I have my own opinions on why M&S is failing. I gather they have recruited a load of celebs including Rachel Stevens to promote their christmas ranges. They would be far better making more interesting clothes in more realistic sizes IMO. What does everyone else think of them?

I love M & S
Ange

I think their clothes have been rubbish for years. :(

There stuff used to be so good. I had loads of their nice quality black bootlegs. Now I rarely find trousers I think from them.

Food is still good though.

Back to basics I think.

I used to work for 2 companies that supplied clothes for them, both were closed down and the work sent abroad, cheaper labour i think.We were allowed to buy slight seconds quite cheap,some of the stuff then was quite nice.

Colours..........unless you want black, the rest of the colours are just so old fashioned.  I am in their prime target group but I have really found it difficult to find anything I like over the last few years.   I do try to get my trousers there as they do my length, but anything else I find myself looking elsewhere.

I still look in M&S first but usually find myself dissapointed.  When Per Una started out they had some great clothes, I dread to think how much I spent on them, but now they seem to be going for the 'gypsy' look for some reason.

They should appoint me as there cheif buyer for ladieswear, I could turn them round :D

I still buy the food though, can't beat that anywhere.:)

Sandra

Sandra that is what I keep saying, "They should appoint me as there chief buyer". Or even ask my opinion ;-)

Thats what i say too...! They just make a certain amount of shirts in certain colours: pink, white, lemon, blue...and use the same design from size 8 to 22 - how does that work??!! Someone sized 16 is not going to want to wear the same style as a size 8!!

I think the clothes are very old fashioned and overpriced JMO ;)

Michelle :)

Their staple business was always underwear- have you seen it recently? Nasty fabrics, Nasty colours, Nasty designs.

>>Someone sized 16 is not going to want to wear the same style as a size 8!!<<

I can't agree there........they definately WANT TO, they just shouldn't :D :D

Good point :D

Awful knickers!

Especially those with the stringy bit at the back :D

cheese wire :D

I used to buy lots of things from M&S - but haven't bought much from them for years. They seem to design all their clothes for youngish, women and nothing for those who are not size 10/12. I want reasonably smart, comfortable clothes to wear to work - I am a size 16 with a big bottom and thighs :D I don't want tops that finish at the waist, nor straight skirts - neither do I want see-through tops or trousers that have waistlines around the bikini-lines. Just making things in all sizes doesn't mean that you are catering for everyone :( There are plenty of shops that cater for the young woman - my daughter wouldn't be seen dead in anything bought at M&S :) They are trying to cater for ALL women and failing miserably. Why can't they go back to catering for the 40+ age group ? I used to buy clothes for my elderly mother there - now there is nothing suitable at all. There are lots of women over 50/60 who have plenty of money to spend on clothes - but not in M&S these days. Rant over :)

Daisy

That is a bugbear of mine, trousers and tops that don't meet.   My midrift is well past it's sell by date, but try and buy trousers and tops especially in the summer that cover it.

Sorry chaps if I offend occasionally, blame M&S :D

Has anyone tried those spanx i think m&s have there own version they hold everything in and apparently you can lose a few inches with them.Gwyneth Paltrow said she wears them.I have just got some they do hold you in but have'nt wore them enough yet to see if you lose weight.

Really annoys me that whenever I go into M&S, the extra long stuff in the larger sizes have ALWAYS sold out. Whenever they have a sale, there are LOADS of size 6 and 8 things on the racks ...doesn't this tell them anything???

Why don't they concentrate on buying in and stocking up on larger (more usual) sizes??

Oh and must remember to add that my sister hubby works for M&S ...might forward him these opinions :D :D :D He will know who to pass them on to

Exactly! All I ever see are teeny tiny scrunchy up blouses in size 8 or 10 - no nicely fitted white and black smart shirts that NORMAL folk can wear and look good in. And everything is too short.

what i like about them is that their sizes are "big",so i can drop a label size!!!! -some people are easily pleased though!

I always buy trousers in LONG - and my daughter always moans that my trousers are too short - she says that she can see my socks/legs :( Now I am only 5'8" so what do people who are taller than me buy ???

Daisy

Daisy, I am 5'11 I buy their extra long things :D The other problem is that they don't make shirts in extra length in the arms ...OR jackets. They do it for men but women apparantly have long legs and ickle short arms :p :p

I don't think that our small, local store has anything in extra long :( My legs aren't that long - for my height I can't be too unusual :( I don't really buy shirts from them, so haven't had an arm problem :)

Daisy

Some time ago they changed sizes around (ie their 12-14 became a choice of 10 - 12 or 14 - 16) Think i have got that right. I didn't think it worked as clothes i liked were either too big or too small but never just right!

Agree about the small sizes left in the sales etc. You'd think they woud notice!!

They did some superb ribbed jodhpur leggings some years back, i bought loads of pairs and wore them and wore them!

They were the only store for ages that did decent length trousers, but skirts and dresses were and still are too short.The trousers could still be longer (i need extra long being 5ft 10).

