The following is a comparison of the various fast-fashion stores. In order to compare the best place to shop for the best price I have gone to each of these stores (either physically or via website) to test what I can buy. This analysis will determine which stores offer the most for the least cash or which stores are worth dipping into the savings for.
For simplicity I will be comparing only dresses at each of these stores. The dress chosen will be one that is considered high fashion right now. That means, babydoll dresses, bohemian style, dresses with puffy sleeves and dresses rich in patterns and designs. All prices will be quoted in CAD and all price ranges per store are estimates.
Established: 1975
Originated From: Spain
Lines Available: Men’s, Women’s, Children’s, Footwear, Cosmetics and Accessories.
Price Range:
Tops: $20 - $100
Bottoms: $35 - $150
Dresses: $50 - $120
Footwear: $35 – $120
Accessories: $30 - $100
Item Chosen: Yellow Ruffle Dress
Exact Price: 99.00
Quality: Good. Stitching is detailed and held together strong.
Would I buy it? Yes
Comments: While Zara provides various items that can be found for $50 or more, many more items can be found for lower prices. The higher priced items feature more originality and sometimes better quality, like the one chosen here. Therefore, I would go to this store when looking for something I would not be able to find anywhere else.
Established: 1947
Originated From: Sweden
Lines Available: Men’s, Women’s, Children’s, Footwear, Cosmetics and Accessories.
Price Range:
Tops: $8 - $50
Bottoms: $16 - $50
Dresses: $20 - $40
Footwear: $6 – $40
Accessories: $4 - $30
Item Chosen: Kylie Beach Dress
Exact Price: 29.90 (Regular Price)
Quality: Satisfactory.
Would I buy it? Yes
Comments: All H&M items are original and very cheap. Many of its items are of lower quality however. Where you save in dollars you lose in quality. However, for fast fashion items, this is worth it as the clothes are only worn for a short while.
Originated From: Montreal, Quebec
Lines Available: Men’s, Women’s, Children’s, Footwear, and Accessories.
Price Range:
Tops: $20 - $80
Bottoms: $35 - $110
Dresses: $60 - $100
Footwear: $40 – $80
Accessories: $15 - $60
Item Chosen: Abstract Print Dress
Exact Price: 89.95 (Regular Price)
Quality: Satisfactory.
Would I buy it? No
Comments: This store has a higher price range, but higher quality clothing. The quality is better than a dress found at Zara for the same price. However, the problem area is the poor brand image. I would rather pay a little more and get a brand that I would consider more respectable.
Established: 1981
Originated From: Los Angeles, California
Lines Available: Men’s, Women’s, Footwear, and Accessories.
Price Range:
Tops: $35 - $100
Bottoms: $60 - $200
Footwear: $60 – $120
Accessories: $25 - $50
Item Chosen: Paige Puff Sleeve Dress
Exact Price: 86.20 (Regular Price)
Quality: Excellent. 92% Rayon, 8% Spandex
Would I buy it? Yes
Comments: The quality makes up for the cost. A basic item like this one is something I would want to keep for sometime. Therefore quality and durability is important. This was one of the cheaper items available at this store. However, all the more expensive ones showed a lot more originality and were excellent quality. Similar price and quality to Le Chateau, with a better brand name. I would buy this item over the Le Chateau dress.
Established: 1970
Originated From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Lines Available: Men’s, Women’s, Footwear, Accessories and Home Décor.
Price Range:
Tops: $12 - $200
Bottoms: $50 - $250
Dresses: $50 - $160
Footwear: $25 – $150
Accessories: $30 - $450
Item Chosen: Soundgirl Printed Meadow Dress
Exact Price: 61.00*
Quality: Excellent. Rayon
Would I buy it? Yes
Comments: This dress is more expensive than one found at Old Navy or H&M, however the quality it much better. It is also completely original. Cannot be found anywhere else. It is very much worth the price.
Established: 1995 (Privately Owned)
Originated From: Toronto
Lines Available: Women’s, Footwear and Accessories.
Price Range:
Tops: $20 - $30
Bottoms: $30 - $40
Dresses: $30 - $50
Footwear: $15 – $40
Accessories: $10 - $30
Item Chosen: Floral Tube Dress
Exact Price: 39.50
Quality: Poor. 100% Cotton
Would I buy it? No
Comments: Although this dress is very nice, and the price is good, it is not worth it for the quality. The stiching on this dress is poor and the 100% cotton means that it will probably shrink. I would rather spend $10 less and purchase a dress from H&M or Old Navy, which have similar quality.
