There’s a strange phenomenon that happens to British men around their late twenties. Somewhere between your first proper job and realizing that festival camping is actually a form of self-punishment, you find yourself inexplicably drawn to Marks & Spencer. It starts innocently enough—maybe you need socks that don’t disintegrate after two washes, or pants that cover more than the absolute legal minimum. Before you know it, you’re nodding appreciatively at a sensibly priced merino jumper while contemplating whether their chinos might actually be… quite good?
I know this because it happened to me. One minute I was sneering at M&S as the place where style went to die, the next I was enthusiastically texting my equally fashion-conscious mate Jamie about their surprisingly excellent unstructured blazers. “I swear to God, it’s basically the same cut as my Portuguese Flannel one that cost three times as much,” I wrote him at 11 PM on a Tuesday, the exact moment I realized I had officially become an adult.
The truth is, within the sea of questionable prints and elasticated waistbands that still haunt certain corners of M&S, there are genuine gems that rival pieces from much pricier brands. The key is knowing exactly what to look for and what to sprint past so quickly you create a small vacuum in the menswear department.
I still remember my first proper M&S revelation. It was about six years ago, and I’d been commissioned to write a piece about the best white t-shirts across all price points. I dutifully bought examples from everywhere—high-end designers, mid-range specialists, high street stalwarts—and put them through identical washing and wearing tests. After three washes, the £6 M&S Autograph Supima cotton t-shirt was holding its shape better than options costing five times as much. The fabric had a satisfying weight to it, the cut was neither boxy nor spray-on, and the neck hadn’t done that annoying stretched-out bacon collar thing that cheaper t-shirts often do. I ended up buying five more and they’re still in rotation today, having outlasted virtually all their more expensive counterparts.
This began what my girlfriend now refers to as my “M&S evangelism phase,” during which I apparently became insufferable on the subject. “Yes, I’ve heard about their amazing Supima cotton t-shirts,” she’ll sigh when I spot yet another bloke on the tube wearing a visibly inferior tee that probably cost four times as much. “Please don’t accost another stranger about their t-shirt choices. Remember what happened last time.” (For the record, the gentleman in question was actually quite interested to hear about the superior fabric weight-to-price ratio, but I take her point.)
The M&S underwear department deserves special mention, not just for the obvious quality-to-price ratio, but because they’ve quietly revolutionized their fits in recent years. Their current boxer briefs are legitimately good—proper waistbands that don’t fold over, fabrics that maintain their stretch, and cuts that don’t ride up when you’re walking. I did a magazine feature a couple of years back where we blind-tested underwear across price points (yes, this is the glamorous life of a menswear journalist), and their premium Supima cotton range came second only to a Swedish brand costing four times as much. The judges had no idea of the brands during testing and were genuinely shocked when we revealed the price difference.
Their socks, too, are something of a secret weapon in a well-dressed man’s arsenal. The Freshfeet technology (a fancy way of saying they don’t get smelly as quickly) actually works, and their merino blend socks are indistinguishable from brands charging three times as much. I once had a frankly bizarre conversation with a very posh fashion editor who was waxing lyrical about his £30-a-pair socks from some obscure Italian maker, while I was wearing M&S ones that cost £4.50 and looked identical. I didn’t have the heart to tell him.
Where M&S really comes into its own though is knitwear. Their pure merino jumpers—particularly in the crew and v-neck styles—are genuinely great value. The trick is to ignore some of the more “designed” pieces where they’ve tried to add unnecessary details, and stick to the classics. Last autumn I picked up a simple navy merino crew neck for £35 that is virtually identical to a £160 one I own from a well-known British designer brand. I’ve worn both regularly through the winter, and if anything, the M&S one has kept its shape slightly better.
The cashmere, too, is worth investigating if you’re on a budget. Is it the world’s most luxurious cashmere? Of course not. Will it pill a bit more than the really high-end stuff? Yes. But it’s actual cashmere, not some synthetic blend pretending to be cashmere, and at around £75 for a basic style, it’s an accessible entry point to a luxury fibre. Just stick to the darker colors where the pilling is less noticeable, and hand wash it regardless of what the label says you can do.
