New Hollister Fall/Winter Styles

To follow up the post on American Eagle's new styles, I decided to go ahead and show off the new Hollister styles.  To start off, Hollister is releasing lots of new flannels, dubbed the Clobberstones Flannel Shirt.  Next up are some new jackets, consisting of the Hollywood and Ormond Beach jackets.

For long-sleeve tees, Hollister is releasing two new Huntington Beach Tee styles, coming in a gray with orange detailing and a blue with lime green detailing, along with two new Henley styles.  Those are the Abalone Cove and Royal Palms Beach henleys, coming in ten different color options combined.

If you're looking for something warm to pull over a tee, two new hoodies (Dockweiler Beach and Capistrano Beach) coming in 19 colors combined, and a new Cabrillo Beach Sweater in eight colors, have been added.

Other notable additions include three new styles each of Hollister Classic and Hollister Skinny Sweatpants and the So Cal Scarf, coming in red and blue and green and blue.

Although relatively expensive, the styles themselves are good, and I think that Hollister is making a good release for the upcoming cold.  Highlights for me are the new henleys, the new Dockweiler Beach Hoodies (I like the simple look), the colorful flannels, and the scarfs.

Now for the pictures...

Hollister

Hollister vs. Abercrombie & Fitch

So what's the real difference between Hollister and Abercrombie and Fitch?  Besides the price, pretty much nothing.  I have found both to be of good quality, and if you compare the products that both carry at a given time, they are practically the same.  I'll use the Hollister Harbor Beach Sweater and the A&F Schofield Cobble Sweater as an example.  Look at the two below:

Big difference?  Not really.  Besides the price.  The Hollister sweater costs $44.50, and the Abercrombie equivalent costs $68, nearly a 50% markup.

So why is this price difference?  Pretty much the only reason is image.  Hollister and Abercrombie are both owned by the same company, and target young college kids and teens.  For that target market, the clothes they sell represent a preppy image.  Abercombie is just a way to target a more high-end market, even though the clothes aren't any different.  It's all in the logo stitched on the chest.  I guess the moose costs more than the seagull.

If I shop at one of these, I usually stick with Hollister, or shop clearance at Abercrombie.  Why get the same thing at a higher price?

Hollister Skinny Chinos

It's beginning to get cooler, and that means it's time to start shopping warmer clothing, including long pants.  That doesn't mean you need to trade off the bright colors of summer for warmth though.  Hollister's skinny chinos come in six different colors, including blue, turquoise, and lime green.  If you can pull of the color, these will be a great addition to your wardrobe.  I personally purchased the blue and lime green chinos, and love them.  They have a comfortable fit; almost a slim fit as opposed to a skinny fit.  Not into the vivid colors?  No worries, they also come in a light stone khaki, dark khaki, and black.  If you need any more reason to check out these pants, I'll give it to you:  These chinos, in all 6 colors, only cost $25 for a limited time at Hollister.  The cheapest chinos besides these that I have seen is around $35 or $40, so I just had to buy these when I saw them for $25.  My suggestion:  If you're not sure about the colors, but are looking for a good pair of chinos, grab yourself a pair of the khakis, and see how you like the fit and the pant itself, then decide on the other colors.I'm not always into Hollister, but I just couldn't pass up these chinos, and I had to share!

Hollister - It Just Isn't What it Used to Be

I used to love Hollister when I was younger.  The solid polo-style shirts, button-down shirts and flannels, and khakis still get pulled out of my closet every now and then, but the brand's image is making me steer away from it more and more.  Now, wherever I turn, I see young boys with Hollister tees featuring logos such as "Hollister California Surf Team," "Hollister Co. Wave League," and "Hollister 22 Wave Watch."  I understand that Hollister tries to capture a youthful look, but the graphic tees that seem to be every 12-year-old boys closet give it a reputation as a brand for a younger consumer.

A comparable company that seems to be doing a better job with reaching the young adult market is American Eagle.  For casual clothing I tend to steer more towards American Eagle than my childhood favorite, Hollister.  I'll still continue to wear the Hollister clothes that I own, and I may even pick up certain things from them on sale, but I don't think I would ever pay full price again.  Not until they change their target market and move away from the elementary graphic tee look.