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Store Wars 2014 – Who’s on the bubble?

March 12, 2014 By Joe | Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Also, we take your privacy rights seriously. Head here to learn more.

We’re less than one week away from the tournament getting underway. Well yes, that other one too, but we’re talking about Store Wars here. 16 retailers enter the bracket, with one champion eventually being crowned. Your votes decide every day which store moves on, as well as which one gets the red slash o’ death, and thus relegated to the dustbin of competitive retail history until next year.

The bracket for our 4th annual Store Wars competition gets released on Monday, March 17th, with the first match-up taking place the following day. The selection committee is already hard at work, and there will be some minor tweaks this year (yes, there will be “regions” that’ll pit somewhat similar stores/retailers against each other). Every year a couple of new stores fight their way onto the bracket, and that makes the competition to just make the tournament fierce. The following are all retailers who are sitting on the bubble, in danger of not getting in. Who deserves a spot? Who doesn’t? Make your case in the comments.

 

jcpenney bubble

Why are they on the bubble?  They’ve had a manic year, haven’t they? Even though they kicked Ron Johnson & Nick Wooster to the curb, the long tail of their supply chain still produced the best ultra cheap suit of 2013, as well as a few worthy items for last fall. But is the time of affordable, yet style-forward clothes at JC Penney coming to an end? They don’t even call themselves “jcp” anymore. They’re fully back to JCPenney.

Previous Store Wars Experience: Lost a squeaker in round 1 vs. Target last year. Did not compete in the years before that.

 

Billy Reid Bubble

Why are they on the bubble?  A reach, financially, in terms of being “affordable”. But they do run sales, and if you’re on top of it, you can land one of their high quality pieces for a reasonable price. It won’t ever be cheap, but this American designer sure knows how to have a garment (or pair of shoes, or bag…) put together. Simple, classic looks that sometimes carry a twist. Makers of the famous and drool-worthy Bond Peacoat seen in Skyfall. Brick & Mortar stores look & feel fantastic.

Previous Store Wars Experience: Has not competed.

 

CM Bubble

Why are they on the bubble?  Sale section or bust. $100 for a short sleeve popover? J. Crew doesn’t even try to pull prices like that. Plus their blazers & suit jackets sure seem to look chopped in the tail, don’t they?

Previous Store Wars Experience: Has not competed.

 

Macys bubble

Why are they on the bubble?  Yep. Macy’s is on the bubble. With each passing week, Macy’s men’s section starts to feel more and more like Kohl’s or the old version of JC Penney. There seems to be a bit of a hole in their selection in relation to demographics. Stuff is either way too young and trendy (remember when their INC brand made things that wasn’t over embellished?) or old and stuffy. Bar III is a house brand that can be tempting though. They also carry Allen Edmonds and don’t seem to exclude those from most sales. Free shipping doesn’t kick in until $99, and it can be steep before that.

Previous Store Wars Experience: Lots. Was bounced in the first round by Brooks Brothers last year, and eliminated in the 2nd round in each of the two years before that.

 

Express Bubble

Why are they on the bubble?  Logos. ALWAYS WITH THE LOGOS. What happened to their signature polos anyway? Some of their blazers can be tempting, and if you catch a really good sale + code, their suits aren’t half bad for around $200 or under. They make a decent summer shoe too. In-store experience is likely to make you feel old as hell if you’re over 26.

Previous Store Wars Experience: Lost in the first round in 2011. Did not compete in 2012. Did not compete in 2013.

 

Zara Bubble

Why are they on the bubble? For the US, there’s GAP. For the rest of the world, most turn to Zara. They can produce some incredible values, but a lot of their stuff is a little too trendy, and a little too thin on quality.

Previous Store Wars Experience: Has not competed.

 

MD Bubble

Why are they on the bubble?  Zara’s Banana Republic-like big brother. More money, better looks, but hardly ever on sale. Prices can start a little high for most. Little to no brick & mortar presence here in the U.S., but they do offer free shipping & returns.

Previous Store Wars Experience: Has not competed.

 

HandMBubble

Why are they on the bubble?  Finally launched an e-commerce site. Some of their products can be steals. Others seem to really struggle when it comes to quality. Like Zara, they can lean a little trendy, and they seem to use a lot of synthetics in their fabrics.

