This Nostalgic Brand From Our Youth Is Finally Making Pretty Clothes Again
by The Candidly Team
Fine we’ll tell you what the brand is so you don’t hate scroll:
It’s Banana Republic.
Remember when The Banana was just so cool you couldn’t wait to enter its cavernous, dimly lit stores in the mall? Problematic safari themes, soft t-shirts, rich leather boots, and a veritable sea of cargo pants, Banana Republic was the thinking man’s Abercrombie & Fitch.
But then The Banana lost its way. The Banana got…boring.
It meandered around a bit, became a worse version of Ann Taylor Loft, if that’s even possible, and eventually, cemented itself as the go-to brand for well-made but supremely bland workwear. It went from the store we’d force our moms to park the car near at the mall to the store we didn’t even consider setting foot inside once we were in the driver’s seat. Where did things go wrong?
What happened? Well, The Gap acquired them in 1988 and needed to figure out a more mass appeal. It worked for a while. Until it didn’t. Staying relevant and interesting year after year, decade after decade, is hard.
But we recently saw on TikTok (don’t judge) that The Banana is back. And since we’re not ones to simply accept someone else’s opinion, we had to…see it for ourselves. And while they’re not necessarily setting the fashion world ablaze as they did in 1983, the fit, the linen, the lines, they were all surprisingly good.
They’re still workish basics, but they’re just so pretty.
We ventured in just for the photos for this very article, but ended up buying a huge chunk of the pieces we tried on—and they’ve become fast favorites in our closets because of how lovely they are to wear, and how easily they work with nearly everything we already have. And it must be said that the cut and fit of nearly everything we tried, is just very, very good. Everything is true to size, well-made, and while the prices are in that sort of in between space of not cheap but not wildly too expensive, they feel appropriate for the quality.
Guys. Are we sort of into Banana Republic again? We just might be.
Here are the 9 pieces we particularly love because of their perfect fit, excellent quality, and magnificent size range.
1. Minna Wide-Leg Linen Pant
A pair of perfectly high waisted, wide-leg linen pants is a must in a Grown Up(tm) wardrobe, and these are absolutely the ones. They’re lined, they fully accommodate a large rump while nipping in beautifully at the waist, and they make your legs look 57-feet long (see photo below of a very short-legged person). We are hardcore proponents of wearing white even if you’re frightened of it, but they do come in this lovely brown if you just cannot. Note: they fit very true to size but do run long, so they’re great if you’re tall, but you might need to get them hemmed if you’re not. Also, they often sell out but restock frequently. We also love THIS gorj wide-leg linen blend pair as a verrrry close runner-up.
Price: $140
2. The Oversized Shirt
The difference between this button-down and every other button-down (aside from the exceptionally cute coastal stripe) is that it’s blissfully long and spacious, so we can layer it over a tank, tuck it into jeans, or tie it at our waist with ease. And no matter how we style it, it will always look relaxed and classic, the way a buttondown should.
Price: $40
3. Brienna Cotton Sweater Tank
The whole concept of a sweater tank may sound inherently contradictory, but a pretty knit pattern is actually a smart way to instantly turn something as casual and staple as a tank into something elevated and chic. This textured top is perfect on warm days/ nights with any of our pants and skirts as well as the below shorts. It comes in black and white, so depending on which color you choose, we have a fun, little rule that will make sure it looks 17X better with your chosen bottoms.
Price: $85
4. Cruise Pleated Cotton 6” Short
There is no world in which we will wear shorts with high heels, although the nice lady above looks magnificent. But finding a stretchy, extremely flattering, wide-enough-in-the-leg-holes, longish pair of shorts has proven…difficult. These are just so supremely flattering they might turn you into a “shorts” “person.” With sneaks and a tank, these are perfect.
Price: $80 - $100
5. Manon Linen-Blend Maxi Dress
The cut (and cut-outs) are just so smart on this dress, not revealing too much but framing our neck, chest, and arms to perfection. Plus, the subtle pleating at the waist and the A-line skirt make the whole thing so flattering and easy to wear, especially for those of us with curves. It’s the cool, July evening/ vacation dress we’re always looking for.
Price: $220
6. The Boxy Cropped Linen Shirt
It looks like a regular shirt. And yet. First, the color. It’s peachy and juicy and happy, and so many brands aren’t doing anything interesting with color. This color instantly brightens your face and makes you look as though you’ve finally gotten a full godforsaken night of sleep. Your cheeks will take on a peaches-and-cream flush, your eyes, brighter. Second, the cut is so, so good. It’s slightly cropped but not so much so that you expose midriff. It’s still tuckable, but it also looks sharp UNtucked, especially as a layering piece over a tank or something in the summer. It has instantly become the shirt we reach for more than any other. Plus, linen. C’mon.
Price: $85
7. Laurel Poplin Skirt
We swear this is the same skirt. One is on a 19-foot-tall model, and one is…not. So while it looks mid-length in the product photo, you can see the actual length on a person who is average height below. It’s just so flowy and dreamy and has that crisp, poplin feel, so that everything you do, and everywhere you go, it’s all slightly reminiscent of The Talented Mr. Ripley, aka the only sartorial cues we’re interested in at this time. It might just be the perfect summer skirt. We’ve worn it with bodysuits, tanks, and it’s especially chic with this marinière.
Price: $130
8. Sharp-Shoulder Heavy Cotton Tank
Look at the shape of this tank! The structured shoulders! When we put this on, we instantly felt 87% more in control. It goes with everything you own, and it turns regular old jeans into outfits. Truly, it’s a game changer.
Price: $55
9. Banana Republic Margaux Sandal
On the pricey side, yes. But Banana has always made excellent, comfortable shoes. Especially heels. These are those dream heels that you think only sharply dressed women in high-powered jobs in movies wear. Except, we can wear them too. The straps around the ankle give the leg a long, lithe, lovely look. Worn with all manner of midi and maxi skirts and dresses to instantly sprinkle in chicness and fanciness (is this a word?), these minimalist sandals are that one, perfect shoe your spring and summer closet have been begging for without even knowing it. They’re highish, but they’re so well made you don’t have foot pain.
Price: $280
10. Isa Cotton Dress
A very well-made, carefree summer dress, though clearly for a more minimally boobed gal. Again, the thoughtful cut-out shows some skin, but not too much. And the full skirt is just easy, breezy beautiful. Feels ideal for any sort of outdoor party. Plus, it comes in white and THIS pretty floral print, which are both excellent for daytime occasions.
Price: $140 - $170
11. Alva Linen-Cotton Blazer and Wide-Leg Cotton-Linen Pant
The Banana has always been known for their suiting (what a delicious word!), and while this one almost toes the line between High Fashion and Big Top Circus, we love that it’s a big swing. The stripes are handsome, the cut is like Savile bloody Row, and we feel extremely expensive wearing it, even though it’s very well priced for a well-made suit. Wear it to weddings when you get bored of all the dresses in your closet.
Price: $240 for blazer, $160 for Pants
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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