15 Best Brands Like Hollister 2023, Find Alternatives

Looking for brands like Hollister? While there are plenty of options out there, most stores have a hard time matching the relaxed, surf-inspired attitude that Hollister’s stores take. Here are some of the best stores like Hollister to visit instead, including what sets them apart from the competition and what you can expect to find if you visit.

J. Crew

Although often seen as a little more upscale than Hollister, J. Crew is a surprisingly good alternative for Hollister thanks to its casual fashion sections. The denim options are an excellent choice if you enjoy Hollister’s style, but you can also expect to see some looser, casual tops for both men and women.

J. Crew changes its stock regularly, but they often have unusual stand-outs like hooded t-shirts. These are lighter than regular hoodies, and most stores don’t sell anything like them, making them a good choice for teens who want to try something different.

Forever 21

While they focus mainly on women’s clothes, Forever 21 offers a solid casual section that can appeal to many Hollister fans. Their lighter dresses tend to be comfortable and breezy, ideal for casual dates or excursions, while the heavier sweater dresses provide a little more warmth for anyone heading out in winter.

A few of Forever 21’s rompers and jumpsuits match Hollister’s classic style, though these products trend towards being more form-fitting than strictly casual. With its focus on women, Forever 21 works somewhat better for older teens near the end of their growth spurt. Younger teens may have a harder time finding Hollister-like clothes here.

Gap

GAP is a little more mass-market than Hollister, but their stores are all over the place, and they have plenty of casual fashion for all ages. Notably, GAP has a large denim section, including jackets and other gear. Their teen sections include graphic t-shirts, oversized hoodies, and jackets. They also sell khakis and some stretch pants for anyone who doesn’t like denim.

Style has a lot of personal elements to it, so it’s hard to say that any particular store is the right option for everyone. Most people see Hollister as a slightly more upscale store than GAP, but if you’re looking for comfortable and casual fashion, this is easily one of the best places to start looking.

Zulily

Zulily is a little different from the other brands on this list because it’s not a true brand in its own right. Instead, they resell various other brands by picking up extra stock and offering it clothes a discount. There are two considerations for customers here.

The first is that Zulily tends to have slightly older fashion, so it’s not an excellent choice for anyone looking for the absolute newest clothing. The second consideration is that Zulily has a lot of products from good brands at sharply lower prices, so it’s an excellent choice for anyone who wants to buy a lot of clothes.

American Eagle

American Eagle is easily one of the best brands like Hollister. AE has a wide selection of casual fashion, with a strong focus on denim in both regular and pre-ripped varieties. Notably, AE sells skinny and flare jeans, which fit different body types. Add in the large selection of casual t-shirts, and you have a great competitor for Hollister’s overall style.

American Eagle focuses more on trends than many of its competitors, including dividing its products by color. The division is particularly noticeable with their jeans, which include light, medium, and dark washes for denim in both the men’s and women’s departments. Overall, American Eagle is worth a look, then two or three more thanks to their overall quality.

Banana Republic

Banana Republic is part of the GAP family, though they have a slightly different focus than the primary stores. These stores are a little more luxury-focused, with casual button-down shirts and jackets as a focus. The Banana Republic also has some denim, with a split between slim, tapered, straight, and relaxed fits.

Banana Republic’s tops lean closer to formal than casual most of the time, but teens may want to check out the store’s Tee Shop area, which includes some nice crew-neck and boatneck options that can fit a casual style. Their French Terry sweaters are also a decent alternative to Hollister.

Express

Express is a trend-watcher, constantly looking at the most popular outfits and editing them to provide a more unique look and feel. This gives them a wide variety of products, including comfortable and casual gear that can suit teenage preferences. Express trends towards minimalist art on clothing, but a few pieces have oversized pictures and images instead.

Denim is a key part of Hollister’s look and something teens often search for, and Express sells that in both regular and pre-ripped. They also have jeans for a wider variety of body shapes than many of their competitors, so this is an excellent place to start looking if you’re having trouble finding things that fit.

PacSun

PacSun is another strong alternative for Hollister, with a similar California-inspired vibe. Notably, they stock more shorts and casual gear than many of their competitors, which is perfect for teens seeking lighter summer wear. Somewhat unusually, they also stock a line of unisex gear, which means expanded options and the possibility of literally matching outfits.

Like most stores in their space, PacSun sells denim jeans in both regular and ripped variants. Many of their clothes don’t last as long as some competitors, though, so this is a better store if you’re looking for fashion you don’t plan to wear too many times.

Old Navy

Old Navy is another member of the GAP family, but with a much heavier emphasis on denim. They sell some shirts and other gear, but denim is the focus and even shows up in non-standard forms like jackets. Old Navy has a lot of corporate partnerships, too, so they have a wide selection of graphic shirts.

