5 "Uncool" Vintage Mall Brands

that were secretly cool all along

May 15, 2025

∙ Paid

I recently learned that Mrs. Fields was a certified baddie. Her chocolate chip cookies were one of my few recurring mall purchases, a core memory from my days wandering the air-conditioned walkways with my friends. So many of my developmental years were spent hiding in the aisles at Spencer’s, giggling uncontrollably while clutching my $5 for $25 undies by the sweaty plastic loop of a shopping bag. I can still smell the Hollister.

Why was I picturing a little old lady all of these years?

My early high school mall: Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Kansas

The malls of days past had stores in a few distinct categories for clothing: you had your basics (GAP) you had your trendy (Abercrombie) you had your runway ripoffs (Cachè) and you had your department stores. And then, somewhere between The Body Shop and Macy’s were a bunch of other, deeply “uncool” clothing stores. These stores were places most teens would only go into trailing behind an older relative whose clothing taste could be described as practical. These stores were full of chunky costume jewelry, powdery-smelling sales associates, and pants your aunt would call “slacks.”

There were many years of my life in which the brand on the label of my clothing felt just as important as what the clothes actually looked like. But since I’ve shifted to a secondhand first lifestyle, brand names matter to me less than ever when it comes to my personal wardrobe. I’ve come across just as many ugly garments from “cool” brands as I have gorgeous pieces from “uncool” ones, and my hands and eyes seek out fabrics and construction before they reach for the label. In fact, I’ve found that undesirable brand names almost always mean better prices.

Over my many years of collecting secondhand clothing, both personally and for my business, I’ve repeatedly come across pieces that have completely shifted my perspective of brands that teenage me would have recoiled at. These brands are often plentiful at thrift stores, are widely available for great prices online, and feature great natural fibers and beautiful fabrics that would be double or triple (or more) the price from a more sought-after label.

Aside from low secondhand prices and general cloutlessness, there’s one more thing I noticed many of these brands have in common: size inclusivity. Many of these companies carried a broader size range than the “cool” stores, including petites, tall, and (some) plus sizes. Fatphobia is so far-reaching, especially in fashion, that I feel quite certain that body inclusivity actually served as a demerit for many brands. “Cool” is often a signal for a specific shopper, and that specific shopper is not-so-subtly supposed to be somewhere around a size small. Though we’re a long way from genuine size inclusivity, I have found that most of the brands I’ve included below offer a better range than other options on the secondhand market.

Happy hunting!

1. Chico’s

My apologizes in advance for this one. Of all the brands I’ve included in this piece, Chico’s definitely had the most offensive offering.

I can only image the bygone meetings had by Chico’s design teams, certainly helmed by middle-aged white people excitedly repeating words like “ethnic” and “global.” The brand consistently churned out a diluted hodgepodge of non-white cultural stylings, leaning heavily on busy prints and enormous beaded necklaces. Several of their prints feature depictions of Asian people, which I think is actually cute to wear if you’re Asian. Amongst the many misses, however, were the occasional very fun pieces in super Y2K-style prints and patterns.

A particular favorite of mine is their Traveler’s line, made up of slinky mix-and-match separates in neutral shades like black, brown, blue, and green. The Travelers pieces are made of a soft, stretchy acetate/Spandex blend specifically designed for versatility. The fabric is comfortable, wrinkle-resistant, and relatively flexible for styling. The drape is surprisingly sexy, and is a genuinely great travel option widely available for under $30 secondhand.

For fans of: Custo Barcelona, Y2K Roberto Cavalli, Miss Sixty

Look for: natural fiber jackets (cotton, silk, leather), quirky prints, fun accessories

Y2K Euro vintage in busy, colorful prints

Cotton blend butterfly jacket, Size 2, $25

Bamboo handle embellished tote, $29

Floral print jeans, Size 0, $13

Silver tone puffy heart bracelet, $24.50

Dark blue leather zipper jacket, $43

Leopard print Traveler’s pants, Size 3, $35

Multi print linen/cotton jacket, Size M, $29.99

Silk blend face print jacket, Size L, $38

Cornflower blue Traveler’s pants, Size 0, $20

Patched denim cotton jacket, Size 2, $40.60

2. Talbot’s

Talbot’s made excellent staple pieces in surprisingly funky colorways and prints. Most of their pieces are on the more modest side, which makes it a good option for fun office-appropriate attire. I’ve never worked in a “professional” setting, so I’d personally consider getting many of these pieces tailored. I think a little hemming or cinching would make some of these looks more wearable for me, and even including a trip to the tailor, are still available at great prices for pieces like a silk dresses.