Social distance shopping

Parker Post, Staff Writer • April 29, 2020

Pictured in the graphic are the Instagram feeds of Love Lex, Tiger Mist, Urban Outfitters, Free People, Pacsun, The Copper Closet, Topshop, Princess Polly and Showpo.

During this time away from school, I have found myself spending a lot of time online shopping. In case you are in need for some outfits post quarantine, I have compiled a list of shops across four different categories. The shops cover a variety of styles and price points.

Instagram boutiques

During my time at home, my screen time has greatly increased and the majority of that being because of Instagram. Up until this year, I haven’t been someone to shop off of Instagram, but recently my “explore” page is my most visited place on my phone. There are several different boutiques and shops that have their own websites and advertise through social media, and a few of my favorites are, @GreyBandit, @TheCopperCloset and @ShopLoveStreet. These all have a very similar feel as they are all very on trend typical boutique clothes that adjust with the season. Currently, they all are mainly advertising tank tops, skirts and other summer/spring wear. They don’t have a heavy amount of fast fashion and have a lot of more timeless pieces. The pricing for these boutiques range from low to middle of the road. Both LoveStreet and Grey Bandit’s top sellers are in the $20-$40, while the Copper Closet is minorly cheaper with a general range of $20-30 range.

Trendy shops

Similar to the boutiques, there are many stores that have the boutique feel to them, but are also mixed with more fast fashion. These have a different quality and style to them as the boutiques and aren’t fully run off their Instagram. Some of my favorites to shop are Princess Polly, Tiger Mist and ShowPo. Their pieces and styles are higher end fast fashion. They typically have a lot of markdowns, which makes the final prices lower, but items generally range from $30-$60 based on the popularity of the item. These stores are great for getting dresses for a banquet or an event if you are looking for unique and trendy pieces.

Retail stores

Two of my favorite retail chains to shop online while their in-person stores are closed are Urban Outfitters and TopShop. Both of these stores have cute and on trend clothing, but at a higher quality and are good for getting pieces that will last for a while, not just for one occasion. These are online shops that are also physical stores, unlike most other online stores. They are less of fast fashion and more long lasting trends. Other stores similar to these in quality are PacSun, Free People and clothes from the different brands of Nordstrom. These stores are constantly updating their stock because they have a higher number of customers shopping at their stores. Their prices are generally between $50-$150 depending on the store and what type of pieces you purchase, but they last long enough to make this price reasonable.

Cheap and trendy

These last few stores are known for their very low prices, but occasionally bad quality. Some of the stores in this category are Zaful, Romwe and Shein. These stores contain fast fashion, clothes that are currently on trend, and may not be for long, similar style to the trendy shops, but at much lower prices. A lot of the items from these places are decent quality considering their price, but it is a hit or miss on whether you will get a good item or a bad quality and unwearable item. Their price range is generally from around $5-$15. I would recommend these stores for swimsuits and specific pieces, but not necessarily a lot of substantial and high quality items. With these sites, you pretty much get what you pay for, but sometimes are surprised with better quality.

About the Contributors

Parker Post, Editor-In-Chief

Parker Post is skipping into her senior year and third year on staff with a whole lot of excitement and an equal amount of fear of peaking in high school, both a result of her need to make this year her best one yet. Post loves all things pink and sparkly and spends every second with her five best friends (shoutout to "My Friends ring emoji"). Throughout her years of high school, she has mastered power naps, talking an ear off, and creating hundreds of unfinished projects that have all now extended their deadline to “at some point in my life”. She looks forward to continuing the power duo in working alongside the UIL state writing princess, don’t fact check that, Lindsey Hughes as the Editors-In-Chief and leaving their legacy behind in their final year on staff.

Shae Daugherty, Section Editor

It’s Daug·herty, /Dortee/, Daugherty. It’s not that hard. Coaches never get it wrong, and that may have been what drove her to sports photography in the first place. When she isn’t leaving sticky notes all over the newsroom, she’s in the heart of the sideline with a few cameras and a small bag of SD cards. She spends nearly all her time with the Sideline Team, causing trouble or residing in the studio. Her favorite part of football season is the two hours before any game, when the photographers go to dinner, or at least they try to. Shae’s sustained many injuries during her five year run as a sports photographer due to her inability to see players charging at her. Ironically, the Photo Editor is legally blind, and will crack numerous blind jokes, at the disapproval of one Benjamin Nopper. Her goal this year is for The Red Ledger to finally win the Pacemaker, and nothing will stand in her way. Coming in right at 5’10”, she certainly doesn’t need heels, but she wouldn’t be caught dead without them. Let her leave you with this one piece of advice–keep your heels, head and standards high.