Best of Tucson 1996: Best Place To Buy Clothes

Best Place To Buy Clothes

Target
Four locations

READERS' PICK: We hate to champion the cause of these monster retail operations, but who among us can resist? Just don't ask us to call the place Tar-jhay. The Target/Mervyn's chain (they have the same buyers) is a one-stop outing for back-to-school and beyond. From babyhood through college, Target's got the goods: 100-percent cotton items to cover every inch of the bod in fashionable colors and styles. They're open seven days a week with extended weeknight hours, the sales are great, the selections always exchangeable, and all major credit cards are accepted; and now there's a separate location for every quadrant of the city. We have a sneaking suspicion all this talk about growth and development is a thinly veiled ruse to turn every last one of us into an insatiable Target shopper; but hey, who's complaining?

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Gap Kids is a great resource for kids clothes in washable, breathable, cotton. Gap Kids carries a full line of casual clothes, including jeans, shorts, skirts, dresses, shirts, blouses, hats, socks and underwear. They also have a small selection of shoes, belts, and hair accessories. All of the Gap Kids line has the same simple, classic, casual style for which The Gap is famous. These clothes are made of quality cotton, dyed in fashionable, seasonal colors. Best of all, Gap Kids clothes coordinate easily and can be washed many, many times and still look great. Gap Kids is staffed by helpful salespeople who understand the sizing system. (That can be a tricky one when you're shopping for clothes for little ones.) The store, located on the lower level of the Tucson Mall near Foley's, is spacious enough to easily maneuver a stroller through, well lit, and well organized.

And don't forget to check the clearance racks at the back of the store. There's a treasure trove of great deals usually still in season in Tucson.

STAFF PICK: There's a time for the new and mass-produced, and then there's a time to wake up and smell the Snuggle. After you've exhausted the novelty of spending a king's ransom on clothes they'll either grow out of or grow to hate as soon as some well-meaning adult tells them they look "darling," head over to Buffalo Kids, the only store of its kind, located at 1702 E. Prince Road. Those of all ages who hate the hassle and confusion of shopping the big chains will feel right at home with Buffalo's friendly salespeople and great, rotating selection of recycled fashions.