Companies and Brands
10 Stores Like Express: Best Alternatives and Affordable Options
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Growing up, whenever I wanted a fancy dress or “mature” outfit to wear to class, I would always dream of going to Express (though my college bank account could not afford it, what with the unpaid internships and occasional restaurant hostess income).
According to Express’s website, “We are a fashion-forward apparel brand and style community whose purpose is to create confidence and inspire self-expression. From wardrobe essentials to the latest trends, we outfit doers, makers, movers, and shakers with clothing designed for real-life versatility. At Express, we believe that everyone should dream big and dress accordingly.”
This fast-fashion brand offers reasonably-priced clothing to young professionals who might not be able to afford business attire elsewhere. Not only that, but it also boasts various types of apparel, from shoes and accessories to activewear and party clothes. However, whether you’re looking for something more affordable or more sustainable, you can find a variety of alternative options.
Here are 10 stores like Express.
1. Banana Republic
- Year founded: 1978
- Parent company: Gap Inc.
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California
One of the best alternatives to Express is Banana Republic. This upscale clothing and accessories retailer, which is owned by The Gap Inc., offers a spirit of adventure and luxurious everyday styles at affordable prices. The popular retailer is a great go-to for capsule wardrobe items and mature, well-made clothing that will last through many wears. The shop creates clothing and accessories for women, men, babies, and toddlers.
Similar to Express, Banana Republic is a great place to shop if you’re looking for work-appropriate clothing and sensible pieces. According to the brand, Banana Republic focuses on “delivering modern, versatile pieces designed for a life with no boundaries.”
2. H&M
- Year founded: 1947
- Owner: The Persson family
- Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden
H&M is a multi-national clothing company based in Sweden. This fast fashion brand keeps up with trending styles and offers a wide range of options to its customers, from workout gear to professional attire, including business suits, pants, and work-appropriate dresses and skirts.
Similar to Express, you can find the perfect business casual clothing at H&M. H&M markets itself as a place to discover fashion staples, designer collaborations, wardrobe essentials and accessories, and more — all for an affordable price.
Though a fast fashion retailer, H&M is also attempting to do its part in the sustainability scene. Specifically, the brand noted its commitment to challenging itself to question old assumptions and use more natural resources in its production. According to the company, “We invest in new materials, technology, and business models to drive change in the way we make and remake our products, and how our customers experience fashion and design.”
3. J.Crew
- Year founded: 1983
- Parent company: J.Crew Group
- Headquarters: New York, New York
J.Crew was founded in 1983, but it first started as Popular Club Plan in 1947. Originally, this was a door-to-door business selling women’s apparel at a cheap price. It wasn’t until 1983 that the company re-launched as J.Crew, which originally started as a catalog-only retailer. Now, J.Crew boasts 111 stores in the U.S. alone.
According to its website, “We believe in looking like a million bucks, not spending it — which is why we go the extra mile to source the absolute best fabrics at the most accessible prices.”
J.Crew’s mission is to deliver modern, timeless classics that are made with high-quality materials to help instill confidence in its customers, many of whom are young professionals. Even so, similar to Express, J.Crew doesn’t just offer business casual options to its consumers. You can also find a wide variety of swimsuits, activewear, and trendy party outfits.
4. Gap
- Year founded: 1969
- Parent company: Gap Inc.
- Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Gap is a more casual option when compared to Express, but it achieves a similar goal: to deliver high-quality clothing items at affordable cost. Similar to Express, Gap includes many capsule wardrobe articles that are well-made. The brand also seeks to empower its customers to be as confident and comfortable as possible. Gap provides women’s, men’s, maternity, kids’, and baby clothes, with an emphasis on comfort, classic, and modern attire.
This retailer is also a major proponent of inclusivity, as well as sustainability. According to its website, Gap believes that “when you decide that inclusion isn’t optional, not only do the gaps between us close, but a whole new world of possibilities opens.”
5. ASOS
- Year founded: 2000
- Parent company/owner: Anders Holch Povlsen (largest shareholder)
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
ASOS, which is also on the list of stores like Urban Outfitters, is an online-only fast fashion retailer geared mainly toward young adults. This go-to store is known for its trendy clothing and affordable prices. Similar to Express, ASOS sells a variety of men’s and women’s workwear, from casual dresses and long-line shaped blazers to button-up shirts and affordable suits.
One of the major perks of shopping at ASOS is having access to over 30 sizes. In fact, ASOS commits to providing all sizes at the same price, so no one is left out.
