Aritzia is a design house with boutiques throughout the U.S. Several brands they carry are dreamt up by the Aritzia team themselves, but they also feature brands from outside of their design house. Aritzia caters to the chic, minimalistic, professional woman in her mid-to-late twenties. The majority of their pieces are more mature in style, but they do feature some pieces geared towards a younger crowd. Their focus on neutral colors is immediately noticeable upon entering a store. Aritzia is known for letting the design and craftsmanship of the clothing speak for itself, not the color.

Store Layout: 10/10

I cannot stress how aesthetically pleasing Aritzia boutiques are. I frequent the Oakbrook Mall location, which is located next to Lululemon. The storefront is huge, allowing for the merchandise to be showcased with plenty of walking space in between racks or tables. If you are looking for a shopping experience that won’t leave you overwhelmed by the sheer volume of clothes packed into a small space (I’m looking at you, Forever 21), then this is the store for you. My favorite part of Aritzia Oakbrook would have to be their spacious dressing room area. Individual dressing rooms encircle a plush seating area and mirrors can be found everywhere you look. No more fighting for mirror space with ten other customers!  It is immediately noticeable how much thought and careful design went into the planning of each Aritzia storefront.

Customer Service: 10/10

The customer service I have experienced at Aritzia has been sellar. The employees I have come into contact with have been cheerful and ready to help without being overbearing. One of my favorite experiences with Aritzia employees was when I had to run in to look for black jean shorts before spring break. I was alone and had already looked at ten other stores in the mall. I went into Aritzia and was helped immediately to find all of the shorts that fit what I was looking for. Not only that, the lovely employee helping me saw that I was alone and sat in the seating area of the dressing room giving me feedback on each pair I tried on (without me asking her to). The feedback was honest, and she didn’t try to just sell me the most expensive pair for her commission. This behavior went above and beyond the usual polite employee-customer interactions, and I appreciated it greatly.

Quality of Clothing: 10/10

Aritzia’s design house focuses specifically on intricate design and superior quality in each of their pieces. The fabrics used are top of the line and will be wearable for years and years after purchasing. The muted color palette Aritzia offers is to avoid overwhelming the simple beauty of details like stitching. Aritzia is top of the line for high quality clothing, but it comes at a cost…

Price: 10/10

Aritzia is one of the more expensive stores I will be reviewing.  Many of the brands they carry are high-end, but a few have reasonably priced items included in their lines. The clothes featured at their brick-and-mortar location are on the more expensive end of the clothes carried online. If you are looking for more reasonably priced merchandise, I would head straight to the website and skip the in-store experience altogether.

Basic-ness: 1/10

Aritzia is rarely frequented by teenagers, but I think discounting the store for a younger crowd is a mistake. While much of the clothing is more mature than popular teen brands like Brandy Melville, this maturity isn’t stuffy, rather elegant. In the face of potential college interviews, internships, and eventually job interviews, Aritzia is a great way to add a touch of sophistication to your closet.

Favorite Aritzia Outfit:

This is one of my favorite Aritzia dresses. It’s no longer available online, but the Sunday Best Poppins Dress ($110 on sale for $49.99) is a great alternative.

Favorite Aritzia Pieces:

Sunday Best Olive Skirt ($88)

The Group by Babaton Kerri Pant ($98)

Brandy Melville is an extremely popular brand amongst teenagers throughout the U.S. and Europe. The style of the Brandy girl is California, laid-back, and trendy. The brand only has standalone stores on the West Coast and in Europe. Certain Nordstroms have small Brandy sections within their BP (junior) section, but the selection is small. If you don’t frequent Europe or the West Coast, your best bet is their online store, which is what I will be reviewing.

Site Layout: 7/10

I don’t love Brandy Melville’s site layout, but I don’t hate it either. The site is minimalistic and is easy to read upon first glance. I’m not a fan of the layout once you click on an item you’re interested in. The items are shown within a full outfit, which is nice because it gives shoppers ideas of what to pair individual items with to complete the look. The bad part is there is no section that gives the names of the other items in the picture, so you have to hunt through the entire site to find all of the pieces individually.  

