Guide Feb 17
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Brandy Melville has a reputation for being several things. The one it’s known for best? It’s effortless, Californian style.
The second? Probably its exclusively limited collection. And when we say “limited,” we mean it in every sense of the word. A concise clothing and accessories line, most of its apparel is made in just one size.
Though undeniably lean, its limited nature certainly hasn’t restricted its popularity. The brand’s 3.4 million followers on Instagram and almost 100 boutiques in some of the largest shopping capitals of the world prove its popularity.
Known as the new “cool girl” aesthetic, Brandy Melville’s collection exudes a classic American laid-back style.
You’ll find graphic tees, flirty dresses, and everyday basics in its line, with price tags that rarely exceed $50.
If you love what this store has to offer but find yourself wanting more, just know that there are other stores like Brandy Melville that are a little less constrictive when it comes to size, variety, and quality.
Overview of Brandy Melville
Walk by any Brandy Melville shop on a Saturday afternoon and you’ll find it packed with pretty, young women sporting flirty minis and midriff-baring tees.
Most likely, they’re shopping for more of the same thing. With cute, approachable clothing in this brand’s collection, we don’t blame them.
The appeal of the Gen Z-centric shop to young women may have to do with its specific marketing ploy. It targets slender girls with a taste for fresh, newly-vintage fashion.
Founded in the 1970s in Italy by Silvio Marson, the brand launched its US stores in 2009, finding a home in LA where its breezy, California-inspired collection fit right in.
Situated near the UCLA campus, the carefree line quickly established a connection with young, college-going folk and teenage girls. Whether you’re a frequent visitor to its boutiques or are totally new to the store and love its aesthetic, in the realm of, well, anything really, variety is the spice of life.
In this guide, we’ll cover your options. We’ll walk you through a variety of stores like Brandy Melville that capture a similar vibe to expand your favorite go-to’s. But first, to help you get to know your most beloved brand a little more, we’ve laid out its highlights below.
Highlights
- A modest range of clothing and accessories
- Very affordable
- Has a trendy, vintage aesthetic
- One size clothing means fast restocks
- Frequent launches of new collections
- Ships around the world
- Accessible with many boutique locations across the globe
How We Chose the Best Stores Like Brandy Melville
Choosing the best stores like Brandy Melville isn’t done on a whim. Firstly, they actually need to have a similar look. That’s our first and most important criteria because, why recommend a shop that doesn’t offer what you’re looking for?
Our aim is to give you real options—ones that you’ll fall in love with and look forward to wearing every day. After all, that’s the best part about shopping, isn’t it?
Along with looks, we sought out brands that offered accessible prices and were equally as convenient to shop. Why? Well, if you like Brandy Melville, you probably appreciate affordable, well-made clothing that’s easy to get your hands on.
No brand is ever going to be 100% perfect, and you may find yourself wishing this one had more variety, higher quality, or was more inclusive.
We’ve made sure to recommend stores like Brandy Melville that offer more in general but still capture the carefree essence its collection is known for.
Below, we’ll walk you through the process of selecting the best stores like Brandy Melville to help you get a clearer picture of why we’ve included certain names on this list. Let’s dive in.
Price
Look, we all have budgets and we all love clothes that offer good value. Whether that value comes from cute styles or quality materials, we’re willing to pay a certain price as long as it makes sense.
The stores like Brandy Melville that we’ve recommended on this list have a variety of prices, many of them offering styles under $50, some under $20.
Having accessible prices is a big part of what helped brands land this list, as, what’s the point of shopping from a store with sky-high prices you can only visit sometimes?
We love Brandy Melville for its accessibility and the fact that we can leave there with a bag full of adorable picks for under $200. The stores we recommend here let you do the same.
Style
As we said, style is a big one. The best stores like Brandy Melville will follow a similar aesthetic, though, you may find that they branch out into other styles too. In some way, shape, or form, our picks here will offer styles like the ones that our features brand does.
Those new to the brand may be asking, what is Brandy Melville’s style like? We call it California cool. It’s young and fresh but takes inspiration from retro ’90s style. The lines we’ve chosen for this list incorporate this style into their collections—some more than others.
