<p>Um, nobody actually used the name ILIKEBIGSCHLONGS. It was a joke designed to show how offensive the other name was. Oy.</p>
<p>Look, some things are appropriate in this kind of setting; some aren’t. Anyone who can’t see that needs to grow up. After all, this board automatically deletes anything close to an actual expletive. So nobody should be too surprised that a lot of us would find that user name objectionable, and not take seriously anything its owner said (especially when he started pontificating about the moral decay in today’s society, blah blah blah. Talk about unintended irony.)</p>
<p>On the LGBT-oriented message boards where I’m a moderator, every once in a while a crossdresser will join with a user name such as “ILike[insert favorite article of women’s lingerie]” and want to talk about little else. We have to explain that we’re not that kind of message board; we’re basically a place for discussion of family and relationship and work and other life issues – not for making the entire membership an involuntary party to the specifics of one’s sexual turn-ons every time one posts. And that he’d better change his name if he wants anyone to take what he has to say seriously. Presumably, he doesn’t use a name like that as his business email address, or as the one for communicating with his parents or spouse or kids. </p>
<p>Not so different from this situation.</p>
<p>It’s funny to think of prior incarnations of stores – like the Gap, for instance. Anyone remember when they used to just sell jeans? (I think this was the 70’s, and they just sold Levis if memory serves.)</p>
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<p>I keep wondering if “my stores” will age with me. If you go to Ann Taylor Loft in 25 years, will it be full of 75 year old women?</p>
<p>^^^ I hate to tell you, but I heard that Ann Taylor is on the “watch” list of stores about to declare bancruptcy. As is Eddie Bauer.</p>
<p>Banana Republic, in its first incarnation was named after a derogatory name for third world countries, and they sold “safari” type clothes. Hard to imagine that would go over very well today. It’s a good thing they changed their focus!</p>
<p>You will hear my wail if Eddie Bauer goes under. It is one of the few places that carries much of their line in talls. It isn’t as fashionable as I would like, but I’d rather have clothes that fit well.</p>
<p>I understand that Ban Rep has talls as well. Anyone here order tall clothes through them?</p>
<p>RE: stores aging with you - I used to work at a nursing home part time and they offered afternoon entertainment in the dining room. It was basically musicians/singers coming in and singing covers of Frank Sinatra and other “oldies”. I also wondered if in 30+ years in nursing homes they would be offering Rolling Stones & Springsteen songs!</p>
<p>Urban Outfitters Inc consists of UO, Anthropologie, Terrain, and Free People which coincidentally is advertising at the top of this page as I am looking at it. :)</p>
<p>[Urban</a> Outfitters Inc.](<a href=“http://www.urbn.com/]Urban”>http://www.urbn.com/)</p>
<p>Wow, I didn’t know that, but it makes sense. They are brilliant at targeting their niche clientel (although I’m not familiar with Terrain). </p>
<p>Back to the UO catalog— I just received the latest one and agree it is annoying, although I didn’t find it pornographic. They seem to be going for some kind of counter-intuitive marketing tactics (impossible to read, to see the clothes, etc), but I wonder if it will be successful.</p>
<p>Urban Outfitters was started by two friends who went to Lehigh together. One of them went on to Wharton and the venture actually came out of a school project! It was Free People from 1970 until 1976, when they moved and incorporated as Urban Outfitters. I used to shop there years ago, and still occasionally even find something for myself when there with D, who loves the place. Their basic jeans and cords and some of the sweaters are nice. Anthropologie is more my speed now, though. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, I really dislike this kind of advertising. It works, of course, or they wouldn’t do it. It just bothers me because these stores (Urban, Abercrombie, etc.) know that a significant part of their target group is the younger crowd.</p>
<p>I have never set foot in a Hollister…came close and then backed away. Why does it seem like night club ?
And the stench !
They have , along with A&F tried to recruit my daughter to work, while she was sitting with friends on a bench in a mall…seems silly because it was obvious it was for her appearance only…and she doesn’t wear any of their clothes.
I don’t see how a parent can shop in there. My step-daughter wears their clothing , but I have purchased on line.
UO was at one time on their radar , but they don’t seem too interested in it…did anyone ever notice how naughty some of their gifts and books are ???</p>
<p>I think my daughter gets her stuff at Buffalo Exchange or Redlight.
( did you know you can buy from Value Village online?)