Customer Service: 4/10

One of the things I dislike about Brandy is that they only offer free shipping on orders over $100, and returns are never free. This is tough because their clothes are only available in one size. It’s kind of a guessing game if items will fit properly. Because of this, I usually get my Brandy clothes from the tiny section they have in Nordstrom. The selection is soooo small there, so it’s really not ideal. I would love to see Brandy change their policies on shipping and returns to make it easier on their customers.

Quality of Clothing: 6/10

Brandy Melville’s clothing is exceptional quality for the price point, but compared to other brands like Free People the quality is lower. After heavy wear some of the lighter colored shirts show sweat stains, and one of my Brandy long sleeves ripped after a couple months of wear. The rip was easily mended, and the price of mending it on top of the price of the shirt was still far less than a comparable shirt from a different brand. When buying from Brandy, I would just keep in mind that the clothing will probably wear out quicker than clothing from a higher-priced brand. The other thing to keep in mind when buying Brandy is that almost all of the clothing comes in only “one size fits all.” A few styles of pants are carried in sizes from small to large, but not all. This sizing is what allows their prices to be so low, but it also shrinks the pool of people who can wear their clothing. The sizing can be frustrating as it seems to only be geared towards those the same size as the models on their website, and the brand has received significant backlash saying they promote an unhealthy body image.

Price: 3/10

Part of the reason Brandy Melville is so popular is due to their low price points. The majority of their tops are between $16 and $32. A few of their items that require more fabric to be made (like jackets) are closer to $50-60, but nothing they carry is more expensive than that. Compared to many other popular teen brands, these prices are nothing.

Basic-ness: 10/10

Brandy Melville is the go-to location for teen girls across the United States. The California vibe combined with the low price makes it one of the most popular brands. Don’t be surprised if you show up to school in Brandy and see ten other girls wearing the same outfit. That being said, the brand is popular for a reason and super cute, so wear it as long as you’re ok with being basic!

Favorite Brandy Outfit:

Two of my friends and I all wore the same Brandy shirt to our USA-themed tailgate! We are wearing the Aleena USA Top ($23.00). My pants are also from Brandy Melville, but the exact style is no longer carried. They are almost identical to the Tilden Pants ($35.00) The only difference is my pants are single striped, and the Tilden pants are double.

Favorite Brandy Pieces:

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Faith Puffer Jacket ($58.00- it’s reversible!)

Jada Corduroy Pants ($40.00)

Free People is a bohemian-style clothing line that is carried in thousands of retailers and also has stand-alone stores of its own. Every item carried is handmade, and much of their clothing features beautiful crochet or embroidered details. Free People’s target customer is a woman in her mid-twenties, but the brand is extremely popular amongst the high school crowd. Free People items can be found in a few of the stores I have already reviewed- Nordstrom, Revolve, and Alixandra Blue. Oakbrook Mall is home to a stand-alone Free People, which is my favorite place to shop the brand. My review will be based on that stand-alone store.

Store Layout: 7/10

Free People’s Oakbrook Mall location is absolutely beautiful. The design of the storefront is completely consistent with the brand. The clothing is spread out and neatly hung on racks or folded on tables. Shoes and socks are on the left and the sale room is behind them. My only complaint with the layout of this store is that there’s really no reason clothing items are placed where they are. If there is, I haven’t been able to figure it out in the hundreds of times I’ve been in there. The only section that is clear is lingerie and sleepwear are in the far back left near the dressing rooms. There isn’t a specific section to look in for sweaters, or part of the store you can run to to find jeans. Everything is scattered throughout the store. It’s no big deal when you have time to leisurely shop, but it’s a pain when you’re rushing looking for a last minute outfit. All of the clothing is displayed beautifully, the organization of the store is just slightly lacking.  

