<p>This thread is hilarious.</p>
<p>Midwestmom, I had no idea. :)</p>
<p>^^you know what they say back home " save a horse, ride a cowboy"
;)</p>
<p>but I think it is a copout to use sex to sell clothes, peanut butter, cars or anything else except for what is directly related, like maybe condoms or other birth control devices.</p>
<p>When I look at a catalog, I want to see how the clothes fit the model-catalogs that just have the clothes flat- may be cheaper to publish, but doesn’t tell me much.</p>
<p>Catalogs that don’t even show the clothes- but just " an effect" that the purchaser may want the clothes ( or car) to have, don’t help a bit.</p>
<p>I like the patagonia catalogs that show the clothes in action, often of customers.</p>
<p>A & F is totally different- IMO, because for years, they would not only have offensive catalogs but would sell t-shirts with slogans that were offensive and then pull them ( after a great deal of publicity), saying " oh, gee, we are sorry".</p>
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<p>That’s how the UO catalog is. Full page of a naked girl pulling on a sock and they aren’t even selling the sock. Small pictures of clothes that are hard to see, prices virutally impossible to read…I guess a girl is just supposed to glance through it and think “I want to look like them…” and go to the store.</p>
<p>As fate would have it, I got the UO catalog today, along with the Victoria’s Secret one. Looked through the UO catalog, and for the life of me, what on earth about the catalog would make me want to buy anything from them, perhaps other than some shoes that they show alone, and well-lit so I can actually see what they look like (some are kind of cute). And yes, on one of the girls, you can see her nipples through the shirt she has on. Yea, that’s exactly the look I’m going for when I’m thinking of a birthday present for my almost 20-year old.
:rolleyes:</p>
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<p>That’s because they use female linebackers in those catalogs! Seriously, I received the Athleta catalog yesterday, and those models are sure strapping.</p>
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<p>That’s precisely the point – their catalog is not aimed at you. Actually, I thought it was interesting how much they steal from the contemporary art/photography world. They’re selling a certain attitude in the catalog rather than specific items of clothing, I think.</p>
<p>ok, but many, many clothes purchases are made by these girls’ parents, especially as UO is more expensive than say, Gap or Kohl’s, etc. I am always looking on websites and in catalogs for clothes for my kids. One’s a J. Crew kid, and the other is more along the lines of UO and Anthropologie. Both are expensive, so I usually save buying something from them for special occasions. My kids (young adults) don’t have that kind of money to spend on clothes.</p>
<p>Seems like I’m arriving in this thread after some posts have been deleted???</p>
<p>FWIW, when A&F started their “soft porn” look/advertising/catalogs, D was about at the age when having their clothes was the in thing. I refused to set foot in the store and refused to let her wear any of their stuff. To this day she won’t wear any of their clothes. H & I remember when A&F was this staid store full of conservative clothes, leather frames, etc, etc.</p>
<p>“H & I remember when A&F was this staid store full of conservative clothes, leather frames, etc, etc.”</p>
<p>During the A&F brouhaha a few years ago one of my great-aunts was horrified, and commented that she couldn’t believe that the nice store where she used to buy camping equipment was selling “such trash.”</p>
<p>While I understand why UO has such a catalog (there whole shtick is edgy, urban, urbane, smarter-than-thou hipster), and they really aim more for the 18+ crowd, I still find it annoying. Show the clothes!</p>
<p>As a mom, I really like the Delia’s catalog. You get to see the actual clothes, and the models look healthy, lively, and like they’ve eaten a balanced meal recently.</p>
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<p>I may be wrong but I think UO’s shopping demographic is young women shopping for themselves. They don’t cater to the Moms of girls (or boys), as this thread confirms. Their merchandise tends more towards trendy, whereas Gap or Kohl’s appeals to adult practicality. Here in the city, UO is packed with young women. Also, they sell lots of trendy, silly dorm stuff, drinking game paraphernalia, dating (sex) books, etc that college kids seem to love (although my D turns her nose up at it). I doubt there are many parents buying drinking accessories for there kids there!</p>
<p>By the way, for those of you with younger children, American Eagle has just launched a new children’s line (available online).</p>
<p>Of course, my most hated teen clothing store is Hollister - lighting so dim that you can’t tell what color the clothes are, music so loud that you’re screaming. The one and only time I bought something for Daughter there, I complained about the loud music and the employee said, “Yeah, lots of people complain about that.” ???</p>
<p>I was thinking the very same thoughts when my daughter’s catalog arrived yesterday - Why is that needed? I couldn’t even see the clothes being advertised and the entire thing was too dark for my “aged” eyes.</p>
<p>You made me look at the catalog. It came in the mail yesterday. Usually I just toss them in the recyling pile. 14 yr old looked at it today. She first asked what store was this. She did not recognize it as urban outfitters. She did say you really can’t tell what the clothes look like and they didn’t seem to be showing much in the way of clothes at all. Plus she felt you could barely read the small print.
