Ann Taylor Quality - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Shopping

Ann Taylor Quality

Thistle

Veteran

Anyone else having any trouble with the quality at Ann Taylor? I had no issues last year, but this year I have been less than happy with ATs quality . Out of the 6 or so pieces I purchases this fall:

1. A broken zipper on a skirt. By the time they were willing to admit fault, the skirt was sold out in my size.

2. A sweater with a hole after two wears (and no washes) right in the middle of the "sweater". (Too this to be a sweater, but a nice knit piece). Also, too thin to hold up to being worn.

3. Another sweater that unraveled where the arm met the body of the sweater after 3 wears and one handwash (It said it was machine washable, so I was not breaking any care instructions handwashing and laying flat to dry).

I used my rewards to buy the cashemere sweater I am wearing today as the rewards were within 1 day of expiring. It will be interesting to see how it compares to the Halogen line which I found to be at least at the AT quality level but for a much lower price point. ($160 regular price for AT, $80 regular price for Halogen)

I am hoping the spring line is better, but I am starting to think I will take my shopping dollars elsewhere. For AT's price point, I expect pieces to last longer than something I would buy at H&M or Old Navy.

Shopping

30 replies

Latest reply was from chadya

April

Veteran

Yes, definite downward trend there.

I noticed it on their cashmeres, which are thinner and less lofty than in previous years. Also their sleeves have gotten ridiculously tight.

trix

Ouch -- how frustrating for you! I agree, I expect AT items to last longer than H&M's or Old Navy's. I haven't had issues with quality control yet, but I do have the sense that they're not using as high-quality fabrics as they did in the past. Will be curious to hear others' experiences.

Kristin L

Veteran

I haven't bought much from AT lately, so I can't say that I've noticed anything. Thanks for letting us know.

gryffin

Veteran

Thistle - in the 90's I'd say 90% of my wardrobe was from AT until about 2005. I still have jackets and pieces and they are incredible. I almost never buy there now. About 5 yrs ago, I noticed a huge drop in quality. I really feel your pain on this one because that store was nonstop shopping for me. Oh, who was calling AT the mothership? (sorry not to remember your name) but so funny. That was the mothership for me and now I'm rudderless!!

Thistle

Veteran

This just me being weird, but I also tire of the constant sales.

I never buy anything there now unless it is 50% off because that seems to be the "real" price based on the never ending sales.

Kristin L

Veteran

I've noticed that Thistle! It seems like every week I get an e-mail or 2 about a new sale.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Thistle, I only have one or two pieces from AT and the quality has been fine...but the things I own are not knits. Two silk tops, one jacket (many seasons old, in any case), and one pair of pants.

Meanwhile, the knit tees I bought last spring at Loft (the sister store) were such poor quality that they basically self-destroyed! Similar to what you say about your AT sweaters. I wore them once or twice at most, did not break any washing instructions, etc. And they got holes in them.

It is so, so frustrating, particularly when you don't have too many online options. For me, AT is tough to shop at because we only have a few stores in Canada and the online ordering still goes through Borderfree. But your report makes me less willing to spend my dollars there for sure.

Anonymous

Hmmm. Thanks for the post. I am trying to focus on buying better quality items in 2014 and into the future. I will cross Ann Taylor off my list of merchants. I don't have the time or the inclination to deal with items that self destruct.

eds

I haven't gotten any knits there lately, but the several pair of curvy fit jeans I purchased have been terrific... great fit, little bagging. I notice a lot of places stocking poorer quality knits lately...

Susie

Veteran

That's so frustrating. I've never been much of an AT shopper but I just bought 2 pairs of pants there on Saturday so I hope the quality is ok. And yes, both were on sale- one as a markdown and one just part of the everything a % off. So the prices were very reasonable yet I still want them to be decent quality.

deb

Veteran

I stopped shopping AT about three years ago because of the quality. Like griffin, ten years ago a good portion of my wardrobe used to be AT. I do not care to even walk into their stores now.

shiny

Veteran

It's been my observation that there's a difference in quality between what you can buy in the AT stores, and what you buy from them online. I noticed this a few years ago. I wanted to duplicate a pair of dress pants I had bought in the store. I ordered online in the same color, and a second color, the very same week. The pants I received in the mail were cut funny and the material was cheap.

Last month I ordered a bunch of dresses to try. I had mixed results. I kept some (quality was nice) and returned many (quality was awful). Those I returned included a jersey dress in which the fabric was so terribly thin and flimsy I just didn't see it holding up. It seemed like something I might buy at F21, not AT. I also returned a sheath dress which was lousy quality and had an odd shine and funky petrochemical odor. I also returned a hair calf belt that was already losing hair. I kept a black croc belt which fills a hole in my wardrobe but I fear the quality is just not there with that one either and that it'll eventually break.

I'm disappointed in the three-piece suit I bought this past year (for interviewing). The pieces fit great, but the suit jacket is not holding up well.

So I'd say quality is all over the map, and especially so when ordering online items -- even if the same as an item you already saw in the store. And this is also true of LOFT, but I don't expect high quality at Loft. I expect Loft to be more "disposable."

Jcrew quality has also gone way down hill. I want to invest in a new coat, but the quality is just not comparable to the one I bought several years ago.