Customer Service: 9/10

I have never had an issue with customer service at Free People. The staff is helpful, polite, and accommodating. One of my favorite things about the store is there is always a dressing room attendant, so you don’t have to wait 20 minutes for a salesperson to realize you are ready to try stuff on. All in all, I have no complaints.  

Quality of Clothing: 10/10

Free People takes pride in the quality of their line, and it shows. Every item is handmade, and the craftsmanship is evident in almost every piece of clothing or accessory. Beautiful embroidery and crochet details are trademarks of Free People’s clothing and clearly convey that their quality is hard to beat.

Price: 8/10

The quality Free People provides comes at a steep cost. To give you an idea of how steep is steep, sweaters start at $68.00 and can climb up to almost $3,000. The average dress is at least $100, usually closer to $200. If this gave you a heart attack, don’t worry. The store always has lots of sale items- so many that they have a sale ROOM not a sale RACK- and the website has plenty of steals itself.  

Basic-ness: 7/10

Free People has an extremely large selection online and the store merchandise is rotated frequently, but it is definitely one of the most popular brands amongst teenagers and women in their twenties. The brand is very recognizable due to the distinct patterns, colors, and textures. It’s pretty easy to spot when someone’s wearing Free People. That being said, Free People is popular for a reason- classy bohemian style and incomparable quality.

Favorite Free People Outfit:

Here are my beautiful friends Julia (left) and Gianna (right) both wearing Free People dresses. Julia’s wearing the One Sydney Dress ($148.00). Unfortunately Gianna’s dress is no longer carried by FP, but check out the One Glow Dress ($138.00) for a similar vibe.

Favorite Free People Pieces:

Go For Drama Set ($108.00)

Moonlight Pull-On Pants ($108.00)

Vintage Charm is a quaint boutique chain with 3 locations in the suburbs of Chicago (HInsdale, Clarendon Hills, and La Grange) and 2 in Indiana (Granger and Zionville). Contrary to what the name may lead you to believe, this is not a thrift or resale destination. Vintage Charm is home to a variety of clothing, accessories, and home items sold at reasonable prices. The clothing style of the store is comparable to the store I reviewed in my last post (Alixandra Blue). Vintage Charm is unique in that all of the clothing carried is their own label, and on their website the models are young women who work at the stores or are frequent shoppers. The personality conveyed through the use of real people, not actual models, is something I find particularly endearing about Vintage Charm.

Store Layout: 10/10

I have only visited the Hinsdale location of Vintage Charm, which is significantly smaller than the La Grange location based on my research. The Hinsdale location has items such as trendy water bottles, accessories, and gifts closest to the door. The back half of the store is primarily clothing. The clothing is neatly organized on hanging racks. The selection isn’t huge, but the layout of the store makes it easy to browse on a time crunch.

Customer Service: 7/10

The interactions I have had with Vintage Charm employees have been pleasant but nothing to brag about. The courteous greeting and offering of help finding something upon entering is the extent of my interaction with the staff each time I go in. I would not say they go above and beyond in terms of customer service, but it is certainly sufficient.

Quality of Clothing: 9/10

The clothing found at Vintage Charm is high quality with a low price tag. The clothing is their own label, so you won’t find the on-trend brands boutiques like Alixandra Blue carry. That being said, Vintage Charm’s label offers comparable quality and style.

Price: 5/10

Owner and mastermind of Vintage Charm Nancy Allodi created her stores as a destination where shoppers can find unique items at reasonable prices. Dresses are in the range of $50-70. Tops and sweaters fall in the $30-60 range. Compared to other boutiques and even large stores carrying similar items, these prices are incredibly reasonable.

Basic-ness: 3/10

For those seeking individuality, Vintage Charm is a great place to look. Vintage Charm just recently opened their Hinsdale location, so much of the town hasn’t even discovered the store yet. The La Grange location has been around for the longest, but it isn’t over-worn or commonly seen around town.

Favorite Vintage Charm Outfit:

I absolutely love this fun and vibrant sweater from Vintage Charm on my friend Mary. Unfortunately this style in particular is no longer available, but their website has tons of other unique sweaters to check out.