Previous Store Wars Experience: Has not competed.

Thoughts from you guys?  Which, if any of these stores deserves a spot in this year’s tournament?  Any other stores on the bubble worth a mention?  Leave your take in the comments below.  For reference, here’s the final bracket from last year.  Bubble Photo Credit: Rhett Maxwell

Filed Under: Clothing Tagged With: Store Wars 2014

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Comments

  1. Scott says

    March 12, 2014 at 12:16 PM

    Their scope is extremely limited, but I’m pulling for Ratio to receive a surprise at-large bid. If included, they might just spring an upset or two.

  2. Marshall Lilly says

    March 12, 2014 at 12:24 PM

    In their heyday, JCP was turning into a strong contender. JCPenney? Not so much…

  3. DrBenji says

    March 12, 2014 at 12:24 PM

    Can we kick Banana Republic? Declining quality, sick of playing coupon games.

  4. Adam says

    March 12, 2014 at 12:28 PM

    JCP, Express, and H&M should be in the competition. All have the capability of some good deals/steals. Bought a St. John’s Bay Barracuda jacket from JCP the other day for under $30. Excellent value.

    Billy Reid and Club Monaco are too expensive for Dappered, while Zara and Massimo don’t have the proper presence or heritage for quality stuff in the US.

  5. James f says

    March 12, 2014 at 12:29 PM

    I seem to finding the opposite to be true about macys lately. I am always finding things in there now. Might be because I am getting a little older. Got a fantastic maroon bar III blazer and a RL sweater this winter which is more than I can say about anywhere else.

  6. Jonas says

    March 12, 2014 at 12:29 PM

    yeah I traded in for Bonobos personally.

  7. Alex says

    March 12, 2014 at 12:30 PM

    I’ve yet to see saturdays surf NYC get any love on here. Is it because they don’t do sales? I know dappered trends to the frugal end of things, but they’re no cheaper than mossimo dutti or billy reid – at least the Saturdays stuff goes on sale at Barney’s Co Op.

  8. Capri says

    March 12, 2014 at 12:30 PM

    My vote is for Macy’s and maybe JCPenney’s.

    I agree with the Macy’s sentiment, but still presently, I feel it’s still a reliable place for reasonably priced dress shirts and ties, maybe a suit depending on what you’re looking for.

    Haven’t yet jumped on the JCP bandwaggon but plenty seem to have. The rest are either too trendy, pricey or have quality concerns.

  9. Capri says

    March 12, 2014 at 12:34 PM

    You can always get something for 40% off it seems, which works for basics like chinos, also their polos quality is still pretty solid for less than $30.

    Got a tie for $8 during one of their 40% off sale items.

  10. Brock says

    March 12, 2014 at 12:44 PM

    Oh man… this is tough. My top 3 from the bubble would be Express, Zara and Club Monaco (in that order).

  11. Phil Nguyen says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:06 PM

    I disagree with kicking BR. I got the Donegal topcoat with a 40% discount and it is far from cheap. I recently went in store and I think they still have a lot of value pieces.

  12. TJ says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:09 PM

    Hmmm… Not a huge fan of any of the stores here. Maybe JC Penney, Macy’s, or H&M. I don’t have much experience with the other ones.

  13. southy says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:11 PM

    Nice to see MD on the list. A little euro for some, but lots of well made classic pieces that are cut well. Prices don’t look so bad next to the “new” J Crew.

  14. Domino says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:15 PM

    I know it may be a bit to narrow for focus, but what about DSW? They’re just shoes, but they perpetually get mentioned for good value for those shoes. Not AE quality, but also not AE prices.

  15. Officer Rex Bishop says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:20 PM

    Of these I would give the nod to H&M. Sometimes you just need a $10 pair of pants. Plus the sport coats fit me like a dream.

  16. MJ says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:21 PM

    JCP creates accidental winners that may accidentally be on clearance, but that’s about it. Macy’s has the Bar III but that’s the only reason I would go there. Express with the 1MX but aren’t there better options for $30 dress shirts? H&M is low quality but carries my size, which counts for a lot.

