22 October 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.Sources:
All remixed
- Long Cardigan – Banana Republic
- Grey Jersey Dress – BR Outlet
- Teal Cami - BR Outlet
- Boots - Banana Republic, via ebay
- Socks – BR Outlet
- Amber Earrings – gift
Endnotes:
Apparently today is quite the Banana Republic day. I didn’t realize that almost everything I am wearing today is from either Banana Republic or Banana Republic Outlet until I typed up my sources. I do lover BR! I find their clothes to be well-made and they usually have pretty good sales. BR style tends to be pretty classic, meaning I still wear many pieces that I purchased from there years ago.
I love J Crew but often find some of their pieces harder to work into my daily wardrobe. What about you? Do you have a favorite store? What is it that keeps you going back?
A.
22 October 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.
Nice dress! I like the way the boots/socks work with the rest of it. My favourite shop is my fave because I can buy ONLINE. (I live in the country.)
I covet those boots every time you post about them! I think I love J.Crew the best for their fun, preppy/quirky style. However, they can be so expensive so I just look to their catalogs for inspiration and browse thrift stores for similar pieces!
My most beloved store is H&M, the colours they make clothes in work well on me and they are relatively good quality and price.
BR is THE best for petites. (and BR has NO shame when it comes to vanity sizing!)
I like JCrew for investment pieces like blazers, formal coats, office dresses, etc. They are always cut impeccably, which I think makes them worth the extra money. I think their trendier items are always cute, but overpriced for of-the-moment items.
And then Ann Taylor and LOFT have the best sales, quality items (though the tailoring is not as good as JCrew), and a great petite sizing!
I think all of these stores are great for women in academics!
-Philosophy of Religion graduate student :-)
A lovely combination of neutrals here, A. And I’m a big BR fan, too – most of my staples come from BR or the BR outlet.
I’ve always liked BR and JCrew, but recently I’ve also been redescovering the Gap (their bottoms fit me like no others), and I’ve had a small obsession with Martin & Osa. I’ve also been seriously impressed with the look of some of the items in the Victoria’s Secret catalog (and I don’t mean the underwear), but I haven’t been able to find them in the store to check on the quality. Does anyone have experience with their clothes in terms of material and construction?
Lucy, I have a few items from the VS catalogue. One is a dress that is more flowy than structured, so it’s hard to judge fit based on that piece. I have two of their boucle sweaters that I LOVE and lived in most of last winter. If you can catch a sale or find a coupon code for free shipping, it might be worth it to try their clothes. I’d be interested to know how their pants fit, though, I haven’t been brave enough to try them!
I used to work (and by “work” i mean “brought home clothes, not money”) at BR, so a shockingly large part of my wardrobe is from there. The year and a half I spent working there coincided with the end of grad school and me looking for a big-girl job, so that employee discount came in handy! I splurged on a few suits, and they are some of the most versatile things in my closet. I find that the most reliable pieces that I reach for when I’m either feeling uninspired or am needing to look extra professional are always BR pieces (like those suits, usually worn as separates). The pieces I use to add a little personality are from J.Crew, Anthropologie, or Cache.
I adore this color combo! And you look amazing in it. :)
You look so pretty!
This is a lovely outfit. Neutral but interesting, and the silhouette is perfect on you!
I think I’m mostly driven to the European side of the retail industry. The store I can´t stop visiting when I go to the mall is NafNaf, and one I always covet (but is way too expensive where I live in) is MNG.
And I’d love it if we had Zara and H&M at my country. But I´m travelling to Uruguay and Argentina pretty soon, so maybe I’ll send pictures with nice finds from Zara and also ones showing some of the fabulous sense of style people have in “Cono Sur”.
Thank you, Kristin, for the feedback on VS. I was also interested in their dresses and sweaters, and I feel more confident now to give them a try.
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