New Look

New Look is a chain, we know this. New Look doesn’t pretend to be ahead of the fashion race and it follows all trends with aplomb, but the prices cannot be argued with. A perfectly fine winter jumper for £20 or a vest for £4? Come at me New Look, I’m ready.
The store is often going through refurbs in order to spruce itself up, the most recent one being the shoe area upstairs which is, unsurprisingly, my favourite place. Now more sectioned off than before, shoes are something which New Look really pride themselves on; recently they have had 50% off selected shoes, reducing a certain pair of block heel chelsea boots to £11.50, which is always worth a few stars in my book. The men’s section is ever expanding and although it doesn’t have many exciting pieces it has managed to stay away from over complicating men’s clothing, unlike Topshop and River Island, often putting my male friends off due to their designer’s passions for cowl necks and deep v t-​shirts. I don’t spend much time downstairs but, when I do, I usually end up picking up a jumper or tshirt to add to my wardrobe. The quality isn’t top notch, but I can’t afford that — what I can afford is something which I get reasonable wear out of and then can replace after a few months. New Look does this job and it does it well.

I’m shocked by the bad reviews. I absolutely love this New Look. It’s two floors of lovely clothes at very reasonable prices (coming from someone exchanging US dollars to quid!). The merchandise changes fairly quickly and oftentimes, my size was nowhere to be seen (and I would not be seen in a size 14. I’d be lost!). On that note, the clearance racks can be the source of lovely goods. I scored a gorgeous purple, button-​up raincoat for 8 quid! Plus student discount — brilliant!
My secret love affair with this place really comes into play upstairs; hello nail varnish, jewelry, hair accessories, shoes, belts, scarves… xxxx

Comparing this New Look to the various ones up and down the country, Manchester New Look in the Arndale is actually pretty damn good, by comparison of course.
As a store, well, quality is a bit meh, but it’s cheap as chips… well not as chips, Primark is cheap as chips, but you do tend to get a bit more wear out of your New Look purchases than you do out of your Primark purchases… eye of the beholder debate is somewhere close i feel… anyhoo. It’s fairly massive is this New Look, and it holds a prime spot on the corner of the Arndale.
New Look is great for holiday clothing… the stuff you want to take away that sorta looks fashionable but you wouldnt be heartbroken if there was a batch of pina coladas spilled all over them rendering them ruined. It’s definitely a disposable fashion type of store rather than an invest your buck type of store.
The positives are, there is a lot of choice, there is a men’s section that does a lot of funky tees… cartoon characters and such, i spend more time over thisaway than i do over thataway… The girlies sections dominate the store, but in there there’s a larger ladies range too, and a kids range. So Kudos for diversity. All your usual accessories, and even make up and nail varnish club style. Strip lights make it impossible to be in here longer than 10 minutes without inducing a migraine. But worth of a disposable mooch.

Recently all I’ve been looking for is some ‘New’ angle in the New Look. There are many drawbacks in this store:
–The clothes are thrown around like it’s someone’s personal wardrobe. Think messy in a big way.
–The changing rooms aren’t great, rather very stuffy
–their collection never leaves the usual, they need some spicing up.
–There is seldom anyone around for queries or help.
Looking at the above, one would get the idea of the place. Yet it does have a bright side. Their T-​shirt collection is amazing and keeps me coming here. They’re peppy and fits perfectly and aren’t as expensive. Their shoes are 2 levels above Primark in quality and are great if you are the type to want different colours of everything to match your outfits.
Other than that, this could definitely use an uplift in style and novelty!

Dear New Look,
The five steps to creating a successful clothes store are as follows:
1 — Create a warm and welcoming shop with subtle and flattering lighting and mirrors.
2 — Have a great selection of well made clothes for all body shapes.
3 — Play good music at a volume that’s engaging rather than deafening.
4 — Employ friendly and helpful staff that know how to smile.
5 — Ensure the changing rooms are clean and fresh at all times.
Unfortunately, I have to inform you that when I visited your Arndale Centre branch recently you failed on four counts. You get one star for playing Goldfrapp and the rest deducted.
Yours sincerely et al…

I always get a little bit scared when a friend of mine suggests we look in New Look. Did you ever see that episode of The Simpsons where they enter that massive bulk-​buying emporium and the shop’s slogan is ‘…Where Shopping is a Baffling Ordeal’? That’s kind of how I feel about Manchester’s absolutely huge New Look branch.
Downstairs is a vast expanse of a ludicrous volume of different kinds of clothing, from party-​wear to a section seemingly exclusively and depressingly dedicated to what looks like office togs, a segment for guys (if they happen to get dragged into New Look… and seriously, as a girlfriend, shame on you for doing that to your partner unless he’s done something dreadful), various denim and plus size and teen selections — but somehow, all bewilderingly laid out. Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I get more confused in New Look than I do in Primark. And with Primark, confusion is an ACCEPTABLE state of mind. In New Look? Non.
Upstairs gets even weirder. Accessories… fine… bags… okay… shoes? Shoes, while large in number again, are perplexingly situated on lime green Perspex display cases. This I don’t understand. It creates a kind of optical illusion where the shoes become mirrored, or look the same on both sides, which means if you’re really seeking something, you have to travel down every single lime green Perspex aisle. Which is difficult to do, considering that perpendicular is a word New Look don’t understand. These opaque coloured shoe-​displaying effigies are situated at such bizarre contrasting angles, you can’t remember which you’ve looked through and which you just can’t be bothered with any more.
That said, I can’t knock New Look entirely. Its clothes are cheap. They’re reasonably stylish. It’s great for essentials like underwear and bangles (okay, maybe the latter of those two isn’t quite so necessary, but to some bangles are a lifestyle choice), and the leggings range is spot on. Er, I know, it’ll be interesting to see in a few years time if people read my review and say, ‘Oh lord, remember leggings? What were we THINKING.’ I’ve also on many occasion stopped a friend, or accosted some poor random in the street, asking where their shoes were from, and many have in fact said New Look. And they don’t whisper it in the same guilty breath as they do Primark. So steel yourself for the puzzling ride, because it’s worth navigating this strange warehouse of a New Look in the hopes of finding some quality piejams or a knicker or two, or maybe, just maybe that elusive party dress.

It has to be said that I think New look deserves at least 3 stars. Why? Not because it is situated in the Arndale, not because it caters for the unoriginal and not because of the rude staff that served me last time I ventured in the store.
New Look deserves 3 stars because its average. Average clothes for average people at average prices. In comparison to Topshop and other high street chains this place fairs ok. Just beware of prams and scallies on a Saturday and try branching out occasionally i.e. vintage, second hand etc.

The problem with New Look is that it just seems to follow every one else. As if we don’t have enough chain clothes stores around. It is just wrong sometimes.
I do not mean to sound horrible but i do think the quality of clothing here is second-​rate. I bought a t-​shirt here once and it just fell apart. Fair enough it is cheaper than most shops, but I can guarantee that someone would be wearing the same outfit as you in the tiniest cinema ever. It is just not original.
As a confession, I do like to but Christmas presents from here because: a) i am poor and can only afford hear for little presents and b) it is easy!

Oh the irony of a store with the tars to call itself New Look whilst shamelessly ripping off every fashion movement and marketing strategy on the British high street.
The saddest part of it all is that the average Arndale Centre New Look customer will probably never get that one.
A clown with no audience.