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Your favourite brands?

Runcarla

Veteran

There are at least 32 brands represented in my closet, and likely more if I was able to identify some items with labels so washed out I can no longer read the lettering. I’m going to list some of my favourites, and hope you will list yours.

Underwear: almost everything is Warner’s
Footwear: I’ve duplicated Converse and NoBull
Jeans: Levi’s jeans and shorts
Various diverse items: Uniqlo, Denver Hayes (MWWH), Lands’ End, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein (several items from these brands and the fits work for me)

Brands I’m looking at: Aritzia (I really like my lilac linen dress and I fancy the aesthetic of the Wilfred and Benetton lines. I’m still sorting out fits). Scotch and Soda (I don’t own anything from them atm, but an in store visit revealed good quality and workmanship, and I like the mix and match-ability, patterns, and colour stories they are putting out)

Over to you!

General

43 replies

Latest reply was from Staysfit

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

The new brands that are working for me are Pact, Known Supy, Vetta, Faherty, and maybe Mate the Label (although I just noticed how much my new tank has faded already!)
I have a whole list of places to look/try and I am still looming for shoe companies that use vegetable dyed leather, ethical factories and have good arch support.

LaPed

Veteran

My go-to brands for the past few years have been Everlane (especially for jeans and knits), Madewell (jeans), Athleta (tights/joggers), Patagonia and Outdoor Research (outerwear). Almost all of my socks come from Darn Tough and undies from Branwyn Merino.

Brands I've more or less stopped buying that used to be well-represented in my closet: Uniqlo (I think they changed their fit model at some point because everything I've tried in the past couple years has felt off somehow), Boden (the colours/patterns no longer appeal), J Crew (too many frustrations with sizing and quality). I have a lot of vintage Levi's, but hardly ever buy them new.

I've been curious about Aritzia too, particularly the TNA parkas. I have a secondhand wool coat from Aritzia and really like it. Unfortunately their returns policy in the US isn't very generous, and the nearest brick-and-mortar store is a couple hours away...

Irina

Veteran

Most of my wardrobe comes from Massimo Dutti and COS. Some other brands I buy from:
Jeans: Levi’s
Coats and winter accessories: Aritzia
Clothes: Everlane and Uniqlo, Club Monaco
Shoes: Converse, some from Club Monaco and Everlane
Brands that I buy only on a big discount: Vince, Theory, Eileen Fisher, Marimekko

Brands I no longer buy: BR, Gap, Zara, JCrew, Joe Fresh

cat2

Veteran

Hmm, my lists are a bit long, and likely most useful to another pear shaped contributor with duck feet. If you are either, message me!

Runcarla

Veteran

@ cat2 - do share your list! (There are a few fabbers with fit issues or bodies like mine, and I’m hoping they’ll spill the tea on their favourites!)

@ Irina - I’m in agreement with your ‘no buy’ list. Looked at the JCrew site for inspiration last night and was shocked! What’s happened there?!? and I’m completely off Zara.

@ LaPed - thumbs up to Darn Tough socks!

Minaminu

Veteran

Underwear: Chantelle
Footwear: Veja, Jonak, Chie Mihara
Jeans: M&S
Knitwear: Eric Bompard, Tricot
Office wear: Gerard Darel, Caroll, Berenice, Maje, Claudie Pierlot
Casual: Majestic Filatures, Sandro, Weekend Max Mara, Uniqlo, Muji

Would like to try: Lauren Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Michael Kors

No buy list: Mango, Hugo Boss and a few others

Style Fan

Veteran

Right now, I do a lot of shopping online. I buy from brands that I know work for me. What I look for are fit, colour, style and return policy. There are probably other factors, but that is all I can think of right now.

