Hannah MacLeodOctober 18, 202314 Comments

It's a grey area

Hannah MacLeodOctober 18, 202314 Comments

There has been a huge amount of coverage on Marks & Spencer recently. They appointed a new head of buying in 2019 and so we are starting to see the fruits of her labour. I decided to visit my local M&S (which happens to be a MEGA store) to see if things have changed. Certainly in this particular store the styling of the mannequins was much more exciting. The clothes on the rails nearest the entrance were appealing but as I walked into the shop, it felt like the ‘good stuff’ had been front loaded. It also appeared that the ‘new M&S’ pieces were dotted amongst the various M&S collections rather than being in one particular section. If this is the strategy then I think that it is a good one. Presumably as the nicer pieces sell well, the good design will permeate across the shop floor.

I’ve always said that they need to concentrate on the classics - tailored wool coats, classic macs, wool/cashmere jumpers, well-cut trousers and denim and by benefitting from their extraordinary economies of scale, produce good quality clothes at great prices. More of this is to be seen in store now and certainly if you listen to what Maddy Evans (new Head of Buying) has to say, she is making all the right noises.

So what did I find? This blazer that mum is wearing is a great example of a piece that they have got right. Very well tailored, perfectly good quality and classic in style. I would wear it, mum IS wearing it, a lady in her 80s could wear it and likewise someone in their 30s. I also found these dark denim straight leg jeans (absolutely NO fading hooray!), this navy blue coat and a lovely herringbone one, cashmere jumpers in some great (subtle) colours like this mole and this khaki jumper. This poncho is also very chic too!

There is still a way to go but there are definitely signs that M&S could - finally - be in good hands….. watch this space.

A brand whose fortunes are most definitely riding high is Me & Em. I know that many of you are fans, as am I. I remember receiving one of their early catalogues and thinking oooh, now this looks interesting. I would say that the brand produce classic clothing with a point of difference. They say that their collections are timeless and are built to last. The wool, herringbone culottes that mum is wearing are a perfect example of this. A beautifully tailored culotte is an item that should stand the test of time. They are versatile too. Perfect worn during the day with flat loafers or in the evening with a heel (mum has modelled both!). For those of you that work in an office, this could be a great outfit.

The ‘sock boots’ that both mum and I are wearing are incredibly comfortable. They do exactly as they say on the tin - it’s like wearing a pair of socks. We would both highly recommend them. An added bonus is that they are very fitted to the ankle, making them perfect for wearing with thick black tights and not worrying about your leg being visually cut off at an unflattering point. If you’re not keen on a high heel then these boots are also great.

It has been brought to my attention that we wear a lot of blue! For those of you who don’t enjoy wearing blue you could always swap in mum’s navy poloneck jumper and cardigan for a punchier colour like red, burgundy or green. A scarf is a great way of tying in the colours of your outfit. The one that mum is wearing is by TBCo (it is the MacLeod tartan - of course!) but the brand have a myriad of choices on their site.

As always, let me know your thoughts and email me if you have any queries… see you next week!