Chain Stores Like Banana, Zara, J Crew

[Serena]

It seems that stores like banana, old navy, j crew are everywhere these days. In NYC we have several H & Ms and Zara stores. Do you shop there or not? what are your views on this chain store trend & do you think it will last or not?

 

[pinkdaisy17]

I shop at JCrew, BR, Saks, Neimans and Nordstroms but other than that I like boutiques. The chain store thing isn't a trend, they really will take over the world one day....

 

[Erin]

I'm a JCrew/Banana Republic/Bloomingdales type of woman. I hate Old Navy...ugh. GAP, some of their stuff is all right.

But chains will always be around for those who can't afford boutique items...Old Navy is aimed towards lower-income people, GAP middle, and Banana Republic - higher. There will always need to be the Old Navys or American Eagles, IMO.

 

[trean]

Sometimes it kinda annoys me when they have real bad & obvious designer rip -offs

 

[utopia]

Originally posted by Elle Glamour@Sep 3rd, 2003 - 5:00 pm
I hate Old Navy...ugh.

I like old navy I happen to be one of those "lower-income" (i.e. student) people, and I get some of my basics like cardigans and sweaters there. I also have several beautiful raincoats from old navy that passed the test of the harsh scottish winter flawlessly whilst my expensive stuff fell apart.
I'm more concerned with clothing construction and materials than I am with the store I'm buying it at. sometimes I find much nicer things of better construction and fabric quality at a chain store like gap or j.crew than I might find at a boutique or a top drawer department store. it just depends, really.

I do not think chain stores are a trend. they've been around for ages and will continue to stay around because not everyone can afford to shop at boutiques.

 

[Merrick]

I can't or rather won't complain about chain stores, I shop the whole range, from high end to chain stores, I can't see why I should pay top dollar for a shirt that I'll wear a couple of times in the summer.
However for classic bags, coats and shoes I shop high end.

 

[Serena]

well, i agree that chain retailers have been around for a while, they only started expanding so rapidly in the 90's, at least that's i what is see in new york. like Astor Place was a home to stores
like Antique Boutique but now it's Gap & bennetton. what i mean by trend is that it's rather a tendency in retail.
i buy basics in stores like club monaco or banana, but would rather not shop there a lot. when i was in college it did not matter much though.

 

[lilac_wine]

I shop a lot at H&M (in the Netherlands, we don't have Old Navy, BR or Gap) (at least I've never seen one) because the prices there are so low and I don't have a huge amount of money to spend on clothes.
Besides that, sometimes I spend a little more money on a piece I really love from a more expensive boutique.
I agree with what utopia said, I also care more about cut and quality than about labels. And sometimes stuff from the 'low-end' stores can be of higher quality than 'high-end' articles.
If you look hard at H&M and try on the clothes after you buy them again in your own bedroom (as long as you don't cut off the labels, you can always take them back) (this is also a tip for when there's a line in front of the dressing rooms or you haven't got time or energy to try stuff on there: just buy it, try it on at home and take back what you don't like) you can find some pretty good stuff there.

 

[ignitioned32]

It depends what chain store. Since my style is a mix of high-low, but not in a obvious way, and I don't have a lot of ca$h (I'm still a student ) I shop at some of those chain stores, like H&M and Gap, that have simple -yet good- clothing. But I always avoid desinger knock-offs and useless outfits. Mostly basics are the only stuff gotten there (trust me if I had all the money in the world I'd be getting basics at Hermes ).

 

[Caramel]

I shop at H&M all the time, mainly because I am a student and don't have a lot of cash, but also because I don't want to spend a lot of money on trendier items, party clothes etc. that I wont wear that much.
On basics (jeans, knitwear, coats etc.) I like to invest a little more, because I expect them to last for more than just one season.

 

[Acid]

H&M and Zara are GREAT for quality quality clothes.
ok sometimes their designer knock-offs are TERRIBLE but you also find some GREAT ones where you can barely see the difference...