Quality
Brandy Melville has decent quality considering its prices are so affordable. We’d say it clocks in at about mid-range. The stores we’ve selected have varying ranges of quality. Some are fast-fashion brands like Forever 21, some are mid-range like Bershka, and others are quite high like Reformation.
Different in quality, these stores like Brandy Melville also have different approaches to ethics and sustainability. While the majority push for kinder ethics and greener practices, not all of them do. We’ll touch on values within each of the brands’ sections to give you an idea of what they’re like.
Selection
Our featured brand’s selection is streamlined and slim, but it’s anything but basic. The stores like Brandy Melville offer the same kind of variety (basics, jeans, dresses, sweaters, and sets), but often, they carry even more.
Selection was another big one for us because a lot of folks who shop at Brandy Melville wish its inventory was a little larger. We get it, Brandy, we really do. It’s all about pinpointing your audience and knowing who you are, but sometimes, we wish you pumped out a few more styles.
If you feel the same, the stores like Brandy Melville mentioned here have you covered.
Convenience
There’s nothing worse than falling in love with a product only to discover it doesn’t ship to your location. For a store to be “the best,” it needs to be convenient, and so we’ve pinpointed brands that are easy to shop with.
That means having efficient shipping and returns policies, rewards programs that benefit frequent shoppers, and things like accessible shop locations around the globe.
The best stores like Brandy Melville meet our strict criteria for convenience, meaning you don’t have to think twice about shopping with them.
Diversity & Inclusion
There’s one thing that people notice when they land on Brandy Melville’s website: there’s no diversity. After clicking through a few styles, they also discover that there’s only one size offered. These features are tough to swallow, and sometimes, are a deterrent to buying from the brand.
In the process of picking on the best stores like Brandy Melville, we made sure our picks integrated diversity into their marketing. The majority of them include models of all different sizes, while every single one of them shows models of different backgrounds.
It’s a pretty big movement in Gen Z fashion to not retouch photos, so it’s seldom that you’ll come across a photoshopped model from these brands.
We scratch our heads wondering why brands are just now prioritizing inclusivity, but we’re glad that it’s now becoming non-negotiable. Inclusivity doesn’t stop at just the models though, it bleeds through down to the artisans and designers.
Some of the stores like Brandy Melville we recommend are made up of a variety of brands, others feature only their signature line. If it’s diversity you’re after, look into the variety and types of brands a store offers. In each brand that does, we’ll include a summary of names you’ll find in its inventory.
Before we dive into our list of best stores like Brandy Melville, take a peek at this overview so you know what’s in store:
- Urban Outfitters
- H&M
- Other Stories
- ASOS
- Reformation
- Free People
- Forever 21
- Bershka
- Pull&Bear
- Storets
10 Best Stores Like Brandy Melville
Loving laid-back, California, cool-girl style? You probably own one or two pieces from Brandy Melville. The new hallmark for fresh fashion, its signature aesthetic is essential for teens and 20-somethings who look for easy, everyday looks to take them from friendly hangouts and dorm parties to coffee dates and brunch with the fam.
It’s easy to see why young women gravitate towards the brand, and if you’re in search of collections with the same vibe, we’ve got a few that fit the bill.
Our top 10 best stores like Brandy Melville offer a similar collection of retro-inspired picks but push the boundaries into a more inclusive range of sizes and pieces to meet your needs for effortless, American style.
#1 – Urban Outfitters
Known for its eclectic style, Urban Outfitters has been kicking around since 1970. Its first shop was a tiny space nestled on the street across from the University of Pennsylvania, but today, you’ll find 200+ UO shops around the USA, Canada, and Europe.
Each location is packed to the brim with diverse brands that celebrate the best of bohemian and street-style fashion.
With a vintage aesthetic, this is one of the stores like Brandy Melville that follows the same kind of style, but offers a bit more when it comes to selection with slightly higher quality.
Funky, fresh, and young, Urban Outfitters is effortlessly cool, offering a blend of well-known and more obscure brands like Champion and The Ragged Priest.
Though its models are mostly quite slim, you’ll find same-sex couples and a diversity of backgrounds in its photos. Basic tops start at about $30, blouses at $80, and jeans at $100. The shop always has a killer sale section, though.
