What You Should Buy At Your Favorite Stores - Part II

[See Part I here.]

Please note that I will be discussing Target in terms of “what to buy” strictly by what you can put on your body. Not what you can eat off of or clean your house with.

PRICE RANGE: $5-$100

WHAT TO BUY: Work staples; trendy seasonal clothing; trendy shoes; pajamas; scarves; tote bags; sale/clearance items; designer collaboration collections

WHAT NOT TO BUY: Denim/pants; overpriced designer collaboration collections

WHY? Target’s biggest pro and its biggest con are the exact same thing: the darn designer collections. Here’s how they get you: they stir up huge hype about the collection, manufacture it at iffy quality-control levels, put a minimum of design and creativity into each piece, use less-than-desirable materials and slap a $70 price tag on it. And you know what? You buy it. Because it has a designer label on it. To be frank, there are very few designer collaboration collections for Target that are worth spending retail on. (Wait for the clearance racks.) You can get an equally priced item at much higher quality elsewhere. Don’t be fooled by the hype (or the recent Gilt Groupe sale). The only way to know if buying their clothes makes sense is to try them on in person. If you want to buy sight-unseen, know that Target sizes their designer collections by junior sizing (sizes 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, etc).

Also, a note about Target pants: namely, they suck. I know of very few people who have had luck with Target pants/jeans and the complaints are usually due to fit, not necessarily quality. It’s hard to mass produce pants and have a desirable outcome. For similarly-priced denim/pants with a better fit, try Old Navy or H&M.

Something else you’ll need to know is that Target shoes are more often than not quite uncomfortable. They’ve gotten better, yes, over time, but be careful. Try them on and walk in them. This is usually an area of concern in their heels/flats, but not so much with wedges, boots and sandals.

PRICE RANGE: $15-150+

WHAT TO BUY: Denim/pants; sweaters/cardigans; plain tees; outerwear; loungewear

WHAT NOT TO BUY: Everything else

WHY? GAP does basics really well. So, stick to the basics. Jeans, a plain t-shirt or two and a warm winter coat. These things have always been GAP’s specialty and have been further refined over the past several years. Their denim, in particular, has seen huge improvements in fit and style and the quality has been compared to jeans costing nearly twice as much. Don’t be allured by dresses, sandals or trendy blouses: you can similar items elsewhere for a better price and a more flattering fit.

PRICE RANGE: $20-$200

WHAT TO BUY: Sale items or items from Express outlets

WHAT NOT TO BUY: Everything else. I’m serious.

WHY? Express has some great sales, take advantage of them. But, let’s be real. Express is the less stylish, more expensive version of H&M, trying to reinvent themselves by switching up their inventory every several years. “We’ll be trendy this year!” “We’re the new Banana Republic!” I tire of it, guys. I really do. And their prices are just ridiculous. $200 for a coat? From Express? I think not. Express has some nice items, especially by way of pants/trousers, but you can buy them from their outlet stores, or wait for their large seasonal sales. There is no reason to ever, ever buy retail from this store. Trust me.

[Part III is coming soon!]

Please share with the other readers! :) Do you agree/disagree with my assessments of these stores?

Rebranding.

Have you seen L.L. Bean’s new Signature line?

It’s pretty genius.

For me, L.L. Bean was a place for my family to buy backpacks and tents, and the occasional winter coat—but it was definitely not for buying stylish sportswear.

This new line feels a bit like a cross between J. Crew and LandsEnd, as it tends to be more classic and modest, but with modern cuts and fabrics. The prices are on the high side, but—if you’ve ever bought anything from L.L. Bean, you know that the quality is outstanding and worth the investment.

Here are my picks from the line:

• Mariner Leather Purse, $78 - I love the rope handle. I can see Cary wearing this all over Newport.
• Plaid Weekend Tote, $85 - Perfect for overnighting to a winter getaway.
• Set of 3 Enamel Bangle Brooches, $44 - Completely on-trend with patriotic, nautical colors.