Love the food - but why oh why are their vegetable kievs now made with a curry flavour? I just don't buythem now, curry just isn't right with them (and i used to love them :( ).
Full marks though for the aubergine parmigiana, that is superb.

Lindsay
X

Oh dear........sounds like I am the only short person on here.  I am usually between their short and medium with trousers.  Jeans are ok as it doesn't matter if they are a bit long.

Food Hall - Try the Steak and Kidney pie and Carrot and Swede mash potato.......yummy.

Their Bra fitting service isn't up to much either. I am normally a DD cup, went there to buy new bras recently and thought I'd better get measured properly as all the magazines go on about women wearing the wrong bra size. The woman eventually measured me and declared me a B cup I bought 3 bras in this size, after taking an hour to find something that was half acceptable (no choice and the colours are yuk) got them home and within an hour of wearing one, I couldn't stand the discomfort

Took them back and got a refund, then went to Debenhams and got measured, yep you guessed it, DD cup. And I found some lovely colours and designs. Very expensive though. ;)

They've got it wrong by trying to be too different and they have forgotten to look after their core market!

Their bra fitting service definitely isnt up to much.  In our local store you have to wait ages for someone to come and measure you and its usually someone who is from any department.  As for underwear for the bigger busted ladies out there well M&S are as terrible as most shops (I am a FF cup) they seem to think that ladies with bigger boobs should only have granny bras in awful material and colour choice.

I go there because they do long leg sizes which I find difficult to get elsewhere, except for "Next" they do them too.  I do like their food too.
Dawn.

I'm sure it wasn't meant this way, but these kinds of comments can be very hurtful.  I am 5'6", 45kg and a size 6, and I'm often made to feel abnormal.  I have been accused of having anorexia nervosa countless times, frequently by complete strangers in communal changing rooms.  I wonder if these people have ever actually seen someone who suffers from this disorder?  Their skin and hair look terrible, they often grow downy body hair as their bodies attempt to conserve heat.  Being naturally slim is a very different thing.  Both my parents were extremely slim, and I have a very delicate bone structure.

It's seen as perfectly acceptable for people to comment on my weight and figure, but if I were to go around saying "My God you're so fat!  Why don't you eat less?" to larger people then I'm sure this would be frowned upon.

Women's magazines constantly go on about how men don't like thin women and the phrase "Bigger is better" is used sometimes.  I notice, however, that many of these magazines contain free "miracle" diet books or regimes...

People come in different shapes and sizes so please think before labelling someone normal or otherwise.  Also consider that finding clothes to fit my figure is not as easy as one might think.  I usually end up buying designer labels (and paying through the nose) as nothing on the high street fits me.

Regarding the original question about M&S, IMHO I wouldn't be seen dead in any of their clothes.  Nice food though!

It is a FACT that smaller sizes are left at sales time. Is it a FACT that they run out of bigger sizes too fast :)

I am really pleased for you that you are slim and have a delicate bone structure. I am not. I am a  size 18 and 5'11 tall.

You appear to have a thing about the way people see you, I can appreciate that but no one here has said anything to offend you or anyone small. It is a fact that women in general are getting taller and larger.

You should consider yourself lucky that you are small and slim. Normal is (from dictionary.com : Conforming with, adhering to, or constituting a norm, standard, pattern, level, or type; typical) So, the typical woman in the UK is larger than you, so the use of the word *normal* is correct.

Have you ever considered that the people rude enough to make personal comments to your face are jealous?

:rolleyes:

M&S clothes?  good quality......but really old fashioned and out of date and very expensive!

I think that it is all relative as to whether the clothes are old fashioned or not :) I don't see M&S as old-fashioned, but I do think that they have a problem as to whom they are trying to sell the clothes. For me the clothes are aimed at younger (than me) women, with perfectly proportioned bodies :) I wouldn't dream of shopping for my clothes in say - New Look - they aim at teenagers with low budgets, who are prepared to buy clothes that will last, at best, one season and then get thrown away. I prefer to buy quality clothes that will last - I don't worry about what is in fashion - I buy what I like (if it is in fashion, then that is a bonus) and if I like something, then I will wear it for as long as it lasts :) M&S are trying to please too many people at the same time :(

Daisy

Old-fashioned? No! I actively want 'old-fashioned' clothes (that fit, don't show excess baggage, and will last me several years), and M&S don't have them!

One of their problems has arisen, I believe, because they are now sourcing their clothes in the East - at one time 99% of their clothes were manufactured in the UK - now it would seem that 99% are manufactured in China/FarEast.  

I suffer from "bat wing arms" - - and I find that in 99% of cases, if I can find a jacket that fits me on the arms, it is too big across the boobs etc etc.   Then, three weeks ago, when I NEEDED urgently to buy a suit whilst I was at work [ Beau inside.... jacket left for 3 minutes hanging over the bottom of the stairs - Beau's hormones in overdrive because of girls in season therefore jacket sprayed - just a teeny tiny bit - but which scent came out very VERY VERY strongly at work] I actually managed to get one - cost me £114.   Not too impressed however, when 2 days later the cost came down to £89.

