Okay, so I finally dragged myself to that Aritzia in Soho everyone’s always yapping about. You know the one. I figured, what’s the big deal? Let’s go see. It had been on my list for ages, mostly because people just don’t shut up about it, so I thought, alright, I’ll give it a whirl when I’m in the neighborhood.
Getting Myself Over There
So, I was already downtown, wandering around, trying to soak up that New York vibe, you know? Decided it was time. Made my way over to Broadway. Even finding the entrance was a bit of a thing, Soho’s always so packed, people everywhere. You really gotta weave through the crowds.
Stepping Inside: First Impressions
Walked in, and wow. The place is huge. Like, seriously big. And busy. So. Many. People. It was like a Saturday afternoon rush, but I think it was a Tuesday? I immediately felt a bit like, “Okay, this is going to be an ordeal.” The layout is kinda open, but also sectioned off in a way that makes you feel like you might miss something. I just wanted to browse, see what they had. Lots of neutrals, which is their thing, I guess. I started by just drifting, trying to get a feel for the different collections they had laid out. Some stuff looked pretty nice from afar.
The Actual “Shopping” Part
I started picking up a few pieces. A knit top here, a pair of those wide-leg pants everyone wears there. The staff were milling about, mostly busy with other customers or tidying up the endless stream of clothes. Finding my size was a bit of a treasure hunt on some racks. You know how it is, popular sizes are always gone or hidden. I grabbed a small pile and then looked for the fitting rooms. That was another adventure.
- First, you gotta find the fitting room area, which isn’t always super obvious in big stores.
- Then, there’s usually a line, or at least a check-in person.
- They count your items like you’re trying to pull a fast one. Standard procedure, but still.
The fitting room itself was… a fitting room. Decent size, I guess. The lighting, as always in these places, does weird things to your complexion. Tried on the first top. Okay, not bad. Tried the pants. Hmm, the fit was a bit off for me. This is always my problem; I see it on a mannequin or online, and it looks great, then on me, it’s a whole different story. I remember this one time, I bought a dress online, thinking it was a steal, and when it arrived, it looked like a potato sack. Since then, I’m super wary of just buying things without trying them on, especially from these kinds of places.
The Vibe and The Decision
The overall vibe was definitely “cool girl” central. Lots of very stylish people, and I felt a bit like I needed to up my game just to be there. Honestly, it’s a bit much pressure for just trying to buy a sweater. I looked at the prices on the tags for the items I semi-liked, and yeah, Aritzia isn’t cheap. You’re paying for the name, the vibe, the Soho rent, I suppose. I stood there for a good few minutes, debating if anything was truly “worth it.” One sweater was nice, but was it “wait-in-another-line-to-pay” nice? I wasn’t so sure. The thought of queuing up again, because the checkout line looked pretty long too, was not appealing.
I ended up just neatly folding the clothes and handing them back to one of the fitting room attendants. Told them, “Thanks, but not today.” They barely blinked, probably used to it.
Leaving and Final Thoughts
So, I walked out empty-handed. Not a total waste of time, I guess. I satisfied my curiosity. I can now say, “Yeah, I’ve been to the Aritzia in Soho.” It’s definitely a spot if you’re into their specific aesthetic and don’t mind the hustle and bustle, or the price tags. For me, it was a bit too chaotic. I prefer a more chill shopping experience, to be honest. But hey, now I know. And I got to see what all the fuss was about, firsthand. Soho’s still cool though, I just went and got a coffee afterwards. Much more my speed.
