I shopped for spring clothes at Gap and Banana Republic, and I'm not sure I'd go back to either retailer

Terri PetersApr 4, 2024, 21:53 IST

I went shopping for clothes at Gap and Banana Republic. Terri Peters

I shopped for clothes and jewelry at Gap and Banana Republic, and neither retailer impressed me.
I didn't buy anything at either store, but liked Banana Republic's selection of jewelry.

It's been nearly a decade since I shopped at Gap or Banana Republic, but the retailers — both owned by parent company Gap Inc. — have been mall staples for as long as I can remember.

However, after seeing that Gap Inc. closed 350 Gap and Banana Republic locations since 2020 and hired former Mattel executive Richard Dickson to take over as the parent company's CEO, I was curious to see what the retailers were like today.

I recently visited both stores at my local Orlando mall to get a sense of the value each offers. Here's what my experience was like.

I started my shopping trip at Gap.

I hadn't been to Gap in about 10 years.Terri Peters

Gap had a huge selection of denim.

Jeans were on display across the entire Gap store.Terri Peters

Even simple spring tops seemed pricey to me.

I didn't buy any of the spring tops at Gap.Terri Peters

Gap was having a sale, but I didn't think it was a great deal.

The sale at Gap was buy one, get one 50% off.Terri Peters

I thought the jewelry display looked cheap.

Gap's jewelry section had nice pieces, but they didn't look high-quality.Terri Peters

Gap had pretty spring dresses, but they were a bit pricey for my budget.

The dresses at Gap were cute, but I didn't buy them.Terri Peters

Next, I went to Banana Republic.

I assumed Banana Republic would have expensive pieces. Terri Peters

The store had some jeans, but the selection wasn't as large as it was at Gap.

Banana Republic didn't have a huge variety of jeans.Terri Peters

I really liked Banana Republic's camisoles but didn't buy any of them.

I thought the silk camisoles at Banana Republic were expensive.Terri Peters

I found only one item on sale in the entire store.

I didn't think the markdown on the wool coat was that great.Terri Peters

The jewelry display was beautiful, but I'd rather shop at a small business.

The jewelry selection at Banana Republic was full of unique pieces.Terri Peters

I found Banana Republic's casual dresses to be a little pricey.

I was surprised to see the price of a casual-looking dress at Banana Republic.Terri Peters

At the end of the day, neither store really impressed me.

I couldn't get on board with the prices at Banana Republic or Gap.Terri Peters

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