Undies - Jockey
Bras - Chantelle
Socks - Smartwool
Footwear - Finn Comfort for sneakers, Birks for sandals, Saute Mouton for winter boots, El Naturalista for Chelsea Boots.
Jeans - Everlane and Fidelity
T-Shirts - Velvet, RE/Done
Gear - Lululemon
Shirts - Power of My People
Summer Pants - Sanctuary

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Undies—Intimissimi and some lines from Pour Moi.
Lanz flannel nightgowns—I’m on my fourth, in as many decades!
Love the fun swimsuits at Esprit that Anchie steered me towards, expect I’ll go back whenever these give up the ghost.
Otherwise I get on Zalando & filter for environmental impacts.

cat2

Veteran

Shoes for duck feet: Ann Taylor, Aquitalia, Coach, Cobb Hill/Rockport, Cole Haan, Étienne Aigner, French Sole New York, Jack Rogers, Kate Spade, L.K. Bennett, Stuart Weitzman and Tory Burch.

nemosmom

Veteran

I have a lot of brands, but maybe not a reliable list since a lot of those pieces are thrifted/older/and possibly not-made-like-they-used-to-be (JCrew and Zara are great examples of quality that once was, for me). Other/former go-to's (like Paige) no longer fit well. I've had great luck thrifting men's items like jackets and button up shirts (for my linebacker shoulders), but brands are varied. Anyway -

Here's my list of go-to brands:

- Cotton tees: LLBean, Uniqlo, Jockey (generations)

- Denim: Levis, Frame, Mother

- Shirts: Outerknown (For new, but I tend to look secondhand for shirts before buying new. Men's thrifted shirts are fab)

- Knitwear: Naadam, SheepInc (again, I tend to find great pieces for less $ secondhand. Favorite thrifted knit brands are Ralph Lauren and Jos A Bank (mens) also old Eddie Bauer. New knits are a crapshoot, and often very spendy)

- Undies: Aerie (great wireless bras/bralettes too!)

- Gear: Outdoor Research (jackets), Coalatree (hiking pants)

- Footwear: Ariat (boots), Vans (sneakers w/insole)

- Loungewear: Uniqlo (fleece lined joggers/jackets), LLBean (pullovers and flannel pants), Overland (slippers)

Other brands I've had great success with:

Aritzia (coat and shacket), Sam Edelman (dressy flats, sandal), Frye (flats, boots) Vasque (snow boots).

Recent/new-to-me brand I am loving (and would happily re-visit):

- NUI Organics (for merino base layers) - they have a ribbed legging that are like sweaters for your legs. LOVE them in winter! (I have matching top on my wishlist, once my no-buy is over)

On my no-buy list:

Ecco (not comfy), Boden (not loving their designs lately), Paige (weird fit), Madewell (again, weird fit), Old Navy (BR and Gap can be hit or miss, esp for knits), Zara (has fallen out of favor), Theory (fit is not right), Uniqlo merino and JCrew everything (quality has nose-dived)

nemosmom

Veteran

Oh, my response was very long LOL

cat2

Veteran

My list of brands that make pear friendly pants or skirts: Elie Tahari, Karen Kane, Kate Spade, Lafayette 148, L.K. Bennett, Madewell, Max Mara Weekend, NYDJ, St. John, Talbots, Trina Turk, Tucker, Vince Camuto, Vince and Wash Lab. For reference I have a two size differential between waist and hip, and a long waist, and favor pieces with defined waists and some ease to the fit in the hip.

I have a separate list of top and jacket vendors; I swim and need room for some shoulders.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I appear to be the only J. Crew lover on here! A huge portion of my wardrobe comes from there! Fully 38 pieces.

Granted, many are older. But that speaks to the quality that was. As to quality that is -- I bought several items there last year that are as good as any I've ever had. I guess I just have luck there, as well as decent fit (as a rule). But I won't be ordering from them much any more because it costs to return now and unless I'm certain something is going to work, I hesitate!

I also have quite a few pieces from BR/ Gap.

