Dear H&M
Much as I love you (and I really do, you are my High St shop of choice at the moment), you are very frustrating at the moment.
I need tops. I only have three that aren't t-shirts or vest tops and that's just not enough, especially in this warm weather.
You sell tops. This works for me. Well no, it doesn't, because you don't sell very many nice tops, do you? I waded through rails and rails of clothes in store on Saturday in a vain hunt and had to discard a good 90% of them because they were bizarrely cut or sized or just plain horrible.
Now I don't expect everything in a shop to be magically flattering and to my taste (although I sometimes dream of this happening), but once I've ruled out the following, there really wasn't much choice left.
- Anything cropped. I am not tall enough or skinny enough or young enough to get away with cropped tops.
- Anything boxy. Don't need any help looking square!
- Anything see-through. No, no, no.
- Anything bizarrely oversized. Is it the in thing this summer to wear stuff that swamps you? Must have missed that memo.
- Anything that is all of the above - cropped, boxy, oversized sheer shirt, I'm looking at you. I tried on a size 8 for comedy value and it was still too big!
Your weird sizing doesn't half make life confusing. Remember when I bought this outfit for my holiday and the shorts were a size 16 and the top was a size Small? It's a good job my spirits aren't crushed by looking at size labels anymore or I would have collapsed in a weeping heap on the changing room floor. I know I'm pear shaped but I'm not that pear shaped. Instead I was most stoic and told my bum that it wasn't really a size 16 any more and not to pay attention to the silly label.
A little consistency would be really nice so please sort things out. I will give you more of my money. I may even start buying things from your website because god knows I wouldn't trust anything to fit at the moment.
Fair deal, yes?
love
Alex
Despite all this beefing on my part, I did buy a top and I utterly love it. It was on a rail by the till and I was so bored of trying on unflattering things that I just grabbed it. It looked about the right size and I couldn't face going back to the changing rooms again. I can only assume it's one of those bizarrely oversized things I mentioned earlier because I bought a size 10 and it's not exactly snug on me. I should probably point out that I am not a size 10. I don't think the basic size of my ribcage will ever allow me to be anything smaller than a 12. So it shouldn't fit me, but it sort of does.
I wore it on Sunday and it felt nice and casual for the daytime:
Doing jazz hands at a marauding Oscar cat.
Shirt - H&M
Jeans - Dorothy Perkins
Belt - Primark
Espadrilles - Office
Then I swapped the shoes, added some jewellery, tied my hair up and it was just about right for a meal out in the evening. I do thoroughly approve of any piece of clothing that earns its keep. I don't have the physical space in my wardrobe for things I only wear once in a blue moon.
Shirt - H&M
Jeans - Dorothy Perkins
Belt - Primark
Heels - Next
Necklace - George sale
I think it's worth persevering with them. I really do like this shirt.
I constantly struggle to find nice tops, I have lots of bottoms and knitwear, but I can never find any nice pretty tops that suit me...which is probably why I always wear dresses and have millions of skirts that have barely seen the light of day.
ReplyDeleteI really like your top though and the pictures are lovely :)
I haven't spoken to you in a while I hope you're ok? xxx
What a great letter and oo true! H & M are a bit like that at the moment. Bu like ouni still keep going back. As for your shirt, wha a great piece of clothing.
ReplyDeleteI just say I love those heels.
X x
Alex - tell me about tops! the only ones I like and work well cost a fortune and I'm stony broke now. Mind you, you picked a winner and your outfit is terribly 'nice'. I think nice is deffo the way to go xx
ReplyDeleteGreat letter. I find their sizing difficult to fathom... don't even get me started on their jeans.
ReplyDeleteThe shirt is nice, absolutely worth perservering.
Oh, I love the stripey espadrilles - they're lovely. Agree with the oversized top thing. Why must everything been so long and drapey (I blame All Saints!). xx
ReplyDeleteThat shirt is gorgeous and very flattering! Also I am now drooling over those amazing Next heels! H&M sizes are vary far to much I think I own items in everything from a 6 to a 18!
ReplyDeleteI have similar issues with H&M. Came back from Germany with a serious addiction. But sometimes, everything- absolutely everything is vile or doesn't fit. And yes, their sizing is WRONG. I have however discovered their online store makes me less depressed. If you want something in the colour they never have instore (or size for that matter), to see what else they do or what the buyers never think of, because they only seem to buy for people with the urge to *be* fashion itself.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, sorry for the rant. LOVE the shirt, sometimes those till purchases are the best. Look fabulous as ever.
loved your letter to h&m! i love both of the pairs of shoes in these outfits xx
ReplyDeletehehe, great letter. There is no excuse for daft sizing. love your 2 looks, that shirt is perfect for spring and summer. I adore your heels, they look fab :)
ReplyDeletehttp://cgdn.blogspot.com
OMG I have such beef with H&M too, the sizing in that shop is mental, they really seem to hate people with big boobs! Saying that I do love H&M but I agree that they don't have many decent tops. I've bough a fair few trousers and skirts from there lately but no tops... oh wait I actually bought a white sheer shirt from them today which is pretty lush =) Anyway, I really like your shirt, the stripes are great, I love a good stripe =)
ReplyDeleteBow Dream Nation xx
You look great - day and night both. I really think you should print out that letter and send it off to their Purchasing Department.
