What retailers are you avoiding right now? - YouLookFab Forum

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

What retailers are you avoiding right now?

catgirl

Veteran

For me at the moment, it's:

Ann Taylor: Crazy extra shipping costs to Alaska
Zara: Can't find the right fit in anything
Asos: Too much temptation, too little success (though I can't help it)
Boden: Love their stuff but not my style and too afraid I'll cave in
Anthropologie: Unless they offer free shipping deals

I don't even click on pop-ups for these places, no matter how tempting!

Shopping

45 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

ironkurtin

Veteran

Banana Republic - ever since whassisname (the head guy) moved to J Crew, I feel like their quality and design no longer speaks to me.

Anthropologie - I have never, ever, ever had any piece purchased there work out for me, ever. No matter how cute it is in the store, I simply do not wear it.

Old Navy - Their labor practices offend me. I can't do it. I'd rather pay 10 times as much for a tshirt made in the US.

Target - Partly because I am a snob, partly because their labor practices upset me, and partly because I just don't go very much. I think it's great for some kid fashions though.

Bloomingdales and Macy's - I dunno if it's how they arrange their stores or if their buyers are not buying what I like, but when I step inside a B my blood sugar instantly drops, I become depressed, and I have to leave. Just like Anthro, I have *never* found an item at Bloomie's. And I haven't found anything at Macy's in YEARS.

The Gap - Compared to my NYC stores, the Austin Gaps kindof suck, so I don't go out of my way to look there.

For neww things, I'm pretty much a Yoox/Gilt/Hautelook/MyHabit girl these days, with a bit of Rack and local boutiques thrown in. Everything else is ebay.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Mickey Drexler is who you are thinking of, Dana.

I never leave a retail stone unturned. This is my livelihood and I have to help clients satisfy their style needs across all price points.

Also, having worked as a fashion buyer for many years, I know that product assortments can change big time over the course of a season. Every retailer deserves a chance to refresh their assortment, so I try not to make negative judgements against any of them.

rae

(website)

Veteran

I mostly avoid places for customer service reasons. Like the Ross in Culver City. Or the Macy's in Torrance. I avoid Piperlime if I'm shopping with gift cards, because it's a hassle and a half.

catgirl

Veteran

Agreed, Angie. That's why I said "right now"... I could change my mind, or they could change their shipping policies. And some I'm avoiding because I'm SYC, not because there's anything negative about them!

ironkurtin

Veteran

Angie - I often admire pieces from the places I don't shop on other people. I just can't seem to make them work for me. Although I do get wound up about where fashion is made, I respect other people's desires to shop at places I don't. I just don't shop there myself.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Zara is on my 'blacklist' right now - I had some really cruddy customer service last time I went into the store (they confused me for someone else who was shop lifting, so when they realized they got the wrong person, they just explained it as 'she looked like you') and they also have nothing that really appeals to me right now.

cinnamon fern

Veteran

I have been avoiding J Crew for several years. Most of the stuff fits me really badly and I end up feeling bad about myself. However, I am thinking of giving J Crew another try, since I need to make a trip to the mall this afternoon anyway to get a new ipod.

shiny

Veteran

Ultimately I try not to give up on any retailer, but I go through swings. Right now:

1) BR is on my "disappointed" list. Not only because the clothes/colors look so boring (even, dare I say it... dated) but also because my local store replaced with their petite shop with men's and now only offers a small section for petite in the main store. NOT happy about that.

2) Anthropologie for same reasons as Ironkurtin. I love their styles, I am often very tempted, but quality tends to be poor (esp compared to the price!), and as I go through my closet edit, I'm realizing this brand just isn't cutting it.

3) Nordstrom's -- but their brick & mortar store only. I like online. The store here does not have anywhere near the selection as online. It focuses on the designer stuff that is way out of my price range. Also the SA's are quite snooty and I do not have an enjoyable time.

4) Ann Taylor Loft -- has been disappointing but I keep trying it since it was long a love of mine.

5) J Crew -- I want to get over there soon, give it another chance. Last couple of years I've been disappointed by the sizing.

6) Zara-- I have never found anything in that store that fits.

7) Target -- I don't often shop there. My kids like it. I bought something this summer and it had that odd smell ... and the smell is still there even after washing it. The smell makes me nauseous.

