M&S fashion is back online – these are the nine must-buy pieces
Lovers of Marks & Spencer fashion, rejoice – after six long weeks, we can finally shop its clothing, shoes and accessories online once more.
The retailer has resumed service on its e-commerce site after it was forced to cease online trading due to a cyber attack in April.
'Select fashion ranges are now available to buy online' for customers in England, Scotland and Wales, according to a notice on the M&S website. The company says more of its fashion, home and beauty products will be added to its online shop each day, with deliveries in Northern Ireland to restart in the coming weeks.
And if you can't order what you want? 'For products that are not available online, customers can add them to their 'wish list' and when they come back into stock we will let them know,' the retailer says. 'Our full range remains available in store.'
Cotton one-shouldered dress, £49.90, Marks & Spencer
For high street fashion fans, this news will be particularly welcome. While the M&S clothing department has always been popular for basics such as underwear and hosiery, its fashion offering, lead by head of womenswear design Lisa Illis, has improved significantly in recent years, delivering (until the cyber attack) sustained growth.
It's not just the well-received collaborations with Sienna Miller and Bella Freud; before online shutdown, M&S revealed that it sells 10 pairs of jeans every minute, thanks to 'It' styles such as the barrel and palazzo, and prices starting at just £25.
'M&S finally seems confident about what it's doing and who its customer is, and is no longer patronising her with shapeless dresses and frumpy patterns,' The Telegraph 's head of fashion, Lisa Armstrong, wrote last year.
Cotton embroidered blouse, £55, Marks & Spencer
Certain trend-led fashion items have sold out rapidly, with lengthy waiting lists for the restock – among them a pair of brown suede loafers bearing a close resemblance to a pair by Saint Laurent, and a bow-front sequin top that was a viral hit last Christmas.
Of course, there's been no issue with in-store sales in the intervening weeks, and new-in collections have been available to buy across the UK – but brick-and-mortar stores don't always carry the full offering. The cyber attack has served as an indicator of just how dependent the fashion consumer has become on the retailer's e-commerce site.
So now that we can shop online again, which are the new-in pieces we should add to basket? Well, get excited, because the new drop is very strong indeed – but I feel I should preface this with the warning that we should always be prepared to receive something that looked great online but is disappointing in real life. A colleague who visited an M&S store this weekend complained of cheap, synthetic-looking knitwear (those viscose/polyamide blends) and 'insipid blouses' (beware items such as a lace tie-front blouse which does not boast enough fabric to pass muster as a grown-up evening look). My personal pet fashion hate is wishy-washy floral midi dresses – but, thankfully, I don't see any online today.
As for the best buys, scroll on for The Telegraph fashion team's edit…
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
26 minutes ago
- BBC News
'There was a real gutsiness about them': How the heiresses dubbed the 'dollar princesses' brought US flair to the UK
The rich, glamorous women of the gilded age who married into the English aristocracy faced some challenges – but they were resilient, formidable characters. As TV's The Buccaneers season two begins, and an exhibition in London is devoted to them, we explore the lives of the women who inspired writers and artists. Can the new Duchess of Tintagel steer clear of scandal? Will her fugitive sister, Jinny, keep her baby from the clutches of her husband, the monstrous Lord Seadown? Can Mabel and Honoria's forbidden love flourish? The Buccaneers, Apple TV+'s hit period drama, is back for a second season, and its legions of fans expect answers to all of the above. The show charts the romantic adventures of a group of young American women – two pairs of sisters and their friend – who, looked down upon as nouveau riche by older, grander New York families, come to England in the 1870s and cut a swathe through high society. Fast-moving, fun and visually sumptuous, it looks as though the costume budget alone could dwarf the entire expenditure of lesser shows. It is lavish, colourful escapism – yet the unfinished Edith Wharton novel of 1938 upon which it is based was inspired by a real phenomenon. Between 1870 and 1914, 102 American women – 50 of them from New York – married British peers or the younger sons of