The rest are a real hodge-podge -- putting it all together now.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

J.Crew is on my list too, Suz

My brands list is 3 and a half pages. Very long....that’s why I had to type it out!

nuancedream

Veteran

Lots of brands are represented in my wardrobe. Here's a small sample:

Underwear/bras: Jockey, Wacoal and Natori
Tees: Madewell, Sanctuary, Mango
Denim: Liverpool, Everlane, BR, Paige
Knitwear: Equipment( thrifted), Boden, Marks & Spencer
Tailored dress pants: Elie Tahari, Club Monaco
Footwear: Franco Sarto, Fly London, Miz Mooz, Cydwoq.
Dresses: Veronica M., Boden, Donna Morgan. Taylor

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

Well... I do most of my shopping secondhand, but most of the pieces I buy are contemporary, and often with the tags still attached. So... with a grain of salt, because I don't actually shop retail, and have a lot of clothes across a spectrum of price points, but these are the brands that appear again and again in my closet:

Clothing: Banana Republic, Talbots, Wolford, Lauren RL, Ann Taylor, LOFT, Anne Klein, Tahari, Express, French Connection, COS, Club Monaco, Gap.

Shoes: Stuart Weitzman, Ferragamo, Schutz, and Cole Haan are the big players in my closet.

Gaylene

Veteran

I’ve been shopping mostly online these past 3 years—fortunately with minimal returns. My go-to brands have been Aritzia, Everlane, Uniglo, Eileen Fisher, Banana Republic, Ecco, AllBirds, Glerups, and Birkenstock.

I can return Aritzia and BR items in stores so that makes me inclined to shop their lines. Luckily, I’ve not had to return anything from Everlane so I’m not sure how easy it would be to return items since their shipping to Canada can be slow. I also shop Helly Hansen, Ecco, Patagonia, and Arc’teryx online since all these brands have local stores which take returns. Nordstrom and Simon’s have also been reliable online sources for shoes and European designer lines.

I think the main reason online shopping has worked so well for me these past two years is my dawning recognition of how important a good tailor can be in keeping returns to a minimum. If I’m unsure of the sizing, I size up and then talk to my tailor about possible adjustments before resorting to a return. Once I accepted that tweaks and modifications were the norm, online shopping has been good for my smallish wardrobe. I’m fussy about the quality but less concerned about items fitting perfectly off the rack.

Suz, good to hear that J Crew quality is still there. I haven’t ordered from them for a few years because of the returns issue, but I might give them another go. I’m astonished at how well my decade old J Crew cashmere has held up—the sweaters and hoodies are still in regular rotation—as have my tissue turtlenecks and heavier linen T-shirts.

Roberta

Veteran

I will definitely bookmark this chat - so helpful to someone who is always looking to branch out a little.

Basics:
Wacoal bras
Jockey pants
MeMoi socks
Title Nine for sport, although I did buy several Athleta joggers last year.
Lands' End makes fantastic plain yoga pants.

Then:
Desigual - don't own a lot, but lovelovelove what I have.
Loft
Boden
Kut from the Kloth jeans
Maeve (Anthropologie) dresses and pants
Shoes: Kelsi Dagger Brooklyn for style and quality. Ecco for sneakers, Born and Sorel for sandals and boots. Many of my favorite shoe brands have disappeared or fallen off in quality: Louise et Cie, Corso Como.

I retain a deep fondness for Talbots, though I rarely buy anything there these days. They were my go to for decades, but don't suit my lifestyle any more. I still check there for whatever is on my shopping list, though.

I am very judicious with J Crew and Banana Republic these days. You really have to check the fabric content and read the reviews. The pieces I have bought have become favorites, though. I've tried to like Madewell and Everlane but they just don't seem to work for me.

I aspire to Rag and Bone and Club Monaco.

Joy

Veteran

Footwear: Eileen Fisher, Munroe, Vionic, Echo, Merrill, Dr Scholls (old)
socks: Smart Wool
Jeans: Kut From the Kloth
Casual: Chicos
Bags: Bagilinni or Kate Spade
Tank top: 100% cotton at Target
jewelry: local artists or museum shops
underwear: Calvin Klein, DKNY, Natori

Sal

Veteran

My list has got more diverse recently as some of my older go to brands I am buying a lot less from (Witchery being the main one) and I am trying to buy from smaller more independent brands.

