Banana Republic

Probably the most uncomfortable BR experience I have had. Went in for the 40% off promo for card members… Mostly for a new suit but was going to look at shirts, ties, shoes, etc. nobody in the store was trained to measure a guest for a suit. Seems like a management/​training issue. The employees were so stressed out and rushed that it felt like I was imposing on them to get some help. I am color blind so generally rely on BR staff to help me. When I get attentive help, I generally buy what I came for if not more. (Generally more). If I didn’t need a new suit that day, I would have left after 15 minutes in the store.

I have probably been in more BR stores than anyone I know. This one by far has the biggest and best petite selection. I could be mistaken but I have better luck here than the Michigan Avenue store in Chicago.
Items always go on sale more quickly and sales prices are also lower compare to other stores. I have gotten some crazy deals here. That also means that I have a closet full of stuff that do not really fit me all that well. It kind of works for me as my weight fluctuates very easily.
The staff are super nice and helpful. If you get a BR card, once you have reached Luxe Card status, you can get pants hemmed free of charge!

This is the best womens BR I’ve ever been to, and I’ve probably been to 20 or so across the country. Reasons being:
1. The sale prices here are lower than any other BR in the area, consistently. I am not sure why, but no complaints. Examples: recently I got $ 140 pumps for $ 38 (were $ 85 at Copley) and a $ 230 handbag for $ 50 (was $ 130 at Copley). Plus another 20% off using BR credit card.
2. As previous reviewers mentioned, huge Petites selection. Probably 4 times what Copley offers. 00p whaddup
3. Super friendly sales people who are actually helpful.

This review is less for Banana than it is for Wendy, salesperson extraordinaire.
First, I must say, all hail the Chestnut Hill Mall Banana and its selection of petites. I cannot echo the words of my reviewers enough: thank goodness someone realized that just because you’re short doesn’t mean you should have to pay an extra $ 10-​$ 20 just to be able to wear the clothes you’ve bought. Their selection takes up more than one room. DID YOU HEAR ME, SHORT PEOPLE?! MORE THAN ONE ROOM!!! I do not have to tell you how momentous this is. You know. But normal people and tall people can never quite understand. Imagine walking into a store that purports to sell «women’s clothing» and be told that only two racks will fit you. That’s what it’s like for short people. SO THIS IS AMAZING. Ahem. Anyway. Moving right along.
So my mother and I were shopping for a suit for me. I tried on every suit they make, but the cuts were strange, so we gave up on that idea. However, Banana was running a special where every dress they make was $ 98 or less. Since I’ll be working in a business casual environment this summer, dresses were perfect.
Enter Wendy. She was amazing. My mother is a VERY demanding customer, and Wendy never faltered when asked for new sizes or to check stock for certain things. She even informed us that in addition to the 20% off coupon we had, we would get an extra 10% off if we used a Banana, Gap or Old Navy card. The best part was when I was trying on a dress that I clearly loved and my mother did not. My mother asked Wendy for her opinion, and she looked at me and said «it fits her perfectly, because it comes in just under the bust and then floats away from the body. Just like Stacey and Clinton say to do in ‘What Not To Wear.’» Well, that sold my mother immediately (the only thing more effective would have been «Oprah bought it») and I got to keep the dress I liked.
So thank you Wendy, for saving us money and for engineering it so that I got one of the dresses I wanted. And thank you Banana for having 5 billion dresses in petites. Honestly, the stuff in the store was some of the best-​designed clothing I have seen in Banana in a very long time.

from a very quick look of things, it seems like i wasn’t the only one impressed with BR’s petite section.
i love BR even though it’s kind of falling off the radar. i mean, i remember BR being the «IT» store back in the early 90s. I still love BR– it gives me the basics and all the neutrals that i crave.
BR in Chesnut Hill however is pretty kick ass. it has a huge section devoted to short people and it does not disappoint (esp the sale rack– shorties, check the rack!!). this store carries more clothing/​styles than the one in burlington and the service is good.

oh happy day when i stumbled upon this mecca of short people clothes.
the sales people are so helpful! needing new jeans knowing i didn’t have much time to shop one particular weeknight, i called ahead and asked them pull me every style jean they had in my size. not only did they pull them, but they had hung them in a dressing room in anticipation of my arrival after 6pm. of course they threw in a few tops that they thought would fabulously with the jeans (and they did, but i wasn’t buying). and the sales guy even said «honey, those jeans aren’t doing anything for your ass.» now THAT’S what i want to hear. don’t tell me how great they look jsut to pad your commission. tell me they aren’t right for me and find me another pair that will make my ass look sensational. and he did just that.

i wish I had more individual style, but what can I say, I love the Banana. Especially the Petite store in the Chestnut HIll Mall.
Thank God someone finally realized that women under 5’6 should not have to spend extra money getting everything tailored, and that everyone’s arms are not the same length. I finally look like I’m wearing clothes that fit instead of looking like a child who has raided her much taller sister’s closet.

At the Chestnut Hill Mall, tucked into a corner on the top floor, there is a Banana Republic PETITES. that’s right, a whole freakin’ store where everything is for the under 5’3 set. It is the only place in the world where I can walk in and know that 90% of the entire store’s inventory is going to fit if they have it in my size.
If you are petite you feel my pain about clothing in the ‘petite’ section being outdated, made for the elderly, and only being stocked in larger sizes. Not at Banana Republic. Most of the same regular styles are in this store, but for US! And a bonus: their sizes run big, so I usually end up getting a smaller size than I’m used to.
The only thing is that the sales staff can be a little pushy, and really try to sell you things you don’t need. But you can just pretend you don’t hear them if you walk around the store with arm-​fulls of clothes all the time, like i do :)