peers, and many more married into the upper classes. They were dubbed "dollar princesses" and the popular view was that these were purely transactional marriages – cash for class. The women gained a title and status; the often cash-strapped aristocrats got a welcome injection of money to help them fix the leaking roof of the crumbling family seat. "The decline in landed income during the Great Agricultural Depression, beginning in the 1870s, necessitated numerous male aristocrats to seek marital alliances outside the inner social network of the British aristocracy," explains Maureen Montgomery, a historian and Wharton scholar who is currently editing The Buccaneers for the Oxford University Press's The Complete Works of Edith Wharton. "Another factor was the openness of the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, to wealthy businessmen being part of his inner social circle and his penchant for the beautiful and entertaining daughters of the American bourgeois elite who were travelling in ever larger numbers, after the Civil War, to Europe." The first inklings of a novel to be called The Buccaneers appear in Wharton's notebook for 1924-1928. There she set out the plot, revolving around the "conquest of England by American adventurers & adventuresses/families". "In the summer of 1928, during one of her many annual trips to England in her later years, she visited Tintagel in Cornwall and stayed with her close friend Lady Wemyss at her Cotswold estate, Stanway," Montgomery tells the BBC. "Both of these places became significant settings for the novel." However, Montgomery doesn't believe that there is any one particular story or person that the writer drew upon. "Wharton had close friends among the British aristocracy, and went to weekend country house parties. She personally knew a number of titled Americans. She would have been familiar with various scenarios for these marriages, how they were received, the different motives for marrying," she says. Some historians have suggested Consuelo Vanderbilt as one of the possible models for The Buccaneers' Conchita Closson. Considered a great beauty, Consuelo was a "dollar princess" whose father made a fortune in railroads. Her dowry was worth tens of millions in today's money. She was more or less bullied by her mother into marrying Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough, and was said to have wept behind her veil at the altar on her wedding day in 1895 (one of nine US heiresses to marry English aristocrats that year). More like this:• The true story of the first ever 'rock star' chef• Age of Innocence: How a US classic defined its era• How history's brutal witch trials resonate now The marriage was deeply unhappy. "Sunny", as the Duke was known, wasted little time in telling her he'd only married her for her money and in order to save Blenheim Palace, the ducal seat. In her memoir, The Glitter and the Gold, Conseulo wrote of a Blenheim Palace butler who had drowned himself: "As one gloomy day succeeded another I began to feel a deep sympathy for him." Her marriage produced two children but both Consuelo and her husband had lovers. Consuelo had been preceded into the aristocracy by the godmother after whom she was named. The Cuban-American heiress Consuelo Yznaga Montagu, another model for Conchita, married George Montagu, Viscount Mandeville, in 1876 and became the Duchess of Manchester when he inherited the title. The profligate duke burned through his wife's money and had numerous affairs. Consuelo, who is mentioned in Wharton's notebook, was reportedly very close to the Prince of Wales. 'Swashbuckling beauties' Both Consuelos feature in Heiress: Sargent's American Portraits, an exhibition of 18 works by John Singer Sargent at Kenwood House on London's Hampstead Heath. The show has been curated by Wendy Monkhouse, English Heritage Senior Curator (South), and is the result of two years' work. "There was a real gutsiness about these heiresses," Monkhouse tells the BBC. "They were brave. They had a hard time entering British society as foreigners, and foreigners of whom everybody was envious and resentful and wanted to take down a peg or two because of this 'buccaneer' trope." They were, supposedly, swashbuckling beauties who leapt aboard the good ship Britannia and, with piratical ruthlessness, bagged themselves a baron or an earl or maybe even a duke. The English newspaper editor WT Stead used the expression "gilded prostitution" when writing about these transatlantic marriages. There was opposition from the US too, at the highest level. President Theodore Roosevelt wrote to his ambassador to the UK Whitelaw Reid in 1906, "I thoroly [sic]… dislike these international