Brands I follow and browse online or check out in store
Rollie Nation (shoes)
Django and Juliette (shoes)
MLM Label (clothing - only have one piece)
Humidity (clothing - only have one piece)
Tuesday label (clothing - have three pieces)

Brands that have been reliable and a good fit in the past (would buy online with confidence)
Levis
Adidas
Birkenstocks
Ezibuy (NZ/Australian brand)

International Brands I am curious about (might try one day)
Everlane
Boden (I do have one second hand piece)

Runcarla

Veteran

Brand recognition is a thing when shopping second hand, but I have had my eyes opened to new brands when finding a great second hand item from a new-to-me brand.

I’m curious about some UK brands as well, and have had good (fast) delivery in the past. Mark’s and Spencer springs to mind.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Gaylene, I think the quality can be mixed now at J. Crew -- it may be less reliable than it used to be for some items. But I've had excellent luck, by and large. I find their coats to be durable and stylish, and any "Collection" item is usually a great bet (I watch for sales on those). Knits are iffier -- but they are iffy everywhere. Like you, I have some cashmere from there that has lasted me nearly a decade (though I wear it less in this climate). I also have high quality Thomas Masson shirts from them that look brand new after years of consistent wear. Also, the wool trousers are great -- I have a lined pair of trousers and one wool suiting material culotte and they are just beautifully made. I also have a lovely wool blazer that is holding up very well.

Some of my other brands:

Undies/ Bras: Natori, Simone Perelle, Wacoal, Chantelle.

Footwear: Ecco (with insoles), Paul Green, Aquatalia, Blondo, Eileen Fisher, Sofft (don't currently own but would try again); Blundstones, La Canadienne.

Denim: Citizens of Humanity (my best bet, as a rule); Madewell.

Suit: Elie Tahari

Bags: Rebecca Minkoff, Coach

Leather accessories: Bellroy

Brands I will look for on consignment (because I've had luck in the past, but I can't afford the regular prices): Paul Smith, Pink Tartan.

Canadian Designers : Comrags, Quartz (parka).

There are many other designers/ companies represented in my wardrobe, from Rag & Bone, Reiss, Nicole Miller, Vince, David Meister, Theory, and Equipment to Sandwich, LL Bean, BP, Zara, and M&S.

I'd love to try Scotch & Soda but have not seen in person, so hesitate.

Style Fan

Veteran

Gaylene, returns to Everlane from Canada are easy. I think they have a warehouse in Canada.

I like a few other brands but only buy in person. I am not sure when that will happen. Some of them are Sarah Pacini, Theory, Sandwich and Citizens of Humanity.

cat2

Veteran

My list of brands that make jackets for people with shoulders: Antonio Melani, Elie Tahari, Kate Spade, L’Agence, Lafayette 148, L.K. Bennett, St. John, Talbots, and Trina Turk.

LaPed

Veteran

Interesting how many have had a falling-out with J Crew! I miss all those 90s heyday brands, Gap and BR too. Nostalgic for me, but I don’t really bother shopping any of them anymore.

Forgot to mention Icebreaker and Ibex for layering tops, and Not Perfect Linen as the foundation (five pieces, six counting my apron) of my summer wardrobe.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'd like to gently stick up for J.Crew

I made three purchases last year, and the quality has been absolutely stellar. I have worn the items A LOT already. Their quality can be very inconsistent with knits, but wovens and shoes are generally very good. And yes - be judicious!

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JAileen

Veteran

I like to shop where returns are free or where I can return directly to a local store. So my shopping skews heavily towards Macy’s.

Macy’s brands:
Style snd Co - pants
Karen Scott - sleeveless tops - I LOVE the “boatneck” tops
Inc - shorts

Charter Club - tops, sweaters

Misc:
Levis - jeans
Eileen Fisher - dresses, tops
Lucky Brand - tops

Gear:
North Face - jackets, fleece
Patagonia - jackets, fleece, long underwear
Salomon - hiking shoes
Columbia - nylon hiking pants
REI - socks

Brands I avoid:
Michael Kors - he was personally mean to contestants on Project Runway. It was unseemly for someone in his position of power.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Jaileen, you've forgotten Radley

JAileen

Veteran

Hahahaha! I have one Radley bag and two wallets.

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