Will M&S ever learn?

It's so sad, I went into M&S on Saturday and barely recognised it. I may have found clothes a little too frilly in Per Una, but I liked seeing them looking pretty and in all the lovely colours as I walked in. That didn't happen. There were far fewer clothes in more boring, safe colourways, I didn't like anything in Per Una at all. Upstairs things were no better. The wide shoes weren't, and many were too high and some looked as if they had come from far cheaper shops. Leggings in synthetics were everywhere, and the linens weren't good quality ones. I couldn't believe how many leggings there were - and the awful thing is, many younger people no longer wear them! I had £40 of vouchers burning a hole in my handbag and found very little to spend it on. I went for the Indigo range in the end. They are intended for younger women but can be cut a bit on the small side. I found myself getting bored and desperate, wondering what on earth I would find to spend my vouchers on.

I can't say I am overkeen on Next particularly, but I think I shall have to retrain my family to give me Next vouchers instead.

Eloethan I'm very small - and I like clothes - and I have a daughter with a very good eye for what looks good. Like Hilda i think that getting the length right is really important, just below the knee cap is by far the best length, or full length otherwise. I think you're right in that a few well cut basics in neutral colours is worth investing in and then they can be brightened up with less expensive accessories.

If you have a TKMaxx near you you can often pick up some wonderful bargains. I got two Calvin Klein dresses very cheaply and a lovely navy knitted dress by Marc of New York very, very cheaply. But you have to be prepared to sort through a heap of rubbish to find them.

Petite ranges are not often very stylish though, they often seem to pick the LCD and the dullest colours.

I had thought of getting my sewing machine out and making my clothes as I used to, but the price of the fabric, the pattern and the haberdashery makes it prohibitive.

Eloethan, oh its all so tricky, I agree. What suited one time looks dreadfull now and vice versa. I have just suddenly realised I am getting it wrong with skirts. Always used to prefer them long ( chunky legs) however, now I've realised that the overall ageing effect of a long skirt is far worse than exposing the chunky legs! I keep a full length mirror in a spare bedroom and when feeling strong (stiff drink required) take a hard look at myself. Must admit I still find my fall back choice of well tailored and quite expensive (used to work for Jaeger) trousers suit best but not sure I could justify replacing them at today's prices when they finally give up ghost.

We have a number of M&S. stores around in Cardiff and the two I know the most have a lot of different stock - the one in the city centre has many more suits etc and the out of town one is more casual. In both stores I have seen a number of things which are good. I cannot see this division of ages with their ranges. With the exception of the Classics range I see things in all the ranges which I like - some of which I do deem unsuitable for me to wear!!
At the moment I like their chino trousers and been lucky to get them in colours I like but they do have some colours which are not to my taste. I noticed this week they have many more things with sleeves (and not a frilly one in sight!!) DD bought a beautifully cut top recently but it is done in only a couple of designs and not a colour way for me.
Not keen on their peasant top range but then I would not wear the ones in Monsoon either.

By the way they have some of the most comfy knickers I have had for a longtime and they are on offer at 3 pairs for £10 - they are the sort where there is no VPL and I bought them in the nude colour so OK under summer trousers.

Mice I usually have to use petite ranges (not that I'm petite width-wise but I'm only just over 5 foot).

Hobbs' clothes are nice, as are Reiss, Jaeger, etc., but they're all on the expensive side. Perhaps we should be more prepared to buy well made, more expensive clothes but buy less of them. The trouble with this is I tend to go off clothes - what I thought looked nice last year makes me look like a sack of potatoes this year (or maybe I looked like a sack of potatoes last year too but was in denial!)

Well, I seem to be in the minority, but I like the coats (not the pink colour though), the waffle dress, the clutch and possibly the much maligned cocktail dress (I'd have to check the fabric on this, though - it could go either way...). The rest is just the usual dowdy stuff I see so much of now when I go to M & S. I feel that they try far too hard to be everything to everybody and miss most targets. Too many ribbons, bows and fol-de-rols in Per Una, too much elastic in Classics, too many weird and wonderful colour combinations. I used to head for the Autograph range, but it isn't what it once was. I feel they should limit their ranges and concentrate on the quality. Saying that, I still manage to find a few jewels in and amongst - I bought a lovely simple red linen dress last week that will last me for a few holidays to come.

It's difficult Eloethan. But I've bought some lovely items from Hobbs. Best to wait for their sale so the prices aren't too horrible. Their skirts are lovely too. They fit neatly over the hips without those dreadful bulges that look like jodhpurs.

Can you buy beautifully tailored blouses anywhere now unless you pay an absolute fortune?

More unremittingly dull clothes from the new collection in DM today. Everything is black or white with very little colour. The shops are going to look like funeral clothes retailers.

