American Apparel

All political things aside. Just horrible horrible customer service.
You can barely find any of the workers, when you do find them, they are just sitting around talking amongst themselves.
Which I feel is reasonable if the store is empty, but it was not.
Then one of the sales women got very pushy and rude. «Are you ready to buy or what?» while I was looking at some items.
Then just proceeded to walk away.
To add insult to injury, they forgot to take the tags off my items.
As for clothes, I like their basics, they’re good to go to when they have a sale. I like the bras, so I come for them. The store is a bit of a disaster layout wise, which isn’t something that bothered me.
I wish the experience was just a tad bit better, but I guess they have the reputation they do for a reason.

Ugh.
I’ve stopped into American Apparel a few times since I love leggings as much as the next girl, but never liked anything enough to buy it.
This fall, I needed a plain tank or leotard for a Halloween outfit, which I assumed would be the kind of thing I could buy here. I checked in a couple times and didn’t see anything.
Then, I went online and found an item that looked like what I wanted. I didn’t want to buy it online since there was a shipping fee and the website made it clear all sales were final. Seriously? Anyway.
The website did give me the option to check in-​store availability and I saw this location had the item I wanted, but in a size M (I assumed I’d be a S). No problem– I’d at least try it on and then I could buy a small online.
So today I go to the store and I can’t find this leotard thing, so I ask a couple of employees who are chatting about it – I have the item number so I assume they can look it up in a system. One girl goes to the dressing room to look for it and the other says she’ll check the computer. A few minutes go by and they have each moved on to other tasks. So I look the item up on my phone, get frustrated, and neither girl proactively tries to help. I ask, «So you guys don’t have it?» and show one the photo on their website, which she appears to recognize and is certain they have it. The other one has apparently not seen it before but now uses the computer and determines the size and color I’ve been asking for for 15 minutes is in ‘back stock.‘
So she disappears for a couple minutes and returns with the item. I finally try it on and can’t believe the moment has finally come.
Then, I realize, as other reviewers have noted, these clothes are sized for basically stick figures so I need a L. They don’t have one in stock and I won’t even go into the absurdity that ensued when I asked if they could order me one.
I will never be back.

I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a «hipster». In fact, that word itself makes me cring. But ever since being introduced to AA, I’ve just been in love with their clothes. Sure, I spend a lot of time in their dressing rooms trying on a myriad of flashy and ordinary clothes, and I’ll walk out without finding anything sometimes. Other times, I’ll find just what I’ve been looking for, especially since I’m that one girl who doesn’t own many basics. But let me just be honest here for a moment, the prices are ridiculous considering most of their stuff is just cotton or spandex. That being said though, I do support their take on labor and somewhat eco-​friendliness.
The bottom line is… I love AA, but it is probably a hit or miss for most people. The best advice I can tell you is just to go in with a plan on what you’re looking for, and stick to it.

American Apparel is a pretentious waste land for hipsters. I’m 135 pounds and nothing fits me unless I go with a large or extra large and either way everything is popping out. This clothing is made for malnourished vegans and teens with their parent’s credit cards who aren’t finished developing.
The worst part is that they are so pretentious with their hipster marketing that they only will be located in the heart of cities. They aren’t in malls they are only in places where parking cost $ 20. I guess most of the clientele comes by on skateboard, bike, or unicycle.
I go here for one thing and one thing only: scrunchies. Nothing else will contain all my hair.

The staff of this particular store is just SO unhelpful and rude. They should all be fired; they’re an insult to Harvard Square. It’s as if they’re annoyed that there are actually customers in the store during their ‘playtime’ with the other members of staff.

The selection of clothing is repetitive, and limited. There is also a stench (of what I can best describe as a litter box) in the air.