[Buffalo</a> Exchange New&Recycled Fashion](<a href=“http://www.buffaloexchange.com/]Buffalo”>http://www.buffaloexchange.com/)</p>
<p>I kinda like UO- the one on Capitol Hill anyway- I went there to get her some flip flops ( don’t call them * thongs, mom*
I was tempted to buy a shirt that said " bombing for peace, is like… for virginity"
but I didn’t.</p>
<p>Apparently it was a brilliant marketing strategy - it made a bunch of middle-aged moms discuss the catalog for a couple of days. An effective ad does not need to sell a particular product (e.g. sock), it has to create awareness of the brand. I was totally clueless what Urban Outfitters was, but now I know!</p>
<p>BunsenBurner, do you have any daughters between the ages of 14 and 25? If so, you likely would know of Urban Outfitters, unless perhaps there are no stores in your region.</p>
<p>soozie, my young ladies think that Macy’s, Limited, and Express have the best clothes! I’m sure Ds know what Urban Outfitters is, but I’ve never heard them talking about it. I know of A&F, but I have never been inside an A&F store.</p>
<p>UO is kinda like what Jay Jacobs could have been if it merged with JeansWest and Miss B’s place ( now the Brass Plum) was more hip</p>
<p>I would have given a lot to have had a store that had clothes that fit me when I was 18.
They didn’t really have petites- or even tiny sizes, and my swabby pants had to be taken in and I did an awful job at it too.
( although I guess Jeanswest was more like Lucky shop- same music & peace symbol jewelry )</p>
<p>I don’t know where you live and if there is an UO near you and that would make a difference too. Also, not sure your girls’ ages. And are you a Dad? Dads often are not as up on the shopping thing. Or it may have to do with what is popular in your area. Not sure. My girls both shop at UO and I’d say that it is a fave of my younger D (who is now 20). The store came to our region when they were in HS and they shopped there then and also during college (both have one near their colleges). They shop at Express some too if looking for something dressy but buy much less from there than Urban. Completely different sort of store, however.</p>
<p>By the way A and F is nothing like Urban Outfitters. My girls used to shop at A and F in high school (this is several years back for us) but have not in college and are not interested in going in that store any longer.</p>
<p>My older D gets some clothing at J Crew. That store is nothing like UO either.</p>
<p>I didn’t know the same company that owns UO also owns Anthropologie. We don’t have that store in our state but we do get that catalogue which seems pricey to me and also not that geared toward selling specific items either (a trend I guess in the catalogues for those two stores)…more like an image. But I was in an Anthropologie store for the first time a few days ago with my D in NYC. It isn’t really like Urban. Urban isn’t really like any of the other stores in our region either.</p>
<p>soozie, I’m a mom (should have picked a name incorporating a “mom”, but on the day I signed up for CC someone cleaning the lab asked me if I needed the old bunsen burner they found in a drawer, so…). The young ladies are 18 and a college grad. Now that EK mentioned it, there is a UO store in Seattle. I will stop by to satisfy my curiosity. I also see a Free People ad at the top of my screen, and that young female in the ad looks like she is suffering from malnutrition.</p>
<p>Sorry on the gender! But if you haven’t heard of Urban Outfitters, it may be due to what is popular clothing in your girls’ circle of peers and so they may have a different “look” that they are into and that would explain why you haven’t shopped with them at Urban. Also what is popular can differ in various regions too. I guess i was surprised only cause both my daughters who are now 20 and 22 have shopped at Urban for at least six years and one of my kids wears a lot from that store. But different trends appeal to different kids and also in different communities.</p>
<p>For example, designer jeans or Juicy Couture are not worn by anyone in our region and are of no interest to my girls but apparently are popular in certain communities.</p>
<p>Kids (both boys and girls) can be very specific about which brands they will be seen in. I’m not sure what the signifiers behind different brands are (there’s an interesting study!), but I bet your son or daughter knows. I used to buy clothes for my now adult son, being fairly astute, or so I thought, about the “look” he liked, but since I was clueless about which brands passed muster (even ones with similar lines), they would end up at the bottom of his closet, never worn. My guess is that a girl who wears A&F would wear JCrew but not UO. Also, A&F is seen as a “suburban” brand by the city kids. My daughter has discovered vintage (read: used), which is also a statement. It’s funny to see her get excited by some of her finds— they look like things I threw out 15 year ago. I should’ve kept all that stuff.</p>