#2 – H&M
There’s no doubt you’ve wandered in an H&M and gawked at the sheer surplus of variety the shop has to offer. Now championed for its sustainable collection, this brand is one of the stores like Brandy Melville that use recycled materials. It’s also the only one that accepts donations.
With a range of affordable prices, H&M clothing is known for its accessibility. You’ll find its stores around the globe, packed with styles for teens and more mature women made in neutral colors and easy-to-wear designs. Its quality is slightly higher than other fast-fashion brands.
The women on H&M’s site look like you and me. Its photos are untouched, and there’s a good array of backgrounds represented. Pick up basics for as little as $7 or a structured coat for under $80. Jeans hover under $40.
#3 – & Other Stories
& Other Stories is all about the feminine mystique. Its pieces ooze the look of quality, though its prices linger around the mid to high range.
Inspired by a fusion of classic French girl fashion with breezy California style, you’ll find a mix of structured and billowy styles with on-trend colors like burnt orange and tons of white.
A fashion tale of three cities (Stockholm, Paris, and LA), & Other Stories’s collections are made in ateliers based in each one. The artisans that work there put their own backgrounds and style inspiration into their creations.
Including a few recycled pieces, this line has a similar feel to Brandy Melville but adds in a more mature aesthetic that grows with you.
The site shows slim models of different backgrounds and stocks sizes from XS-L and 0-12. You’ll get a blouse or sweater for between $70-$130 or a pair of pants for $100. Every piece is well-constructed, so you’ll likely have them for years to come.
#4 – ASOS
Want a similar style to Brandy Melville but just like thousands of more options? ASOS is praised for its variety in style, as well as for the brands it carries, its diverse models, and its range of sizes.
ASOS captures the essence of British street style, packing its selection with tons of color, interesting, fresh designs, and lots of familiar favorites from classic brands like Vans, Nike, and Calvin Klien.
This is one of the stores like Brandy Melville that capture the same young essence of the company but instead of excluding differences, it embraces them.
You’ll find over 30 different sizes on its website, as well as a gender-neutral collection and 200+ models that capture the diversity of its customers. You won’t see a single photoshopped image, either.
Thoughtful through and through, ASOS sources from ethical suppliers around the world that pay their workers fair wages. Based in London, this pick makes it super easy to shop with them. I
t offers some more expensive pieces but nothing in the couture designer range. You can get tees for as low as $10, dresses from $50-$700, and jeans for about $13 on sale.
#5 – Reformation
If effortlessly sexy dresses or buttery basics are on your must-have list, Reformation is a no-brainer. Though its collection is slightly more expensive than other stores like Brandy Melville, there’s a lot more thought that goes into its creation.
Reformation got its start in 2009 selling vintage clothing in LA, but the company now makes its own pieces that prioritize sustainability. Today, Reformation is a climate-neutral company. Its site also features a good variety of models of different sizes and skin colors.
Whether you’re looking at a knitted Bardot Top for $40 or one of their figure-flattering dresses for $5,000, Reformation is all about sustainable fashion—it’s anything but fast.
For the most part, you’ll find extremely cute and classy pieces under $100 in any collection. You know, like the ones you see on celebs and figure they had them specially made.
#6 – Free People
Land on Free People’s website or pop into one of its boutiques and you’ll immediately catch the vibe. Inherently bohemian and free-spirited, its collection bursts with quality, color, and billowing styles.
Born in the 1970s to give young people (its ideal customer is 26) more freedom with their wardrobe, Free People is the private label of Urban Outfitters, another one of the stores like Brandy Melville that is targeted at younger folks. Admired for its creative, feminine spirit, the brand aims to be as inclusive as possible.
Sizes range from XS-XL. You can pick up basic pieces for under $40, leggings for $80, and breezy button-down for $100+.
#7 – Forever 21
Forever 21 is one of the stores like Brandy Melville on this list that is a dead-ringer for its target audience. Frequented by tweens, teens, and 20-somethings, its aesthetic is young and simple accented by easy-to-wear pieces and fun, on-trend colors.
As a fast-fashion brand, expect fast-fashion quality, but trendy designs that mirror more expensive styles. Forever 21 is most loved for its prices and can be found around the globe. Shop funky graphics, amazing annual sales, and an ever-changing collection.