ReplyDeleteGuaranteed that if you feel like that, loads of other people feel the same.
Ali x
I have the exact same problem!!!! ERrrgggg And their service can be terrible. If I wanted a teenaged, bubble gum smacking, hostile brat to talk to me.... wait I'd never want that. And I certainly wouldn't want to pay money for it!
ReplyDeleteYour top is great though, despite your troubles at finding it!
Agreed, their sizing is atrocious! That shirt is lovely though, very flattering and a SIZE 10! I don't pay attention to size labels either, unless they are a 10 :D xx
ReplyDeleteooo,I like the day-evening shazzam thingy!!Clever minx!! I'm terrible at casual,I always look like a wedding cake when I try! I love how others do it,though!
ReplyDeleteYou just can't take sizing seriously.It's so bloody wayward!I have no idea how they work it out!
Darling marauding Oscar! If I do jazz hands at Mrs Poo Parker she plops and shows me her belly.Soooo cute.
Love! xxx
What a pain! I have no idea about H&M as the last thing I bought from them was a lycra mini dress wih enormously padded shoulders in 1988 when they were still called Hennes.
ReplyDeleteI love the jeans, shirt and the heels (and of course the jazz hands and Oscar).xxx
Why oh why oh why do clothes shops have to do it to us. Oh to be a man and just buy my trousers according to my waist and leg measurements, they're not allowed to change!
ReplyDeleteZara is the place I find the most soul destroying. I can only just fit into large stuff in there and that was a dress and a skirt, I don't think trousers would fit at all!
Absolutely love that shirt. I tell you what, you just give me all your clothes and I won't have to go out and buy my own. Deal?
ahahhaa. i love the fact you blogged a complainy letter, i do this all the time in my head / texts as you know :)
ReplyDeletei love the stripes! xx
It was worth giving them one more go as the shirt looks great on you.
ReplyDeleteI thought you were trying to hypnotise Oscar!
The second version is fabulous, you look so chic with your hair up. I hate H&M sizing, considering the queues to get into their changing rooms only to find their sizes are completely random, I just don't have that amount of time. I find DP pretty good for basic tops
ReplyDeleteH&M are totally bizarre when it comes to sizing, I have sizes, 10, to 16 and all fit. I find the trousers the worst, but then I have found some absolute gorgeous things in there, and for the price they were bargains.
ReplyDeleteJust a bit hit and miss, and if you look at label sizes, a little saddening.
xxx
Great "evening" shoes!
ReplyDeleteYes there sizing baffles me too, I have a vest top I bought years ago from h&m which is a small, but hardly ever wear it out (apart from relaxing in the garden etc) as it's far too big and tends to show my bra!!
Sal xXx
Oh Alex, those shoes <3
ReplyDeleteOoh pretty! I agree about H&M, they're so hit and miss, and I dont suit any of those styles either so may not be in there for a while! :)
ReplyDeleteDear Alex, I'm so over the high street. I'm fed up with feeling fabric that should be kept well away from a naked flame.
ReplyDeleteYour shirt however is a triumph, especially with the stripy shoes. Hope you're having a good week. Much love, C xx
PS. Looked at your numerology - far too much psychobabble. Your numbers are good though. I need to find a better reading for you xx
Oh bloody hell I hear you girl. H&M's sizing is bizarre at it's best. It's not even standardised European sizing, I too have a size 6 dress from there and a size 14 top. I'm pretty much standard 8/10, how is that logical?! Either way, ignoring the label and looking at the fit, that shirt is so flattering, perfect for spring! Keep hunting! ♥ Claire @ Jazzpad
ReplyDeleteAlex, if you ever wish your relationship with H&M to progress, promise me FAITHFULLY that you will never succomb to online shopping with them.
ReplyDeleteIt will only end in tears (yours). They are full of contradictions, false promises and late arrivals, just like most men!
Their latest jape has been to delay my delivery by a week EACH week, dangling my new blazer in front of my eyes like a donkey's carrot. Before that it was "We don't deliver to business addresses" even though they've delivered EVERYTHING to my business address that I've ever ordered from them up until now.
I do love them, but they are definitely a massive frustration!
xxx Maddie
Lol this has made me laugh. I love the shirt you got and the espadrilles too x
ReplyDeleteHaha, it's nice to know I'm not the only one who isn't a fan of crops or boxes when it comes to a way in which a top should fit! x
ReplyDeleteAhh my thoughts exactly- I have a huge lack of tops as I can never find what I want- H n M are great for plain tees or super dressy tops but don't have much in between! The shirt looks great belted :) And hello Oscar x
ReplyDelete