Favorite Vintage Charm Pieces:

Confetti Blouse ($44.00)

Cozy on Repeat Crewneck Sweater ($58.00)

The Alixandra stores are small, adorable boutiques with locations in Scottsdale, Arizona and the western suburbs of Chicago. Alixandra Blue is the more clothing-oriented side of the business, and Alixandra Collections is more focused on accessories. I will be focusing on Alixandra Blue in this blog post, but both stores are absolutely charming so be sure to check them both out.

Store Layout: 9/10

The layout of Alixandra Blue is incredibly easy to follow, largely due to how small the boutique is. The Free People merchandise is usually in a section all together. At the Hinsdale location, it’s directly across from the register. The far back wall houses jeans. Little tables with neat piles organized by style or color are scattered throughout the floor. There are little signs pointing out new items, deals, best sellers, and the outfit of the day. The store is adorably quaint, clean, and easy to navigate.

Customer Service: 10/10

Customer service at Alixandra Blue is exceptionally one-on-one. The store doesn’t get as much foot traffic as larger retailers, so when you shop there it’s almost like a personal shopping experience. The employees are helpful and polite. Some of them are young- high school or college students- which is helpful when you need help picking out an outfit and want real advice. All of the employees I have been helped by have been incredibly amiable and made my shopping experience much more enjoyable.

Quality of Clothing: 9/10

All of the brands carried at Alixandra Blue are high quality. Their clothing looks high end and often mimics much more expensive brands in styles well. I would definitely recommend checking Alixandra Blue out before going to For Love and Lemons or another pricier alternative.

Price: 6/10

Alixandra Blue carries several high quality brands without the hefty price tag. The priciest brand they carry is Free People, which would rank more like an 8/10 in terms of price, but brands such as BB Dakota are much more reasonably priced.

Basic-ness: 4/10

Most people don’t think of Alixandra Blue as a go-to place for their fashion needs, so not a ton of people have outfits from there. The store is a hidden gem that will allow you to showcase your original style and stand out from the crowd.

Favorite Alixandra Blue Outfit:

Such a cute outfit from Alixandra Blue. The jeans are from the brand Just Black Denim and are the Super High Rise Ankle Skinny in the medium wash ($58.00). The top is Free People and is still carried at the Hinsdale Alixandra Blue location but is no longer online on shopAlix or Free People itself. It was $78.00.

Here’s my friend Hannah wearing an adorable Free People sweater found at Alixandra Blue. Unfortunately it is also no longer carried online, but run over the Alix and see if they still have one or two in stock! It was $88.00.

Favorite Alixandra Blue Pieces:

Fringe Fuzzy Sweater ($68.00)

Love Stitch Sasha Polka Dot Kimono Cardi ($50.00)

Altar’d State is a massive, yet relatively unknown, retail clothing chain. The closest location to me is the Oakbrook Center location. The store can be found on the first level of the mall near H&M and Nordstrom. Altar’d State is unique in that it is an openly Christian company. The stores play modern religious music and religious merchandise is scattered throughout the store. The clothing offered is more conservative and can be worn by a large age range- the store claims to strive to be a place where a mother AND her daughter can find an outfit. The vibe of Altar’d State’s clothing can be described as “conservative coachella.”  

Store Layout: 4/10

I have been in Altar’d State more times than I can count, and I still cannot figure out the way the store is organized for the life of me. All I can deduce is that home decor and accessories are near the cash register. The rest of the store is a combination of every type of clothing with no real rhyme or reason to why it is in that particular spot. Furthermore the racks are very crowded and it’s hard to see individual pieces hanging. Oftentimes you really have to dig to find what you want, unless it’s the rotating featured outfits laid out on tables.

Customer Service: 7/10

I have never had a problem with the customer service at Altar’d State. All the employees are attentive and helpful. There have been occasions when the store has been a little short-staffed and it’s hard to find an employee, but for the most part there is always a dressing room attendant, door greeter, and one or two employees milling around the floor. I will say that the checkout process can be excruciatingly long because they require all of their customers to be put into their online database. Many a time I’ve stood there for ten minutes while they look me up under my 2 different emails and 3 phone numbers before ultimately giving up and making a new profile.  