  17. Corwin says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:27 PM

    Billy Reid should be in… why? ‘Dat peacoat. Seriously, though, they shouldn’t be bounced for being a little on the higher end of things and they haven’t had a chance to compete yet.

    JCP (or whatever they’re called now) had their chance. Bounce ’em.

    Macy’s I could go either way… I’ve shopped in their brick and mortar because they have two separate 9-floor stores each within a couple blocks of me (you’ve got to love Chi-town) that are just fun to browse, but even with all of that selection I find myself doing most of my shopping online… from other stores. Especially when they charge me $70 on a $40 pair of Levi’s for the privilege of leaving my home… on second thought, bounce ’em!

  18. Kevin says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:28 PM

    I also disagree with kicking BR. I just got 3 blazers, and received compliments on them.

  19. Joe Colucci says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:33 PM

    Lands’ End Canvas has to be out from last year, yeah? The line is pretty much dead, and their offerings were pretty weak even for the couple years before that. Lands’ End might be a contender in its own right, but I doubt they’d get far. Much too easy to look like absolute crap.

    Of those listed here, H&M seems like a definite yes – they fill both the JCPenney and Zara niches pretty well, and having an online store is a huge boost. That said, I’d boot JCPenney (not great now, and unlikely to ever get better), and I’ve never seen the point of Zara. Way trendy – they don’t have good enough or consistent enough basics to really compete with Gap.

    Express won’t get my vote against much of anyone, but they’ve got a good enough history to be worth including.

    Would love to see Massimo Dutti compete – I love their look – but don’t think they have the presence or demonstrated influence on style in general to be in the same tier as the rest of the contestants.

  20. Joe Colucci says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:36 PM

    Oh, and drop Macy’s. In the era of Amazon, department stores aren’t worth much. (Le roi est mort, vive le roi.)

  21. Brock says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:37 PM

    Yeah, plus their Aiden chinos are the best fitting chinos I’ve ever bought. Slim, straight with a little taper. Perfect.

  22. DrBenji says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:42 PM

    Can we kick the locution “recievied compliments” too?

  23. easyenough says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:43 PM

    I pulled my Massimo tie out of a pile of 30+ ties for an interview the other day. Great hand, subtle but rich weave. They have some nice things. When I’m traveling and missing something I’ll stop into an H&M for a cheap fix. Not interested in the rest of these.

  24. Adam says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:48 PM

    Maybe @Joe should do a Shoe Store Wars – 2014 next? That would definitely get some traffic.

  25. Adam says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:49 PM

    I wear a $10 H&M hoodie practically every night, but I would never buy one of their poly sport coats. Too cropped (even for me), and super cheap material/construction.

  26. Adam says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:50 PM

    Let’s not forget that JCP still has the Stafford line of suit separates (sub-$250) and Macy’s has Dockers Alpha khakis (usually on sale). Express has the best socks. 😛

  27. Officer Rex Bishop says

    March 12, 2014 at 1:55 PM

    I may just have a strange body but the jacket hits me right in the curled fingers. I got a linen one for $20, it’s a good beater.

  28. Officer Rex Bishop says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:00 PM

    It’s been years since I bought a 1MX shirt but I thought they were of poor quality. Guaranteed to rip in the elbows.

  29. David says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:01 PM

    Vehemently disagree. Discovered their Tailored Slim Fit dress shirts and haven’t looked back since. Very few shirts fit me as well as their TSF shirts off the rack, not to mention their constant promotion coupon sales!

  30. David says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:05 PM

    I love going into the Club Monaco stores, dunno what it is about their stores. But it ends there. It’s so expensive that I never buy anything. Great for window shopping though!

  31. Tish says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:10 PM

    Anyone have any experience with the tux from JC Penney? Looks like they have a Stafford version and J Ferrara (slim) in the clearance section – for around $200 all in. Curious on fit/ quality?

  32. Phil Davis says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:25 PM

    I’d love to see who’s made the cut so far, but to tell you the truth, of all the stores on the bubble, I’ve only actually purchased something at one (Macy’s) during the past year, and two (Macy’s and JCPenney) ever. Only reason I went to Macy’s was that they’re one of the only places I can find a blazer my size (46 – 48L). Otherwise, if they weren’t around, I’d be unaffected.

