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Uniqlo > Rugby > J.Crew > H&M > BR > A&F > Gap ...

breakz

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Originally Posted by mlyngard
Or get Uniqlo. $19.95 for lambswool? Nice.

Still pissed they ran out of lambswool V-neck stock as soon as it actually started getting cold.
 

breakz

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Originally Posted by mlyngard
F***ers. They out already? I've been trying to get those asses on the phone for weeks. Not in stock as of late September and now they're sold out?

Excuse me, I meant lambswool cardigans. They only have large sizes for those.
 

flyindarkness

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BR still have some nice pieces with sale prices...
That goes with a lot of brands, you just gotta pick your battles.
 

TheDroog

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I'm bored, so here's my Winter 2009/10 update of the best mall brands from best to worst. The list takes into consideration each store's current offerings, value, quality, sales, etc. from a total cheapskate's point of view... Alright, here we go!

Uniqlo: The reigning champ is still the best bang for the buck. Well-designed sweaters, pants, jackets, and socks at very fair prices. I love this place.

J.Crew: If J.Crew keeps up its current excellence, it's going to steal the preppy crown right from under Polo's nose (if it hasn't done so already). J.Crew offers better overall design than Uniqlo, but its quality isn't as consistent and MSRP is overpriced. Fortunately sales are plentiful.

Rugby: Great stuff, but still too expensive for a skinflint like me.

Gap: A *huge* improvement over the past year. I like what Patrick Robinson is doing. Slim shirts, better jeans, and a trendy mix of workwear, military, and preppy elements have pulled Gap from the directionless funk of the past decade. Quality lags behind the brands above, but the price is right, especially around sale time. I'm keeping an eye on these guys.

Urban Outfitters: The sale rack at your local UO currently has the wackiest collection of ugly hipster clothes in the world. Anathema for some, but I think it's awesome.

H&M: This store seems to be getting worse, but I can't move any of the remaining mall brands above it. Quality is mediocre at best, but the slim cuts are flattering and the prices are low.

Club Monaco: I now agree with the SF majority that Club Monaco is not that bad. It's more stylish than BR or Express. But full retail prices continue to be insane. $100 for a white dress shirt? No thanks. If your local Club Monaco has a decent sale rack (mine does not) this might be an okay brand.

Banana Republic: I hate what this store has devolved into. Its non-offensive cubicle wear is so boring, so lifeless. It does not even pretend to follow trends anymore. Now it exists to simply give recent college grads something to wear to their internship. Quality remains decent.

Abercrombie & Fitch: Props to their quality (excellent) and totalitarian style vision for American youth (frat dudes will wear this ****, and that's that). Negative points because nothing changes from season to season. And it's way too expensive.

Old Navy: Cheap, baggy clothes. This place is terrific for sweatshirts and shirts for lounging around.

Topman: Stopped by NYC store and was not impressed. Polyester dress shirts? Pleated plaid shirts? Looks and feels like H&M's trashier cousin.

American Eagle: Ugh, what happened? Just two years ago this place was decent. Thick wool sweaters with no logos. Indestructible shorts. Now they've sewn extra large "AE" patches onto the collars of their shirts and silk-screened giant eagles onto their pants. It's sad.

Aeropostale: This brand doesn't know what it wants to be. It used to be a trashy version of Old Navy, now it's a trashy version of American Eagle.

Express: Everything currently in this store is comically ugly.

Thoughts? Disagreements? Anyone have feedback on A/X, Zara, or French Connection? Haven't seen them.
 

Robert

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Good. Wish I could go to a Uniqulo. Curious about this place.
 

everybodynobody

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I'd feel out of place walking into an A&F or an AE. Between the pounding house music and overwhelming musky cologne odor, I don't think I fit into the target demographic. I used to get nice chinos at the Gap, but they don't seem to be what they used to be. I find everything they sell bland and not worth what their asking for it at full retail. I like Macy's better for cheap basics. The nearest Gap to me didn't have any of the nice looking denim that's pictured on the website last time I was there, just lots of pre-distressed stuff.