Meanwhile Ann Taylor has been knocking it out of the park for me in past year. LOVE their styles and colors. But I know from experience that it goes in cycles: one year I'll be all over AT, and BR is awful. Next year it'll be the other way around.

catgirl

Veteran

Shiny, every time I go into a BR or Gap I beg them to stock petites. WHY?! At least in certain styles, like the Sexy BFs or the Martin pants. Sheesh!

christieanne

Veteran

I try not to give up on any retailer (as I know those cycles and upswings/downswings all too well) but sometimes I find myself satisfied only with a limited sphere. It can get overwhelming out there. Also, I find I don't want to order online - I like to try on.

I have been on a Gap high for months (not so much an Old Navy fan - quality is not there for me and styling is trending away from me) but last month or so they have not nailed it other than the pique blazer.

Used to love Banana Republic but not so much last times I have looked there. Same with Ann Taylor Loft. Not an Ann Taylor close to me anymore which is disappointing.

Maybe it is a seasonal flux?

Makrame

Veteran

I am trying to stay away from Ann Taylor Loft because the quality of their items has not been great. Still love them for scarves though.

I have switched to almost entirely shopping online lately so it's mostly Nordstrom and other online stores for me. As a result, I am staying out of the mall almost entirely (on the other hand, the post office and UPS store are my go-to places now).

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

None - I'm an equal opportunity spender!!!

Isabel

Veteran

This was a very interesting post. There are a couple of places at which I refuse to shop because of their practices also. I won't shop at Forever 21.

WIth that said, I don't generally think of places I WON'T shop, but rather where I WILL shop and enjoy it. My first choice is now always Nordstrom. I find this hysterical considering that 3 years ago I had never heard of them ( that is when I "found" YLF). I feel as if I am taking less of a risk when I buy from them because they are so great about returns and working with me to get something to work. I also like the fact that they partner with YLF and ANgie and Greg get a small commission. Afterall, Angie and Greg, "service" me for free....and I am eternally grateful.

I am also LOVING JCPenney right now. They have revamped and have AWESOME stuff. They even have a Sephora in some of their stores. I just bought some stuff from them that I will have to post.

shiny

Veteran

AG, this was the original "concept" store, it opened up a few years ago near my house. It would get in all the clothes early, I guess to see what was selling the best, then offer the best-selling items online. I used to go there EVERY week... I was so giddy about having petites to choose from... the SAs knew me by name.... sigh... and now they've downsized substantially. I'm still happy there are some petite items but it's not much at all. I wander through the regular sized stores with a frown, I know from experience very little will fit me.

Christieanne: I live near not only AT, and ATL, but also an AT Outlet!

I am shopping more and more at Bloomingdale's, believe it or not. Because it is the closest department store to me. Used to have a Macy's, but it closed. I miss the Macy's a lot.

deb

Veteran

I cannot think of any clothing store I am avoiding. I have a tendency to avoid restaurants, though.

Debbie

Veteran

Like Shannon I am an equal opportunity spender.

qfbrenda

Veteran

I am willing to shop almost anywhere as long as they have prices I can afford. I tend to avoid Old Navy and Loft because their quality hasn't been great.

I've started avoiding Coldwater Creek because I ordered the smallest size in something I really liked and it was too big. I'm not that tiny so that tells me they've inflated their sizing. No point ordering from them if nothing is going to fit.

nancylee

Veteran

Ann Taylor and Boden. Their shipping/return processes are ridiculously slow and laborious. I shop online 75% of the time (life in a retail-challenged college town!) and I need FAST turnaround!

That said, I did buy a skirt from AT this spring. It fit perfectly, so I didn't have to hassle with returns.

unfrumped

Veteran

I'm on the fence a bit, since the most important thing I learned this past year is "branch out and try more places and brands," and I find a thing here or there when I least expect it, but I'm also with qfbrenda. I should avoid Coldwater Creek or at the very most, shop with extreme caution. Stuff there is too big/boxy for me, but since I like some of the colors and fabrics, I am at rusj if having a lapse/seizure. Also I do not need to expand casual/dressy casual capsules; I need more fab work pieces.

