In an age of practically infinite options for clothing shopping, whether that’s in person or online, I still find many of my friends struggling to find clothes, whether it’s for special occasions or everyday wear. In the most humble way I could attempt to say it, I often have the wardrobe highly complimented and sought after by my friends, and have even been recruited to help them shop on occasion. The shopaholic has no problem helping them search, as I have a huge passion for fashion, but I figured I won’t always be able to extend my skills (or lend out my clothes), so here is a comprehensive article of where I buy the majority of my clothes. While my vast selection comes from so many stores not listed here, I tried to find the places that carry the pieces I wear most at college, as well as the ones I am regularly buying from.
A disclaimer before we get into the list — I am in no way saying you should 100% buy from these brands! While I try to shop somewhat cautiously, I haven’t taken the time to ethically evaluate each of these companies. If that is something that matters a lot to you, please take the time to do it for yourself. Additionally, many of these brands are available second hand (I will talk about where at some points in these articles, as I like to thrift from time to time), and you can always consume them in a more sustainable matter.
- Windsor
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My holy grail for date function/(semi)formal dresses. They also carry plenty of other clothes and accessories, but I have found the quality is much poorer than their special occasion selection. While I prefer to shop in person to get a sense of the quality and material, their online presence is great as well. They also always have good sales going on, so I prefer to shop in advance here (I have bought formal dresses seven months before the actual event because they were marked down to $10).
- Forever 21
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Of course, as I am writing this article, they are going bankrupt in the United States, but I felt obliged to include them nonetheless since you can still shop what they have left, shop there in other countries, and buy second hand. They have great party or semi formal dresses as well as random other trendy pieces. For example, when I was trying to get ahead of the denim trends, I was able to get a cheap denim vest there. F21 carries pretty much anything and everything, so with some searching, you could find nearly anything.
- Jolyn
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Jolyn sells all sorts of stuff, but as a competitive swimmer, their onesies and sporty two pieces are my favorite. They also make cute casual beachwear and activewear. Their prices are steeper than some brands, but never unfair, as the quality is unreal. I still have bathing suits I bought eight years ago that are in great shape. A very slept on brand that deserves more hype.
- lululemon
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Okay, it’s not like this brand is underground or anything, but there is a lot of talk about them being overhyped. But their quality is so much better than competitors like Alo Yoga or Gymshark. I wear just about anything they make, whether it’s sport bras, running shorts, or tops for exercise, or sweatshirts and sweatpants as athleisure to class. It also is pretty easy to find it at a lower price — aside from their sale section on the website and buying it second hand, they also launched LuluLikeNew a few years ago, a website wear customers can sell their old, high quality Lulu items back to the company and they resell them for a discounted price. I’ve even seen items they still carry for resale on the site, so if you do your digging you can find so many gems!
- Athleta
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Staying on the activewear train, Athleta is so another cute brand. I love buying matching sets from there (I have a way easier time of things not being sold out than Lulu) and also love their tennis skirts and the Aurora line.
- Hollister
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Hollister has truly come back in the last year, and people are starting to catch on. My favorites to purchase are bikinis and casual tops or dresses for summer. Their sweatshirt game has also stepped up, but I am yet to buy any. Their prices are also still more reasonable than some similar brands, and there’s usually a good sale going on.
- Brandy Melville
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Controversies aside, there isn’t really a better place for basics. The prices are some of the cheapest from the list. While you can buy so much from Brandy, the tiny tanks, baggy sweatpants, mini skirts, and lounge shorts are their best products.
- White Fox
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I honestly feel like I underutilize White Fox, but that’s mostly just because I like to shop in person. However, as a long leg girly, they have some of the best fitting sweat sets I have ever put on, with the best designs and color options. They also have very cool going out tops and dresses, and while I have never bought them, my roommates have some of both and they are always stunning in person.
- Abercrombie
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Since their rebrand, they hype around Abercrombie has been high. The have great high quality basics great for everyday, corporate workwear, or special occasion wear. My favorite things to buy though? Jeans and graphic tees/sweatshirts. I get all my NFL gear from there and it is currently the only place I buy jeans from. The key is to wait for sales and/or stack codes from influencers to get a reasonable price on anything.
- Target
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I feel like most girls love a good Target run, and the same goes for me. This is another store where, similar to Brandy Melville, you can get just about anything, from more fun statement pieces to your standard basics. I buy most of my casual lounge clothing from here, including cropped tanks and tube tops, as well as shorts. I also have a ton of bikinis from Target, some of which are up to 10 years old. The quality is great and the prices are low.
