TouristTrap

The more upmarket department store sales are fantastic. You have to keep on top of them though, but you'll find endless bargains on good quality clothing in there.

Big D

And the rest - you pay more like 40 - 50 and up for those names at home - in pounds!!

And Old Navy is great as long as you hide the label!!!

woodsey

your average t shirt is about 12.99 which is actually at the moment $22 and yes $200 is extreme but like I said I can't find any decent ones that I'd go out for a night out for less whereas I could walk into Topshop tomorrow and buy a pair for 30 quid. Last time I was back there I bought a pair of Diesel Jeans for 70 quid, cheapest here is about $270..

TouristTrap

Another good place to look is at the Outlet Malls they have on the interstates.

Big D

Maybe its an LA thing (if thats where you are?) or maybe you go to full price stores - but I find clothes much cheaper over here including brand name stuff, whenever we have visitors they fill their suitcases with all sorts.

And next T-shirts start at 10 quid but the decent ones are nearer 20 - and the shirts are 30 and up. I'm talking about the boys stuff here - so maybe thats the difference? And it would need to be a pretty special shirt for me to spend 60 bux on it.

Come on over to Texas and I'll take you shopping - i dont think you can spend $300 on jeans here!!

jumping doris

I agree. Lots of shops here but all the same. I have two teenage daughters and the shops we miss the most are Top Shop, River Island, Next., New Look. And I really miss UK shoe shops. The shoes here are horrible I am a bit of an Imelda Marcos when it comes to shoes and after living here for 5 months I am really suffering from "need to buy shoes "syndrome.

TouristTrap

Gawd. Don't get me started on shoes!

The bay area has come a LONG way when it comes to shoes, but a few years ago I went and bought myself a really posh evening frock, for a very dress up do, and I do not lie when I say I couldn't find a pair of STILETTOS, never mind, evening ones!!! I went to every store in town at the time, and NADA, ZILCH. I have often bitched about this particular incident Landed up having to wear an older pair I'd brought overseas with me......*blush*

Thankfully, it isn't a problem, and hasn't been for the last 6 or so years, but 10 years ago? argh.........

TruBrit

nahh the ones i've been to are all last years crap

TruBrit

yep they will coz presumably your visitors are spending GBP ..dunno

Big D

Irrelevant - we are comparing prices between UK and USA - the exchange rate is a factor - if they find things cheap then we will find things even more expensive back home.

Big D

see you are just a fashion junkie!!! Ever likely you think its expensive if you buy all the lastest stuff.

Advice i was given when i first got here was never buy anything not on sale - and its good advice. I dont remember buying any clothing that i thought - oo i could get that cheaper at home - even UK stuff like Diesel shoes etc

TruBrit

lol the exchange rate is a big factor ....certainly on the higher priced goods....lol i am a big time shopper and you pay for what you get...unless you want last yrs stuff the designer/expensive stuff is expensive wherever.....talking of shoes, anyone shopped at dsw...they are ok for boots/shoes.

woodsey

I don't think you can include exchange rates at all. My mum thinks of a pound in the same way that I now think of a dollar so if something is cheap here at 15 dollars my mum is also likely to think its cheap at home for 15 pounds, and thats my point, a five dollar t shirt from target for my son is shite quality in comparison to a five pound t shirt from Next, to get the same quality I have to spend probably 15 dollars, which is like paying 15 pounds in the UK. When I go back I'm paying in pounds but thinking in dollars so it seems expensive but when I lived in England and earned money in pounds, I never thought a fiver for a decent quality t shirt from Next was expensive. You think a Next t shirt is expensive now because you live here and think in dollars but back in the UK you wouldn't have thought twice about paying 20 quid.

nottsinCT

I have great relatives in trade off for all the marshalls ralphs and tommy's I get all the next in return so its good for me and in Nottm they have a seconds shop so its even better haha I must say my kids have some absolutely beautiful England sweat jackets from next. I goto all the outlets here and stock up on t's and whatever but I am yet to find hte jeans I hate the women cut jeans here I can take my size into a changing room and they fall off in another shop they are too small. I bought these pair of Levis from the outlet Austin boot cut perfect and sod me they don't make em anymore found a pair on ebay but one size too big. don't you jsut hate that when you find that perfect jeans and they discontinue it!!!

Hiro11

Three recommendations:

For babies or little kids, Hanna Andersson has absolutely unbeatable quality (construction and material quality). It also has the slightly funky look that kids seem to wear these days. It's not exactly bargain basement cheap, but they have sales all the time and the clothes (unlike most kids stuff) last years. Great hand-me-downs. Their outlets are great as well.

Eddie Bauer is about the same price as similar brands like Banana Republic, but the quality is much, much higher. The clothing is more old school/preppy than BR, but that's what I like. I also buy a lot of outdoorsy stuff from REI and EMS to wear on the weekends: crunchy style and totally indestructible.

Brooks Brothers is expensive, but the quality makes it worth it. Their dress shirts are the best I've found for $50-100 by a long way. The shirts will last you years, so it's worth it to spend a little more. I only go to their outlets, if possible.