Topshop Nostalgia

[heretoreaditall2019]

I’ve mentioned this before in the thread I think but it’s literally impossible to get decent well priced and good quality clothes (which isn’t grey, beige or goes up to an L) on the high streeet these days.

I have honestly yet to find a better place than topshop from about 5-10 years ago, you could buy a top in their £29 range (even their £19 basics felt good!) and still feel amazing and you would wear it for years. H&M sometimes get it right, but there’s such a sea of beige and cheap divided crap it’s hard to wade through. I still like their trend edit sometimes tho, and their premium section is decent quality.

I know second hand is an option but that’s also a market which is becoming increasingly flooded with poor quality items, also not being able to try stuff on is so much of a gamble, even when you ask for measurements.

There are still (I hope) really well dressed regular sized girls out there who don’t have to spend tons to look good, where are they going??

I was in Zara the other day and they were selling coats which were unlined for £120!!!! with only 6% wool or something. The high street has gone to tit

Yeah, and even mentioning Zara I agree that they do lovely clothes but I don’t want to co sign their practices so it’s not for me atm, even moreso at those prices cos how can they excuse not passing that on to garment makers? It’s SO hard because even more premium highstreet stores like Arket or COS are being called out for human rights violations in their supply chain so is it possible to shop ethically on the highstreet anymore if the players that price dresses at the £100 ballpark aren’t able to provide their supply chain with a fair living wage and safe working conditions??

I was thinking about this this week though and it is an impossible situation. I’ve been a big second hand buyer for years now but I’ve also been relying upon a fairly sized wardrobe from the before times to see me through! This year I’m going to try and shop a bit more adventurously second hand rather than just adding a new jumper or a sweater, like more lewks hopefully.

 

[LavaFlake]

It's 100% always a risk buying second hand online for me as I am fussy about the fit of clothes at the best of times. But basics where it doesn't need to specifically cut for my shoulders, hips and waist like light jackets amd jumpers are usually pretty safe to buy online.

I am a sucker for a charity shop but my local ones are full of Pretty Little Thing, Primark and even Shein. I have to drive to the posh countrysidr and seaside towns but do think it's worth it as I can regularly pick up good brands and you can try them on!

I do follow a lot of independent ethical brands on Instagram and tbh the rates the high street are putting up their prices (£120 for an unlined coat genuinely shocked me lol), it's becoming less and less expensive by comparison.

 

[PrincessCharming]

Back around 2001 a pal who worked for Arcadia told me a top that retailed at £20-£30 would typically have a cost of 30p-50p per unit from the manufacturer.

I always think high end store simply add more margin. The quality is sometimes not that different.

I had a look in Cruise the other week and some of their “designer” stuff is so shoddy, not to mention ridiculous looking, I wouldn’t buy it at Primark prices.

 

[cee-bee]

Back around 2001 a pal who worked for Arcadia told me a top that retailed at £20-£30 would typically have a cost of 30p-50p per unit from the manufacturer.

I always think high end store simply add more margin. The quality is sometimes not that different.

I had a look in Cruise the other week and some of their “designer” stuff is so shoddy, not to mention ridiculous looking, I wouldn’t buy it at Primark prices.

I worked for new look as a teen (so over a decade ago). Staff could get 50% off unlimited items.

for such a huge reduction in price, I thought that they must have been paying pennies for the garments and the markup must’ve been colossal

I have a plain topshop black cotton vest that I bought in 2008, and it’s still going strong. No holes, not too bobbley. I wore it all the time.

it’s faded now, a bit out of shape and obviously old, but I’ll still wear it to the gym or as a layer under clothes etc.

I just can’t imagine finding something on the high street now with the same sort of longevity.

 

[Mermaid456]

I worked for new look as a teen (so over a decade ago). Staff could get 50% off unlimited items.

for such a huge reduction in price, I thought that they must have been paying pennies for the garments and the markup must’ve been colossal

I have a plain topshop black cotton vest that I bought in 2008, and it’s still going strong. No holes, not too bobbley. I wore it all the time.

it’s faded now, a bit out of shape and obviously old, but I’ll still wear it to the gym or as a layer under clothes etc.

