Do you think M&S will consult us now?

My wish list.
I miss the 100% wool cardigans and round top jumpers that used to be sold every Autumn and they certainly flew off the shelves here. They were plain with long sleeves and did not stop below my bust or marginally lower. they kept me warm in winter which is what I wanted.
I now buy the men's 100% wool jumpers.

Trousers with a decent depth between crotch and waistband.
Decent quality fabrics, even if we have to pay more.
Briefs that don't drop to pieces in the first wash.
Tops that extend below the waistband and a sleeve that covers the upper arm.
These are a few of the things that I would like

basic crew neck tshirt that is not to short or tight, most tshirts seem to have a low neckline, pants with comfort waist bands .

Cheer up! The Autumn/Winter collection will be in the stores in July - they clearly know something about the weather which the rest of us are only suspecting

I think I would like to see nicer fabrics. To me, a lot of the patterns look like uniforms for supermarket staff. I want classic, plain, comfortable trousers and skirts, with more attractive tops.

I hate this whole idea of clothes suitable for our 'age group'. What age group? If I look around those of a similar age to me in my circle the range of styles they wear is immensely variable. From slim, trim, figure hugging and short - and she gets away with it. To gathered skirts, shirts and flat shoes in a variety of sludge colours and everything in between.

I think M&S should get say, 1000 women to fill in dress diarys, rather as people referred to a dietician fill in food diaries, making a diary entry every day saying what they are wearing, where it came from, why we bought it and the day's activities. It would give them a much better idea on what women wear and what we want than all the focus groups.

Good idea flicketyb but I have solved the problem , I now shop at Debenhams - loads of choice x

As to the undie section - last winter I found their thermal vests were colourful and decorative and did not look old granny like. BUT did keep me lovely and warm. The heat gen T shirts are very useful and warm too. Have not bought bras there for years as found they stopped fitting me correctly and also most are now the 'balcony' type - however I have found some good pants - the sort with no VPL and nice fit - as good if not better than Sloggie - and very washable. I bought them in the nude colour for wearing under light trousers. At the moment they are one of the £5 each or 3 for £10 offers.

Interesting that a retail expert on Breakfast BBC mentioned that she had problems getting the sizes and she is a 12! Even if they had delightful fashions you still need to go into a store, take a fancy to something and find it there and then in your size! Impulse buying only works if you can pick it up and try it on. I do buy a few staples on line from them....put on a collect store basis as I hate going in for even something like knickers or even tights and not finding the size. But yes, there quality is poor nowadays.

M and s need to seriously look around at what women are wearing on the street. A cross section of I would suggest age 25 and above who wear classic clothes and think about what their lifestyles are like. So whether you are 25,35,45,55,65,75,85,95,105 you want stylish clothes that are cut well in decent colours. I could easily design a capsule collection that could be worn by all these ages. It's not so much about age - it's style mixed with practicality and clothes that flatter and feel good. So for example you would need - trousers - some wide, some cropped narrow; some longer narrow ; skirts- knee length pencil classic and one long flared cut on cross ; jeans - same cut as trousers in good quality denim; shirts in soft cotton, a couple of really classic white shirts; long sleeved t shirts with flattering necklines, cashmere or lambswool tunics; classic cardis bothshort and long length, a coupe of really classic dresses, a couple of well cut jackets - short and long and some extras like collarless coats - ALL in really good classic colours with nice details like decent buttons etc that can all mix and match. You could buy these and just keep adding to your collection. It sounds boring but with good colours and good accessories it would be just what people are looking for. Clothes that are suitable for working, travelling, playing with children or grandchildren everything - it could be so simple ! ( why aren't I a designer not just a gran?!)

that 'age group' word. Why are people so fixated with it? There is no such thing when it comes to clothes.

Nice flattering summer tops that are not see through, do not cling and with three quarter sleeves.

I like to choose my own unique accessories so I won't purchase garments that include necklaces etc as part of the package. A reduction in the price would be nicer.

Oh quite agree Sook, I have always avoided all such garments. Per Una always seem to think we can't put a necklace with a top ourselves. One of the best things about shopping is buying that odd quirky necklace/scarf from an individual shop or craft fair!

I love their trousers with a side zip- nobody wants the extra bulk of a front fastening adding to their tum. But try searching on line for them- it's impossible as they rarely tell you where the zip is! ie. in the product description they say they fasten with a hook and a zip- but no indication where!
bez I agree with you about the no VPL pants- lovely fit, have them in black and nude and rarely wear any other type. Lovely smooth line, and hold you in a bit as well

Email them - they run focus groups !

Nasty plastic necklaces and even nastier plastic belts! Yuk!

Reddevil3, you can zoom in on the photo of the trousers and see whether they fasten at the front or not.

reddevil3 I much prefer front fastening trousers and jeans.

I need the trousers with front zips because I can't pull up a zip with my left hand. Skirts are OK because I can put them on with the zip at the front and pull them round.

Yes, please not pastel embroidered cardies, M&S. How about black/navy beaded cardies instead? I'd really like plain, classic clothes in smart colours, well made, from good materials. And some dresses. Look, let me draw some for you... Tip: a lot depends on which M&S you go to. Queensway is well frumpy, but Moorgate is rather chic.

I would like to see much more colour and pattern, something to lift my spirits. My recent visit to M&S (for sandwiches) was so depressing, so colourless, all black, white or grey. I do not wear black, it makes me look as if I am attending my own funeral, or white, again unflattering.

I would like skirts that are not flapping ones around my mid calf nor straight skirts, my preference is a simply A line, and not way above my knee in length and many more bras without foam padding. I think we get so many of these because they are cheaper to produce than proper fitted bras that do not rely on foam shapes for fit.

But more than anything better quality. The last garment I bought, a top, the fabric just split, as if it had decayed, all frayed, six weeks after I bought it. I have never had that happen to a garment I have bought before - or since at any shop.

Have to agree with most of what is being said on M&S. I was given a gift card for my birthday in January and it is still lingering in the deep recesses of my purse (well at least I think it is) . During my last few trips to M&S I was unable to find anything I wanted to spend it on and even the home wear which I normally love seemed to have gone off track a little bit.
When Per Una started out it was lovely and definitely fit my taste in most things. Now it seems to be aimed at 80year old hippies or ancient Geography teachers. I agree about all the horrid necklaces attached to tops in order to bump the price up. What is going on?

Ancient geography teachers, in my experience, are generally clad in stout walking boots and encased in stuff from Snow and Rock.

Having walking unproductively round the the M&S flagship store in Oxford Street yesterday, I'd say that the clothes in there were more suited to the 'swivel eyes loons' who were recently referred to by unnamed persons.