M&S still haven't found the plot they lost....

I can't remember the last time I went to M&S. Damart sounds frumpy but I think it has some nice and fairly plain styles for a reasonable price.

I mourn the days when M&S sold lovely classic stylish clothes. Their 'fashions' now are hideously frumpy, fussy and unattractive, and as several posters have remarked, the fabrics are terrible - so much synthetic rubbish. The prices are exorbitant too, especially considering the poor quality.
Don't get me started on the eye-poppingly ghastly colours, and the excess of trimmings, and oh - those dangly sleeves!
I walked away in horror, but on the way through the menswear department, I bought three lovely cotton sweaters at a knock down price, in delicate and most unmanly pastels. They are just right for me - it's an ill wind ..... !

I like some of the stuff you get at Sainsbury. Just wish they would do a more expensive range as well with better quality material.

Why do M&S continue to ask for customers ' thoughts about their shops/styles, etc, and then carry on in their own 'head in the sand' way? They seem to think that as their food departments are doing well then the whole of M&S is OK.

The only things I bought in M&S this summer were their t-shirts with elbow-length sleeves in a variety of colours most of which suit me.
The last time I ventured into Next, I couldn't get out fast enough!

I bought some plain t-shirts from them a few years ago but only after seeing lots of hideous rubbish before I found them - and they were a bargain, still going strong, as are their bras which I find fit me well.
I agree about the rest of the stuff they sell - they've been getting it so wrong for a very long time that it's a wonder they're still in business. I'd hate to see them shut down though.
I'd dare anyone to go into a store, look at things disdainfully and say in a loud voice, "What the h@$% is that?" I'm only brave enough to mutter.

Aren't they hideous? And somebody actually designed them.

I hate clothes shopping - I am a size 22 on the top and a 14 from the waist down - I very rarely find a dress that doesn't make me look like a pregnant hippo! I wish designers would realise that people are not always the same size top and bottom half - I could make a tent out of the spare material from the bust down and many tops and dresses are just horrible with yards of extra fabric I don't need.

Spent a boring hour looking for a pair of skinny but well-cut jeans in size 10. Zilch! Next day went to my local Shelter shop which takes seconds and designer rejects, and found jeans that could have been made just for me, costing £9.50 A much more gratifying experience in every sense.

I like it. Very trendy.

I wander into M&S sometimes, particularly when there is a sale. I have bought things occasionally-a pair of turquoise cotton trousers I wear for Tai Chi- very comfortable and good for the beach as well, but nowhere else! I like supermarket clothes- Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco. They have the additional advantage that you can take them back next time you do your food shopping!

Excuse me, Deedaa, I've just bought a very cheap stylish top in the M & S sale, with a discreet sprinkling of gold. Also a chartreuse teeshirt for a quid. They might well be going back. I don't know what gets into me sometimes (wanders off muttering to self).

Last time they hit rock bottom selling clothes nobody wanted, M&S hired a team of top models including Twiggy to boost their sales. Remember those TV adverts and posters everywhere? Well, Twiggy would look fantastic in a bin liner but not much hope for us ordinary mortals.

Did you notice how most of the summer clothes had a sprinkling of gold over them? Nothing says "Look at this cheap and nasty garment I bought from a market stall" like splashing gold all over it.

Oriel, That horrible pink dress was on the sale rail the other day, priced at £4.50!

You'd hope that by now, with sales of women's clothes dropping year after year, that someone/anyone at M&S might think to consult its customer base. It's impossible to go into M&S without seeing numerous women of a certain age, drifting about looking for an item of clothing that is wearable, only to leave, empty handed and shaking our collective heads.

I think you hit the nail on the head Witzend the buyers do not consider their customer base at all just think they know best.

Yes, mrsmopp - the other day in ours I saw some jumpers that were not exactly wow but perfectly nice - except that they had rows of brass buttons tacked on! Tack being the operative word...
I just can't imagine who ever could have thought that would be an improvement.

I have changed the buttons on an otherwise v nice cardigan that came with truly horrible ones, but how many people CBA?
Whoever said they just don't listen is spot on. Do they not care? Are the buyers arrogant enough to still think they know best, when it's obvious that so much stuff isn't selling?

I wonder to what extent each store chooses which items to stock? If so then our local one does very well. Some beautiful smart jumpers and a huge range of wearable trousers impressed me this season. They've got some nice long blouses too. Suits me. (I don't like frills and fancy stuff either)

M&S hit the doldrums back in 2000 when everything in their winter range was black or grey and everybody grumbling about M&S. Now it's happening again. They just can't get it right. One example - a navy and white top with horizontal stripes, a classic, right? But it had dopey little flowers on it! So it went back on the rail. So sad. Used to love their stuff in my younger days but not bought anything for ages. Don't even bother looking anymore. Just glad I haven't got shares in them that's all.

Thanks for that Maw, I'll have a look at Box2.

I used to buy bras at M&S but finding the correct size was such a nightmare that I gave up and now I order on line. I have even stopped buying their knickers because other stores can produce the same quality for less money. I also think that they should stay with food- it is what they are good at.

I chatted to one of the sales staff back at the beginning of the summer about the dreadful clothing. She agreed that it was dire and that they (the staff) knew immediately when stock was delivered that many items would end up on the sale rails.

She showed me their 'hottest' dress of the season which was expected to fly off the shelves... it was a horrendous bubblegum pink dress which had huge bell sleeves and was so stiff it could have stood up on its own.

Apparently feedback from customers to the shop floor staff was ignored by management.

seacliff look at Box 2 they have some excellent outfits in size 14-16 and upwards.

The M&S France website is reduced too, I suppose its because they are closing their stores here. I found nothing I would feel comfortable wearing apart from some jeans. I visited a UK store recently and didn't buy a thing, unheard of for me.
I agree with other posters what is this obsession with weird sleeves and bardot tops, everyone jumped on the band wagon like sheep. What happened to classic clothing in good quality fabrics ?