I’ve ordered a 2nd sack-of-potatoes dress

I see M and S have just brought out some dresses in collab with Ghost.....
www.marksandspencer.com/l/women/mands-x-ghost

I like this one

Yes, but that applies to a lot of catalogues, online or not, Calendargirl - some even tell you that the model is 5’ 10” and wearing a size 8.

Maybe there’s a market for some gizmo that you could aim at such a photo, enter your own size and height, and it’d adjust the image accordingly.
Though on second thoughts, I somehow can’t see it becoming a best seller!

I didn’t buy anything from Poetry for several years - not that I’d ever bought very much anyway - because when I checked ‘finer points’ for anything I liked, it was nearly always ‘hand wash’ and I just CBA with that, unless it’s a particularly special pure wool jumper. Def. not for cotton or linen.
They do seem better in that respect lately though.

Having said that, I was caught out a few years ago with a summery cotton jumper from SeaSalt - not only hand wash, but dry flat!
Memo to self, always check first!

Just had a quick look at the Poetry website.

Mixed reviews.

As per usual, all the models are youngish, about a size 10 and just under 6 feet tall.

Some lovely clothes, not sure how good they would look on many of us on GN,

I like Global Mandala clothing. A UK company, reasonable prices and cotton.

Well Witzend I may never forgive you for introducing me to that site! So many beautiful clothes I want, but can I justify the prices I spent an inordinate amount on an outfit from John Lewis for son's 2 days before the first lockdown emergency rearranged wedding, which I thought was fine until I saw the photos............ that will never be worn again! I've always gone for very easily affordable until now. So disappointed with M&S, they have to over embellish everything..... I don't want frills here there and everywhere! I may have to bite the bullet and order some of their lovely linen garments

I know I’ll wear this dress absolutely loads, probably for the next few years, so although it was certainly expensive, to me that makes it worth the price
I guess that’s fair enough - cost per wear, etc. I have a Masai green and black silk dress, which was bought in a sale, but which was still expensive. But I love it, and often wear it - dressed up or down.

FannyCornforth

LadyStardust I bought the very same dress today from QVC!

Why are Buffet dresses called Buffet dresses? And what features must they have?

FannyCornforth I hope it wasn't much cheaper!

I wouldn’t wear it to a smarter do, Polly12, but I go to so few of those anyway. I’d def wear it to anything casual, e.g. a barbecue in someone’s garden.

For contrast, the dress I wore for a dd’s wedding in 2015 was also from Poetry - IIRC it cost about £120 - but since I usually live in jeans or cotton/linen trousers in summer, I’ve never once worn it since.

I know I’ll wear this dress absolutely loads, probably for the next few years, so although it was certainly expensive, to me that makes it worth the price.

What’s influencing our choices of clothes now? When / why we’ll wear them / price / fashionable / comfortable / eco materials ?

I'm a baggy linen person, summer and winter alike so that limits my choice.
Fresh ideas welcome!

Those Poetry dresses are a helluva price for something you say you wouldn’t wear ‘out’. I wouldn’t even spend over £200 on a dress to wear to, say, a wedding! Each to their own, I guess. I’m not a great seamstress, but they fon’t look difficult dresses to make?
People on GN often mention different clothes labels, but I somehow feel out of line with you all!
Seasalt ~ expensive, boxy, unflattering shapes, mumsy
Fatface - I like their styles, but probably too young for 60 / 70 yr olds?
Boden - boring, stiff, prim
M and S - frilly, silly dresses. Trousers ok
Hobbs - ok for posh do’s
White stuff - used to be good, but gone a bit OTT with their prints?
Sahara - very expensive.
I’d like interesting clothes to wear on a daily basis, for gardening, playing with GC, cooking, going for a coffee, etc

Apologies for banging on about M&S, but you do have to wonder whether they’re bent on self destruction - at least when it comes women’s clothes.

Some years ago in a tiny independent shop near where my sister lives in Cape Cod, I found a lovely plain, unlined, linen jacket - with nice buttons! - in fuchsia pink. It wasn’t very expensive and I wondered then why M&S, with their economies of scale, couldn’t produce such things in a few different colours, at M&S prices.

But of course they’d probably have to ruin them with fussy ‘bits’, wouldn’t they? They just can’t seem to help themselves.

I wandered through M&S at lunch time, and there were several things which were nearly nice, but something is always a bit off. They seem to skimp on fabrics, and one dress which could have been pretty had a ridiculously high neckline.

^I do still find the odd thing, but mostly I think their buyers/designers have had a taste bypass, or are colour blind, or both.
Or else they just think, ‘Well, I wouldn’t be seen dead in it, but it’ll do for M&S.’.^

That did make me laugh ?

I actually saw a dress a couple of years ago that was almost identical to my Gran's curtains when we lived with her fifty years ago. I do still buy things at M&S (fifteen pairs of high waist jeggings for example) but in general I don't think their stuff has any flair any more.

Lucca and DannieRae

Witzend said it looks like a 'sack of potatoes '. I was agreeing with her.

I agree Fanny, and I’d look awful in all those layers making me look even fatter!

I did once look at Gudren Sjoden (a Swedish friend mentioned them though they’re def. not her style) but I found them sort of upmarket ex-60s-hippy-ish. And even more sack-of-potatoes-ish than mine.
But that was years ago now, maybe I should look again!

I wouldn't be able to move in all those layers. It must be very hot.

Paperbackwriter
I am wearing a gudren sjoden skirt today, but I don’t think I could wear some of the combinations their models are wearing in the catalog,

Full Clown! ?
I know what you mean. The way they style everything, one outfit alone must cost around a grand!

FannyCornforth

Gudren Sjoden is definitely worth a look

It is worth a look but I think you have to be careful not to go Full Clown if you wear it all at once like the models!

LadyStardust I bought the very same dress today from QVC!

Why are Buffet dresses called Buffet dresses? And what features must they have?

Unless it was a really searing heatwave, I don’t think I’d wear it to any sort of ‘do’, even a buffet! - but for round the house and garden, or for anything casual - so comfortable and practical (non creasing!) I can see myself wearing them until they fall apart. Maybe they’ll even see me out! ?

Yes, definitely pricey, but I don’t buy many clothes, and often keep things for ages, so cost per wear will work out reasonable enough.

Lucca

Sawsage2

Witzend.
You were right. I think it does look like a sack for potatoes. If you're happy in it that's all that matters so enjoy wearing it with a big smile ?

It absolutely does not

How rude and definitely not true!!