The tailoring department is where you need to tread more carefully, but there are still standout pieces to be found. Their unstructured blazers in the Autograph range often have a surprisingly contemporary cut, and the fabrics are decent—particularly the cotton-linen blends they do for summer. I once wore one to a press day and had another menswear writer ask if it was from a particular Italian brand known for their unstructured jackets. The look on his face when I said “Nope, M&S” was worth the price of admission alone.
For actual suits, you need to be more selective. Avoid anything with too much polyester in the mix, as it simply won’t drape properly. But their wool-rich options, particularly in the Autograph range, can be excellent value if you’re willing to spend a bit on alterations. My top tip here: buy the best M&S suit you can afford, then immediately take it to a good local tailor for adjustments. For an extra £50-60, you can have the trousers properly tapered, the jacket sleeves adjusted to the right length, and sometimes even the waist taken in slightly. The end result can look remarkably close to something much more expensive.
Their chinos deserve an honorable mention, particularly if you’re looking for something in that smart-casual middle ground that’s surprisingly difficult to get right. The key is to avoid anything with a visible crease pressed in (unless you’re deliberately going for that slightly old-school preppy look) and stick to the slimmer cuts in the more neutral colors. The Italian-made ones they occasionally have in the Autograph range are particularly good—proper cotton twill with just enough stretch to be comfortable but not enough to look like jeggings.
One area where M&S consistently excels is the basics that no one really wants to spend a fortune on, but that make or break an outfit. Plain white shirts, for example. Their pure cotton, non-iron versions are genuinely effective at staying crease-free throughout the day, unlike some supposedly non-iron shirts from fancier brands that seem to crease if you so much as look at them sideways. The ‘Tailored Fit’ version hits that sweet spot of being trim without being restrictive. I’ve got dress shirts from much more expensive brands, but for day-to-day office wear, the M&S ones are often what I reach for.
Perhaps the most surprising category where M&S shines is what I’d call “technical casuals”—those clothes that look like normal everyday pieces but actually have practical, performance elements built-in. Their ‘StormWear’ technology, a fancy way of saying water-resistant, actually works surprisingly well on pieces like their cotton chinos and certain jackets. I’ve got a very plain, very normal-looking cotton jacket from them that can withstand a proper downpour. It cost £65, looks like standard casual outerwear, but performs like pieces three times the price.
I think what I appreciate most about M&S is their honesty. They’re not trying to be the coolest, most cutting-edge brand out there. They know their lane and they stay in it, focusing on making reliable, well-priced clothes that actually last. In a world of fast fashion and overinflated claims, there’s something rather refreshing about that approach.
That’s not to say they always get it right. There are still plenty of misses among the hits. Anything where they’ve tried too hard to be fashionable often falls flat. The print shirts can be a minefield of dodgy patterns. Some of the more fashion-forward trousers can have strange details or cuts that don’t quite work. And while their shoes have improved dramatically in recent years, there are still models that have that unmistakable “middle-manager on his fifth pint” energy about them.
But if you know what to look for, M&S can be the secret weapon in a stylish man’s wardrobe. I was at a menswear event last month wearing one of their merino jumpers over a shirt, and another attendee—a buyer for a pretty cool independent menswear shop—asked where it was from. When I told him, instead of the usual surprise or mild disdain, he just nodded knowingly. “Yeah, their knitwear is actually really decent,” he said quietly, as if sharing insider information. “I’ve got a couple of their cashmere pieces myself. Don’t tell anyone I told you that.”
And that’s the thing about M&S. It’s become a sort of secret club among men who care about clothes but don’t care about showing off—the menswear equivalent of finding a really good local restaurant that you’re almost reluctant to tell others about in case it gets too popular.
So here’s what you do: walk past the “blue harbour” section without making eye contact, dodge the novelty Christmas jumpers like your life depends on it, and make a beeline for the pieces I’ve mentioned. Try them on. Feel the fabrics. Check the fit. Make your own judgment. You might be surprised at what you find. And if anyone questions your choices, just remember: there’s nothing more stylish than getting good value for your money. Well, except perhaps having a t-shirt that still looks good after 30 washes—and on that front, M&S has got you covered.
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