I just can’t imagine finding something on the high street now with the same sort of longevity.

It’s extremely rare to find good quality that lasts, I loved MONKI a few years ago but in the last couple of years their quality has also gone down, and a friend of mine once mentioned the crazy mark ups designer brands charge and put me off ever really wanting designer bits (not that I really ever bought designer or could afford before ) x

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

Back around 2001 a pal who worked for Arcadia told me a top that retailed at £20-£30 would typically have a cost of 30p-50p per unit from the manufacturer.

I always think high end store simply add more margin. The quality is sometimes not that different.

I had a look in Cruise the other week and some of their “designer” stuff is so shoddy, not to mention ridiculous looking, I wouldn’t buy it at Primark prices.

I work in luxury fashion and can assure you the margins in cheap/fast fashion are waaaay bigger as a %, which is why they can afford to do 75%+ discounts whereas you’ll only ever see 20% tops at luxury retailers, unless it’s overstock and even then it’ll go to outlet or resellers or brand depending (controversially!) written off before giving that level of discount. Like staff discounts aren’t even that good, and even if you’re in a role that gets a clothing allowance it’s relatively pitiful - like it would get you one outfit a season which sounds but means that these roles are occupied solely by rich girls who’ll go top up their wardrobes to attend the many events their job function entails.

Agreed completely re luxury quality though. I felt really bad saying this on the designer clothes thread but a nice contributor (who I think may even post on here? ) was looking at jewellery and I said honestly these come from the same Thai factories as Topshop jewellery used to pls don’t waste your cash! Similarly T-shirts belts even bags are pretty abysmal. Handmade > big brand anyday.

It’s really uninspiring all round, but agree with @LavaFlake gonna try to shop more independent maker, it’s just so hard to find anyone that isn’t selling Insta mama tent dresses

 

[Mermaid456]

I work in luxury fashion and can assure you the margins in cheap/fast fashion are waaaay bigger as a %, which is why they can afford to do 75%+ discounts whereas you’ll only ever see 20% tops at luxury retailers, unless it’s overstock and even then it’ll go to outlet or resellers or brand depending (controversially!) written off before giving that level of discount. Like staff discounts aren’t even that good, and even if you’re in a role that gets a clothing allowance it’s relatively pitiful - like it would get you one outfit a season which sounds but means that these roles are occupied solely by rich girls who’ll go top up their wardrobes to attend the many events their job function entails.

Agreed completely re luxury quality though. I felt really bad saying this on the designer clothes thread but a nice contributor (who I think may even post on here? ) was looking at jewellery and I said honestly these come from the same Thai factories as Topshop jewellery used to pls don’t waste your cash! Similarly T-shirts belts even bags are pretty abysmal. Handmade > big brand anyday.

It’s really uninspiring all round, but agree with @LavaFlake gonna try to shop more independent maker, it’s just so hard to find anyone that isn’t selling Insta mama tent dresses

Thanks for the insight!

 

[queencarmen]

I worked for new look as a teen (so over a decade ago). Staff could get 50% off unlimited items.

for such a huge reduction in price, I thought that they must have been paying pennies for the garments and the markup must’ve been colossal

I have a plain topshop black cotton vest that I bought in 2008, and it’s still going strong. No holes, not too bobbley. I wore it all the time.

it’s faded now, a bit out of shape and obviously old, but I’ll still wear it to the gym or as a layer under clothes etc.

I just can’t imagine finding something on the high street now with the same sort of longevity.

Im almost 23 and have still got stuff from Topshop I got at least 7 years ago and its still in brand new condition lol, all of my basic tops and coats are still fine

 

[NowIsGood]

I worked for new look as a teen (so over a decade ago). Staff could get 50% off unlimited items.

for such a huge reduction in price, I thought that they must have been paying pennies for the garments and the markup must’ve been colossal

I have a plain topshop black cotton vest that I bought in 2008, and it’s still going strong. No holes, not too bobbley. I wore it all the time.

it’s faded now, a bit out of shape and obviously old, but I’ll still wear it to the gym or as a layer under clothes etc.

I just can’t imagine finding something on the high street now with the same sort of longevity.

