I saw some really great replies in my last Gap vs. Old Navy post, but let’s move some of that conversation to this post, because I want to address two replies in particular and it will be easier to read on this post than scrolling down through the last one. (It was pretty long!)

sliu said: I disagree. I’m not saying Gap is worth the price they charge, but the quality is definitely better than Old Navy. Old Navy’s quality has seriously declined the past year or so.

I think that it depends on what you purchase. Old Navy’s quality in its tops (t-shirts, tanks, etc.) is usually quite poor, but I have some really well-made outerwear pieces from them. (That also explains Old Navy’s sharp price increases from basics to its outerwear.) In my experience, the same applies to the Gap: better quality denim and outerwear, with really terrible tops/dresses that tend to lose their shape after a few rounds in the washing machine.

nancylicious said: you have to talk about sizing though - gap is already pretty vanity and i just SWIM in old navy…that is a caveat.

This is so true. Gap and Old Navy have always struggled with “accurate” sizing, and I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: if you grab three pairs of pants from Gap and Old Navy in the same style, same size and same wash, they’ll all fit differently. It’s worth noting Sara recently did a post for Bon Marche in which she reviewed Old Navy denim and found it significantly improved.

Here’s a style rule, I guess you could say, that I think applies to ALL retailers that specialize in affordable fashion, whether it be Forever 21, H&M, Target, Old Navy, etc:

Try on everything you want to buy and don’t assume your normal size will fit. If you have to go up four sizes or down four sizes, don’t get stuck on that number. Go by how it fits on you and whether you’d have to do more work to make it look good (i.e. getting a piece tailored) and if tinkering with a garment is worth it given the price you’re paying.

Take it to the comments, guys! I want opinions! What have been your experiences with these two stores lately?

You all know that the Gap and Old Navy are owned by the same company, along with Piperlime, etc. Well, you may not have noticed that they also share…designers. And designs. In fact, you can nearly always find a pretty close match to something from the Gap at your neighborhood Old Navy, for about 50% cheaper. Sometimes even 60-70% cheaper.

There’s a lot to be said for branding and styling, both of which have made the Gap a more lucrative, fashion-forward company over the past several years. Their denim campaign was quite successful, with bloggers and fashion writers praising their new denim as having quality similar to that of jeans twice as expensive.

But what about Gap’s cheaper, more mainstream little cousin Old Navy? Clothes from Old Navy may be cheaper, but the quality is often comparable to Gap (no wonder, as they probably share manufacturing plants) and if you do a bit of research, you can find similar designs and styles for half the Gap retail price.

Here are some examples from both stores. Judge for yourself!

Gap Puffer jacket, $98
Old Navy Womens Frost Free Fleece-Lined Jackets, $60

Old Navy Womens Frost Free Vests, $25
Puffer vest | Gap, $60

Old Navy Womens Plaid Double-Weave Top, $23
Plaid ruffle shirt | Gap, $60

Gap Embellished vintage cardigan, $50
Old Navy Womens Corsage Cardigans, $20

Gap Supersoft wool cardigan, $50
Old Navy Womens Pointelle-Trim Cardigans, $13

Gap Love graphic V-neck sweater, $50
Old Navy Womens Intarsia Sweaters, $16

Gap Slim cropped pants, $50
Old Navy Womens Low-Rise Skinny Trousers, $30

Gap Petite Hip Slung Easy Flare Pants, $50
Old Navy Women’s Double-Weave Wide-Leg Trousers, $33

Old Navy Womens The Rock Star Super-Skinny Denim Leggings, $40
Gap Legging jeans (true black wash), $70

Old Navy Womens Dart-Knee Skinny Jeans, $30
Gap Always skinny zipper pocket jeans (destructed indigo wash), $60

Gap Corduroy mini skirt, $50
Old Navy Womens Cord Minis, $20

Gap Classic mini skirt (black), $30
Old Navy Womens Ponte-Knit Pencil Skirts, $15

Old Navy Womens Studded Faux-Leather Ballet Flats, $16
Cap toe leather ballet flats | Gap, $50

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?