What is up with M & S?

I had a very interesting experience in their Gibraltar store this year.
I was spoilt for choice. There were so many lovely things to buy; things that you just don't see in the uk.
I asked the assistant why this was. She said: the shops in the uk have to take what they are given; but the Gibraltar shop can pick from the whole of the uk range.
Confused of Westcliff.

Last week I was looking for a nice v neck cashmere sweater to give to my sis for her 60th.
M and S you would think, this time of year...
They had the most dingy and depressing colours. What is it with M and S and colour? For years they were fixated on powder blue and scarlet and they have diversified a bit. But they ain't got it yet.
Trudged to the opp end of the centre and in JLewis they have fewer shapes, and fewer colours - but my goodness what beautiful colours they were - deep sky blue, peacock blue, leaf green etc.

First time I've ever been to M&S and not been tempted to buy anything [other than a rather lovely handbag]. Long queues at checkouts but someone stood in the middle of the shop playing a guitar; what was that about? One thing that did look rather lovely was a sort of fifties style dress that looked as if it was made of crimplene; the cut and style was beautiful. Not however, the sort of thing that I could wear now. Funny things, knickers [and socks]. Like light bulbs, they all seem to go at the same time. Perhaps they should have a 'use by date' on them. Be warned, your elastic will go it 2 years, 12 days and thirty seconds..and counting.....

They've just put on display a big magnet and a marble run.

And they are labelled BOYS STUFF.

everydaysexism.com indeed.
report the b** and they will get tweeted
www.everydaysexism.com
complain to the b*** - people are having some success with newsagents categorising all serious interest periodicals as mens!!!

Done it. Thanks for that link.

Over the last few months they have been revamping our local M&S. We were promised bigger & better and we would all love it. Unsurprisingly everyone I've spoken to while shopping hates it. I used to be a complete Per Una fanatic but in the last couple of years most of the clothes have become unwearable. Skirts too short & too tight, colours & patterns horrible and fabrics thin and cheap feeling. I'm still wearing mainly Per Una but mainly garments I bought anything up to 10 years ago when the cut was good and the fabrics were interesting. The final straw came when I had a quick look round at the weekend and found that Per Una no longer had its own counter and fitting rooms. One of the girls told me that the idea was that we should just be able to see all the ranges across the shop. What's the point? Why not just call them all M&S full stop?

Fortunately for me my nearest M&S is 15 miles away. Last summer's disaster when the fabric of a quite expensive silk/cotton top came apart in my hands six weeks after I bought it was the final straw and I decided never to shop there again. Since then when I go shopping I just walk right on by. I was shopping in a town I rarely visit last week. I was in and out of all the other shops looking for some clothes and doing Christmas shopping. When I came to M&S, I ignored it and that is how it is going to stay.

I never have been much of an M&S shopper I used to find their clothes boring and their stock control was always/is(?) very poor, they never had the style/colour/length I wanted in stock, and I am a very average height and build. Boring clothes one occasionally requires so I did shop there on occasion but the really shoddy quality that has consistently characterised their clothes since Stuart Rose took over and continues under the present management is quite unacceptable and they have lost my custom long term.

I have been shopping for clothes for GC and M&S have the poorest selection. Clothes for girls seem to be far too grown up for the suggested age, I do not want my GDs to look like miniature 21 year olds.
When they took the manufacture of clothes out of the UK the sizes went haywire especially in underwear, I have not been able to wear M&S bras and briefs for many years. The food department is the only reason I enter the store now.

oh the other week I noticed that our large store appears to be on the brink of giving up entirely on children's clothes! Shoved into a tiny corner.

And this in the youngest population in the country.

The only time I go into M&S these days is as a short cut from the car park to John Lewis! Colours are awful. The last time I went in to actually buy something was last year. Found a blouse I liked and went looking for a skirt to go with it - everything clashed - put back blouse and haven't bought anything there since.

I think they have turned up trumps for Xmas. Got far too much lovely stuff!

Jingle I have not forgotten you I am waiting for SIL getting back in touch she is terrible for answering texts/phone/emails, I sent another this morning, I will let you know asap about the pillow.
I am not going into M&S to look at the Christmas things as I know it will cost me, so best stay away

That's fine Glass. Thanks again.

I'm not going in there again. Or at least wear blinkers through the women's wear bit. It can get ridiculous!

(and they'll probably take half of it back.)

We are getting a third M and S here.
Big full page ads in the local free papers. They all feature:
Twiggy (hasn't anyone bought her yet) in a dark forest green top. A kind of ribbed rugby top with a dropped hemline at the back (like the ones that were fashionable last year - or has the cycling bum fashion been revived by Saints Wiggins and Pendleton) I cannot find this item on their website.
Am completely bemused by this advert.

I occasionally buy knickers and pyjamas at M & S. I never look at the rest of the clothes as I have always regarded them as being for old women.

They're doing very well in France I believe now they've been allowed back. I'd love to know what they're selling in their shop on the Champs Elysee's [unless that's just for food; it hadn't opened when I was there].

For those in the Leicester area, do you remember the great days when all M&S clothes were made by Corah's in the town centre - and the great factory shop there?

Yes, granjura, I do! I visited that factory shop and on Hinckley market there was a stall full of Corah's seconds, at a fraction of the M&S price. An underwear company had a factory shop just down the road from our house. So convenient for knickers!

granjura I worked there!! Not for very long, luckily, as I spent nearly as much in the shop as I earned. DH's brother worked there 'learning to die/dye' as he put it! I met DH at Corah's Christmas party as he had been smuggled in by his brother. Our first dance was the Gay Gordons

M&S was Corah's downfall as they insisted on Corah's making only for M&S and then moving manufacturing somewhere else at a moment's notice leaving Corah's with no work at all! M&S's quality was so good in those days!

DH's father was a director of another hosiery/knitwear company in Leicester called Poole, Lorrimer and Taberer on King Street.

Sorry for the digression.

About M&S - I have several old pairs of M&S Classic jeans - the type with about 3 inches of elastic either side of the waist. Having a big waist but thin legs, these gave me a perfect fit. But it seems they don't sell them any more. Does anybody know of any other store where I might get them please? I'm desperate!

Bon Marche ??

Worth a try, I suppose - thanks Nonu! I'll have a look on their website.

I once had some like that from BHS, but haven't looked recently.

If you want party clothes that are good value try M&Co. www.mandco.com. I recently saw a beautiful little black dress with sleeves and some really good tops with a little glamour. I'm a granny and proud of it. I don't want to look like a teenager, but I don't want to look like a frump either. Have a look at their site!