I consider American Apparel just a notch or two above Urban Outfitters (which I’ve actively boycotted since 2005 or somesuch): i.e. pretty hipster on the outside, rotten ethics on the inside. Just google the CEO.
But, unlike UO (which rips off Etsy designs, and sometimes prints t-​shirts/​patterns that are offensive to anyone who isn’t a rich, white, male, heterosexual idiot), AA’s rotten core is kind of like… OK, fine. The CEO is regularly accused of being a jerk. Maybe I can deal with that and just buy a frickin’ scarf. Especially when I have a Groupon for it.
The problem is, despite my Groupon, I couldn’t find ANYTHING that wasn’t either (1) ridiculous in idea (unitards!?), or (2) ridiculous in fit (sweaters that end just at my bellybutton… wtf?). Who wears this?! WHO? The mannequins do, and they certainly do look swish in it all. I also appreciate the basic/​simple-​color sensibility, very Benetton circa forever. And yes, I did end up buying a lubbly periwinkle endless-​loop scarf thing that I have worn many times.
I’ve been back a few times since, though, and it’s always been a disappointment. False god!

I don’t understand American Apparel. Let me back up for a bit, I’ve been addicted to Shark Tank (have you seen it? Why haven’t you? It streams on Hulu… watch it, you’ll get addicted, too) lately and one thing they always say is a product ought to be for the masses rather than a tiny niche market. Okay, I can see a boutique being for a niche market, but a large American Apparel chain?
I’m not overweight, but seriously, guys, who can fit in these clothes? Who?! RAISE YOUR HANDS!
I do go here (and only to this location) for their underwear, though. Sometimes they fall apart easily, sometimes they don’t. However, they are always comfortable. Always. And it’s a fun little collectors item, trying to see how many colors I can collect (sounds a little like Pokemon, eh?)
The staff here is super friendly (especially the young girl with dark brown hair and large fake (?) glasses). I’ve been here a handful of times and she’s always pleasant (is she the manager? Maybe). I really enjoy people who can rattle off simple small talk with me and still seem interested (I wonder if she is really interested or couldn’t give a shit). Anyways, I like her.
The bottom line: This is the only American Apparel I will go to. The others in Boston have a strange /​stuck up /​overly hipster feeling to them. The staff at other locations are generally standoffish and annoying. The Harvard Square AA is great.

OK, yeah, American Apparel is run by a creepy serial sexual harasser. That’s really not cool, and I try to speak with my dollar. However it’s admirable that a clothing company employs its workers in non-​sweatshop conditions in the US, and at a living wage at that – which is unfortunately rare. As Jerri Blank would say, «Quandary!»
I love AA for basic duds that come in a rainbow of colors, like the ubiquitous hoodies with white drawstrings (required for hipsters everywhere), undies, and leggings. Unfortunately their sizing runs sort of small (despite supposedly rolling out a «plus size» line soon – and don’t get me started on the infamous advertising campaign regarding plus-​size models for the new line a few months back), so I don’t even try most of their «fashiony» ladies’ wear, like blouses or skirts. Too bad, because they really do offer a great selection of cute hosiery.
The staff has always been friendly, in my opinion, and will often share (favorable) opinions on what items they like.
Time to stock up on more insanely comfy hoodies, I think!

Hate it here. I visit to kill time and ponder at why anyone would wear a bright silver leotard…

First of all, I think when it comes to clothing stores, Unilocal reviewers should really focus more on the layout, particular selection of clothing, and staff of the location they’re reviewing. Obviously it makes sense to take the overall company into consideration, but I know when I read reviews I want specifics about the location I’m reading about!
Anyway, I think this is my favorite AA to visit when I’m in Boston. Even though it’s not the biggest store, I think it has the most helpful and friendly staff. I really feel like AA’s image has changed in the past few years– I agree with past reviewers that the staff used to be largely rude and subpar– but I swear they’ve nearly done a 360! I’ve had staff here help me put together fashion-​forward outfits (like when I was trying to figure out how to pull off a sheer chiffon maxi skirt) and their compliments really seem sincere (I have a hard time trusting the opinions of salespeople, generally). I actually enjoy shopping here. It feels comfortable. And the salespeople don’t seem like robots, as salespeople for international companies so often do.

It sucks, everything is poorly organized.