Quality of Clothing: 8/10

Altar’d State’s quality of clothing is nothing to rave about, but nothing to diss either. The fabrics used get the job done and are rarely noticeably cheap. Altar’d State focuses on conservative, bohemian clothing, so the majority of their clothing has a lot of material. Lace, corduroy, and prints are very common.

Price: 6/10

For the amount of material each item consists of, Altar’d State’s prices are incredibly reasonable. In comparison to bohemian stores such as Free People, Altar’d State offers less revealing clothing with more material for much cheaper prices. Additionally, more often than not the store will be running some type of sale or deal like buy two sweaters get a third for 50% off. In my opinion, one of the top reasons to check Altar’d State out is their prices are too reasonable to not at least peek at.

Basic-ness: 5/10

Before the opening of the Oakbrook location in October 2016, I had never heard of Altar’d State. Since that time, the store has gained recognition and now has over 100 boutiques in 30 states. That being said, the store is still new enough that many people don’t think to look there when shopping around. That factor combined with the fact that Altar’d State changes their merchandise pretty frequently makes the store a much less basic choice than Free People or Urban Outfitters. The conservative, Christian vibe of the store also narrows the pool of potential customers (and fashion competition for you) so if that’s the vibe you’re into check out Altar’d State for sure.

Favorite Altar’d State Outfits:

I got this flowy dress last spring from Altar’d State. It quickly became my go-to swimsuit coverup. The fun open back makes it easy to transition from a day at the pool to a trendy dinner. Unfortunately, this particular dress is no longer carried. Try the Hadleigh Dress ($69.95), Winslet Dress ($69.95), or Sunflower Dress ($59.95) for an easy pool to dinner option.

I picked this Altar’d State outfit out for my friend Peyton on Black Friday. The store changes their selection so frequently that the plaid top is no longer available. The skirt featured is the Calla Skirt  ($49.95) in the dark wash.

Favorite Altar’d State Pieces:

Cameron Top ($59.95)

Humphrey Jumpsuit ($79.99)

Lululemon is an incredibly popular, high-end athletic apparel company. Their claim to fame is the high quality of their clothing. Their products are mainly marketed to highly active individuals who want to look fashionable in their workout clothes, but their leggings have become a staple in closets around the world due to their fit, quality, and versatility. Lulu introduced Ivivva, a sister store geared at ages 6-14, in 2009.

Store Layout: 10/10

The closest Lululemon is the Oakbrook mall location. It is situated near Urban Outfitters. The layout of the Oakbrook Lulu is incredibly simple and effective. On the front table is their featured items. The entire left side of the store is women’s apparel and the right side is men’s. The women’s section is divided by item. All sports bras are on one display, shorts on another. The majority of the displays look like groups of square-shaped cubbies with each column holding a specific style of the item and each cubby within the row holding one size.  The far left wall features hanging tank tops and other shirts. The back of the women’s section is cubbies filled with leggings, organized in the same fashion as shorts. Jackets and other outerwear will be further right near the men’s section.

Customer Service: 8/10

I have generally had positive experiences at Lulu. The door greeters are friendly and the staff is helpful and polite. They offer free alterations for any Lululemon item, which is super helpful if you are shorter and don’t want your leggings to bunch at the bottom. The store is also constantly being organized and tidied up. The only issue is there are only a few dressing rooms and on the days when the store is really busy (which is pretty often) the staff can get backed up trying to man the rooms.

Quality of Clothing: 10/10

Lululemon is known for the superior quality of their clothing. Their products are the best in the business for just about every activity. Their signature sweat-wicking material in particular is fabulous. If you ever happen to have a problem with any item from Lulu you can bring it to a store and they will replace it.