Inclusion is a major part of the brand’s overall mission. According to the brand’s website, “It’s important for us to promote a healthy body image – we’re not about conforming to any stereotypes – so we work with more than 200 models to represent our audience. And we’re not in the business of digitally altering their appearance either… there’s no reshaping or removing stretch marks here. Our models are part of the ASOS family and we support them by following a Model Welfare Policy.”
ASOS is a great brand to support, and you can pay reasonable prices for unique, everyday attire.
6. Reformation
- Year founded: 2009
- Parent company: Permira
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California
Reformation is a sustainable brand that sells both clothing and accessories. Due to its high-quality items and focus on sustainability, the brand tends to be more expensive than most others on this list. That being said, if you’re looking for a more sustainable alternative to Express and can afford to pay a steeper price, Reformation is a great place to shop.
Before expanding into a full-blown brand that made its own items, Reformation first started as a small Los Angeles storefront that sold vintage clothing. The brand’s mission is to create sustainable attire that empowers femininity.
“We make everything from low-impact materials, rescued deadstock fabrics, and repurposed vintage clothing. Ref products are designed, shot, and shipped at our facilities in Los Angeles. We also make some of our stuff in our LA factory, and the rest at sustainable partner factories around the world. We get to know all of our partners, so we can answer “who made our clothes” at every level of the supply chain, and ensure positive environmental and social impacts of our stuff.”
Rather than launching hundreds of pieces a day, as many fast fashion brands do, Reformation puts out new limited-edition collections weekly, starting with small quantities. Then, based on feedback and data, the store will decide whether to make more of a certain product. That way, they’re not wasting material or overproducing a specific style.
7. REVOLVE
- Year founded: 2003
- Owners: Michael Mente and Michael Karanikolas
- Headquarters: Cerritos, California
REVOLVE‘s target audience includes both Millennials and Generation Z consumers. This premium lifestyle brand delivers products that align with consumer needs and trends. Similar to Express, the brand boasts many business casual outfits, from blazers and dresses to skirts and pumps.
While Revolve is considered a fast fashion brand, the company has been making strides toward sustainability, as well as supporting diversity, inclusion, and other important social causes. In fact, according to its website, “The key pillars of our social impact agenda are sustainability, diversity and inclusion, supply chain and community. As a company that is continuously innovating and constantly learning about impacts, we expect to realize continuous progress in the years ahead.”
Shopping at REVOLVE helps support these important goals.
8. Madewell
- Year founded: 1937
- Parent company: J.Crew Group
- Headquarters: New York, New York
If you’re looking for quality fabrics, sustainable materials, and affordable prices, Madewell is a great option for you. Offering both men’s and women’s fashion items, this brand accommodates a variety of styles, from those seen on TikTok trends to “cool classics.” There’s also a wide variety of clothing types available to customers, including activewear, matching sets, jumpsuits, and overalls. As for business attire, you can find office outfitting dresses and classic accessories to help you feel your most confident in the workplace (even if that’s just your home office).
According to Madewell, “We work hard so that you can look effortless, with a focus on the kind of cool (and the kind of quality) that lasts. Count on us for refreshingly unfussy pieces you can wear again and again.”
At Madewell, you’ll receive classics that are “made well.” The store’s quality is arguably better than Express, which is a fast-fashion brand. If you have the budget to shop at this sustainable alternative, you’ll likely find your items last much longer than Express’s. So even though prices might be higher, you won’t have to purchase replacements as quickly.
9. Nordstrom
- Year founded: 1901
- Owner: The Nordstrom family
- Headquarters: Seattle, Washington
Nordstrom has long been a reliable source of luxury clothing and well-made attire. This department store chain might be a little more expensive than others on this list, but its brand also offers Nordstrom Rack, which sells many of the same clothing items at discounted prices.
Nordstrom, Inc. began as a small Seattle shoe store in 1901 and has since become a leading fashion retailer for men, women, and kids. According to Nordstrom’s website, “We believe fashion is a business of optimism, and in that spirit, we continue to grow and evolve.”
In comparison to Express, Nordstrom offers similar clothing and styles with much better quality — oftentimes for a similar price.
10. Ann Taylor
- Year founded: 1954
- Parent company: KnitWell Group
- Headquarters: New York, New York
Ann Taylor is a women’s clothing store chain that sells high-quality, fashion-forward attire to career-driven individuals. While Express is known for its array of business casual and work outfits for both men and women, Ann Taylor is geared toward just women. In fact, according to the store’s LinkedIn page:
“Ann Taylor outfits the modern American woman so she’s ready-for-work and ready-for-anything in timeless, tailored style. True to our American sportswear heritage, we blend the best of sophisticated style with unparalleled quality and fit to meet the needs of our customers — through all the moments that matter.”
If you want to show up to work as a confident businesswoman, Ann Taylor is the place to shop.
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