Yes, it’s the Waitrosey food; but has anyone seen their meanswear dept recently? What utter gash!

You went in the menswear dept in M&S? Well theres your first mistake. Are you retired, drive a Rover, carry Werthers Originals with you at all times, and like things with an elasticated waist, as they’re easier to get off when your incontinence strikes?

Pants & socks are the only things worth buying there – apart from the food.

in fairness, the work shirts and socks are OK.

The food department does very well and rightly so the quality is fantastic, I think it has been carrying the rest of the brand for some time.

It’s always struck me as odd that M&S push hard to be fashionable with womenswear, yet menswear is stuck in the 70’s!

Work keep giving me M&S vouchers, and I needed a new suit last month, so I thought I’d go have a look; they had some decent ones but only in m-m-m-monster sizes. I asked the chap working there – skinnier than me – why this was so, and he didn’t know.

Never mind, I thought, I’ll go to the much bigger one not far away. It was exactly the same! The place was full of people who were all grumbling about how everything was far too big. Between the two stores they had just one jacket smaller than a 40; most were high 40s, some were 50s. Fat load of good if you’re after a 36.

Went elsewhere in the end; the vouchers went on a few of their meal-for-a-tenner things instead, as I couldn’t think what else to do with them…

They provide half the country’s undies, of course. And School Uniforms. Suits are always good value, if you are M&S shaped. They’ve been losing slimness of late.

Most of the menswear is stuffy and can’t decide whether to be smartcasual or casualsmart but the Autograph shirts are good designs and well made for the money.

Their food is excellent, we keep our local M&S food store going…..

PERCY PIGS

I bought an Autograph shirt from M&S last week, very nice 🙂 And some new work trousers with…..elasticated waist 😀

My local M&S is an “outlet” store so always lots of offers available. Just avoid the “Made for Outlet” stuff.

+1 for the elastic waist trousers they are fab

their 2″ longer shirts do me just fine for work, and remove the need for any thought in work shirt shopping – it’s whatever’s in the sale in my size.

Some of my work trousers may or may not be elasticated also 😉

They are the next major high street failure waiting to happen, although luckily for them, the food side makes enough money it offsets the losses on the clothing side.

Their work shirts and trousers are decent enough, but everything else is gash.

i’ve got a retro M and S suede trimmed jumper. It’s actually a newish item and I love it. Not sure if it’s meant to be so cool though.

meanswear dept recently? What utter gash!

You’re in the Women’s department?

IGMC

+1 for trousers and food at M+S, not looked at shirts…

I like the M&S menswear stuff.

It a bit pricey but not as overpriced as all the “brands” in places like John Lewis.

It doesn’t fall apart after the first wash like the crap in ASDA and Primark either

And the logos tend to be on the inside.

Agree with the 2″ longer shirts for work, fit better than anything else I have found.

The food is good but have you ever read the nutrients content of some of the things 😯 I think pure lard spread over more lard with a lard topping and a side order of lard has less fat in it than a M&S lasagna ready meal.

Yes, it’s the Waitrosey food

Notwithstanding the amount we spend on M&S food whenever we go, I tend to find most of it fairly uninspiring. Same for Waitrose. We shop in Booths….

I bought some casual boots from M&S recently. They’re hardly Trickers, but for £60 perfectly serviceable and work well as weekend footwear. I think I’ve got some M&S wool work trousers on today *goes to check* yes they are.

It isn’t inspirational, but then a single brand department store has to please all the people all the time.

They’ll survive (so long as they can innovate faster then in the past).

Work keep giving me M&S vouchers, and I needed a new suit last month, so I thought I’d go have a look; they had some decent ones but only in m-m-m-monster sizes. I asked the chap working there – skinnier than me – why this was so, and he didn’t know.

They do slim cut shirts and suits. They fit me a treat.

I never find the food that inspiring – I guess it’s ok but it’s all in packets and expensive. I guess it’s exciting if you like ready made meals, but I don’t so I fail to see what the fuss is about.

The mens clothes are not inspiring but would do for work if I put on a lot of weight. I find the shop a complete mash of different things and unsure what is aimed at me and what isn’t. It all looks so uninspiring.

Not sure about where the talk of them struggling is coming from, thought, they seem to be doing alright. Give good dividend to investors and rumours of a big investor wanting to get in.

There are major changes happening and they are modernising their stores. The trouble is it takes them a long time to do things but then that’s a big multiple for you. I think they will survive.

They do slim cut shirts and suits

I find their slim fit to be normal fit unless they’ve made them slimmer.

That reminds me, I’ve got a £20 voucher to spaff at M&S.

All of their wine is excellent; zero chance of picking up a duff one.

Plus they do the best breaded fish available.

There is nothing that spells success like a man attired in the finest Blue Harbour has to offer.

tinybits – Member

in fairness, the work shirts and socks are OK.

They’re okay, but not great anymore IMHO. I used to buy a lot of work stuff there, but the ‘sartorial’ range of shirts at least have dropped in quality quite a bit.

When I was Googling to remind myself of the ‘sartorial’ name, I kept finding forum posts of people moaning about the quality dropping off, so this time it’s not just my imaginings.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1344068

I find their slim fit to be normal fit unless they’ve made them slimmer.

I’m an ideal BMI according to the chart and I find them spot on. Naturally skinny types would find them a bit baggy I would think.

As above, I’ve bough sartorial shirts for a few years but the quality on the last set was variable.

The muffin man: when was M&S ladies’ wear ever fashionable? I might be 45 years old but I’m not ready to look like an old frump! The trousers usually puff out at the hips and stomach and fit really badly.

Work shirts, work trousers with the elastimacted waist thingummy, work socks, work pants, the odd tie for when shit gets real at work. It’s for work, I don’t care if its been designed by monsieur blandman from averageton-on-sea.

Anything non-work related = no thanks.

Apart from percy pigs, which are frankly awesome.

Ex waitrose? Boss took over a few years back. Ever since the food sale have been great and the fashion bad – go figure…….

Although fashion was actually up this quarter so there ho.e wares dept must be doing really badly to bring the General merchandise figures down.

Note that the food sales figures either havent been released or the media aren’t reporting it.

All of their wine is excellent; zero chance of picking up a duff one.

Plus they do the best breaded fish available.

Are you my wife?

Alas, no. 😀

All of their wine is excellent; zero chance of picking up a duff one.

I’ve got a glass of M&S Shiraz in front of me right now – it tastes like sick. Probably why it was so heavily discounted.

I don’t buy from M&S anymore since I discovered all the Ex-M&S stuff on eBay. M&S overstock or overproduction, going for buttons, all delabeled. Less than £10n for a pure cotton shirt. Machine washable wool blend trousers for less than £15. Perfect for work.

Oh there linen trousers utter crap, bought a pair for working in China but had them on twice and the arse ripped out of them. The nice shopkeeper back a M&S informed me I had used the wrong soap to wash them in,the only problem was I had not even washed them.

a comediane a few years ago said when you reach a certain age, your glance into the windows of M AND S turn into longer glances and then you suddenly pluck up the courage to go in , youre then hooked and start buying stuff your dad used to wear.

Thats how they survive, selling overpriced stuff to people with no fashion sence or taste.

Judging by this thread they’ll be ok as posters are buying socks, pants, trousers, jumpers, shirts and lots of food from M&S.