A Gransnet design brief for M & S

If you read through all the postings it makes you realise why M&S have such a problem - how do you satisfy all those needs?

I would ask for lower prices as I can't afford to shop at M&S!

devongranny my M&S cashmere needs a good shave even though it has been carefully washed.
I must rub my arms against my sides

I did buy a pair of needlecord trousers in the sale which fit nicely!! taking a chance as they were non-returnable.
£6.99 - bargain

Funnily enough, mumsnet had a practically identical thread to this which I was reading last week. They were all crying out for classic, well made, quality clothes just as we are.

I've been buying from M & S since I was a teenager. I have 15 -20 yr old M&S items which still look great (some of which I can't get into any more, though ). I have lived in their lambswool jumpers and cord trousers for years. Not any more; the cords have suddenly disappeared and the jumpers, if I can find any in wearable colours, go into holes after several washes.

Yes please to a good selection of cotton T shirts which don't finish at just above the waist and to jackets and trousers in good fabrics.

I have to say that I have recently bought some of their cashmere jumpers, which are lovely and wash well, and their cotton knickers seem timeless. Oh, and their wide fitting shoes were quite good for a while. Apart from that? Zilch, really.

P.S A mumsnetter actually contacted M & S with their moans and got a very positive response. I'll see if I can find the thread later.

What has happened to the cashmere, buy it in the sales but that is no reason for it to bobble after one wearing and it just gets worse with wear! Can very rarely find anything that isn't dowdy what has happened to M and S?

My last post shot into cyberspace! To summarize, cargo length trousers offered in full length as I have to wear horrid thick surgical socks all the time. I like everything about the style except the length. Tee shirts in non-clingy fabric to camouflage my spare tyre. Also blazer style summer jackets. Recently they seem to be designed for ladies with breast implants and tiny waists. I'm a size 18 and by no means flat chested but although the fastening won't fasten the shaping for the bust is empty!! Now to try posting again.

My biggest problem with all the shops not just M&S is that I want a Summer skirt WITHOUT an elasticated waist. I often see skirts I like but they always have elasticated waists and I find that so uncomfortable. I like a skirt to fit me round the waist properly.

As others have mentioned, trousers which come up to the waist and are good quality fabric. I don't like feeling they are at half mast.
Yes, sleeves in dresses and tops which are neither low cut nor stranglingly high. V necks are flattering but not showing next week's washing.

Think I agree with most things posted about Marks I have bought many many things in the past but now find myself going to other stores sometimes having to pay a little more but the clothes I have spent more on have washed better and look great and don't look frumpy come on Marks and Spencer's sort yourselves out !

I agree, think M @ S have lost their way and if we G/Netters think that and my friends, why don't they? Stick to Food, Homeware and Underwear ( even the under 50's stock up there) and then concentrate on being the leading place for the over 50's with a good range from casual to dressy. They are totally missing an opportunity here.

Jalima - glad you agree about the sleeves in dresses! I tried a few on last year, all strappy affairs, they were so short, I would have felt like I was going out in my vest and pants!!

I do so agree with most correspondents. I used to go to Marks and come out with armfuls of stuff (that I couldn't really afford). Now I too wander round and find nothing.
They used to sell jackets in'long' - like Grandmattie I am nearly 6ft - but I haven't found anything except trousers in a long length for years. Went in for jeans before Christmas and there were none, just loads of tinsel and glitter. I ordered some on line, exactly the same size as I had bought before and although they do just about fit, they aren't made of denim, so they aren't really jeans (are they?).

Why do all shops have these shops inside? It used to be that if you wanted a pair of trouser, they were all in the same place and you could pick out size, and colour you wanted. Same with coats, blouses etc. I blame Mary Portas!

I would like shirts and blouses with collars - t-shirts were quite good last year with elbow length sleeves and scooped but not too low necklines. Polo shirts would be good, as someone else mentioned.

Yes, Dorothy sleeves in dresses!!
I don't think any of their dresses had sleeves last year

must get out the dumbbells, work on the triceps

I did like some of last year's t-shirts, hope they continue the range this summer. They were longer and had longer sleeves to cover upper arms well; their previous styles used to end just in the middle of the batwing below the underarm. They also had a scoop neck which was not too low whereas previously they had high necks or far too low v necks.

Some decent slightly longer length linen jackets that fit nicely, ditto with a good wool jacket for spring/autumn.

Consistent trouser length and size - medium used to be perfect, now it is too long! If I had £90 to spend on a pair of trousers I wouldn't go to M&S!
Good linen trousers.

They used to make skirts in several lengths - don't they do that any more? (so long since I bought a summer skirt)

Good basic Classics please, well-cut and well-made - but not what they call 'Classic' which is just plain frumpy.

I don't want retro, been there, worn that.

