Shopping for clothes is hell on earth

[Callmeback]

I went clothes shopping today. First time in a long time. I needed a couple of work outfits and a couple of holiday outfits.

I couldn't believe how shit it was.
No logical order to any of the stock.
Awful, awful cheap fabric even in places like John Lewis and M&S.
Exorbitant prices for polyester shite.
99% summer stuff so getting work clothes was impossible - I know it's summer but funnily enough working for a living doesn't stop.
Dresses that were enormous, about a foot too long and pouffy as hell.
Fabric wasn't just cheap as shit but the most awful of patterns even in places that used to be reliable like Next.

I ended up getting a dress from Mountain Warehouse of all places, a pair of jeans from a charity shop but still no work clothes and not enough holiday clothes.

Crazy priced lunch too but I did but some nice cake to take home so there's one silver lining I guess.

Is this just the way it is now or is it just the crap summer stock?

When I find something good I tend to get it in 2 or 3 different colours (as in the Mountain Warehouse dresses which do have the same style in a couple of colours). Same with some baby fine cords I bought in the winter. If it suits me and has a nice fit. Agree, there is a lot of meh stuff in the shops.

Yeah I always tended to do that too but even the mountain warehouse dress was only ok and not something I loved 😔

@Callmeback What sort of things do you need for work?

A couple of smarter outfits suitable for size 18 woman, shorter than average. Things I can wear in the summer. I also need a smart black cardigan or jacket but not as 'posh' as a full suit and jacket.

Research online first, go in shop to try, saves a lot of time and energy

I'm retired now, but when I was working I could always find stuff for work in Wallis or Principles that was tailored, in nice fabrics and not extortionately priced. I think you can still get those brands online, but wouldn't know if the quality is as good.
I just had a look on Mango thinking surely they'll have something...... 😳 terrible. Unless you like pale pastels, and shoestring straps! Not really a good work look.

Here’s my list of complaints:

1. The tall range is too long, the normal stage is too short (especially once the items has been through the wash a couple of times). Every single top seems to be missing 2 inches of fabric at the bottom. I’m 34 and don’t want to show a strip of belly.
2. Jeans that seem to be cut for SpongeBob and don’t allow for a smaller waist and wider hips. I’m not even exceptionally hourglass shaped but surely most women have hips bigger than their waist?!
3. Everything requires clever underwear solutions to make it work and I can’t be fucked with that
4. The colours are awful. Sludge green, grey, beige. I long for the days of pastel pretty things

I’ll add to your list:

Everything is shapeless - no consideration for boobs.

Everywhere you go it’s the same designs. If you don’t want puffy sleeves, ruffles or high rise trousers you get nothing.

If you have a small band size and a large cup size you cannot get a bra anywhere other than a specialist shop.

Swimsuits don’t come in bra sizes anymore.

I guess my big boobs are the problem!

I also tried clothes shopping today. I wanted knee length linen shorts, a swimsuit, and a nice cotton dress for holiday evenings. Came home with two t shirts.

zero chance of shorts, swimsuits were so high cut half my arse would be hanging out, and all the dresses were for giants and were made of horrible sweaty materials.

Agree. I just sew my own these days. I can buy cotton/linen and make straightforward classic style clothing

I feel your pain. I also bought a holiday dress from Mountain Warehouse because it was the only thing without huge poufy sleeves or frills or tiers or polyester.
Everything on the high street is too cropped, boxy or wide.
Ended up buying cotton wideleg trousers from Uniqlo and no tops because they were all horrible.

I'm 5ft and can't buy clothes in actual shops as they either don't have a petite range, or they have a few token pairs of jeans.

I ended up getting a dress from Mountain Warehouse of all places
Why of all places? The MW dresses are great, nice range of colours and patterns. I have about 5 that are great for work, leisure and other events.

I'm similar height and finding that quite a lot of trousers are still ankle length, which is a boon for me, as no shortening.

TBH I've given up on high street shopping because the fashion trade is horrifically wasteful - I buy off Vinted or pay up from small makers who don't produce 5 gazillion new lines a week that will go straight to landfill. I've actually stopped being interested in high street or window shopping since doing this and don't miss it at all

I’ve been trying to find new jeans, I’ve ordered from nearly every shop! In some I’m a petite/short in some a regular , others a size 10 or a size 8. I really wish they would regulate sizes so I’d have a decent idea what to order ! I finally found the perfect pair of wide leg jeans in M&S (size 10, regular) so ordered a straight leg pair for work in black- far too long! As were the short- I had to get the extra short . Maddening!

I resorted to clothes shopping last night on my way home from work. It was a disaster! Very few sizes in stock (ok, very few sizes I was interested in!) and everything in sludge colours and high necks or bra exposing low cut.
Heaven forbid I want a teeshirt suitable for wearing in a room full of blokes at work!

I'm another one who only seems to find decent stuff in Mountains Warehouse lately. I'm short with quite a small waist compared to wider hips so most trousers or shorts just do not fit.

“Everything on the high street is too cropped, boxy or wide”

Yes this. I miss the 00s when things were a bit more fitted. I stick to buying a few trusted brands on Vinted or John Lewis. Even then I return a lot.