Both my girls like Urban Outfitters but feel it is expensive. I think Antropologie is the same owner but supposed to appeal to an older age group.
I hate the music in Abercrombie. We don’t have a Hollister but I like it because the prices are cheaper.
My 14 yr old does not know anyone who would wear much of anything from the Gap. They don’t even like American Eagle that much. But then I live in a town where teen girls think they need 200 dollar jeans.</p>
<p>The way to shop Urban Outfitters is to go online, only look at the sale items and sort from lowest to highest price on the page. Then you can get some really good deals. I check the site often and buy a few things throughout the year to keep for birthdays and Christmas. My D can’t believe Abercrombie used to be where conservative/nerdy adults shopped. </p>
<p>There have been studies that show that loud music causes people to not be able to concentrate and it clouds judgment. Loud music in bars supposedly makes people drink more. I know I’d be willing to just buy something to get out of Hollister or Abercrombie.</p>
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<p>The first UO we were ever in was in Boston - it was just down the street from our hotel. It was late July and most of the store was on clearance. The girls got some cute stuff for not very mich money. It wasn’t until later that I realized how pricey they are.</p>
<p>Urban Outfitters started in the '70s in Philly - not sure if the first store was actually called Urban Outfitters - it may have been a Free People. Anyway, stuff was displayed on wooden packing crates. I have a friend who used to shop there - it was near the University of PA. I shopped at the newer store in Philly in the 80s - still had the warehouse look. I still have a sweater that I bought there in the early 80s. I don’t think the stuff they are selling now would last for over 20 years.</p>
<p>Remember the old Banana Republic? Their stuff was pretty much travel related and their catalogues were all drawn, with a travel theme. I still have a black leather jacket I bought there about 25 years ago…still terrific.</p>
<p>I actually WORKED at the original Abercrombie & Fitch store in downtown Chicago the summer before I started law school. To say it was conservative was an understatement. There weren’t all that many things I even liked, and I was pretty “preppy” at the time. We got old women coming in there for shoes and dresses. When I see the current stores, I have to laugh. </p>
<p>I used to find my self drawn to Urban Outfitters if I happened upon a store, but then I never found anything I wanted to buy! (for me, that is a rarity)</p>
<p>I think Gap goes up and down. Some seasons the items are very unappealing and other times the colors are cute and there are good deals. Right now I think they have some cute things. I also like Old Navy for a cheap “shopping fix”. The stuff isn’t going to last forever, but you can grab some really low-priced things and have that “I have new clothes” feeling.</p>
<p>Yes, Banana Republic was really cool. I have a pair of boots from there that I don’t even know the age, but they are not like anything I have seen since - smooth leather inside and part canvas, part leather outside. I can’t bring myself to throw them out because I have never seen anything else like them.</p>
<p>To delete IlikeBigButtz because someone found the term objectionable and then not delete ILIKEBIGSCHLONGS is the height of hypocrisy. One standard for all? Obviously not.</p>