Banana Republic seems to be holding steady, but their dresses and jackets lately don't fit me as well as AT.

deb

Veteran

The corporation changed its name to Ann, INC and got a new CEO in 2011. I found these articles which explain a lot.

http://www.businessweek.com/ar.....a-makeover

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/a...../304159981

Thistle

Veteran

Deb - this must be it exactly! they changed leadership who decided to make their items at a lower price point. Well, this has turned me off of the brand. I am not willing to pay even their discounted prices for the quality they have been selling!

neatnic

I've noticed thinner knits and (most annoying to me) they seem to use a lot more polyester than in the past. I shop online mostly, and almost every blouse that catches my eye is 100% polyester.

Anonymous

I find these posts so informative. I may have discovered this by myself, but it helps when others share their insight and knowledge. Thank you so much.

Beth Ann

Veteran

I'd concur with Shiny that I've found the quality (and sizing) all over the map at AT. That said, they are doing a better job of making items I can actually wear. In years past, everything seemed "petite." Too short skirt, too short sweaters, etc. And I'm only 5'6". I still find the Loft to be sized this way, although, strangely, I've had good luck at the Loft Outlet stores -- they're sizing and stock are completely different.

Anonymous

I'm definitely noticing this a little. I bought a sweater from there last year that was already starting to look pilled and tired by the end of the season, and a lot of the stuff is starting not to look worth it unless it's really on sale. And the constant sales kind of annoy me too, because I'd rather just buy whenever I see something I want, rather than feel like I'm throwing money away unless I wait for whenever the next discount is.

Will probably keep shopping there though unless everything starts seeming awful, just because there are so few places where I can try on petites in person.

Edit: Beth Ann: Sometimes the skirts at AT and Loft are too short for ME! I have one skirt from last year that I bought in regular sizes because the petite version was just ridiculous, and I'm realizing I should have held out for the Tall, because it's still pushing it for work.

Linda

Well that's a little disappointing (lowering the price point of the clothes) but, also sort of reasonable considering the retail environment. I have been marvelling about Jos A Banks' approach with my DH lately. We found him a great overcoat, but man, everything is a sale, they're advertising giving away suits with purchase, yada yada yada!

I have to say that when I read the Bus Week article, I was very pleased with Kay Krill's committment to girls/women and to being able to "have it all." Good to hear someone say women ARE smart enough to have what we want!

I haven't bough much from AT for a long time either. What I have gotten have been "fill in" pieces, so I haven't missed the "main course" things I guess, and haven't looked much at them. Hmmmm. Take good care of those older AT clothes, folks!!

MRL

Veteran

I attempted to try on a shirt at AT a year or so ago, the sleeves were so tight I could not put it on. And my arms are on the thin side! So strange...

Gigi

Veteran

I haven't bought much from Ann Taylor, but a couple of days ago I was musing about how I was upset at a quality issue I had on a pair of printed jeans I got there this past summer. There are fabric tags on the belt loops--the raw edge that was turned under is fraying and producing white-colored tags, which are highly noticeable against the dark-red jeans. So I had to go cut them off. I didn't think the jeans held their color too well either, despite the fact that I wash them in cold, as instructed.

Thanks for this post. I haven't paid full price for anything from AT, but I definitely won't now! These quality issues are ridiculous. Man, it's getting harder and harder for a petite woman to find decent clothes!

Adelfa

Veteran

A huge portion of my work wardrobe used to be AT, and some of the pieces lasted for years. But yes, I've noticed a huge drop in quality in the last couple of years. Fabrics pilling, shoes falling apart, seams coming undone. I try very hard not to walk in there anymore.

Suja

Veteran

I purchased a couple AT merino wool sweaters this year and the quality was far superior to their previous years merino wool and J Crew's current quality. That's the only thing I purchased, so can't speak to other items. I also used to be an AT heavy shopper until about 2005. I think I moved on to J Crew at that time. I currently don't have a favorite retailer so I feel rudderless as well.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

This is what happened to me in the last couple years with Banana Republic, which used to be my go to store. Then I felt like everything got cheaper in fabrication and more expensive in price. And for that I'll just go to Old Navy and not be irritated when things only last one season.

I have noticed this less with Ann Taylor. Some items are lesser quality but not on a consistent basis. Most of my AT shopping is online or at the factory store, which I'm pretty sure gets a different set of items than the regular stores.

qfbrenda

Veteran

I've been pretty happy with my Ann Taylor things but I haven't gotten many knits from them. I did send a cashmere sweater back this fall because it was scratchy. I'm hoping I don't have to give up on them because there already aren't many petite options available. I don't want to lose another one!

MsMaven

Veteran

I haven't bought much from AT in the last couple of years. They had some very nice seasons, then the store moved, then it moved again--I have trouble finding it in the mall. I haven't liked much of what I have seen in the store. Kind of sad, because that was always one of the few places where I could find dresses that fit me.

I did go in last fall. I saw a cute jacket and pulled out my size. I checked to make certain I was in regular sizes because it was cut ridiculously small--narrow and short all over.

I don't bother to go there now--I have the feeling they are struggling to stay in business. It's too bad, because once the store was reliable for a decent price and quality and had clothes that would work for women, as opposed to girls.

Joyce B

Veteran

Thanks for the heads-up and sorry that you had a bad experience with AT. I was thinking of looking at their pants but if I do, I will be extra careful.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh. That's too bad, Thistle. I hope you have better luck in future.

Anonymous

Just coming back to say I got ensnared by the AT and Loft X-treme discount strategy this very afternoon! I got a little stir-crazy vegging around at home on what's likely to be the only non-frigid day for ages, so I decided to wander around doing some window-shopping in my neighborhood. Apparently, I'm just hopeless at resisting their stuff when it's 50 % off and right there in my hands. At least I found types of clothing that tend to be risky for me if I order online.

12