marriages… which are based upon the sale of the girl for her money and the purchase of the man for his title." And plenty of ordinary Americans hated the idea of all that wealth leaving the country and being squandered on wastrel British aristocrats. This wasn't what they'd fought a war of independence for. But Monkhouse argues that the moniker "dollar princesses" does the women a disservice. "I think it's a term that has been tossed around for a hundred years without very much thought, apart from in academic circles," she says. "The more that you delve into it, the more it falls apart. I think Consuelo Vanderbilt, though she doesn't call herself a dollar princess, sort of defined the genre in that she was a very rich American who was, not by her own choice, married for a title and then was unhappy." However, other women whose images are featured in the exhibition had very different stories. Daisy Leiter, glamorous and independent-minded daughter of a Chicago real estate magnate, was considered quite the catch and not just for her money, as Sargent's magnificent portrait shows. She was bombarded with proposals but married Henry Howard, the 19th Earl of Suffolk. It seems to have been a very happy love match and produced three sons. In later life, Daisy further exemplified the adventurous spirit of many of these women by becoming a helicopter pilot. Another of Sargent's subjects was Cora, Countess of Strafford. Her name is echoed by that of a famous fictional "dollar princess", Cora, Countess of Grantham, in Downton Abbey. Julian Fellowes has said that one of the inspirations for the series was a book about American heiresses called To Marry an English Lord. The real Cora was a Southern belle who married the 4th Earl of Strafford after the death of her first husband, toothpaste baron Samuel Colgate. The Earl died just five months after the wedding when he fell on to railway tracks at Potter's Bar. The incident prompted much gossip, as did the fact that Cora wore her coronet sideways at Edward VII's coronation. One of the best known of the women in the Heiress exhibition, represented in both an oil portrait and a charcoal drawing, is Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor, the daughter of a Virginian railway tycoon and the first woman to take her seat as an MP in the House of Commons. She had regular clashes with Winston Churchill, whose own mother, Jennie Jerome, was the daughter of a wealthy New York speculator and financier. There's a splash of politics in the new season of The Buccaneers that sees Nan realising that her elevated social status gives her power and influence, and beginning to wield it. Buccaneers showrunner Katherine Jakeways read extensively on the "dollar princesses" before writing began on the series, and she draws on their stories, as well as the Wharton text. "You imagine that the girls who came over were interesting to the men because (a) they were beautiful, (b) they were American and (c) they were rich, but actually what's really interesting is that (d) they were much better educated and much more encouraged to be confidently involved in society [than their English counterparts]," she tells the BBC. "In New York their opinions were sought whereas girls in England, as we show with Honoria in Season one, were asked not to speak or have an opinion." Like their real-life counterparts, the women in the show don't conform to reductive stereotypes. "Our characters are complicated and have depth, and we try to make all the relationships have some kind of resonance for a contemporary audience," says Jakeways. "And hopefully it's just really good fun." Season two is another rollercoaster ride that remixes all the successful ingredients from the first series. Will there be a season three? I'd bet an heiress's dowry on it. The Buccaneers Season Two premieres on Apple TV+ on 18 June. Heiress: Sargent's American Portraits is at Kenwood House, London, until 5 October. -- For more Culture stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Telegraph
28 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Poundland rescue deal in doubt as councils seek unpaid business rates