To me, going to American Apparel is like being set up on a date with somebody who sounds fantastic on paper, only to discover during the date that they’re a big hot mess.
AA promotes itself as an ethical left-​wing U.S. based company which supports human rights and does not use sweatshops.
(On closer examination there seems to be some controversy about AA blocking factory workers to unionize : — /​
But they also raised money for Katrina victims. .. with a bikini car wash??)
Ok, so this particular American Apparel store IS currently quite well run, well staffed, and not in the least rude or condescending to customers.
That said, at other American Apparel locations (and previously this one in particular) I’ve found their Hipster employees arrogant, elitist and «too cool for school». The prices of things at American Apparel are just ridiculous;
$ 40+ dollars for a plain t-​shirt???
$ 75 for a cheap looking pair of spandex leggings???
Are these people not aware that we’re in a recession?
And to add to this unpleasantness,
consider the infamous sexism and racism of American Apparel’s porn-​tastic advertising;
or CEO Dov Charney’s overall creep factor.
It just so happened a few weeks ago, I needed to buy a bra without underwire to wear on a visit to a high security prison that does not allow underwire bras because they set off the metal detector. For real.
Not wanting to have to pay for the subway fair to get to a TJMaxx, I walk to AA. I was so surprised by how friendly and helpful the staff were without being too pushy. No pressure to buy anything, no eyerolling when I ask if there is a clearance section.
Am I in the right store?
I notice that, stylistically, all of the clothing has gone from «porntastic» to «40-​something accountant in 1983.»
50 and 60-​ish-​looking people are browsing happily for expensive, plain, fugly sweaters.
I’m immediately led by a friendly employee to a rack with $ 10 bras that do nothing to support one’s breasts or flatter one’s figure at all. They are essentially tshirt triangles sewn to some elastic.
I bite my tongue and buy the damn bra.
As I walk out I realize there are racist fake «native american headdresses» on the manikins intended to give the customer a «creative idea» for a halloween costume: Porn-​y Hipster Pocahontas.
NEVER shopping from this company again. EVER.
The people working here currently are lovely and the company is allegedly sweatshop-​free and overtly pro-​LGBTQ and Immigrant rights (3 stars),
but the American Apparel company itself is sleazy, sexist, and racist with lousy taste, (0 stars).

So… American Apparel. Founded by, if not a rapist, the kind of rumored sexual pervert who would be as happy to jizz all over his models as Terry Richardson. Not to mention those other rumors about their draconian appearance standards for their store clerks and their questionably racist attitudes to hiring certain ethnicities…
Good thing I have no morals, because I love their clothes.
I like that they carry a lot of the same things on their website and I can actually try them on, because let’s face it, the garments they have that aren’t excellent tend to be downright hideously cut, and sometimes you can’t tell from just pictures.
Anyway, I was in there today and the store clerk was very nice to me… I felt bad for him because there was this batshit insane woman in there at the same time, yelling at him about how DARE he not have the cream color tights she wanted, with her phasers set firmly to «CUNT» when he was clearly trying his best to help her.
So yeah. AA. I shouldn’t like them, but I do, and I always– always– end up getting a ton of complements whenever I wear their clothes. So I suppose that makes me a fan of their clothes, if not of Dov Charney and his army of sexually abused 18-​year-​old interns. Also, nice asian store clerk guy: I’m sorry about that woman. I really am.

This is a good place to buy underwear and single color shirts or hoodies. They have other gear, but it’s all, I don’t know. A lot of their clothes are the color of a heart attack, and while that is ok sometimes it’s overwhelming in the store.
In my experience the clothes are also pretty well made. The hooded sweatshirt I bought here especially stood up to being worn almost every day as my jacket or underjacket, and didn’t lose too much hoodie softness after repeated washings.
It doesn’t really make sense how expensive the clothes are though.

The simple, well-​organized, color-​coded categorization of American Apparel stores appeal to my inner OCD. The items are logically displayed, you can easily spy what you’re looking for and just as easily find your size, because they don’t cram the racks so full that you end up knocking off half of the hangers when you’re looking.
This American Apparel appeals to me more than other Boston-​area locations because of its size (it’s compact, yet easy to navigate) and the staff (who seem friendlier than nearly any American Apparel location I’ve ever been to – except this one location in California.
Though I share the usual gripe about American Apparel – the price is usually a little more than what I am willing to pay for certain items, I don’t mind forking over $ 14 for a pair of well-​made shimmery stir-​up tights that will last me through a few seasons. All of their leggings, from light hosiery to winter weight, are worth the money and come in a million different colors.
Beware of the leathery looking ones, though. They just don’t flatter anybody.