    Of the rest on the list, H&M looks like an intriguing inclusion, though they seem to put off a vibe of carrying only sleeveless rock shirts and plastered-on pants. I assume that’s not only what they sell, right?

  33. Furious Styles says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:29 PM

    I gotta vouch for Express and H&M. Lots of products at Express are logo-free, and their spring/summer blazers are worth the sale price. H&M has done me well for cardigans and their Easy Iron shirts can be had for a steal and, when under a suit, do just fine.

    Both of these stores allow me to get the look without breaking the bank. I don’t plan on bequeathing clothes to my grandkids.

  34. Jake says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:33 PM

    Agreed. I wait around for the end of season sales. They mark the entire site down 40% off. I would buy way more of their stuff if I could afford it. Great looking clothing.

  35. Phil Nguyen says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:45 PM

    My vote is to boot H&M & Zara as far as business attire goes. If we’re talking casual wear then I say keep them around as I think some cheap basics can be found at both stores.

  36. Li says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:46 PM

    their promo games can be annoying (as is the case seen today). but if you get a grip on their strategy and strike the right sale, it can be very good. and if you have their credit card, you can get some leather jackets and suits for unbeatable prices. they have fairly good fits for this price range, and solid designs (some stuff is stupid but who cares).

  37. Li says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:47 PM

    agree about billy reid and club monaco, not good valuewise.

  38. Li says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:53 PM

    massimo dutti has some gems, but some stuff is too trendy and can be perceived as tacky. worse part is that they only run sales at the end of a season. and one time i tried in-store price adjustment they refused to do so, stating that they are new to the US market and is still learning their ways..

  39. Dan Lish says

    March 12, 2014 at 2:59 PM

    If Joe did decide to hold a “Shoe Store Wars”, he might as well just give the title to Allen Edmonds from the get go.

  40. Tod C says

    March 12, 2014 at 3:01 PM

    H&M and Zara of those should be in although H&M should be first as I do have better luck there. Banana Republic should be out.

  41. economessed says

    March 12, 2014 at 3:05 PM

    I live here in a clothing desert. Macy’s would have to get my up vote only because it’s the only store besides JCPuny in the area. Jesus Christ!Penny is like a fancy Goodwill out here. Please oh please get a Nordstrom out here fast!

  42. rohmen says

    March 12, 2014 at 3:06 PM

    I would say leave Macy’s on because they still carry some decent brands as far as dress clothing is concerned, and they often run pretty decent sales on those brands. I’ve picked up a great Calvin Klein dress rain coat and a pair of Allen Edmonds dress shoes at a great price. Also, if you’re patient, they run great deals on Levis that will beat even the prices you see on the internet.

    The rest could go with no impact to me. I haven’t purchased an item from zara, h&m or the others mentioned in years (or ever in some cases), and outside of the JCP items that came out (which I liked the looks of, but never went for in the end), I can’t remember the last time I wanted to go to a JC Penny’s outside of using it to cut through to get to another part of a mall.

  43. Adam says

    March 12, 2014 at 3:22 PM

    Nice! I’ve only seen the poly/cotton ones around here.

  44. Adam says

    March 12, 2014 at 3:23 PM

    It’s been a few years for me as well. I used to wear them daily, but all ripped at the elbows, too. I wear BR tailored slim fits now exclusively.

  45. Patrick Snyder says

    March 12, 2014 at 3:30 PM

    Have the shoebank as a separate entity. Should at least give them some competition.

  46. Siepi says

    March 12, 2014 at 3:41 PM

    I’d disagree about Club Monaco; in my eyes, they’re J. Crew, if J. Crew were owned by a major corporation (Ralph Lauren). Yeah, you have to play the sale game, but isn’t that sort of the point of this website, finding deals? Furthermore, who pays full retail for J. Crew?

    Billy Reid is perhaps prohibitively expensive, and putting it in the competition may invite too many debates about what defines “value”. We might end up with a bracket full of SF brands.