• Oxford Cloth Jacket, $45 - The ideal fall jacket—all you need is a thin layer for chilly evenings. 
• Cropped Pants, $39 - Great with heels and wedges.
• Poplin Skirt, $39 - The ideal length for work, play and everything in between. 

• Signature Oxford Cloth Wrap Dress, $40 - Again, the ideal look for work/play. Dress it up with heels, a watch and maybe a jacket when it gets colder outside. 
• Chambray Shirt Dress, $40 - There is nothing more classic than a chambray shirt dress. It’s a style that’s been worn (with variations) in almost every decade in the last 50-60 years.

What You Should Buy At Your Favorite Stores!

I always get several questions along the lines of, “Where do you shop? What are your favorite stores?”

Well, this post will attempt to partially answer those types of questions, but I must warn you—I won’t be covering vintage/thrift stores in this post, since what you find at stores like that varies from day to day.

Instead, I’ll mention what you should be on the look-out for at the familiar retail establishments we all know and love—starting with one of my favorites.

PRICE RANGE: $5-$150

WHAT TO BUY: Denim; pants; coats; basic tees; leggings; trendy jewelry/accessories; dresses under $40

WHAT NOT TO BUY: Leather; coats above $100; dresses above $40; shoes

WHY? H&M is great for what I call “trendy basics.” Jeggings, for example. You really can’t do better than H&M for a pair of $20 jeggings. But, H&M is not the place to drop $150 on a trenchcoat—and believe me, they have them. Use H&M to find the staples for your seasonal wardrobes. This fall, for example, buy from H&M: a green army jacket, jeggings, several oversized tees and a chunky scarf.

Also, for ladies with larger shoe sizes: H&M doesn’t carry any shoes above a womens size 9. But, I wouldn’t bother looking anyway. Their quality is worse than Forever 21.

PRICE RANGE: $5-$50

WHAT TO BUY: Last-minute occasion dresses; trendy items like leggings, jean jackets, hats; closet staples like cardigans in a variety of color; jewelry & accessories, like headbands; maternity wear

WHAT NOT TO BUY: Anything over $35; anything with a lot of buttons (they’ll fall off)

WHY? Think of H&M like the base for your wardrobe, and Forever 21 is the frosting. It’s the fun stuff on top that may not last long, but you like to have it there anyway. Don’t bother spending a lot of money as the quality of their clothing is notoriously poor. Make sure you try on everything, if you can, and always remember to size up if in doubt. (Forever 21 designs for anorexic 13-year-olds.) Forever 21 does have a plus size and a “working woman” line with more generous sizing, but these additional lines also run small and are not readily available at the majority of F21 brick-and-mortar stores: you’ll have to buy online most of the time. (Forever 21’s return policy is fairly easy to navigate if you run into an online shopping sizing snafu, however.)

PRICE RANGE: $20-$150

WHAT TO BUY: Mid-range priced denim; sweaters (not hoodies); buttonfront shirts and blouses; comfy knit dresses; AE’s Aerie line

WHAT NOT TO BUY: Hoodies; graphic tees; most tank tops; tights; jewelry; shoes

WHY? If you can avoid the seething masses of preppy teens fighting you out for the last cable knit cardigan, by all means—American Eagle can be a treasure trove of cute, well-priced items. Be aware that often the quality is not congruent to the price and you’ll probably see 10 other women in a given day wearing exactly what you’re wearing. Avoid anything too juvenile (graphic tees) or anything you can buy almost identically (but cheaper) elsewhere, such as their jewelry and shoes. Their denim has, in my opinion, come a long way since I used to look there in high school. In particular, their jegging offerings this fall look good, if a bit overpriced at $40-$50. But, that’s American Eagle for you.