- Edikted
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Since I started college four years ago, Edikted’s popularity has skyrocketed. They are 100% my favorite place for going out tops and bottoms, having a huge range of styles that can be transitioned to my postgrad wardrobe as well. They frequently have massive sales (for example, as I’m writing this they have 50% off sitewide), which is the best way to get their items, but it’s also easy to find items that are still in style from them while shopping second hand as well.
- Lucy in the Sky
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I know a lot of people have had shipping problems, but that seems to just be mostly user error, as every order I have ever received has come on time, if not early. They are my favorite place for special occasion dresses, and I loved wearing them to formals/semi-formals. The quality is pretty good, and there is such a huge selection of colors and styles. These are definitely some of my most complemented dresses I’ve worn. Just make sure you look at when the dress is actually going to ship/be in stock again, as they allow you to purchase dresses that won’t even be in their warehouse for a few weeks.
- American Eagle + Aerie
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Here’s a brand I am pretty sure most of you stopped shopping from in your teens, and their sister brand all of you still shop at. American Eagle is still good as ever, with high quality denim and adorable tops. I get all of my jean shorts from here as well as a lot of my nicer tops. Aerie has honestly become less enticing to me over the years, but I still enjoy getting sport bras and athletic shorts from them, especially when they have a good sale.
- T.J. Maxx
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TJ Maxx has got to be up there with Target for the girlies. For me personally, this is where I like to get a lot of my corporate/work appropriate clothing. I have always found that despite me being tall, all of their clothes are just awkwardly slightly too long, which is great when you’re shopping for dresses, tops, and skirts that are teaching appropriate, and the pieces are much cheaper than higher scale brands that carry workwear, like Chico’s, Aritzia, or Banana Republic.
- Free People
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As a college student, the prices can seem killer a lot of the time, but that’s just when you have to look hard and shop smart. I’ve gotten a lot of incredible statement pieces from here, whether it be a cute lounge pant, a stunning bathing suit coverup, or a sequin top. This is a great place to find the pieces in your closet that make fire Instagram moments and get you complements left and right. FP movement is also their more basic, but adorable athletic/athleisure brand.
- Urban Outfitters
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Similarly to, but cheaper than Free People, Urban is a great place for some of the more random statement pieces in your closet. I mostly have going out tops and casual dresses from here, but there is such a wide selection, you can get so much.
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
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Okay, this might seem like a crazy pull, but they carry so many of the most popular brands their, including FP Movement as their newest addition, that it’s easy to find great stuff here. I get a lot of sweatshirts/crewnecks, shorts, and running shoes, but the selection is so wide, and when they have a good sale, it’s good.
- Francesca’s
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I go through phases with this store for sure. Sometimes, all the clothes are really cute, and sometimes it looks like they’re just selling stock from 10 years ago. But one thing that always slaps? Their jewelry selection. I love to get necklaces and bracelets from here, but the rings and earrings are also great (I just don’t really wear either).
- Plato’s Closet
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Listen, I used to be an active Plato’s hater to my core, but times have changed, and I think that’s due to living in a college town. The selection at the Harrisonburg location is insane, likely due to the majority of donations being from other college aged girls looking to make some quick cash and clear room for new pieces. The amount of name brand items from places like Lucy in the Sky, Edikted, Zara, Princess Polly, and Oh Polly is unreal, and the prices are fantastic. I have thrifted many formal dresses and going out tops from here. I also love getting pieces for themed parties here, since the prices are low and I don’t have to worry about it shipping on time.
- Depop & Poshmark
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Both of these second hand websites/apps are good for their own purposes. Poshmark has unfortunately become overrun with middle age resellers and bots, but you can still find a few good things from here. Think high end formal dresses, designer items, and Halloween costumes. Depop, though, fits the college girl demographic much better, and is a great place for finding items you would wear on a much more regular basis. There are also plenty of sellers that embroider and rework pieces for you to find something unique.
- Honorable Mention: Places I Buy Shoes
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Shoes deserved their own category, being that I buy them less often than clothes, but they still help complete my closet. I think my shoes might be just as complemented as my outfits, if not more. My favorite pairs have come from DSW, Target, and Macy’s. Similarly to DSW, Zappos is an online company that also sells name brands for a lower price. Just shop around these places and you’re bound to succeed.
And that concludes the list of the places I buy the majority of my clothes from. Truly, there are so many more brands in my closet, especially accounting for my boutique shopping, but these tried and trues can hopefully help you build your wardrobe and have iconic looks at all your events.