Overall, Old Navy operates in a similar casual space to Hollister. However, they have less inspiration from California and beach culture, and more from inland and somewhat colder climates. Old Navy also has a wide selection of casual clothes for girls, whereas most of their competitors lean a little more formal there.

Hot Topic

Branded and graphic wear isn’t unusual, but Hot Topic focuses on it significantly more than most of its competitors. Their selections include a variety of new and classic series, from Disney to Japanese animated series, all split into sections by theme. Hot Topic sells bottoms like jeans and shorts, but their obvious focus is tops like t-shirts.

In terms of overall feel, Hot Topic doesn’t match Hollister for that California beach vibe. However, in many ways, it outdoes Hollister in the casual segment, with enough variety in shirts to appeal to almost anyone who wants to show off their interests. Don’t expect formalwear here, but teens who just want to relax will find a lot to like.

Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters targets a slightly older demographic than Hollister, but teens will still find a lot to like. Standouts in their product line include some unusual patterns on jeans, including checkerboards, swirls, and overdyed jeans. Though not available in huge quantities, most competitors don’t offer anything like these.

Tops at Urban Outfitters trend oversized and casual, with a wide selection of pop culture and artistic designs. They often lack the California feel of Hollister’s, but the mix of clothes with additional lifestyle products makes this an ideal place for teens.

Revolve

Many stores focus their products towards specific demographics, but Revolve goes a little further than most with their heavy emphasis on female customers. Men should look elsewhere. Revolve mainly focuses on more upscale and luxurious looks, which clashes with Hollister, but they do have some competitive options for lounging around.

Revolve is ultimately further away from Hollister than most of the other brands on this list, so it’s not a top choice if you’re looking for a specifically casual Californian vibe. It might be worth checking out for specific pieces, though, even if you don’t decide to make it your main clothing store.

Aeropostale

Aeropostale isn’t as well-known as some other brands, but it has a solid selection of casual wear. Notably, they divide their jeans into more specific categories than many competitors do, which makes it much easier to find an exact look there. Other outfits include a wide variety of casual and comfortable styles, from plain clothes to graphic shirts.

Aeropostale is somewhat more affordable than Hollister, and there’s enough variety to appeal to most teens. Aeropostale doesn’t have much outerwear, though, so consider shopping elsewhere for jackets and hoodies.

Dolls Kill

Dolls Kill is a comparatively small retailer, thanks in no small part to their focus on online sales. While they like to advertise themselves as going past casual and straight into the wild, they have a collection of somewhat calmer clothes that will appeal to some teens.

Dolls Kill is many things, but subtle isn’t one of them. They tend to use bright, saturated colors and sell clothes that grab attention. This isn’t the right store for everyone, but some girls will like what they see.

Tillys

Tillys is a flexible and casual store with a focus on shirts and shorts. That makes them a strong competitor among the brands like Hollister, especially for anyone looking for actual surf wear instead of clothing that just mimics the appearance. Unsurprisingly, they’re more oriented towards summer and warmer activities.

Tillys also sells several other popular brands, including Vans, Adidas, and Champion, so you can expect decent variety within their stores.

What Makes A Store Similar To Hollister

Fashion is heavily subjective, so finding the best alternative for a store can be challenging.

Hollister itself focuses on teens and young adults while emphasizing casual wear. Although not strictly a surfing lifestyle brand, they take a lot of inspiration from the California coast and promote that feeling through their lifestyle choices. With this context, we can start defining what makes a store comfortably similar to Hollister.

The first part is the target demographic. Stores that are similar to Hollister tend to stock comfortable, often looser-fit clothing that’s easy to put on. Zippers and pull-over are common on tops, while buttons are rare except on jeans and the occasional polo shirt.

Logos, graphics, and color mixes are relatively common, with plain one-color gear fairly rare.

Price-wise, Hollister is a mid-range store. It’s not a true budget-focused location, so you won’t find the cheapest gear there, but it’s also not hideously overpriced for what you’re getting. Cheaper casual wear tends to wear out faster than anything Hollister sells.

To stand as a good alternative for Hollister, a store should have a wide variety of comfortable wear for all genders, with a good selection of graphics and lifestyle wear to suit personal tastes. Stores that trend formal or luxury are usually poor alternatives, but a few are worth considering for individual items.

Top Brands Like Hollister, Final Thoughts

There are plenty of brands that work as good alternatives for Hollister, though fashion remains a subjective choice in the end. Some stores, like Aeropostale and Old Navy, are major outfitters with a lot of affordable options. However, it’s worth looking through some of the smaller companies just to see what they’ve got. You might be surprised at what you’ll find.