More stores coming up! Which stores do YOU want me to cover?

lattesoflove asked: I just realized your a fellow maryland girl. I'm curious where are your favorite places to shop? I'm pretty lazy and tend to stick within the Annapolis area but I'm getting bored and looking for some new shops.

I live right near Annapolis too! :)

This answer may not help you, since I don’t shop at a lot of boutiques or out-of-the-way spots, but here are a couple places I love!

• Target (Annapolis, MD) - It’s one of the largest in the area and their clothing/shoe/accessory section seems to have the most stock of any other MD Targets. (I hate when everything’s picked over!)
• HomeGoods - I go to the one right near my home, but these stores are a treasure trove of well-priced, cute stuff for your home. My favorite items are the inexpensive cooking gadgets and the sheets/duvets and comforters. 
• Arundel Mills/Annapolis Mall/Columbia Mall H&M - There are a lot of H&Ms in the metro DC area, but these three are my favorite. All three are large with plenty of changing rooms. Also, all three of these have a good mens selection, which Brandon loves. 
• South Moon Under (Annapolis, MD) - South Moon Under is one of my favorite stores, but it’s a little pricey. (I am an AFFORDABLE fashion blogger, after all!) If there’s one thing to check out in South Moon’s stores, it’s their jewelry/accessories selection. You can sometimes find really great jewelry for a reasonable price—just keep checking back for sales and you can score an even better deal! 
• Annie Creamcheese (Georgetown, DC) - I love this vintage/thrift shop. It’s got a lot of recognizable brand names at steeply discounted prices, but it’s also got mass market retail brands (like Old Navy and Target) available usually for $15 or less.
• Mustard Seed (Bethesda, MD) - Mustard Seed has a TON of designer consignment items, but you have to dig. It can be a bit pricey for consignment, but it’s worth a look. I have a couple friends who’ve gotten designer denim there for about $30.
• Polly Sue’s Vintage Shop (Takoma Park, MD) - Takoma Park probably seems a bit out of the way, but Polly Sue’s is right off the Metro Red Line. If you choose to drive, Takoma Park has lots of free parking too! Polly Sue’s has a wide price range—some stuff is dirt cheap, other stuff? Very expensive! But I always find something great here, and Brandon likes their selection of vintage $8-$10 skinny ties.

15 Pieces, 10 Outfits

Have you ever seen those features in magazines where it has 30-40 items laid out and tons of different outfits that you can make with those?

Well, I think that’s ridiculous. Sure, it’s great that you have countless outfit options with 40 items, but that’s not rocket science. How about 15 items? How about 15 items all costing under $60? That’s harder! But it’s doable!

Here are the 15 initial pieces:

• KUT from the Kloth Twill Ankle Pants, $40
• GAP Skinny Jeans, $60
• Victoria’s Secret Studded V-Neck Tee, $18
• Wet Seal Tank, $9
• RVCA Striped Tee, $33
• Forever 21 Shorts, $20
• Forever 21 Cardigan, $23
• Old Navy Twill Jacket, $35
• Forever 21 Skirt, $11
• Aldo Wide Belt, $25
• Delia’s Skinny Belt, $25
• Old Navy Scarf, $12.50
• Miss Trish Coral Sandals, $25
• Cynthia Vincent for Target Wedges, $30
• Mossimo Gladiator Sandals, $30

Total: $342.50

Here are ten outfits I made using these pieces. I’m sure you can come up with a lot more combos, too!

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

My favorites are tied between four and eight. Which one is your favorite?

lyndseydyan asked: I fell in love with this shirt today:
http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=5039&vid=1&pid=702804&scid=702804002
BUT $60 bucks is outta my price range, suggestions on something similar?

Here are some great (cheaper) alternatives, Lyndsey!

• Aeropostale Plaid Shirt, $17 (Order up a size or two—Aero uses juniors sizing)
• American Eagle Western Shirt, $30
• Wet Seal Buttondown, $13
• Wet Seal Plaid Top, $19