AIMEE IN AMERICA! | MY FIRST INSTORE GILLY HICKS EXPERIENCE...

Hey Fashionable Dudes & Bettys!

Again last week I found myself near Chicago. More specifically the Schaumburg Woodfield Mall, the same mall international models visited for Black Friday 2012 and the location of one of the seventeen US Gilly Hicks locations. Despite the three Gilly Hicks stores in Illinois within an hour of Michigan Ave, last weekend was my first GH experience.

Walking into Gilly Hicks felt like walking back in time to what I imagine Ruehl was like. The familiarity of the attention to intimate detail in interior design during that era and some pieces of music are very reminiscent. This may be because the closing of Ruehl occured around the same time as the opening of Gilly Hicks?

Note: I have only seen Ruehl in videos. Like this one of the closing of a location (here).

While Gilly Hicks originally began as a brand for 18 and up, the store was similar to a VS (Victoria's Secret) Pink (15-22 year old demographic) with an Abercrombie & Fitch atmosphere. As analyst Kimberly Greenberger said in 2008 following the first opening, "...Gilly Hicks could be a more wholesome alternative (to Victoria's Secret), and mothers would not mind taking their 15-year-olds to Gilly Hicks to shop."

Depending on the season, the Gilly Hicks' playlist is sometimes my favorite of the brands. And I love this Pre-Spring's with songs like No Strings (Mayer Hawthorne) and few others I haven't been able to find yet. Like the Michigan Avenue Abercrombie and Hollister stores, Gilly Hicks was a maze of many fabulous rooms. I especially loved the fragrance counter room in the center of the store.

I forgot to take a photo of the storefront- too excited! :)
But it was very similar to the Mall of America location.
Photo found online.

lace sleep shorts <3 and sailing club tee

Have you ever been to Gilly Hicks? What do you think of it? Let me know in the comments below.

Until next Friday...
Stay Fabulous&FIERCE!
xoxo Aimee ♥