The Lowdown on Discount Shopping
Ever wonder what makes one discount clothing store different from another? All those racks crammed with clothes can be overwhelming if you don’t know a store’s strengths and weaknesses.
A comparison of several leading discount clothing stores around Southern California shows that some feature higher quality merchandise while others offer better discounts. Some have a wide assortment of career clothing while others are strong in the weekend or evening categories.
Some stores listed here carry special items, including menswear, children’s wear and shoes, in select branches. It is best to phone the store and ask, before you go.
It’s only fair to warn the bargain-hungry reader that items photographed for this story most likely are no longer available, as discounters move their merchandise quickly and seldom replenish it with the same stock.
Store: Clothestime.
Target Shoppers: Teen-age girls, women with teen-age figures.
Limits: No men’s or children’s wear, limited career apparel.
Labels: No impressive designer labels, but some recognizable junior brands such as Bongo jeans.
Deals: A short-sleeve floral printed denim jacket for $29 (marked down from $38). Matching shorts for $14 (from $29.99). A sleeveless black unitard for $19.99 (from $36).
Comments: Young women and girls looking for trendy fashions (as opposed to perfectly tailored suits and separates) will probably like what they find. One particular strength is funky, inexpensive evening wear.
Store: Designer Labels for Less.
Target shoppers: The whole family.
Limits: No shoes, few accessories.
Labels: Mid-priced designers such as Carole Little, Jones New York, Paul Stanley.
Deals: A black wool Paul Stanley collarless jacket for $126 (marked down from $255). A matching slim skirt for $48 (from $88). For men, a navy blue Jones New York wool suit for $159 (from $460).
Comments: Women who like Carole Little will be amazed by the huge stock here. Working women will find great looks for the office. Also available are a selection of lingerie, lacy as well as functional.
Store: Hit or Miss.
Target shoppers: Working women.
Limits: No shoes, men’s or children’s wear.
Labels: No Seventh Avenue heavyweights here.
Deals: A Maggie London double-breasted dress for $69.99 (marked down from $98). Black linen city shorts at $29.99 (from $50), a fabulous black and white glen plaid double-breasted jacket at $69.79 (from $159).
Opinions: It’s hard to imagine an unproductive trip to Hit or Miss for bargain hunters, unless they want upper-echelon designer names. The store’s career apparel and weekend sportswear is well-tailored, reasonably priced and comes in a variety of sizes.
Store: Lingerie for Less (LFL).
Target shoppers: Luxurious or sexy-lingerie lovers.
Limits: Women looking for a specific brand and style might not hit the jackpot.
Labels: Christian Dior, Calvin Klein.
Deals: A wide selection of exercise bras for $8.99 (marked down from $19). A Calvin Klein white polyester charmeuse gown fo $36.79 (from $75).
Comments: The store looks--and even seems to be scented--like Victoria’s Secret, but merchandise costs much less. There are bed jackets reminiscent of Josie Natori styles and peignoir sets in fashion colors such as taupe, emerald and violet with elegant lace trim at far below designer prices. Other extras include ostrich-feather slippers, scented sachets and a bridal registry.
Store: Susie’s Deals.
Target shoppers: Women with junior-fashion tastes.
Limits: Scant on career apparel, no shoes, no men’s or children’s clothes.
Labels: No Seventh Avenue heavyweights.
Deals: A very trendy, short, white jumpsuit with baseball pin stripes and motifs for $19.99 (from $50). A printed chiffon-jersey dress--a popular junior look--for $19.99 (marked down from $68). Comments: The store’s strength is its casual sportswear, weekend wear and leisure wear. Shoppers with imagination may be able to pull together office-bound outfits if dress codes aren’t too stringent. There is a large assortment of inexpensive jewelry, leather accessories and hair ornaments.
Store: Ross Dress for Less.
Target shoppers: Entire family.
Limits: The deeper you go into the store, the fewer coordinates you find. Tops and bottoms that work together are all clustered near the door.
Labels: Moderate- and lower-priced American labels.
Deals: A pink plaid Evan Picone jacket for $74 (marked down from $184). A matching slim skirt for $39 (from $84). Girls’ bright-print cotton leggings for $6.50 (from $29). A selection of jeans in girls’ sizes from The Limited, priced at $12 a pair. A J.G. Hook ski jacket with a fox collar for $48 (from $175).
Comments: An all-encompassing off-price store that stocks everything from hair care products to athletic shoes. Very stylish girls’ clothing. A good cross-section of career suits and separates and some great, stylish buys in women’s footwear.
Store: T.J. Maxx.
Target shoppers: Entire family.
Limits: The stores are so popular that stock tends to be wiped out, especially Monday mornings.
Labels: Calvin Klein, DKNY.
Deals: DKNY washed-silk navy blazer for $149 (marked down from $300). A bronze quilted-silk hooded anorak for $60 (from $120). Ray-Ban sunglasses for $40 (from $80).
Comments: The store buys from manufacturers and retailers alike, so that impressive designer merchandise passes rapidly in and out of stock. Hard-core bargain hunters looking for pricey brands at a low price say Maxx is the best of the bunch.
Store: $5 Clothing Store.
Target shoppers: Women who don’t want to spend more than $5 (approximately) on anything they wear.
Limits: Nothing here for women accustomed to high-quality goods.
Labels: No big-name designers.
Deals: A brown-vinyl Western belt was an astounding 59 cents. A cute black-and-taupe pin-stripe skirt was $8. Basic cotton-blend leggings were $8 and available in a variety of colors.
Comments: The old adage “you get what you pay for” holds true. Women probably couldn’t find clothing for less anywhere--except maybe at thrift shops and garage sales.
Store: Loehmann’s.
Target shoppers: Female label mavens.
Limits: No menswear.
Labels: Many top New York designers, some from Europe.
Deals: A Bill Blass strapless evening gown with a black bodice and a full white skirt for $159.99 (marked down from $240). A purple Franco Moschino jacket for $299 (from $495).
Comments: Loehmann’s pioneered the off-price market, but no longer rules the roost. A polyester suit, surprisingly enough, turned up in the store’s famous Back Room. The area was once reserved for the priciest designer wear in the finest of fabrics. Still, there are plenty of great finds, especially at the 3rd Street store, near Fairfax Avenue.
Store: Marshall’s.
Target shoppers: Families.
Limits: Forget Monday morning shopping. The store is so popular it is all but cleaned out on weekends.
Labels: Many top New York designer names, but not necessarily their top-quality goods.
Deals: A great black-stretch mini-dress for evening for $29.99 (marked down from $46). A pair of men’s Hugo Boss pants for $69.95 (from $150). A Perry Ellis America short-sleeve sport shirt for $24.90 (from $50). An apricot-colored organza dress by Sylvia Whyte for $69.99 (from $96).
Comments: Because Marshall’s is set up like a department store, it is able to stock a wide variety of merchandise. It’s a great source for shoes--Evan Picone, Anne Klein and Perry Ellis footwear were all spotted there recently. But when it comes to better and designer merchandise, shoppers will find it is either hit or miss.