A rescue deal for Poundland has been thrown into doubt after the struggling high street chain was hit with a series of court claims for outstanding debts. A string of local councils are pursuing the discount retailer over unpaid business rates, potentially piling further pressure on its already-stretched finances. Sources close to sale talks for Poundland fear the overdue taxes, thought to be worth millions of pounds, could scupper attempts to safeguard the company's future by scaring away potential buyers. It is understood that Poundland is hoping to write off the outstanding payments as part of a radical turnaround plan drawn up by management. The company is also proposing a freeze on future business rates payments for as long as nine months if it ends up in the hands of new owners. The plan also envisages between 150 and 200 store closures and steep rent cuts of between 10pc and 50pc on hundreds more. Poundland has more than 800 shops across the UK, employing 16,000 people. The measures, designed to put the business on a firmer financial footing, are expected to be implemented via a court-sanctioned restructuring scheme. However, there is no guarantee that a judge will approve the proposal. It comes after an auction of Poundland was whittled down to a shoot-out between the distressed investment funds Gordon Brothers and Hilco. Reports suggest Gordon Brothers, which owns Mothercare, is the frontrunner. Poundland was put on the block earlier this year by its Polish owner Pepco after becoming an increasing financial burden. Pepco crashed to a £548m loss in December after taking a £650m write-down on Poundland, as bosses blamed a 'significant decline in performance' and spiralling costs. Last month, Pepco told investors not to expect 'major proceeds' from any sale of Poundland. It also warned that the chain might not make a profit in the forthcoming financial year. The business continued to face 'highly challenging trading conditions' in the six months to the end of March, it said. Like-for-like sales were down 7.3pc and pre-tax earnings slumped three quarters to €22m (£18.6m).
The Sun
29 minutes ago
- The Sun
Sam Thompson gives health update ahead of Soccer Aid clash with ex Zara McDermott's new man
SAM Thompson has given a health update ahead of his Soccer Aid clash with ex Zara McDermott's new man. The I'm A Celeb king, 34, raised more than £1.5m for Unicef by running and biking 260 miles from Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, to Old Trafford, Manchester, where the game will be played at the weekend. 6 6 6 But Sam has since revealed tat his Soccer Aid appearance is hanging in the balance as he continues to recover from his gruelling charity run. Now, in a new health update, Sam said: ' 'Trying to get those legs right for soccer aid!! I WILL play a part [laughing face emoji].' He could be seen standing in an ice bath in his post shared to fans, and held onto the sides while grimacing. The star seemed to suggest that he will be doing all he can from now until Soccer Aid, to make sure he can be a part of the day. The former Made In Chelsea star is set to come face-to-face with ex girlfriend Zara's new man, One Direction star Louis Tomlinson, if he takes part. Both Sam and Louis will be playing for England, which they have done in previous years. It follows another recent update from the star, while speaking on Hits Radio. He said his body is still suffering, and explained: 'I am so tired but elated. I'm so glad we got it done… "Never again [am I getting on a bike] I think I'm prone to saddle issues! After day one I still to this point can't feel bits of my privates. I'm being deadly serious! "The bike is a wild thing, Tracey who was with me going up these hills when we were skirting round the edge of Wales, that was mad and you're just going so slowly and you feel like your bike is going to topple over! I did think to myself this is the first time I've ridden a bike in so long..." Detailing how adapting for one leg issue has aggravated others, Sam continued: "Because I was running in a different way my shin was really inflamed so I couldn't even run on my tiptoes so I was running side to side. "I describe it as plugging holes, so like the calf tears so that's one hole you've got to plug so then I run on my tiptoes with my leg straight. "OK well that then messes up my ankle ligaments because everything is running through your ankle; then your ankle ligament explodes so then you can't do that... you're trying to play chess against yourself, whilst trying not to panic because I can't move my leg and it's still pretty bad." Though it's up in the air if he'll be fit in time to step onto the pitch at the weekend, Sam is still going to be a presence at training sessions in the build up under the care of Gary the physio. He said: "I'm just going to go lie on his bed every single day and get a rub down...!" Sam cuddled his sister Louise after finishing the challenge but his girlfriend Samie Elishi wasn't in attendance. He also received a phone call from Orlando Bloom in the This Morning studio who congratulated him on the superhuman effort. Chris Hughes, Ryan Libbey and Josh Patterson were all on hand at various points of the challenge to offer support. 6 6 6
