M&S have upped their game at last

M & S have a new head of buying . There was a feature about her in the times back in the summer .

I'll take another look.

Just sent my M&S good quality trousers to the ragman as they were really past it and haven't been able to buy any to replace them for some time now.

The main reason I shop at M&S is the extra leg length. It's hard to find clothes that fit anyone over about 5' 6". I do think M&S clothes are a bit more stylish than they were. I don't buy many clothes but bought two midi skirts there last year, and over the last 10 years must have bought about 20 pairs of their jeggings in different colours which have lasted really well.

I agree, M &S went through a bad patch ! However I now think they have improved - standard are much higher.

They sure needed to. Otherwise I think they would have disappeared the way they were going. I used to order a lot online but some of their recent stuff was pretty hideous, not at all nice. I’ll have another look, too.

Well I ll hold fire for a bit the last two jumpers I bought last winter bobbled so badly before the first wash I was disgusted

That must be it Tenko, well done that new buyer.

BlueBelle I think the issue with knitwear everywhere at the moment is the use of recycled materials, which unfortunately do seem to stretch and bobble. I’ll never buy it again after a bad experience (Whitestuff, not M&S). I always go for cotton, or if I’m splashing out, cashmere, both of which M&S do, but you have to search for it.

No actually I don't think they have. I went for a look at the new Edit range and it was the same boring clothes as before.

Trying to find some nice knitwear is proving very difficult. I also read the other day that to prevent bobbling we should not wear our jumpers and cardigans too often 🤔

Yes, M and S is back for women’s clothes. Trousers and jeans in different leg lengths and styles make shopping easier

I’m hoping John Lewis will return now their CEO has been pushed

Millie22

No actually I don't think they have. I went for a look at the new Edit range and it was the same boring clothes as before.

Trying to find some nice knitwear is proving very difficult. I also read the other day that to prevent bobbling we should not wear our jumpers and cardigans too often 🤔

I doubt there’s anything more boring to want than smart navy trousers, and I guess that’s what I look to M&S to provide - boring, but good quality and with some style.

Have you tried White Company for knitwear, they use natural fibres, and have some really lovely stuff this season, I could easily buy up the shop!

M & S are now showing other brands on their website and in their shops which seem to be more expensive. I logged on the buy DH a plain white shirt. There were very few M & S own brand now and the others were more expensive.

Millie22

No actually I don't think they have. I went for a look at the new Edit range and it was the same boring clothes as before.

Trying to find some nice knitwear is proving very difficult. I also read the other day that to prevent bobbling we should not wear our jumpers and cardigans too often 🤔

I can't see any decent trousers on the M&S site, perhaps they are just in store.

Trying to find some nice knitwear is proving very difficult. I also read the other day that to prevent bobbling we should not wear our jumpers and cardigans too often

😂😂😂
And never, ever wash it, even following the instructions to the letter. As Woolovers told me, even though I washed them correctly, I probably spun their jumpers too fast which made them felt and shrink.

I doubt there’s anything more boring to want than smart navy trousers, and I guess that’s what I look to M&S to provide - boring, but good quality and with some style
Black ones are even more boring, but yes, I want, smart navy and black trousers!

Bring back Country Casuals.

Last summer , Marks and Sparks had the dreariest frumpiest collection of frocks that I've ever seen .
This year , I was spoilt for choice .
I think that there's a huge improvement .

BigBertha1

M & S are now showing other brands on their website and in their shops which seem to be more expensive. I logged on the buy DH a plain white shirt. There were very few M & S own brand now and the others were more expensive.

In their app, there are 46 different styles in their formal shirts, and 17 in their casual shirt range, with prices ranging from £8 to £55 - obviously I don’t know if they have all of them in the right size. If the website isn’t showing those, it might be worth downloading the app?

Callistemon21

^I doubt there’s anything more boring to want than smart navy trousers, and I guess that’s what I look to M&S to provide - boring, but good quality and with some style^
Black ones are even more boring, but yes, I want, smart navy and black trousers!

Bring back Country Casuals.