Reminds me when I worked at Monsoon.
Their stuff wasn't cheap, £75 dresses/ £65 jumpers (this was like 10 years ago).
Staff discount was 70% on most items, we had to wear it as uniform and the quality was atrocious. Most tops shrunk/ went bobbly after a few washes. It was worse than Primark imo, but still had that 'middle class' image.
Anywho people must have wised up as I'm not even sure they exist on the high street anymore?

 

[PrincessCharming]

I was just thinking about a black silk, pricy, dress I purchased from Monsoon around the late 90s. It fitted everywhere other than it was too big around the back. I left it in the large paper bag it came in, wrapped in tissue, in my hallway, waiting for me to return. Couple of weeks later I took it back.

It seemed my cat or cats had decided the dress in the bag was their new bed. The assistant pulled out the dress and a whole new cat worth of cat hair seemed to be stuck to it.

Bless her, she still refunded me!

 

[soph30]

Reminds me when I worked at Monsoon.
Their stuff wasn't cheap, £75 dresses/ £65 jumpers (this was like 10 years ago).
Staff discount was 70% on most items, we had to wear it as uniform and the quality was atrocious. Most tops shrunk/ went bobbly after a few washes. It was worse than Primark imo, but still had that 'middle class' image.
Anywho people must have wised up as I'm not even sure they exist on the high street anymore?

Controversial- I love monsoon! They use a lot of natural fibres like linen. Some of it’s a bit mumsy though. Most of their sales come from
Accessorise

 

[LavaFlake]

Have a funeral next week and was panicking what to wear. I popped into my local Cancer Research and managed to find a 90s label Dorothy Perkins black shift dress for £3. The qualify of the material is fab and it's properly lined, cut and stitched. The bar for high street quality nowadays is so low this makes it seem amazing

Also as an ex New Look employee and I used to cane that 50% discount lol.

 

[Uncertainhistory]

Just realised I'm in a full topshop outfit. Grey and white check joni jeans bought last week from vinted. A thin dark purple jumper / top that's longer at the back than front... Had this for about nine years. Got my green/blue fur coat over me £30 on sale in Durham topshop 4.5 years ago when I was supposed to be Christmas shopping

 

[LavaFlake]

That's what I miss about the high streets being good! Those sneaky little visits to Topshop when you shouldn't have been buying for yourself but couldn't resist popping in and coming out £30 poorer on spontanous purchases!

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

That's what I miss about the high streets being good! Those sneaky little visits to Topshop when you shouldn't have been buying for yourself but couldn't resist popping in and coming out £30 poorer on spontanous purchases!

Honestly this and especially seeing @Uncertainhistory’s post has made me feel so sad for that era! I’m off to snoop eBay, will share any highlights here

 

[MrsBsDayOff]

I worked for new look as a teen (so over a decade ago). Staff could get 50% off unlimited items.

for such a huge reduction in price, I thought that they must have been paying pennies for the garments and the markup must’ve been colossal

I have a plain topshop black cotton vest that I bought in 2008, and it’s still going strong. No holes, not too bobbley. I wore it all the time.

it’s faded now, a bit out of shape and obviously old, but I’ll still wear it to the gym or as a layer under clothes etc.

I just can’t imagine finding something on the high street now with the same sort of longevity.

I have 3 or 4 of the old Topshop ribbed vests in black and white that I still wear. They must be at least 12 years old. Labels very faded but can make out the old website address on one "www.tops.co.uk". No holes in any of them. Probably washed hundreds of times. Black ones are a little bit faded but still fine to wear under other tops.

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

Also this is my fav fashion thread on tattle - would there be any appetite for a slow fashion thread? Like buying second hand, good independent makers, sharing content or good finds that aren’t for us but other ppl might like? I’m conscious of diluting this thread’s good vibes…?

 

[Uncertainhistory]

I feel like I should add the fur coat was over me instead of the blanket as its heavier... I'm not sure purple and green go together too well

 

[soph30]

Never knew about this thread, will have to have a read https://tattle.life/threads/where-to-shop-in-your-mid-thirties.31966/page-3

 

[soph30]

These are new in Ugg- if they look that worn on display imagine how they’ll look after being rained on or with some friction haha