If it hadn't been an absolute emergency, I would not have bought the bally suit - I would still be hanging on to see how low it could go - think now it is £78!!!

If they can afford to sell it now at £78, they could have afforded to sell it at that price 3 weeks ago!!

Margot

They did that with a jacket my aunt bought my daughter. She bought it for £25 as a gift. I took it back and because I didn't have the receipt (aunty is 99 and loses stuff!) they would only credit/refund to the value of the sale price - £5!! I went beserk and wanted to know why they were selling at such knockdown prices for supposedly good quality goods. She wouldn't budge so I emailed their customer service people and got a cheque for £25 and they told me keep it or to give the jacket to a charity shop - which I did! :)

That was good service.

Melodysk

I'm sorry if my post sounded rude, I didn't mean it to and I certainly didn't think any posters had said anything offensive.   I concede that my shape does not fit the dictionary definition of the word normal, but I don't like to think of myself as abnormal, if that makes sense.  You are quite right about the smaller sizes being left at the end of a sale, and I cannot understand why clothing manufacturers don't produce clothes according to percentage of sizes.  Aaargh, I'm so inarticulate today:-(, what I mean is why don't they make a few sixes, a few more eights, quite a few tens and twelves and lots of fourteen plus, as I understand that now nearly 50% of British women are a size 16 or above.

I do think that some of the comments directed at me do stem from jealousy, but being thin doesn't mean that finding clothes is any easier - for example anything that isn't fitted just makes me look like the Incredible Shrinking Woman!  There are lots of things that would look fantastic on someone of your build and ridiculous on me (believe me, I'd love to be 5'11"!)

Also you'd think I'd have a great time during the sales, and for the top half they're fine, but manufacturers seem to assume that if you're a size six you must be about 4 feet tall!  I end up with trousers that are fine round the waist and bum, but stop somewhere around my knee!

Wouldn't it be great to be able to order everything exactly to one's specifications?!........ one day:-).

I am 5' 6" and a size 14, generally ;) The problem I have is, no matter what I buy, the arms are far too long on me and I have to turn them up as if I am a little person, ie, child! I think that all of the retailers are "armist" :D

I personally love Florence & Fred or Cherokee at Tesco. Their lines seem to have something that appeals to all. The colours are seasonal and the evening wear is classic, which means that you don't have to replace year after year ;) The prices are very good and they wash up well. I love the kids wear, my daughter likes the clothes........and for once, at a price that I can afford :)

My bug bear with M&S is their kids stuff - when my two were younger I'd buy M&S stuff, and it always looked like rubbish after a few washes. Then as my two grew older the stuff just would not fit - my two girls are not huge but I've not been able to buy trousers for them since they were about 8/9 years old - because they seemed to be made for stick insect!

I've given up on M&S, although many years ago it would be the first place I'd look. The problem I find is that I don't know which department is aimed at my age group anymore. It's all such a muddle, different colours everywhere, different designs everywhere. I feel they actually have too much choice but no direction. Usually when I go shopping for clothes I know what I'm after, but when you walk through the doors of any M&S it's like a jumble sale. I just wish they'd look at other fashion shops and take notice. I like the colours to compliment, they tend to put everything together. As for the sales they have - so much of the stuff is really old stock or stuff you've never seen before. I know lots of other shops do this too but I don't even bother looking now, mainly becuse they put such a lot of stuff out that it's too much like a rugby scrum !.

Val

Mary-Caroline :) I have had this discussion with SO many smaller women you wouldn't believe :D We always argue that at least smaller women can takethings in and up whereas taller, bigger women can't actually add anything ;) At least a lot of shops nowadays carry a *Petite* range, which they didn't do 20 years ago. Only a few shops carry the extra long items though :( These tend to sell out so fast, especially the ones in the larger sizes.

You are not abnormal but you are against the current trend. No one likes to think of themselves as abnormal but for almost anything , 49% of people HAVE to be abnormal for the majority to BE normal ;) :D

You say you would love to be 5'11...I have always loved being tall but getting clothes to fit when you are tall and middle aged is a complete nightmare. Tall and aged 20 is fine, tall and aged 50 not very good ;) See, I am abnormal for a 50 year old ;) :D

Bespoke tailoring for all would be fantastic, but I daresay we would all find reason to maon even then :p :p

I think that they are over priced and some items poor quality.      I never go to sales because there are racks of the same clothes that I am sure are brought in just for the sales......only a few items are genuine.

I sometimes wish i had paid more attention to sewing classes at school - I would love to make up loads of outfits, jackets etc...probably in purple 'cos that's my favourite colour :D

Lindsay
X

I think there clothes are crap, but oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh the food is amazing

The pants are good .....

& their Tune & pasta bake is lurvely.......

Geoff :)

........but Tesco's pants are better....

:D I'm hoping you don't wear their Grandad Rampant Pants Geoff :D I see you more of a boxer kinda guy ;)

You cannot use the word Grandad and the word rampant in the same sentence Chloe .....

:D

what about if I put the "rampant" before the "grandad" ? :D :D