I made a terrible financial decision last week. Wandering through the mall after a haircut, I ended up at Banana Republic because they had one of those “40% off everything” signs that somehow always make me forget basic math. Two hours and $200 later, I walked out with a merino sweater that I probably didn’t need and a weird amount of guilt about shopping at what I used to consider “basic” stores.
But here’s the thing – and this took me way too long to figure out – Gap Inc. brands (that’s Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic for those keeping track) actually make some genuinely good stuff. You just have to know what to look for, because they also make a lot of garbage that falls apart after three washes.
I’ve been shopping these stores on and off for about five years now, ever since I realized that building a decent wardrobe on a marketing coordinator salary meant getting strategic about where I spent money. Sometimes you need the $300 shirt from a heritage brand, but sometimes – and this might shock the menswear purists – a $30 shirt from Gap does exactly the same job.
The problem is that these stores don’t make it easy to figure out what’s worth buying. They’ll put a decent oxford cloth button-down right next to some polyester nightmare that looks similar but feels like wearing a plastic bag. The key is learning to spot the good stuff, which honestly took me more trial and error than I’d like to admit.
Let me start with Gap, since it’s sort of the middle child of the three brands. I’ve probably bought more stuff from Gap than I care to admit, mostly because there’s one right by my office and I have zero impulse control during lunch breaks. Their basic t-shirts are actually pretty solid – I’ve got a few of their vintage wash tees that I bought two years ago and they still look decent after countless washes. The fit is consistent, which you can’t say about every brand, and they don’t shrink into crop tops like some cheaper alternatives.
Their denim is where Gap really shines though. I know, I know – raw denim enthusiasts just rolled their eyes so hard they saw their own brains. But their 1969 line, particularly the Japanese selvedge options when they have them, punch way above their price point. I’ve got a pair of their straight selvedge jeans that cost me $80 on sale and honestly look better with age than some $200 pairs I’ve owned. The key is sticking to their classic fits and avoiding anything with weird washes or excessive distressing.
Gap’s button-down shirts are hit or miss. Their oxford cloth ones can be decent – I’ve got a white one that’s held up well for about three years of regular wear. But their dress shirts are usually pretty terrible, with cheap-feeling fabric and inconsistent sizing. Learned that lesson the hard way when I bought three “identical” shirts online and they all fit completely differently.
Old Navy is where things get interesting, because they’re basically the discount version of Gap but sometimes they accidentally make something great. Their basic chinos are genuinely good for the price – I picked up a pair in olive for $20 during one of their constant sales and they’ve become a regular part of my rotation. The fit is decent, the fabric has some weight to it, and they don’t look obviously cheap.
Their t-shirts are solid too, though you have to stick to the basic crew necks and avoid anything with graphics or weird cuts. I bought a pack of their soft-washed tees last summer for working out and ended up wearing them as regular shirts because they felt better than some designer basics I owned. Sometimes the best discoveries happen by accident.
But Old Navy also makes some truly awful stuff. Their dress shirts are terrible – thin, cheap-feeling fabric that wrinkles if you look at it wrong. Most of their sweaters feel synthetic even when they claim to be cotton blends. And their jeans, while cheap, usually look it. There’s definitely a “you get what you pay for” element, but occasionally you get more than you paid for, which makes it worth checking out.
Banana Republic is where I’ve had the most success, probably because they’re positioned as the “premium” option in the Gap family. Their merino sweaters are actually really good – I’ve got a few that I bought over the years and they’ve held up well with proper care. The wool feels quality, they don’t pill excessively, and the fits are consistent across colors and styles.
Their chinos deserve special mention because they’re probably the best value in that category from any mainstream brand. The Aiden fit works well for my body type, the fabric has a nice weight to it, and they come in enough colors to build a solid rotation. I probably own six pairs at this point, accumulated over a couple years of sales. At full price they’re overpriced, but at 40% off (which happens constantly), they’re competitive with much more expensive options.
The wool trousers from Banana Republic are surprisingly good too. I bought a pair in charcoal for job interviews about three years ago and they still look professional despite regular wear. The fabric wrinkles less than some pants I’ve owned that cost twice as much, and they actually fit properly off the rack, which is rare for someone with my proportions.
Their button-down shirts are decent but not amazing. Better than Gap, not as good as dedicated shirt makers, but fine for casual Fridays or weekend wear. I’ve found their non-iron dress shirts useful for travel, even though “non-iron” is clearly marketing speak for “slightly less wrinkled than usual.”
Here’s what I’ve learned about shopping these brands effectively: timing is everything. All three have sales constantly, so buying anything at full price is basically throwing money away. Sign up for their email lists if you can tolerate the spam, because they’ll alert you to the actually good sales versus the fake ones.
Also, stick to basics. These brands do plain white t-shirts, basic chinos, and simple sweaters really well. But their attempts at trendy pieces or complex designs usually fall flat. That weird color-blocked hoodie or the jeans with seventeen different washes? Skip them. The plain navy merino sweater or the straightforward khaki chinos? Those are probably going to serve you well.
Quality control can be inconsistent, especially at Old Navy. I’ve learned to order multiple sizes of the same item if I’m shopping online, because sizing can vary even within the same style. And always check return policies – I’ve had to return stuff that looked fine online but felt cheap in person.
The other thing worth mentioning is that these brands are great for experimentation. Want to try a new color or style but not sure if it’ll work? A $25 shirt from Gap is a much lower-risk way to test it than a $100 shirt from somewhere else. I’ve discovered some of my favorite colors and fits by being willing to experiment with cheaper options first.
That said, there are definitely categories where you shouldn’t shop these stores. Formal wear is usually terrible – I made the mistake of buying a blazer from Banana Republic once and it looked like I was wearing a cardboard box. Their shoes are universally awful. And anything that requires precise tailoring or premium materials is better sourced elsewhere.
But for building a foundation wardrobe of basics that you can mix and match with nicer pieces? These stores are actually pretty solid options. My closet is probably 30% Gap Inc. stuff mixed with pieces from much more expensive brands, and honestly, most people can’t tell the difference when everything’s styled together properly.
The key insight I’ve had after years of shopping these brands is that they’re tools, not destinations. They’re not going to give you that perfectly curated wardrobe that menswear blogs talk about, but they can provide solid basics that let you allocate budget toward statement pieces that actually matter. Sometimes the best purchase isn’t the most exciting one – it’s the boring navy sweater that goes with everything and lasts for years.
My biggest regret is probably all the money I wasted early on buying their experimental or trendy pieces instead of sticking to basics. That geometric print shirt seemed interesting in the store but I wore it maybe twice. The overdyed jeans looked cool but faded weird after a few washes. But the plain white oxford shirt I bought on the same shopping trip? Still wearing it three years later.
I guess what I’m saying is don’t write these stores off completely, but shop them strategically. Know what they do well, stick to those categories, and always wait for sales. Your wallet will thank you, and honestly, your closet probably won’t suffer for it.
Jacob’s a Chicago marketing guy still figuring out his look one outfit at a time. His writing is honest, funny, and self-aware—sharing the hits, misses, and lessons learned while building an adult wardrobe that actually feels like him.