I'll stay with Macy's, JC Penney's, and Kohl's.
 

xanatos

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Originally Posted by Robert
Good. Wish I could go to a Uniqulo. Curious about this place.

Wish it was over in socal for me ugh. Sounds like you'd be a traiter to our fav store Robert if we stepped our feet into them.
 

uristocrat

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Originally Posted by TheDroog
I'm bored, so here's my Winter 2009/10 update of the best mall brands from best to worst. The list takes into consideration each store's current offerings, value, quality, sales, etc. from a total cheapskate's point of view... Alright, here we go!



Banana Republic: I hate what this store has devolved into. Its non-offensive cubicle wear is so boring, so lifeless. It does not even pretend to follow trends anymore. Now it exists to simply give recent college grads something to wear to their internship. Quality remains decent.



This is on point.. I really dislike walking into BR. I keep hoping that they will begin selling items that made them a decent alternative a mere couple of years go...
 

TheDroog

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Originally Posted by everybodynobody
I'd feel out of place walking into an A&F or an AE. Between the pounding house music and overwhelming musky cologne odor, I don't think I fit into the target demographic. I used to get nice chinos at the Gap, but they don't seem to be what they used to be. I find everything they sell bland and not worth what their asking for it at full retail. I like Macy's better for cheap basics. The nearest Gap to me didn't have any of the nice looking denim that's pictured on the website last time I was there, just lots of pre-distressed stuff.

I'll stay with Macy's, JC Penney's, and Kohl's.


Seriously? The only good things at these stores are Polo and Levi's.

I hear you on the age factor, though. Once you hit 40 they'll have a muscular white kid/bouncer in shredded jeans and leather flip-flops stop you from entering.
 

Robert

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Sears for Levis 501 STFs.
 

baba booey

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Why so much love for Rugby? The stupid patches and obnoxios rugby/skull and cross bones stuff kills the brand. This is the same reason why people dislike G-Star but I guess Rugby is getting a pass because it is Polo?
 

Humperdink

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Originally Posted by baba booey
Why so much love for Rugby? The stupid patches and obnoxios rugby/skull and cross bones stuff kills the brand. This is the same reason why people dislike G-Star but I guess Rugby is getting a pass because it is Polo?

Rugby is cheaper, better fitting (sometimes slightly lower quality) PRL with the same obnoxious branding for the "chav" A&F crowd, but if you look past all the excessive iron-on patches, you'll find some great staples, depending on your aesthetic. Their button-down oxford shirts in small fit me perfectly, and I've bought them in all colors available (all at 1/3 the price of an impulse RRL oxford I bought from Barney's last year that was no doubt made by the exact same people in China). Also, their chinos actually fit slim, unlike J Crew pants, which have the least flattering cuts among the brands mentioned in this thread. And while Rugby sweaters and outerwear sometimes don't feel as nice to the touch as the PRL, RLBL, and RLPL models they're copied from, they're well-constructed and usually a third cheaper in price. Additionally, the coats and jackets generally lack the excessive branding found on their polos, which you're (rightfully) complaining about.

I don't think anyone can go into a Ruby store (or PRL store) and make a wardrobe without looking like a preppy douchebag, but out of all the "mall brands" mentioned in this thread, I can't think of any other than Rugby (or the J Crew high-end imports from Barbour, Mister Freedom, et. al.) where I'd feel comfortable picking up staple knit and outwear pieces. Not to mention they have a universal 15% student discount on all non-sale items.
 

DLester

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Originally Posted by TheDroog
If J.Crew keeps up its current excellence, it's going to steal the preppy crown right from under Polo's nose (if it hasn't done so already). J.Crew offers better overall design than Uniqlo, but its quality isn't as consistent and MSRP is overpriced. Fortunately sales are plentiful.

wut? you are overselling the Crew here.
 

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