Drive in Beverley Hills we’re clothes were certainly trendy in those days.

Lexisgranny Sun 15-Jan-23 18:37:00

Sorry autocorrect again - should be ‘where’ not ‘were’!