C & A Modes

DH had a really nice black leather jacket bought in Oxford Street, he wore it for years until he got too fat.
I also remember they had great evening dresses, not something that most people wear these days.

As children, my siblings and I were taken to C & A every winter for a new, best coat. I remember entering the huge store and getting on the escalator, which I used to be scared of, and making our way up to the children's department.

I bought my wedding dress from C&A back in the 80s, 3/4 length white lace. I remember Clockhouse being their label, fab store!

There still are C&A stores in Spain. We visit each time we go. Clockhouse and Sixth Sense are still available. Took me ages to realise the Canda range actually spelt out C and A!

I think the more expensive label was Sixth Sense. I loved C and A, and bought my first evening dress there, black tafetta , off the the shoulder. I was 17 when the New Look came in and C and A was my fav shop for the long swirly skirts and tight bodices.

Coats’n’ats loved the store

I loved the Clock House range use to think I was sooo cool wearing some of it

Thank you all for your replies. Yes, the 'posh' line was sixth sense. I remember getting a dress from that range for a special occasion (paid for by my Mum). One of the other memories I have of C & A was buying a burgundy faux leather coat, ankle length, known as the Dr Zhivago look. I had a Saturday job there for a short time when hot pants came out and was asked to wear them in the shop to promote sales. They were bright orange and I was allowed to keep them. Caused quite a stir in the local pub that night when I took my coat off!

Lexisgranny When DD was about 12, we were looking for a skirt for her and she pointed one out, saying 'I could wear that one when I visit grandma'. It was pretty and a bit longer than the skirts she usually wore. I dressed to please my mum, when we visited her until she died. A small accommodation for a much love mother.

I was a student in London and I well remember my father meeting me at the station, taking one look and saying “Get in the car quickly before anyone sees you!”. I thought I looked really good, and in those days think I knew the fashion range of every shop in Oxford Street. Years later saw me dressing far more conventionally but for years I toned down my ‘look’ before going back home.

I remember the Newcastle store from when I was a student in the city in the early 1960s.

I remember buying a short black box pleated skirt, a big white sweater and thick black tights and when I went home at Christmas, my mother wouldn't let me wear it at hom bcause it made me look like a student!!. I think she was thinking French and the Juliet Greco look.

Mazgg

I can remember the Northumberland Street Store very well it was one of my favourite shops .
I bought my longed for fur collared coat there in the 1960s when I was 17 out of my saved up wages.It cost £10 a lot of money then it made me feel posh.My grandmother hit the roof when she found out the price.

dragonfly46

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

Yes there is a branch in Amsterdam. Also Eindhoven where we were based for a few days last summer. It was summer sale time and I bought several things! I do miss them in the UK too.

I was sorry too; I bought ski wear in C&A in this country, it was excellent quality.

C&A is a Dutch shopping chain. Why they withdrew from the UK market, I do not know. When my parents lived on the Dutch/german border in my late teens, I bought a lot of clothes from them - and continued to do so when we moved back to the UK. I was really sorry when they closed.

I used to love the Liverpool Branch of C&A. In local argot it was called "coats and ats". I shopped in there as a teenager until I went to work in the city libraries and acquired some friends who introduced me to the more classy George Henry Lee. My mother never went into the latter. She said it was only for posh people.

I dont recall any of the brand names from C&A but they did indeed have a bargain basement and a ground floor for the cheaper lines. The better quality stock was on the 2nd floor.

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

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

Rodeo was the sport range.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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