  47. Rob F. says

    March 12, 2014 at 3:44 PM

    Amen! Despite giving them multiple tries, I rarely find anything of theirs that I prefer to J Crew Factory. The fit is just not as good off the rack.

  48. David says

    March 12, 2014 at 4:21 PM

    Sad that L.E.C. just ain’t the same no more…

  49. tml says

    March 12, 2014 at 4:41 PM

    No way. BR is Kentucky or Duke. They get the benefit of the doubt unless they give the committee too many reasons to keep them out.

  50. Jonathan says

    March 12, 2014 at 4:46 PM

    H&M should definitely compete. As a freshman college student their prices are fantastic. I get button-down shirts from $15-$25, canvas sneakers for $20 and their pants for $30. Their pants, I found usually need tailoring which is no big deal. H&M should be in the store wars competition for this year.

  51. Raul Justiniano says

    March 12, 2014 at 6:55 PM

    What about originalpenguin.com. They have some very nice shirts and some good looking chinos.

  52. Brailleyard says

    March 12, 2014 at 7:22 PM

    So Billy Reid is definitely on the upper end of (un?) reasonable at full price – a Rustin Blazer (I think it won the blue blazer heirarchy) retails for ~$695, however, when those bad boys go on sale, they drop by around $200 initially, then again by $100, all with these intermittent 20% off purchase-codes sprinkled in along the way.

    So if you get lucky ( as I think you can consistently do) you can pull a half-canvassed designer blazer for 260+tax.

    As a side note – I tend to thumbs up Billy Reid because I live in a city with one of their stores -and that experience is unbelievable. largely because they haven’t franchised to the level of J.Crew. This means that they’ll call/email you personally (as they did me) when they’re doing some of those obscene warehouse sales….during which the blazers drop to $150….

    All this goes to say yeah….they’re probably not legal competitors on the store wars, but they should DEFINITELY be on dappered – because they give common guys a shot at uncommon fashion.

  53. Dominic says

    March 12, 2014 at 7:52 PM

    Kick BR. I walk in and walk out. Same bland clothes for years now.

  54. Michael Z says

    March 12, 2014 at 10:07 PM

    H&M is definitely in for me. It may not be the best in quality, but I find myself picking up trendier pieces there every now and then.

  55. LaMar says

    March 12, 2014 at 10:30 PM

    I would vote for H&M myself. Also, any particular reason UNIQLO isn’t on the bubble? I’ve heard good things about their OCBDs and polos at least. L.E.C. almost reminds of the UNLV teams of the early ’90s, they burned so bright so fast and then *poof* never heard from again…

  56. Jano says

    March 12, 2014 at 11:50 PM

    I ordered my first pair of OCBDs and socks from them this week. Waiting to see how they fit and feel.

  57. Jano says

    March 12, 2014 at 11:54 PM

    I have about four 1MX shirts from Express laying around. Decent cut but otherwise poor quality. May just unload them onto eBay since I rarely wear them now.

  58. Jano says

    March 13, 2014 at 12:02 AM

    Strongly disagree with this. While I can understand the coupon frustration, it is pretty easy to figure out how/when they will appear. Lazy consumer. Get a credit card with them and you can get some great deals. Amazing chino’s, sweaters, lux polo’s, and blazers. Have had really good results with a few pairs of shoes I purchased. Not sure where you are getting the declining quality from. Compared to a few items I have from them that are over 5 years old, I feel the items from the past 2-3 years are much better.

  59. Jano says

    March 13, 2014 at 12:04 AM

    My perspective is that I wouldn’t step foot into a JCPenny or Express anymore. Possibly Macy’s but haven’t bought anything there in years.

  60. Brent says

    March 13, 2014 at 12:31 AM

    Discontinue the JCP line which was the best they had.

  61. Brent says

    March 13, 2014 at 12:31 AM

    Coupon games try jcpenney for confusing pricing and coupons

  62. BJ McGeever says

    March 13, 2014 at 6:44 AM

    I get where your coming from. However…I think BR fills a hole in the market, at least for guys like me. For price, they sit comfortably between J Crew Factory and J Crew. I can’t afford to buy JC stuff at full price or even 25% off. It’s only those 40%-off-sale-section stuff that I can buy. I love JCF for their casual shirts and Thompson blazers, but the rest of their stock leaves a lot to be desired, especially their pants. That’s where BR comes in. Even though you have to be patient and play the coupon game, there’s still lots worth purchasing. Personally, I think they have the perfect cost/quality ratio for pants. I can get chinos for $30 and wool dress pants for $40-50 in fits much slimmer than JCF’s.