Oh Blinko, you had vouchers at Christmas did you! I've had some in my purse for about five years, no matter how many times I went in I couldn't find a thing. Finally got rid of them though, bought some make-up primer, absolutely awful but at least I don't have to keep going in there now. Solihull branch isn't big enough, they even stopped doing my size, petite, at Christmas to make room for seasonal goods. Not very customer friendly.

when i was in my thirties, m&s offered loads of clothes which were modern and reasonably priced. i used to buy everything from the skin out.

nowadays i find that they're selling stuff that i wouldn't be seen dead in - if i could fit into what they're selling anyway. and at prices way, way beyond my reach.

i tend now to shop at asda - their clothes are what i want at a price i want to pay. and i get so many compliments from friends about my clothes too.

one beef about m&s is their beauty products. they have a fantastic royal jelly with honey range of skin care. i bought "one of everything" especially their eye cream as it was so good. a couple of years down the line and they've discontinued the eye cream, the foot cream [which was lovely] and reduced other lines too.

haven't a clue why they've done this - perhaps eye cream isn't what is wanted these days [although i don't know why ].

and, just before christmas, i went to buy yet another bottle of their florentyna perfume [well eau de toilette] and couldn't find it for love nor money - apparently they were "re-branding"!! not sure about that either - if you're going to buy florentyna you're not going to keep the box it comes in so why change it.

moan over - wonder if they'll read this thread and do something about it!!

I have just had an email from M & S detailing their latest autograph looks, I would not buy any of it. Firstly I'm only 5ft 1. Everything appears to be be large and with flaps here and there also waistcoats down to the ankle.

Their trousers always give me the jodhpurs look. I would like straight legged trousers and more natural colours. I've been buying trousers from Wallis and tops from episode and mint velvet in the sales. Used to love marks shame someone has tried to be all things to all people. My forty year old daughters go to to maxx, never marks

I don't gointo M&S any more as I lose the will to live! It is so depressing with the styles for anorexic dwarves of whichever ages. It appeals to no-one. OK the Twiggy styles are lovely, but I don't have £90 to spend on a pair of trousers, even if I wore any.
I'm nearly 6', and believe me short T-shirts, short anything is horrible on me. Skirts are positively indecent - i did wear micro minis, skimming my knickers but I'm no longer 20! DOn't wear trousers any more as they look terrible, lumps curves in the all wrong places
Longer everything , waists at the waist, well cut, properly styled in good quality fabric. Not much to ask I no longer buy tons of clothes, so need things to last.
I find most of my clothes in supermarkets and Matalan. And I'm often complimented on my choice of garment - I smugly and airily say I picked it up at a supermarket, just to see their faces!

What about durability? I bought my mum a dress in the 1970s and she was wearing it in the Elderly Persons' Home at least 30 years later and it still looked OK.

We always used to say when looking for something to wear "let's go to Marks first, now its seen as a bit of a last resort.

I would like less wide, boat shaped necks, but most of all I would like to find all trousers in one place, likewise, jumpers, t shirts etc. I don't want to have to wander from autograph to per una to classic. Reduce the offer but make what they have appeal to more mature people. They will never appeal to younger people however hard they try. Will they see this forum and/or take any notice?

I do reviews for M&S, at intervals they send me information on new lines and I tell them what I like or dislike about them. I am very honest about cut and colours and decoration on the garment.
I think, at present, M&S are using younger designer/buyers and it isn't working for the more mature woman.

I misread the title of the thread and thought we were trying to design a pair of briefs! !.
I wish they would stop mucking about with their undies - pants in particular - I find what they describe as a 'full brief' uncomfortable and the sort of thing we had to wear to school! I like no VPL and a high leg - but these are now mainly a tad short - another inch on the crutch to almost waist length would make such a difference. I also like the neutral colour so they don't show whatever colour trousers I wear.

I agree with all that Teetime wrote in her OP. But I do want wide leg trousers. I have my own built in jodphurs , but since having my knee replacement op, I also have a swollen knee, that doesn't look good in a tight fit trouser leg. Hope we can get M&S to listen, and I have never used my Sparks card. All they seem to want is info on your spending patterns.

I'd like a return to skirts with proper waistbands and button and zip fastenings, instead of the turnover elastic style so prevalent now. If I buy to fit hips and tummy the waist gapes unwearably, and can't be altered, but a button fastening means I can usually move it along, or thread elastic round the waistband. I hate the metal fasteners on trousers too, for similar reasons, and they often stick out and show as a bump in a jumper or T shirt worn over..

I wish too that 'on the waist' really meant that, instead of an inch or two below. More comfortable, less draughty.

I am intermittently a big fan of M&S, but at the moment nothing grabs. Too trendy or too frumpy.

My big whinge is classic smart black trousers. About 12/13 years ago I bought 2 pairs - different sorts - that were wool mix, elegant, well cut, reasonably priced, washed and didn't need ironing. I have worn them incessantly. Recently I tried on 6 pairs of black trousers - they were rubbish fabric and lousy cut/fit. I still have one of the old pairs but it is beginning to look a bit worn. Maybe they aren't doing them anymore because they were so good and didn't need replacing very often!

Other big whinge is swimmies. Again about 12 years ago I had M&S swimmies. one layer of fabric, underwired, DD cup, no padding or tummy control. They were so comfortable, looked as good as a swimmy will on me and lasted! When the time came to replace them I ordered on line two of the new range. My daughter and I fell about laughing when we unpacked them. they were garish in colour and the preformed DD cups looked like those silver cloches that cover up roast turkey. Needless to say they went back. I am for the most part in a swimmy during the summer, I don't want padded cups or tummy control (even in the sun the under layer gets uncomfortably cold as it doesn't dry quickly). My swimmies don't last because of being in a lightly chlorinated pool several times a day so I am always on the search. At the moment BHS bagain swimmies fit the bill and are really cheap, so must stock up in case they change.

I like their knickers, but the bra fit seems to change. 10 years ago it was fine, but now they are no good.

Longer T shirt length. and skirts that are panelled, calf length or longer for summer and winter. These are so much more elegant on older ladies.