I tried these, and they were nice if you want straight leg, they also came in black, and other colours.
www.marksandspencer.com/jersey-twill-straight-leg-trousers/p/clp60613519?color=DARKNAVY&prevPage=srp#intid=pid_pg1pip48g4r1c4

I chose the wide leg, tab back detail ones, which were £39.50, and are really lovely, but I know not everybody likes wide leg trousers.

My problem now with M&S trousers is in the length.
I am only 5ft tall and until last year their short trousers were a perfect fit.
Now, unless I can get the extra short which are in very few styles, I have to have them shortened and that is inconvenient and expensive relative to the cost of the trousers.
I did manage to get ankle grazers in short length in the summer which were fine but I haven’t looked at the new season yet.

Millie22

No actually I don't think they have. I went for a look at the new Edit range and it was the same boring clothes as before.

Trying to find some nice knitwear is proving very difficult. I also read the other day that to prevent bobbling we should not wear our jumpers and cardigans too often 🤔

I agree. I moved to seasalt apart from underwear and never looked back

In the past couple of weeks I’ve bought two jumpers. It’s been ages since I bought any (except men’s) - so many horrible garish colours and patterns.

I’ve also bought 2 pairs of ‘cosy’ high waisted jeggings, but I’ve had those before, and I have to say they’re brilliant. I live in them virtually all winter.

I looked down at my OH's legs when we were out last week; his trousers were ill-fitting and in a cheap material. Where did you get those from, I asked. M&S £45 he said. They were awful You get what you pay for.

Boz

I looked down at my OH's legs when we were out last week; his trousers were ill-fitting and in a cheap material. Where did you get those from, I asked. M&S £45 he said. They were awful You get what you pay for.

That’s what some of the new stock has moved away from in ladieswear, thankfully. I don’t think I’ve had a pair of trousers from M&S as good as my latest ones for over 10 years. I hate flimsy material that flaps round your legs.

It’s probably heresy to say it on Gransnet in the face of thousands of Seasalt fans, but although I appreciate the quality it’s not for me, as I’m not keen on prints or flowers, and they don’t do much that isn’t one or the other. I’m a fan of their coats though.

Boz

I looked down at my OH's legs when we were out last week; his trousers were ill-fitting and in a cheap material. Where did you get those from, I asked. M&S £45 he said. They were awful You get what you pay for.

You should indeed get what you pay for. For £45 they should have been better fitting, and have been in a decent quality of fabric. M & S (or their supplier) bought these without exercising any quality control from the sweatshop where they were churned out. That is not cheapy-cheap pricing, and they shouldn't be disposable rubbish.

M & S have once had a reputation for being slightly above rock-bottom sellers, but with high quality standards and classic designs, but they have assumed in recent years that their "older customers" are not looking for affordable style but just buy the same throw-away stuff that youngster do, and in the same shapes and sizes. We are NOT the same shape as our grand-daughters, and our older skin and hair don't suit the same colours that they can look good in. A good buyer will be aware of this and order accordingly.

The quality and the aesthetics have been slipping. If they don't get them back they will find that they have completely lost their traditional customers without gaining any trendy but discerning new ones.

Casdon

Callistemon21

I doubt there’s anything more boring to want than smart navy trousers, and I guess that’s what I look to M&S to provide - boring, but good quality and with some style
Black ones are even more boring, but yes, I want, smart navy and black trousers!

Bring back Country Casuals.

I tried these, and they were nice if you want straight leg, they also came in black, and other colours.
www.marksandspencer.com/jersey-twill-straight-leg-trousers/p/clp60613519?color=DARKNAVY&prevPage=srp#intid=pid_pg1pip48g4r1c4

I chose the wide leg, tab back detail ones, which were £39.50, and are really lovely, but I know not everybody likes wide leg trousers.

Thanks Casdon, I might have a mini-spree later!

I do have some wide-legged summer trousers in linen but no-one seemed to be wearing wide-legged ones.
Not that I care, I still do! 🙂

I completely agree about the knitwear. I have thrown away 3 jumpers I bought last Winter because of the bobbling. I too have decided to look for cotton jumpers but they aren’t that easy to find and not all are pure cotton anyway. In general however I agree with the OP that things are improving. Some of the coats look very nice.