I liked the old BR and stopped shopping there when it became all grey and weird ! This year I have purchased quite a few items, the denim crops, two blouses, a pair of sloan pants and an orchid sweater. The colors they seem to be offering are much more appealing than in the past few years.

I have gone into BR many times over the years but rarely bought anything. I bought a denim shirt once. Now I am wondering where I shopped when I was working. Indie stores mostly.

This is an interesting thread. I think I might have a problem with how my local BR store at the mall is laid out. It's a long narrow room with lots of little alcoves of merchandise. It's hard to get a sense of what's there.

I'm looking forward to a return to the old Banana. It was one of the few places where I could find basics that worked well for me. Sometimes you just need a plain tailored piece to pull together an outfit. I found the new Banana offerings to be too boxy and wide. To me, they seemed like a second Gap.

It's interesting, I remember the old BR catalogs but I guess not many of their stores were in our area, because I either have little recollection of them, or they just didn't appeal to be in that time of my life. I always liked the visual of the hand-drawn product pictures, but somehow the illustrations made it harder to envision how things look IRL, so I never ordered anything from them.

I have pretty neutral feelings about them in general. I occasionally find something that works well for me -- the cropped jeans being the most recent example -- but they've never been a go-to shopping destination for me. I have to say that recently their fits are working way better for me than JCrew, which has really disappointed me in the last few years.

I have two minds about this. Although J am happy that they are going to go back to quality staples I also enjoyed some more fashion forward items from last seasons , and found some good colors for me also.

My favorite top of the moment is from BR. That being said I have a love hate relationship with them. One of there stores is literally a mile from my house but I perfect to shop on line because of their wierd sale strategy. It seems like you can always get a better price online. It kind of defeats going to the actual store IMHO.

UmmLilla, thank you for the interesting link.

I like both of the picks from Debbie (the striped top) and Classically Casual (the fringe patterned cardigan). It reminds me of Angie's motto to leave no retail stone unturned and to keep an open mind.

I have never been as interested in Banana Republic as in the past year, while it has been trying to re-define itself. I was interested in Marissa Webb as I like her own collections. After learning she was Design Director I went to the site and typed in Marissa Webb looking for her imprint or editorials or suggestions or designs. Nothing except some baby hats with skulls on them. IMO this was a huge missed opportunity, she was not properly marketed. Or perhaps she was in the wrong role. I think they are smart to bring out capsule collections with designers such as Timo Weiland (I'm going to check that out now). But re-focus on their classics.

Honestly I have never been much of a BR customer. When I was in the working world I purchased from smaller boutiques especially ones with Italian lines. After ending that part of my career, I only needed a uniform and the rest of my wardrobe could go as trendy as I wanted. So it's only been in the past year that I've been checking them out, when they went more trendy. Unfortunately I only bought one item, the infamous citron coat (which I love). I sized down and purchased a petite so it looks different than a knee-length yellow blob. I won't wear it a lot but it's the perfect evening coat and you can always find me. Aside from its bright color, it's one of the most conservative, classic tailored piece I own so I hope I don't tire of it like I do with all of my trendy pieces.

I, too remember the BR of the 80's! Thanks, Jenn and Laurinda for that reminder. I even had the Somalia skirt in Laurinda's catalog pages! It was fun retailing.

Good design matters. Every woman -- of any age, size and budget, likes to wear clothing that is practical and flattering, but also a bit new and exciting. Our aesthetic may be different from the NY fashion houses, but that doesn't make it "boring."

Maybe some of these designers need to live in places other than NYC! I mean, the city is fabulous, but learning to find beauty and creativity in different environments would be interesting -- and likely fruitful.

Wouldn't it be great, for example, if a designer watched all the Lulu clad women dash into my upscale mall, and had a vision to give them a wider range of "real clothes" that made them feel active and beautiful? Would a fashion creative see how poorly a lot of the clothing at retail fits the women standing in the checkout line at the grocery, or notice that the women at the front desk in the orthodontist's office might really like a office-friendly silky floral top to help her feel professional and feminine in a grey, colorless office building?

I say we send our fashion folk on sabbaticals all across the country!

Overall, I probably buy from BR more than any other store. I need petites so I shop at the stores that offer them (increasingly and frustratingly online only). I always thought of BR as a dash more trendy than AT, higher quality than ON & LOFT, and better/more consistent fitting than Jcrew (also more my colors - murky summer shades rather than clear spring shades). If I was not so firmly in the petite camp, perhaps I'd shop elsewhere and my closet would be filled with high trends and edgy fashion. Okay not perhaps... very likely.

But designers have made it loud and clear that high fashion is not for short people who are of average build and not razor thin. The best I can do, at 5'0, is modern classic so that's what I wear.

That said I think I missed this BR shift entirely, as we were in the middle of selling our house and moving so I was shopping a lot less....

My favorite BR items are their sweaters. Historically, you could not beat them in that department. As others have said, I still have BR sweaters that are years and years old and holding up just fine. I always hit BR for merino wool in the fall. I have the super thick cashmere they offered maybe a decade ago -- the sweaters no longer fit me but I've held on to them because maybe they will again someday.

Not everything at BR would fit me -- but I loved that they offered various fits for a variety of bodies. Yeah for the Sloans! I just stocked up on several pairs for work.

I also loved BR for the natural, breathable fabrics. I love the way LOFT blouses fit but sadly many are synthetic which just makes me all sweaty.

As for the BR collection lines, I love those and would buy but alas, those are never offered in petites.

Exactly what Beth Ann said!

Good thread! I don't know much about BR, but I found the article very interesting. I applaud them for taking this step, and I hope more retailers do the same.

In response to Beth Ann's very valid point, I have to say in defence of fashion creatives, the situation we're in at the moment is not about them, it's about the marketing machine that exists around them. Fast fashion is built on something called planned obsolescence. Nothing is supposed to last for more than a season or two, and the system depends on people having to buy more stuff all the time.

I don't know much about London or NYC, but I those I know in the industry around here are finding it very frustrating to work in this environment. No designer worth their salt wants to think of their clothes being chucked out after a few wears, and very few customers want this either. I've said it before, the only people it benefits are the retailers, who are cashing in big time.

(I could go on, but this is why I decided to write a book.)

What Shiny said! She took the words right out of my mouth. At 5'0" I shop where I can find petites / things that flatter. BR makes up a large portion of my wardrobe and has for several years. I've had a tough time with BR over the last year or so because good fit and quality were often lacking. I tried on lots but many styles did not flatter me.

I do feel that they are turning things around and my list of wants is increasing. I give them credit for recognizing the problem and taking steps to correct it.

I love Marissa Webb and was excited when she was named creative director. And, she's petite so I thought, "wow, this is going to be great". Sadly it didn't translate into many wearable items for me. I hope they can strike a balance between fashion forward and the classics. A mix of the two is the way I roll.