I have such mixed feelings about AA.
I’m gonna have to agree with the reviewers who say that this store/​brand/​whatever makes them feel fat. Oh, dear GOD it’s true! I wear maybe a size 10 and can *barely* fit into a size large. Actually, sometimes a large is too small. Excuse me? Women have enough pressure to be thin as it is. I don’t need some brand run by a guy who has a thing for androgynous women telling me I’m fat, too.
At the same time, a few of their dresses are ridiculously hot. I do love the, um, four that I own. They’re incredibly cute, and can be dressed up or down. ‘Course, I think the biggest size they carry in jeans (what is that, like a 33? I’ve never worn a 33 in my life!) barely go over my thighs. Yay! And this is definitely not clothing for women who have, well, womanly bodies.
Ok, and their business practices really confuse me. I mean, non-​sweatshop is fantastic, but a no return policy on *any* clothing is kinda ridiculous. Besides, non-​sweatshop doesn’t mean that it’s actually fully socially responsible. A socially responsible company might hire people who wear larger than a size 4. It might also make clothing above a size 8.
This review has come out sounding kinda negative, and honestly, I like the clothing from here that I do own. I guess I just sometimes question whether or not the company owner would even want me shopping here, based on the sales help and advertising, and the fact that I don’t look like a 12 year old boy.

Ugh, I want to like American Apparel sooo badly. Many of the company’s practices are quite laudable – especially the fact that they pay their garment makers decent wages and provide benefits when they could easily profit from the sweatshop conditions that typify most Los Angeles garment factories. The company also has a good track record of supporting immigrant rights and integrating environmentally-​friendly practices into their business operations (I just found out that among other nifty benefits, they have a bike-​lending program for employees).
The good, however, is seriously marred by the bad. First off all, and perhaps most unforgivably, 90% of the clothing sold at American Apparel is seriously fugly. I understand that anemic hipsters with a misplaced sense of 80’s nostalgia need clothing too, but damn, can we get something besides rows and rows of leggings, stonewashed fabric, gold lamé hot pants and skanky, flimsy «convertible» dresses?
The few «classic» t-​shirts styles available actually have the opposite problem of the more avant garde offerings – they can be pretty boring and tend to be either v-​necks, crew necks, or scoop necks (I would seriously love to see a good range of cuts in the stores, including options like boatnecks, square and sweetheart necklines).
I’m also not a fan of the fact that the CEO is a total perv with a tendency to sexually harass young female employees, as well as the creepily sexist ad campaigns that feature underaged-​looking girls in various states of nudity in drug den-​like surroundings. At the risk of going into humorless feminist mode, these messages of sexism and female objectification that AA’s ads and corporate culture convey put a serious damper on their more progressive policies.

Three stars because they don’t use sweatshops in the creation of their ridiculously overpriced incredibly boring clothing.
No stars for anything else.
How can you remain solvent when the people you have working for you don’t acknowledge anyone in the store? I *think* the girl strewn across the floor playing on the Macbook worked there but maybe she thought it was a coffee shop since the other «workers» were standing around chatting? If you’re going to try and charge me $ 75 for a polo you could at least drag your heroin-​chic ass over and say hello. Even if you just mutter it while simultaneously looking off in to the ether and kicking a pebble.
I get that you’re all supposed to look unshowered, too hip to live, and like you’ve spent all day at some pre-​pubescent heroin-​fueled orgy, but dial it down a bit you still work in a clothing store.
Oh and HyperColor is back? So for only $ 40 I too can have bright pink or white armpits? Hooray! I guess calling it thermochromatic makes it sound scientifical and causes people to forget that they’re being charged $ 40 for a T-​shirt. Hopefully they don’t bring back the shorts. Florescent pink ass cracks are flattering on no one.

This store makes me feel like I need to take a very, very long shower and start up therapy again. It also gives me a headache, all those fluorescent lights are going to give someone a seizure one of these days. I’m giving it 2 stars because the manties are cute. I mean, everyone knows American Apparel is for anorexic hipsters who wear yeast-​infection tight pants, so it’s kind of a given that those kids work there and aren’t very enthused to help you find the perfect unitard. But give them a break, they haven’t eaten in weeks, they’re tired.
You gotta read the Onion’s article on them though.