A broke college student goes undercover: a review of Alo’s price point

All the way from the air, lands, and oceans of the Los Angeles coastline, a new clothing shop joins the ranks of the Nassau Street shopping scene. Tucked inside Palmer Square, and yet to be acknowledged formally on Google Maps, Alo recently had their opening weekend which brought excitement from loyal customers and curious new buyers.

Its bright white interior served as a stark contrast to the darkening sky, while a DJ booth blasted last summer’s greatest hits by the entrance. Once you survive the attack on your basic sensory functions, an unintimidating worker is quick to assist you, a notable contrast to my previous shopping experience. The friendly worker approached me with the usual quips, asking if I knew what I was looking for. Still recovering from having Tyla’s tunes blasted directly in my ear, I began to ask myself the same question. Replying with an excuse to avoid interacting further with the sales associate, I moved on to the nearest distraction.

The store was divided into sections by color and style, all sharing similar dull shades of blue, beige, and brown. Styles ranged from comfort and casual to athletic — and to my surprise — even dabbled into business attire with a single blazer on display.

Starting with the rack to my left, I admired the capri length leggings and sports bras that hung next to them. Touching the fabric, it was sturdier than usual leggings, and upon inspection of the stitching, it all seemed to align with the brand’s reputation for high-quality craftsmanship compared to other known luxury activewear brands.

However, high quality isn’t just visual. It also includes what materials are used. What were Alo products made of, and did that match up with their price point?

The leggings on display were all roughly 80 percent polyester, with a small fraction of a cotton blend. I have found that the problem with a higher ratio of polyester to cotton blend is pilling — when the top layer of the clothing forms balls of loose fibers that degrade the piece’s quality and texture — and some damage after a couple of washes.

The high percentage of polyester also suggests that the clothes will hold onto odors and are not as breathable, which are both relevant points to know when buying athletic wear. For $118, I expected better material composition. If Alo’s prices for their leggings matched the quality, in my opinion, their prices would be lower than the current ones. Lululemon is notably more durable in its construction, with a 77 percent nylon composition. Lululemon’s leggings are also cheaper, costing $98 online.

Moving on from the leggings, coordinating sports bras complimented the leggings. However, while cute for more chill settings, I noticed that the padding of the sports bras is exposed and stitched in an unsecure way that wouldn't warrant its $78 price tag. After one trip in the washing machine, I could see the pad losing its place and sticking out against the bras exterior design.

Leaving the bras behind, I shifted my attention toward the back of the store, where I found a display of different jacket types ranging from business attire to athletic. Their jackets — such as their beige cropped metro trench — have a 26 percent wool composition, which is higher compared to their shirts, so they’re less likely to pill. Jackets also generally don’t need as many washes as shirts do. However, the pricing of this specific coat is notably different between in-store and online. The $228 in-store price tag is not reflective of the $159 online store price tag since there is currently a 30 percent off sale happening online.

Other jackets like the fleece cropped jacket and their sherpa jacket have a 100 percent polyester makeup, and even fresh on the rack, they already display signs of pilling. Both jackets have an in-store price of $188 and $218, respectively, and a 30 percent off discount online.

While Alo’s overall aesthetic is appealing to the eye, the gap between the quality of their items and the price point of their products made me wonder if the brand is mostly just its name.

Amanda Hugas is a member of the Class of 2027 and a contributing writer for The Prospect. She can be reached by her email at ah0942[at]princeton.edu.