If I had any gumption, I might be tempted to never go in to any store that clips all its displayed wall or mannequin tops in the back waist so you think the item is fitted, but it's a tent. CC is the most notorious for this and results in the most difference between display and reality, but BR, Talbots--they all do it. Of course the mannequins have Barbie-waists and so to some extent you can see the rationale, but IMO most of them do it for less respectable reasons. I believe they really want to suck you in to believing their clothes fit differently.

Right when other posters are giving up on BR, I'm just discovering it, for selected items.

Sylvie

Veteran

Ann Taylor: I haven't kept a single thing from my orders in I don't know how long. Although, as per an upstream comment, maybe I just missed all the good stuff?

ATL: Their tops are crap. On the other hand, I've done well with their jeans recently.

Jcrew: Their tops are made of thin fabric and overpriced, even on sale and they sell out in my size mostly by the time they get to sale anyway. Also I think they are cutting corners on their Schoolboy Jacket and it doesn't fit me. Last year's coats were fab though.

Isabel

Veteran

Unfrumped, I love the idea of staying away from stores that use clips to shape their clothes on mannequins. I have never thought of that chicanery !

Anonymous

Right now I'm avoiding several, not because I don't like the stores but because they don't happen to be stocking what I want to wear right now. Seems most retailers are pushing bright colors, while I look best in toned down colors. Coldwater Creek seems to be one of the few that has some of my favorite colors right now.

rachylou

Veteran

I'm avoiding Blu for the moment, because if I go I will spend two months rent on another A-line skirt, white button down, and brown sweater... and that is sad.

If I'm lucky, these items will be gone by the time I make a hell-or-highwater break for the store.

Aziraphale

Veteran

LuLuLemon, because their employees chase you round the store and harass you with their frozen smiles and glazed yoga-cult eyes, and they just annoy me.

rachylou

Veteran

frozen smiles and glazed yoga-cult eyes

I'm afraid, Elisabeth, that I will be stealing this line and using it at first opportunity. LOL. It might have to become a skit in my would-be YouTube show. Immortal words!

Aziraphale

Veteran

Haha, Rachylou, I aim to please.

If you had a YouTube video, I'd watch it in one hot minute. You have a way with humour. Please make one?

Preppy Pear

Veteran

I will not shop at Abercrombie and Fitch or any store that reeks of cologne. I can't even walk past the store in the mall without crossing to the other side, blecch.

I'm not as excited about Anthropologie lately. It used to be one of my favorite stores, but I'm not feeling it as much since one opened up in my town. Every time I wear something from anthro, it is instantly recognizable as being from anthro, like the birds dress i bought to wear to a wedding this summer. I'm always attracted to the obvious, cutesy prints, but I might want to give them another chance and consider some of the their other looks - going for more cool than cute.

We have a local store here in town that sells Nau, Horny Toad, Ibex, Patagonia, Prairie Sage Organics, Lole - sporty, casual clothing. I'm avoiding it like the plague because even though I love this kind of clothing, I just don't need any more of it.

D'Ellen

Veteran

Any that don't have B&M stores within short driving distance so I can try on in-store, or at least make my inevitible returns/exchanges in-store. Also, coupon-churning budget fashion stores that make it way too easy to take it home because it's just too cheap to pass up.

Auburn

Veteran

I've long avoided H&M, Forever 21, Zara, Mango, Topshop, Target, Old Navy, etc--those stores are just WAY too big and both overwhelm and scare me. Plus, nothing I ever purchased at those stores lasted (in terms of quality and design) so it ends up just being money poorly spent.

Lately I've also been avoiding Banana, Gap, Ann Taylor, etc for similar reasons--I often find cute things at those stores but during my annual closet purges, I have found that those brands are the things that I most often toss. I love IK's musings about Anthropologie and feel exactly the same way--I don't think I've ever liked an item I purchased there for more than a season and now I just don't even let myself walk in because I know I'll be tempted.

These days, I find myself really wanting a smaller closet of high quality, beautifully made items and so am forcing myself to be more clear about what I want vs. need and then sourcing those items at higher price points so that I get pieces that will last and be things I want to wear for years. We shall see how this all works out, but my (current) favorite retailers are Nordstrom, Bloomie's and a few online places like net-a-porter.com, shopbop.com and shoptwigs.com.

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