Clothes like Gorman when you can't afford Gorman

March 21, 2019 11:31 AM

I'm looking for clothing with graphic patterns, arty prints, bold colours, etc along the lines of Gorman or Marimekko but without the $$$ tag.

I've had some luck with Monki/Print All Over Me (still v expensive!!) in the past but not really feeling their range this spring. All suggestions welcome.

posted by everydayanewday to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total)

Ace&Jig might also be too $$$, but may aesthetically suit your desires.
posted by Grandysaur at 11:50 AM on March 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

Yeah, I'm thinking Desigual would also fit the bill, but it's still a little pricey.
posted by Laura in Canada at 11:53 AM on March 21, 2019 [2 favorites]

Gudrun Sjoden?
posted by sarajane at 12:05 PM on March 21, 2019 [3 favorites]

I saw this dress in Uniqlo the other day and my first thought was Gorman!
posted by teststrip at 1:31 PM on March 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

I like Modcloth, though it's a pretty specific subgenre of style. It's still often too $$$ for me so I wait for sales, or check eBay for last season's stuff - "modcloth dress large" and ticking Used for Item Type seems to do the search trick.
posted by wintersonata9 at 2:24 PM on March 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

Uniqlo was my thought, and I just read that DusenDusen is doing a collaboration with them, so that might really hit the sweet spot.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 2:54 PM on March 21, 2019 [2 favorites]

I bought two skirts from ModCloth, and the quality was so poor, I decided never again.
posted by FencingGal at 5:14 PM on March 21, 2019 [3 favorites]

This is a question I ask myself all the time, as other brands (that are quality, I am not a fan of ModCloth etc) tend to go in and out of producing bold prints and so there's little consistency from season to season. The first time I walked into a Gorman store I found my people...but also a place to spend all my moneys.

My first recommendation would be Gorman Buy/Swap/Sell groups on Facebook. They're pretty good for pre-loved stuff when you know what sizes you're generally looking for. There are groups based on sizing as well as general ones.

Uniqlo is my go-to for bold colours. They occasionally have prints but I generally just get base colours here.

Otherwise, I just sit on my hands and wait for the sales. Hi there by Karen Walker is a little on the expensive side ($$ instead of $$$), but great quality and you can usually get it 30% off if you're willing to wait. Sportscraft do great tailored shirts with prints, and if again you're happy to wait for a sale, they can be very reasonably priced.
posted by cholly at 9:05 PM on March 21, 2019 [2 favorites]

Try the Dangerfield and Princess Highway labels - both sold via the Dangerfield store.
posted by archy at 3:05 AM on March 22, 2019 [2 favorites]

Nooworks is $$ but made in the USA. Winter Water Factory is another option. They're primarily a kids' brand, but they offer the same prints in some adult styles.
posted by purple_bird at 9:10 AM on March 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

I saw this dress in Uniqlo the other day and my first thought was Gorman!
posted by teststrip at 1:31 PM on March 21 [1 favorite +] [!]

I am in love with that dress, but it's not available on the US site. :( Is there some kind of service where you can pay someone in the UK to buy it for you and ship it??
posted by mefireader at 1:01 PM on March 22, 2019 [2 favorites]

Of late, I've self-categorized my style as Aspiring German Middle School Art Teacher. I like color and big patterns.

This thread about finding children's clothes for adults might help, and this thread, which gave me a name, lagenlook, has many useful links to explore

I've found Poshmark is a good place to get deals on your favorite designers
posted by Queen of Spreadable Fats at 10:27 PM on March 22, 2019 [1 favorite]