Price: 10/10

Lululemon is known for the quality of their clothing and also for the hefty price tag accompanying it. Tanks usually are $50-70 and sports bras are $40-60. Shorts are usually around $60. Short sleeve shirts sit in the $40-70 range, with the most popular style (Swiftly Tech Short Sleeve Crew) costing $68.  Long sleeves range from $50-80, with the most popular (Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve Crew) falling at $78. Jackets range from $80-600, but the most common (Define Jacket) is $118. Leggings start at $88 for cropped styles and $98 for all other styles.

Basic-ness: 10/10

There is no denying that Lululemon is a staple in most closets. Lulu is definitely everywhere around you and a “basic” store, but that shouldn’t deter a purchase. The brand is so popular because it offers such high quality. No one cares if the entire school is wearing black Lulu leggings on the same day. It happens all the time.

Favorite Lululemon Outfit:

I wore this Lulu outfit to keep cool while walking around Austin, Texas in 95 degree heat. I’m wearing the Free To Be Serene sports bra ($52) under the Swiftly Tech Racerback tank top ($58). My shorts are the classic Speed Up Short in the 2.5” length ($58).

Favorite Lululemon Pieces:

Align Pant (Full Length) 28” ($98)

All Tied Up Tank ($44)

Nordstrom is a department store giant that has locations throughout the US and Canada. Out of all of the stores I will be reviewing, Nordstrom is the one I have the most authority to speak of. Nordstrom has been my second home since I was born and this past year I joined their team as a Nordstrom Fashion Ambassador. My expertise revolves around the BP and Topshop area, which features the trendy clothes for young adults.

Store Layout: 7/10

For new shoppers, navigating Nordstrom might be a little difficult at first, but it’s pretty easy to catch on. At the Oakbrook mall location, BP and Topshop are on the third floor next to each other. Topshop is a well known brand that has a permanent section in Nordstrom and also has brick and mortar locations of its own. This section has a bold vibe and is geared towards women in their late teens or early twenties. The BP department features several brands but is mainly comprised of Nordstrom’s BP line. The audience in this section is slightly younger than Topshop’s. At the front of the BP floor is the Brandy Melville section, which is an incredibly popular California-style company that does not have any standalone stores in the Midwest. That is one of the most popular sections. To the right of the Brandy section is athleisure- think Champion, Ivy Park, and Adidas. Further into the floor are the top seasonal pieces. Jeans are on a circle table to the right of the desk. In the far back corner is the “going out” section of BP- lots of sparkles and little material. Directly across the aisle from BP is Topshop. I prefer the organization of Topshop over that of BP. Topshop has the most popular new pieces right in the front of the section by the walkways. There is a table of jeans in the middle of the floor organized by style. The large wall parallel to the BP section features classic looks and seasonal must-haves. Skirts and tops to match are on the opposite side along with a few coat options. Accessories are near the desk.

Customer Service: 10/10

Nordstrom is like a second home to me, and the employees are like family. There are dozens of people who I have known since I was 2 and still come and hug me whenever I stop by. Their customer service is truly unmatched in my opinion. In my time as a fashion ambassador I have learned just how important customer service is to the Nordstrom business model. The company has always placed emphasis on catering to their customers in any way possible. The definition of any way has evolved over the years, from personal shoppers to online personal stylists to stylists who will actually come to your house with clothes for you to try. They truly embody the “customer is always right” mentality and I have never had a negative experience with a single employee of Nordstrom. Their free shipping, free returns, and order online pickup in store option doesn’t hurt either.

Quality of Clothing: 8/10

The Topshop section is the most high quality clothing for young adults. BP has some high quality items but some of the BP line is a little cheap looking. The Brandy Melville section in BP is the lowest quality clothing out of the young adults section. All of their clothes are one size fits all, which is a huge turnoff for some people. Some of the clothing can look pretty cheap but it comes at a low price point, so many people don’t mind.