 

[tgp]

would LOVE to shop H&M but don't have one here. I really like BR and JCrew, some Gap. Can't afford much designer wear so when I do buy it, I get classic pieces that I can use for a long time.

The Martin fit pants at BR are one of my must-haves.

 

[utopia]

Originally posted by Acid@Sep 4th, 2003 - 8:10 am
H&M and Zara are GREAT for quality quality clothes.
ok sometimes their designer knock-offs are TERRIBLE but you also find some GREAT ones where you can barely see the difference...

yeah I forgot about zara - a lot of their stuff is really well made... structured well and holds up through a lot. H&M has some nice stuff, too.

 

[estevairevana]

Such a good question. I was born to shop and am too much of a shopper to condemn another shopper. I turn many activities into shopping ones. The chain stores improve the quality of life for all! If, for no other reason, I would shop them simply to keep them open.

 

[Erin]

Originally posted by tgp@Sep 4th, 2003 - 9:26 am
would LOVE to shop H&M but don't have one here. I really like BR and JCrew, some Gap. Can't afford much designer wear so when I do buy it, I get classic pieces that I can use for a long time.

The Martin fit pants at BR are one of my must-haves.

I know!

No H&M around here. They're opening up two around Chicago, so when I visit there I'll have to go insane. Also...no J Crews in the vicinity. Thank goodness for Internet shopping.

Also in addition to chain stores...I like the Limited.

 

[Spacemiu]

Chain stores are takeing over the world, so is disney and cocoa cola and the oil companys.

That said, I go to teh gap ocassionaly, what can i say im poor

 

[Alejandro]

Hmm...I just think is all about being intelligent at the time you buy something, I buy from Gap,BR, Old Navy, tons of Zara, etc.. for example, I dont go advertising Old Navy with a tee or trousers with their name on it, I buy basic things like tees, long sleeved shirts with no weird decorations, and recently, a big exeption: I bought a pair of pale dusty pink karate pants that I think it looks like the so famous patchwork Balenciaga drawstring pants from a few seasons ago at Old Navy. I dont buy things that looks like " OMG that looks soo Dior", cause I know that everyone will know that I bought that frickin' item at the Gap. I mix with some Designer stuff, that again, I buy thinking that I can use them for a looong time mixed with low cost items... Sometimes I go kinda crazy buying acid green pants at Zara, but they are those things that I see that are really in nowdays, and if I get tired of them I can give them to my sister who doesnt knows anything about fashions today... Again, its all about being intelligent when you are buying at the chain stores.

 

[Serena]

Originally posted by Spacemiu@Sep 4th, 2003 - 8:04 pm
Chain stores are takeing over the world, so is disney and cocoa cola and the oil companys.

and let's not forget Starbucks! chain retailer at it's best

 

[LolitaLuxe]

i agree 100% with utopia and alejandro

aslo-

serious shoppers go everywhere far and between. some people carry
luxury bags with old navy tanks. some people buy designer jeans and carry cheap bags.....you get the point.

i think chain stores are great for basics,t's tanks, cords etc. that you can buy in bulk almost. to be honest i hate it when people say "oh i only shop at bebe, BR.......never the gap or old navy" like they are some sort of low income snob please -the reality is that they are all the same. they are made the same and to be perfectly honest its all sweatshop.

ive seen woman with $$$$ going into old navy getting flip flops and tanks.
i just see these chain stores for quick basic items.designer/ boutiques are more for better service , and unique high quality clothes. even the rich will some gap.

i think h&m is great i love their accesories. zara is good too the quality isnt bad and someyimes you cant afford trendy items that last 4 weeks....why not go cheap on those items?

 

[HBoogie]

I shop at these places, and mix the stuff with vintage and boutique pieces.

Another big reason to shop at chain stores (besides price) is convenience. Not everyone has access to cool little boutiques, but everyone knows where their nearest mall is, and thus the nearest Gap, Express, JCrew, Old Navy, and so forth.