Including its plus-size line, you’ll find sizes from XS-3X. Pick up any pair of jeans for under $50, an amazing graphic tee for under $20, or a flirty dress for under $40. The majority of Forever21 models aren’t white—something that’s truly refreshing to see.
#8 – Pull&Bear
Pull&Bear is one of the cheap stores Like Brandy Melville that you may not have heard of but one that you’re definitely going to remember. Its selection is bursting with rich colors, tight fits, and well-made items marked with affordable prices.
As a Spanish brand, its style reflects the vibrant culture, mixing preppy and laid-back styles like our featured brand. Pull&Bear was created in 1991 with the intention of appealing to international consumers. Though Spanish color is present in the line, there’s a clear Californian influence.
Aimed at young women, its models are of different backgrounds but all pretty thin. Since the brand only offers sizes from XS-L, it makes sense why we see a lack of diversity here.
As part of the same company that owns Zara, Pull&Bear’s reach is wide, sold through almost 1,000 stores worldwide. The majority of dresses are under $50, while tees average $30.
#9 – Bershka
Bershka is perhaps one of the clothing stores like Brandy Melville that most resembles the brand. Its selection is slightly streamlined, and its target customer is obviously someone young.
We say obviously because of the brand’s models who resemble girls in their early teens, as well as the tight, cropped, and short, pleated styles that fill its inventory. Bershka is a tad more open than Brandy Melville though, with select apparel accented with color and made from organic fabrics.
Bershka is sold in 70 different countries around the world with more than 1k of its own stores. There’s a particular mood that this company captures, one that you’ll find within each store location decorated to push the creative, expressive, and young aesthetic.
Trendy shirts and colorful blouses are $30, and its modern jeans all clock in under $50.
#10 – STORETS
STORETS seeks to offer a collective fashion experience. Designed for those with all kinds of backgrounds, the brand is all about connecting our differences through style. Releasing its collection of fast, ever-changing fashion, this is one of the online stores like Brandy Melville that thrives through virtual sales.
Capturing the essence of Insta-fashion paraded by your favorite influencers, you’ll discover the latest trends within its wide selection.
STORETS certainly has more to offer than Brandy Melville does, but even though its clothing is designed for different backgrounds, its models are mostly of one background, putting it in almost the same category in terms of diversity.
Modern, trendy, and creative, STORETS’s collection includes a range of ripped denim, plaid shackets, and faux fur handbags. Check out oversized knits for $70, basics from $20, and most dresses for $50-$80.
Which stores like Brandy Melville are the closest in comparison?
All of the stores like Brandy Melville that we recommend on this list are like the brand in some way or another. Mostly in style, but as you’ve seen, not all are exactly alike in looks.
If you’re looking for stores like Brandy Melville that pretty much match the brand, the ones we’d recommend most are Bershka and ASOS as they offer similar styles with affordable pricing.
Which stores like Brandy Melville are the most affordable?
Even though our featured brand is affordable, it’s cool to stumble across another option that’s similar but with lower prices. While many of the retailers we’ve included have a look-alike aesthetic, most offer a wider range of prices due to them having more variety.
If we had to choose the stores like Brandy Melville but cheaper, we’d have to choose Forever 21. ASOS and H&M are top-runners too since you can get basics for under $10.
Which stores like Brandy Melville have the most inclusive size ranges?
There’s no doubt about it here, any name you pick from the stores like Brandy Melville we recommend is guaranteed to have more inclusive sizing than if you visited our featured brand’s shop.
With that said, not all are considered inclusive in terms of sizes, with most making their apparel in regular S-L or XL at most. The one we have found that is the most inclusive is ASOS, hands down. It carries more than 30 different sizes in trendy, great-looking styles.
Final Thoughts
Going head-over-heels for a brand is great…when it has everything you need. Though we’re in love with Brandy Melville’s collection and effortless, cool-girl style, at the end of the day, it doesn’t have everything that modern shoppers are looking for.
And that’s ok because no store ever does.
If you’re totally gaga for Brandy Melville’s look but want more variety, different sizes, a brand with a sustainable mission, or just want to feel represented in its imagery, you have choices. In fact, now you have 10 of them. Happy shopping.
In the mood to diversify your shopping experience? Have we got the lists for you:
Stores Like Shein
Stores like Forever 21
Stores like Anthropologie