Established: 1994
Originated From: San Francisco, California
Lines Available: Men’s, Women’s, Children, Maternity, Footwear and Accessories.
Price Range:
Tops: $10 - $30
Bottoms: $15 - $40
Dresses: $25 - $45
Footwear: $5 – $30
Accessories: $5 - $25
Item Chosen: Printed Babydoll dress
Exact Price: 31.40
Quality: Poor. 100% Cotton
Would I buy it? Yes
Comments: Poor quality for a low price. This is common for the fast fashion styles, because it is not necessary for them to be around for that long. The only complaint I have is the variety of styles. I would buy a couple basics from here, but for more unique styles I would have to shop at Zara or Urban Outfitters.
Established: 1984
Originated From: Los Angeles, California
Lines Available: Women’s, Men’s, Accessories and Footwear.
Price Range:
Tops: $10 - $25
Bottoms: $20 - $35
Dresses: $15 - $35
Footwear: $10 – $20
Accessories: $5 - $10
Item Chosen: Cotton Babydoll
Exact Price: 29.56*
Quality: Satisfactory. 100% Cotton
Would I buy it? Yes
Comments: From past experiences the quality it fair. Not excellent but worth the price. In addition, unlike other low price stores, Forever 21 also has more variety in its clothes. More unique styles and cuts for a lower price. I love this store.
Established: 1999
Lines Available: Men’s, Women’s, Footwear, Accessories, Home Décor,
Price Range:
Tops: $10 - $35
Bottoms: $35 - $45
Dresses: $35 - $50
Footwear: $15 – $45
Accessories: $15 - $30
Item Chosen: Floral Tube Dress
Exact Price: 36.69*
Quality: Satisfactory. Cotton
Would I buy it? Yes
Comments: Delia clothing is similar in styles and variety to Forever 21. The difference is a slightly higher price, but that is compensated for a slightly better quality.
Established: 1902
Originated From: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Lines Available: Men’s, Women’s, Kids, Footwear, Accessories, Home, Garden, Toys and Electronics.
Price Range:
Tops: $10 - $25
Bottoms: $15 - $35
Dresses: $15 - $55
Footwear: $10 – $30
Accessories: $10 - $30
Item Chosen: Floral and Dot Mix Print Dress
Exact Price: 26.55*
Quality: Satisfactory. 100% Cotton
Would I buy it? Yes.
Comments: Target provides great fashions for a very low price. In addition, these styles are also of better quality in comparison to their low cost competitors.
Established: 1977
Originated From: Brisbane, California
Lines Available: Women’s, Footwear and Accessories
Price Range:
Tops: $35 - $110
Bottoms: $100 - $150
Dresses: $100 - $180
Footwear: $100 – $140
Item Chosen: Smocked Silk Dress
Exact Price: 137.00*
Quality: Excellent. Silk/Spandex Blend
Would I buy it? Yes
Comments: This dress is pricier but you are paying for the fabric. While the other higher priced items from other stores were also of good quality, this dress is silk, which is a much more expensive fabric. This makes it well worth the price. Chances are, this dress would be double the price at any other high fashion store, so I would snag it from Bebe because it ridiculously expensive.
Established: 1985
Originated From: Los Angeles, California
Lines Available: Women’s, Footwear and Accessories
Price Range:
Tops: $80 - $120
Bottoms: $60 - $160
Dresses: $130 - $350
Footwear: $140 – $250
Item Chosen: Palm Print Dress
Exact Price: 170.00*
Quality: Excellent. 100% Silk
Would I buy it? No
Comments: As much as I like this piece, it is a little out of my price range for fast fashion. Chances are this will go out of style soon and can only be worn once or twice, therefore I would prefer to pay a little less for something more short term.
* Prices that were converted from US Dollars to Canadian Dollars. Subject to change with variation in exchange rate
Conclusion
For me, the best stores are the ones in the middle range. By this I mean the stores with medium prices and excellent quality. Zara, Bebe, Guess and Urban Outfitters were my favourite, as they provided these features. The pricier items were not worth it for fast-fashion, as it has a high turnover. The cheaper items were often too poor in quality for me.
The winners for the general public though would have to be Delia’s, Target, Forever 21 and H&M. These stores all provided satisfactory quality at a low price. For the average shopper in the fast fashion market, this quality is acceptable and the lower the price the better.
The Canadian Value Investor © 2007