this post was submitted on 14 Feb 2025
28 points (100.0% liked)

Ask UK

1323 readers
1 users here now

Community for asking and answering any question related to the life, the people or anything related to the UK.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Went into Preston today and the options were pretty poor and limited. My go to is pretty much Next, M&S and H&M but the range of anything decent was lacking.

I know there's online options but it's nice to physically try the clothes on before buying.

top 27 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] BigSid666@feddit.uk 2 points 6 days ago

At the moment, George Asda has been my go to for jeans. Can't stand this obsession with skinny and slim fit legs.

[–] circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org 18 points 1 week ago

No good options anymore. I have been naked for 3 ½ years.

[–] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] blackn1ght@feddit.uk 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Still rocking shell suits?

[–] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 5 points 1 week ago

Crop tops and ripped flared jeans. Gotta get that midriff out.

[–] thisismyname@lemm.ee 8 points 1 week ago

Charity shops. Fuck feeding fast fashion, poverty wages, and low quality materials for profit.

If the clothes have survived someone else's use and are still in good enough state that a) they were donated instead of binned and b) they were put out for sale instead of binned, then that implies the quality is good enough to last me a couple years as well.

I know my money is going to charity instead of some fashion CEO who will use it to exploit people as much as possible.

And, I'm reusing or recycling clothes instead of them having to be manufactured from new, thus reducing my carbon footprint.

Apart from no guarantee of what you'll be able to find, so finding something specific can be difficult, there's really no downsides. Although depending on your perspective this can also be an upside as it makes shopping less predictable, more spontaneous and thus more fun.

There's hundreds of charity shops to choose from as well, all with varying causes, layouts, quality, products, etc. Give it a go, make shopping fun again!

[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Mainly Next, with a but of M&S, Tesco and Asda. They (and M&S) have a much larger stock online, so I tend to order online but ock and collect in store, so I can order a few in different sizes, try them on for the best fit and return what doesn't work. That way you get the larger range of options but the convenience of trying them on in-store.

[–] blackn1ght@feddit.uk 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That's a good idea. The Preston M&S store is really weird, there's a lot of space in the actual store that's unutilised, they could add way more clothes.

I used to use a site where you could buy from multiple shops in one go but it actually got bought out by M&S and closed down, haven't really found a "go to" place since.

[–] Emperor@feddit.uk 1 points 6 days ago

Yeah, I lost quite a bit of weight and had to rebuy my wardrobe, often with no idea what my fit is now. So, for example, I looked up what Next had to offer on the trouser front (and back - not making the assless chaps mistake again) and it was a lot so I thought I'd pop into one on the local industrial estate. Unfortunately, they had mile upon mile of racks of jeans and chinos but pretty much nothing else. I had to regroup, go online and order a few in different sizes and cuts, try them on and return the rest.

Best I can tell, the shops have given up being more than glossy showrooms for the basics, and you have to go online for the full range.

[–] jol@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 1 week ago

Uniqlo because they actually try to make affordable good quality stuff instead of fast fashion that breaks down after a single wash.

And thrift/vintage shops.

[–] Bldck@beehaw.org 4 points 1 week ago

Asket has some nice (albeit expensive) options. They have a capsule wardrobe mindset, so you have fewer clothes of higher quality.

[–] GreatAlbatross@feddit.uk 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Uniqlo or M&S, honestly.

I don't have the mental energy to deal with primark's varying quality and sizes any more.

[–] blackn1ght@feddit.uk 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I hate Primark. The stores are always chaotic, the clothes never quite fit right and they fall to bits far too quickly.

Great for kids clothes though.

[–] GreatAlbatross@feddit.uk 2 points 6 days ago

Don't forget hunting through the trousers rack for the one pair that is your size.

Only to find it's not there, and you have to contemplate their skinny options (newsflash: The regular fit is skinny, the skinny are basically spray-on jeans for people without leg muscles).

[–] ALiteralCabbage@feddit.uk 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

M&S jeans are great - last me as long as stuff like Levis ever used to and cost less than half as much.

Love it.

[–] GreatAlbatross@feddit.uk 2 points 6 days ago

I love the chinos. Fantastic pockets.

[–] wingsfortheirsmiles@feddit.uk 3 points 1 week ago

Pretty basic here, H&M or Zara with the occasional visit to TK Maxx and Fat Face. Found my fake leather jacket through TK Maxx, feels like visiting the local second hand record shop as 85% of visits have nothing in my style in but I'll see something that interests me the other times.

I have enough shirts though, (too many) music related but occasionally based on TV/game franchises

[–] Aggravationstation@feddit.uk 3 points 1 week ago

For about a decade or so only online. Mostly Ebay or Amazon, but also Etsy. I hate shopping, most product listings have sizing guides and if it doesn't fit you can return it fairly easily. Been thinking about buying some stuff from https://techwear-uk.com/ recently.

[–] rwtwm@feddit.uk 3 points 1 week ago

New clothes, often Uniqlo is my first stop. But more and more I go to Vinted and Charity stores for anything that isn't sportswear.

[–] JohnSmith@feddit.uk 2 points 1 week ago

Rock concerts. I only wear black band t-shirts. Bit expensive, though.

[–] greenhorn@lemm.ee 2 points 1 week ago

Almost exclusively buying second-hand through grailed the last few years. Takes some effort like going to a second hand shop, but I find great deals on new or gently used brands I couldn't otherwise afford

[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 2 points 1 week ago

I’m mainly shopping in Uniqlo now. Assume that’s the Manchester Arndale store nearest for you.

[–] Diddlydee@feddit.uk 2 points 1 week ago

TX Maxx mostly.

[–] Nighed@feddit.uk 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Browsing various stores, don't go for cheap stuff at Primark, try go for better stuff. 90% of the time you will walk out with nothing, 9% of the time you will find something decent you like, 1% of the time you find an entire rack of stuff and will be good for the next 5 years...

Aim for the sales really, however much better a crew t-shirt is... It's not £50 good....

Stores: Crew White stuff Next M&S (mostly work stuff) Tesco (socks only!)

I really have no idea, I don't even know if some shops sell mens stuff.

[–] MY_ANUS_IS_BLEEDING@lemm.ee 0 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I've mostly given up on high street clothes now. I don't need to be paying £50 for a cheap looking T-shirt with some irrelevant logo stuck on it. Like you I mostly looked at the same stores you listed. Occasionally Fat face too but not their summer range as it was always some wannabe surfer dude crap.

I started looking online because it became next to impossible to find shoes that fit my size 12 clown feet and I graduated to just getting clothes online too. The choice is much better.

[–] rah@feddit.uk 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

online

That doesn't narrow it down. At all :-)

[–] BeardedGingerWonder@feddit.uk 1 points 5 days ago

You know, the internet.