I remember going into the M&S branch in Southend about 20 years ago and being greeted with serried rows of black skirts as far as the eye could see. It looked like a cemetery with rows of black marble gravestones.

Me too micelf, but I do keep going into M&S hoping they will have come to their senses.In mine it's all tee shirts with glitzy motifs and tunics and leggings, which do nothing for me.

Yes, it's a Frump Dump. But such a pity, I remember in the early 80s buying beautifully cut blouses which were featured in one of the fashion pages as being worth three times as much as it was being sold for. No idea where t all went wrong, but I'd have to be desperate to buy there now.

These days I shop at Hobbs and Phase 8.

- nah - its the clothes deeda.

flickety Deedaa

When they did the hideous Portfolio range for the older woman I tried a few garments on. I was appalled because they made me look at least fifty, but then realised that as I was over sixty it might be me and not the clothes

A weekend away found me walking through the women's clothes section of M&S to get to the food section. As I walked through I was looking at the clothes and coming to the conclusion that they were aimed at women 20 years older than me. It then struck me that I will be 70 this year and this has been my feeling about M&S clothes since I was about 20.

I did go to a Per Una focus group last year. Even that took an effort as they originally wanted women under 45 but a whole lot of us over 60's emailed and said "what about us? We're the ones who buy the clothes!" I took along a folder of pictures of clothes I liked with notes about why I liked them. They were amazed and said no one had ever done that before. They took the folder with them to show the design team, but looking at what's in the stores now they don't seem to have been very impressed

Saw the ultimate T-shirt in our local M & S the other day: a light navy and cream fabric, not bad - but why or why did they think lace insets were a good idea?! And those attractive blouses spoilt completely by false buttons on the sleeves. I bought a pair of chino-type trousers which fit well until they reached the top of the legs, when they ballooned out at the back - even wearing a belt wouldn't have helped. When I returned them, I explained the problem to the assistant. Was she interested? Was she heck! Yet I feel so sad to see M & S fail to address the problems; like many GN members, I've spent a lot of my life in its hallowed halls. I do occasionally see a stylish dress or coat, but usually in the Autograph range which is often outside my budget. I bought a plain charcoal jumper with a small pocket on the front last year, everyone asked me where I bought it (even much younger friends!) and couldn't believe it was from M & S, so they do some things right.
When Mary Berry wore a lovely floral jacket on Bake-Off, it sold out within days at Zara. Obviously not being bought by teenagers, so come on M & S, give us quality, style and fit - please!!!

I would give anything for the opportunity to design clothes for M&S. I think their designers are crazy, and have no taste what so ever. Black/beige/purple is all one sees there. I would love some well made, smart, basic classics that you can dress up or down. Won't happen in my time though....

Many years ago I wrote tothe then MD of M & S, Luke somebody, to say how disappointed I was with the fashions. I used to go in to M & S at the beginning of theseason to buy a pair of new trousers and come out with an armful of things I really liked. No longer, even then.No reply needless to say.

This year there are some T-shirts with longer sleeves and a range of decent colours. If only there could be polo shirts too, with a collar and longer sleeves in bright colours for the summer.

Also, and I am nearly six foot, they used to have longer length jackets and other garments. Then I could only find black or navy.

My big beef though is with all big stores (I blame Mary Portas). they are too confusing. If I wanted a coat, I used to go and look at the coats, or skirts or whatever. Now everything is muddled up, shops in shops and it takes ages. I usually give up because I am too tired....

I do have a problem with their clothes for older women - they always make me look like an old lady. Not something I consider myself to be at a mere 67!
I did find a really nice cardigan affair among the beach stuff a couple of weeka ago. Mid thigh length, linen mix in a dark grey and cream zebra print. Looked super when I tried it on and I bought it instantly. Last time I went in I couldn't find it at all - obviously the clothes sell if they're nice enough.
I don't think Liz Jones is the ideal person to model stuff anyway. I read an article once where she was explaining the perfect pair of trousers (Designer of course! Black naturally) It would have been fine if they hadn't been about 4" too short and flapping above her ankles!

I think you may be right, ana! But someone, somewhere must realise the market that they are missing, and said market's spending power? Or is that too logical? Probably.

They're obviously not keen to be associated with Gransnet because they probably think we're all into embroidered pastel cardis and elasticated waists and that they already cater for the likes of us!

My dd on behalf of the darling GC , at my behest , gives me vouchers so I can have the house filled with flowers all year.
The beauty of this arrangement they don"t have to spent in one hit .
Love it !

still about

Aka , you could always buy food , wine or flowers .

I am sure whoever gave you the vouchers would be pleased .