  63. BJ McGeever says

    March 13, 2014 at 6:45 AM

    At full price, Club Monaco is ridiculous. However, their sale section is extensive and codes regularly bring them down to J Crew sale prices.

  64. Adam says

    March 13, 2014 at 7:22 AM

    Maybe, but I have a J Crew near me to try on, return, etc. Not sure there’s a Club Monaco within hundreds of miles. :/

  65. dougwake says

    March 13, 2014 at 7:28 AM

    From a sentimental perspective, I would love to see JCP get one more run, at least based on what they had been offering (and are currently giving away for pennies on the dollar).

    I received an order from them yesterday containing three merino sweater (two solid Vs, one striped crew), two cotton striped sweaters, three poplin button downs, and their colorblock jacket for a grand total of $98. The current prices they are running equate to highway robbery for anyone paying attention.

    I know I’ve preached the terry sweatshirts here, but the fit on all of these is great. The merino sweaters especially have a great cut and feel to them. at 6’1, 205, I’ve gone for a Large in all of the above and found they fit well. For comparison sake, I usually go for a Large in Banana Republic sweaters and have found the JCPs to actually fit a bit better.

    Kills me that there won’t be more coming, because Wooster really nailed it with that line.

  66. dougwake says

    March 13, 2014 at 7:35 AM

    I’ve actually found that the Stafford suit separates fit me better off the rack than any other option I’ve found, including J. Crew, Banana, etc. Not just relative to price, but overall.

  67. cyrustmybjaz29 says

    March 13, 2014 at 7:47 AM

    their promo games can be annoying (as is the case seen today). but if you get a grip on their strategy and strike the right sale, it can be very good. and if you have their credit card, you can get some leather jackets and suits for unbeatable prices. they have fairly good fits for this price range, and solid designs (some stuff is stupid but who cares

  68. Justin Tessier says

    March 13, 2014 at 11:54 AM

    H&M should be in this year, especially with their expansion into e-commerce. Cheap, stylish stuff. Durability is usually an issue, but it’s a great spot to pick up a unique item, or something you want to try and push your boundaries with due to the low price. If you end up liking the style? Invest in something similar, but higher-end in regards to durability and quality from a different store. I consider H&M to be like a rental shop for expanding my style.

  69. Matt says

    March 14, 2014 at 6:21 AM

    I say JCP out, and H&M in. As much as I’ve gotten some great bargains on nice items from JCP in the last year, I see that happening less and less as time passes. Every single one of the items I bought from JCP were from the Ron Johnson regime, and I don’t see new stuff coming in to replace it that I like. So yeah, last year was great, but the outlook for the new one is not good.

    H&M is new to me, since I’ve never been into a B&M store, but I bought a couple of items from them on sale this year. Honestly I am not mad about the quality, but they may be a good source of affordable basics.

  70. Matt says

    March 14, 2014 at 6:22 AM

    Yes they would be a splurge for me, but a splurge I am seriously considering thanks to Dappered.com I think they definitely deserve a place at the table.

  71. Matt says

    March 14, 2014 at 6:31 AM

    I just discovered the LEC shirts are about as close to my ideal fit as they come, and it’s very difficult for me to find a shirt that fits well due to an 18″ neck. Also I find the regular Lands end cuts are frumpy. So I sincerely hope they keep making the LEC cuts even if they don’t call it a separate brand.

  72. Scott says

    March 14, 2014 at 8:32 AM

    I remember receiving my first order from L.E.C. A few years ago. After trying on the shirt (great fit, style, and quality) and reading the handwritten thank you card, I thought I’d found my new go-to store. Alas, I don’t even check their website anymore.

  73. Mark Williams says

    March 16, 2014 at 12:05 AM

    I think H&M deserves a shot. Their jeans are a *really* great value.

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