Price: 7/10

Topshop is the most expensive junior section, but that’s because the clothes are much higher quality. The majority of Topshop’s sweaters are around $65-70. Some of their summer tops are less expensive at $20-30. BP is a little less expensive but it depends on the brand you are buying. The BP line itself usually runs a little cheaper, but some of the other lines like Astr or Champion are as expensive as Topshop. The Brandy Melville section is definitely the least expensive, with most tops and sweaters falling at $16-30.  

Basic-ness: 7/10

As Nordstrom is one of the closest high end department stores, it attracts a lot of business. It is not uncommon for me to buy something from Nordstrom and see people wearing it the following day. The Brandy Melville section is definitely the most basic and the rotation of pieces in the display is veryyyyy rare. I would steer clear of that section completely if you want to be totally original, but if you don’t mind being basic their stuff is super cute and very affordable.

Favorite Nordstrom Outfits:

This is one of my favorite outfits from Nordstrom. The sweater is Brandy Melville, which is only available online directly from Brandy, (Nordstrom carries it in store but not online). They do not carry this specific sweater anymore, but the Leslie Top ($18) is a close match. My jeans are from the BP department and are no longer carried in this style, but the Levi’s 721 Ripped High Waist jeans ($88 on sale from $98) are a great substitute.

I wore this outfit to my last fashion ambassadors meeting. The top is a classic black scoop neck ($25) from Nordstrom. The pants are the Hiatus Stripe Wide Leg Velour Crop Pants ($25.20 from $42) found in the BP section. My boots are from the BP shoe line and are no longer carried, but these Nine West knee high boots ($138.95) from Nordstrom are similar.

Favorite Nordstrom Pieces:

Topshop Jumbo Corduroy Jacket ($95)

Topshop Oversize Turtleneck Sweater ($75)

REVOLVE is super trendy online site that has recently blown up raking in $1 billion in 2018. My experience with ordering from there is almost entirely dress-based- I have gotten all of my homecoming and turnabout dresses from there. The site may be most well-known for its dresses, but it boasts a massive selection of every other piece of clothing and accessory imaginable.

Site Layout: 10/10

I find Revolve incredibly easy to navigate. The site neatly divides their selection into types of clothing, and for dresses it offers 22 classifications of specific styles carried so a shopper in a rush can find what they need and go. The filters are also super useful- I always filter by size to cut down the scrolling. My favorite thing about their site is the unique “trending now” feature. The home page features a “trendsetter’s checklist” for the season, new arrivals, and “looks we love.” Looks we love is ingenious because it provides shoppers a full outfit to buy with a single click of a button. No more searching for the perfect pants to match that ONE sweater you love. They do it for you!

Customer Service: 10/10

What I love most about Revolve is that they offer free two day shipping and free returns within 30 days of you receiving the purchase. It’s a pain free process, which is rare when returning things to most online retailers. They also have a live chat option on their website in the right hand corner. If you click on that box you will be able to communicate via typing with a customer service representative in seconds. Another thing I love about Revolve is that they cater to their audience- they use fashion influencers to showcase their brands on social media rather than models. This provides a much more intimate customer experience in my opinion, because you see real people actually wearing these outfits to work, on vacation, and just about everywhere else.

Quality of Clothing: 7/10

Let me be clear- Revolve is a platform for thousands of different clothing brands. Therefore, it shouldn’t come to a shock that there can be some inconsistencies in the quality of clothing. The majority of the brands I’ve ordered have been high quality. However, I would watch out for dresses or tops that appear flimsy or thin in pictures. The main issue I have had with the quality of some dresses has been the material either looks cheap or feels cheap. Another little tip of mine if you’re ordering anything from Revolve is to order in multiple sizes. Because there are so many different brands to shop from, it’s quite possible you could be an extra small in one sweater and a medium in another. There’s really no harm in ordering different sizes thanks to the free shipping and returns.

Price: 7/10

Again, due to the wide variety of brands, it’s hard to generalize a price point across the board. That being said, Revolve boasts “the world’s most coveted designer apparel” according to their site. The range of prices is huge, but generally the average sweater is around $70 and the average cocktail dress is $150-$300. They frequently mark down items across all categories so make sure to check the sale tab for steals. The bottom line is there is something for everyone’s price point, and if you want to stick to a price just filter your search results to prices you are comfortable with.

