I love great, quality clothing but I am also looking for the best bang for my buck. Quality refers to strength of material, style and texture, figure-flattering, long-lasting wear and hold up of color/style over the years.
Rainbow, Easy Pickins, Dots and Pretty Girl were my go-tos in my teenage years. And while I still enjoy the styles found in these stores, it is very difficult for me to find clothing that will last at these shops. These stores would be a: No.
I then graduated to Ross Dress for Less. This store is a great store if you are willing to go through all the racks. However, I find mixed quality in this store. This store has name-brand clothing that are no longer the latest looks. I find that their blazers, purses and dresses are of very high quality. But the other clothing can be hit or miss. This store would be a: Yes.
Over time, I have always stopped into Target but I found their prices rising. I believe that Target has superior quality clothing compared to most stores. And the rising costs are justified, but unfortunately I will not be paying them. And I will go straight to their clearance! This store would be a: No.
In my late 20s now, I am looking into other quality stores for professional women, and one of my favorites is New York & Company. Their pants and blazers are particularly exceptional. Their jeans, however, make me look frumpy. Nevertheless, for the quality of their pants and blazers, this store would be a: Yes.
Ah, Macy's. I know real shopaholics live by this store! Unfortunately I have had several bad experiences. While the clothing appears quality and they do hold up over the years, the problem is the 3 items (a full $150 suit, blouse, $70 black stretch pants) I bought at Macy's tore within the first couple wears. It makes it hard for me to justify shopping there. Why MACY's is on this list is because you can find clothing in an affordable range even though my pieces were a little more higher-end. But I am not a fan of Macy's and would rather stick to other stores. This store would be a: No.
Likewise, Jcpenney's is a department store that I am not a huge fan of. The clothing looks frumpy and uninteresting. So, while the quality of the clothing is good because of long-lasting wear, the quality of the clothing is terrible in terms of style. But I do pick up some of their $19.99 curvy-average skinny Arizona Jeans, which has suited me well. This store would be: No.
I still peruse in stores like Forever21 because the clothes is so astonishingly cute, but I find that it also does not last for me. My purse broke on me after 5 uses! I love this store for staples like a quick cami or casual bodycon tank dress, but this store would be a: No.
I know H&M is a very popular store but I don't find that I really ever get excited when I go into their store. And you know, I must be excited to shop! They had more charcoals and grays like Wet Seal, and I am more into yellows, pinks, browns. Wet Seal used to be a favorite of mine in college because they had beautiful corals and yellows but there clothing would never last me. These stores would be a: No.
Primark in London (and other European countries), similar to other stores in Europe, used to have strong quality clothing but I find that quality has gone down dramatically. I bought T-shirts and bathing suits from Primark in 2009 and they are all still in great condition, but everything I bought from Primark just last summer in 2014 have basically collapsed. Unacceptable. (Note: A Primark should arrive in Boston in the US in 2015.) This store would be a: No.
I adore Charlotte Russe. Everything from their tops and heels to their skirts and maxis....and they always have an amazing clearance section on top of it all! I find it to be young at heart but with a sophisticated style, quality and approach. Their items are made with strong material and last me a long time, and so I truly get to enjoy them. They also have great deals and great sales! This store would be a: Yes.
Old Navy makes jeans that I feel make me look frumpy but their jeans sales are awesome, so it's always hard to pass those up...but I have to. Aeropostale has polos that are not so flattering to me. These stores would be a: No.
Overall, for quality I frequent Ross and Charlotte Russe. Every now and then I stop into New York & Company and pick up professional wear, or check out Target clearance, get a pair of jeans at Jcpenneys or pick up a Forever21 staple. But for quality, style and affordability, Ross and Charlotte Russe are my go-tos. I am not against spending more money at luxury brands but I would only buy a piece at a luxury brand of a particular look that I am going for. Great fashion can be accomplished at great prices.
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