Shopping at Ross: A Survival Guide

I haven’t legitimately thrifted in some time. Lately my purchasing practices have been centered around the mass-produced McFashion of Forever21, and my longstanding, negotiated relationship with that mecca of off-price shopping: Ross. I guess I’ve been shopping (slumming) at Ross my whole life, since my mom took me there as a child and taught me not to be seduced by cheap fabric content and how to spot shoddy seam-work. Since I’ve had my own car, money, and style, I’ve continued to frequent Ross, and having spent hours in a wide range of Los Angeles locations, I consider myself an expert. So if you’re inclined to brave the down-market chaos, here is my guide for How to Shop at Ross.

First, let me preface this by cautioning that if you are looking for something specific (i.e. a black pencil skirt, or a white oxford shirt), look elsewhere—the characteristic hodgepodge of Ross stores borders on the schizophrenic, and with such a vast and utterly disparate pastiche of items and demographic styles you will NEVER be satisfied if you go in with an agenda. It’s about scouring, gleaning, and discovering hidden gems, a mentality that the chain has recently recognized and capitalized on, with little signs on all their mirrors that say “Enjoy the treasure hunt!” which is just a euphemistic way of saying, “Enjoy sifting through this disorganized shithole!”

Second but related, if you don’t have patience and you like a clean, orderly, aestheticized shopping experience, go elsewhere. Rosses are notoriously crowded, chaotic, messy, occasionally dirty, and given the stained linoleum and heinous fluorescent lights, it is not a leisurely sensual experience. So why do I put up with all this? The prospect of insanely amazing deals is what lures me—I’ve been known to hit up three Rosses in one day for the fix. The general prices are really amazing (waaaay cheaper than Forever21 and often for the same exact item) and they also feature high-end and designer items for ridiculous mark-downs. For example, the boots in the link below retail for $375—I paid $25. So, given those caveats, here’ show to survive

http://www.endless.com/dp/B003DA5ZRC?_encoding=UTF8&tag=tinyprice-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003DA5ZRC

1) Go early: Ross opens at 9:30, which is when I arrive, and weekdays are best. At the better Rosses there will already be people waiting outside the door in the morning. If you wait until the afternoon or (God forbid) the weekend, the crowd, the lines, and the infamously surly staff can be unbearable. Also, you will have the best choice of the goods, which are picked over quickly.

2) Dress for functionality: much like a sample sale, you will probably be rushing through numerous items, and it’s a pain to get undressed/dressed for each sojourn to the fitting room—I recommend leggings and a cami so that you can try things on over them quickly.

3) Selection: Grab anything and everything. If something even momentarily catches your eye, grab it and put it in your cart, because it will be gone by the time you reconsider. Give everything a chance, even if it looks unimpressive of just plain fugly on the hanger—some of my favorite pieces were things that just seemed oddly intriguing on the rack and then fit like a dream

4) Selection II: you can bring 8 items in to the fitting room, so choose your most hopeful pieces first and save the wild cards for later in case they disappear. You have to leave the extras outside the dressing room, which puts them in danger of being restocked. My solution: I use a hair-tie to bind together the hangers of my chosen items, and I bring a hand-written note that says “I’m Buying These Items Please Do NOT Remove,” which I attach to the clothes with a bobby pin. I usually write this note before-hand, but on occasion I’ve improvised with a napkin and eyeliner (yeah, I’m a little obsessive, but it works and they leave my stuff alone)

5) The Fitting Rooms: simply put, they’re gross. I often bring an old jacket to put on the floor so I don’t have to touch it with my bare feet. Make sure you choose a dressing room stall with a magnetized lock that works (loose, unruly children often push them open. Feel free to smack them—it’s justifiable self defense).

6) When in doubt, buy it: Ross has a very relaxed 30 day return policy as long as the tags are on, so if you’re on the fence about an item or you’d rather try it on in a more pleasant environment, just buy it and return it later.

7) Prices: designer items tend to be more expensive, but generally tops should be in the range of $6.99-$11.99 (they seem to be priced by sheer volume of material used and embellishments); jeans are in the $14.99-$21.99 range including designers like Levi. Bras (including Calvin Klein) tend to be around $5.99. Shoe prices vary the greatest, but you also can find high quality, like beautiful leather-work from Enzo Anglioni, Steve Madden and Sam Edelman, and quirky pairs from Dollhouse and Betsey Johnson.

8) Regional Rosses: I’ve found that the La Canada Ross has the best overall selection. The Pasadena Ross has an unparalleled shoe section with great designer brands like Michael Kors and Calvin Klein. Glendale Ross has great tops and home goods, but the clientele is the most aggressive and offensive so you really have to be dedicated.

If all this isn’t a deterrent, you will find some truly epic scores, plus the added frugalista self-righteousness of knowing that everyone else is overpaying. For under $200, I’ve left with tops, pants, skirts, jackets, shoes, and even a bag and belt. When you walk out of the store, weighed down by the decidedly unglamorous grey and blue plastic Ross bags, you will know that for the same price that someone else paid for one top on Bluefly.com, you got an entire season’s wardrobe.

Now go forth and economize.