Basic-ness: 3/10

Due to the sheer volume of apparel Revolve offers, it’s pretty unlikely you will be seeing people twinning all over the place. That being said, Revolve is a popular go-to for homecoming, turnabout, and prom dresses. An easy way to avoid matching with other girls at a dance or event is to keep an eye out for the “best seller” banner. Items with this banner are some of the most commonly bought, so if you want to make sure your outfit is original I would steer clear of those.

Favorite Revolve Outfits:

I found my homecoming dress this year on Revolve (left). This is the Give It Up dress ($148) by NBD, which is one of my favorite brands carried by Revolve. I’m wearing an XS.

This is my sophomore year homecoming dress, also from Revolve. I’m on the left in both pictures wearing the BCBGeneration Lace Black Pleated Dress ($138). It is no longer available on Revolve, but you can find it here. I’m wearing a small.

Favorite Revolve Pieces:

Kensington Dress by Lovers + Friends ($238)

Stars Palmetto Sweater by Wildfox Couture ($233)

Rugby Tee by LEVIS ($50)

Urban Outfitters is an online and brick and mortar store that is popular with the 13-26 year old crowd. They specialize in “trendy” clothes and are often the first to roll out the hot pieces of the season (think puffer jackets this year).

Store Layout: 8/10

Urban’s layout is pretty easy to follow at the Oakbrook Center location. On the left when you walk in are accessories and miscellaneous household decorations. To the right in the front will be their trending jackets (in winter) or other super trendy items. Behind that there’s the evening out section- think lots of sequins. This is basically all of their nicer dresses, jumpsuits, and skirts. On your way upstairs there will be some basic tops that are trending- think the front-tie waffle knit sweater every single girl has- and sometimes Adidas is featured or another athleisure brand. At the top of the stairs is denim and a few graphic tees. The right half of the second floor is miscellaneous women’s clothing. My only complaint is sometimes it’s a little hard to find items you see on the mannequin in the actual stacks/racks of clothes. Towards the back is some more house/lifestyle items. On the left side of the floor is graphic tees (usually unisex) and then the men’s section.

Customer Service: 4/10

I love Urban, but there have been many times I have waited impatiently for a dressing room attendant for over 20 minutes. The workers are almost all under thirty, and sometimes they can be a little oblivious when you need help. Overall, they aren’t the worst, but nowhere close to the best.

Quality of Clothing: 8/10

The quality of Urban clothes is great, but that’s because…

Price: 7/10

Urban isn’t cheap! It can be hard to find a sweater for under 60-some dollars, and the same goes for almost everything else in the store. But for the quality they give, I think the prices are pretty reasonable. It depends on if you’re ready to drop $90 on the trendy jacket of the season or if you’d rather buy a knockoff that’s not as well-made.

Basic-ness: 6/10

A TON of teenage girls shop at Urban, but the selection is so huge and changes regularly so it’s not likely every single outfit you pick out there will be worn by 20 other girls to school the following day. The items closest to the door on the right are the trend pieces they are showcasing, so if you want to stay totally original I’d steer clear of those.

Favorite UO Outfit:

This is one of my favorite UO outfits. I’m wearing the super popular Willow Fuzzy Drawstring Teddy Jacket  ($69.00) in charcoal. I would recommend getting one size up from your normal sweater/top size to ensure you can wear different sweaters and tops underneath without it being uncomfortable. Under my jacket I’m wearing a snap up thin long sleeve top from Urban that I found on sale and is unfortunately no longer carried. For a similar style top, check out the Carter Henley top ($44.00) or the Out From Under Sam Henley Peplum top ($44.00).

Favorite UO Pieces:

Levi’s Denim Sherpa Trucker Jacket $128.00               

Carissa Floral Embroidered Pullover Sweater $128.00

Andi Pullover Crew-Neck Sweater $39.00 (originally $49.00)