American Apparel

Never any lines or a lot of people depending on day and time and the lady was really helpful when I went to the dressing rooms and I found what I wanted in more than one occasion here

This location is alright, staff was nice and helpful. The only complaint I have is that to try on something you have to go downstairs. All 3 times I’ve been there they have made me go downstairs when clearly I see 2 fitting rooms upstairs but for some reason they’re not open. It’s such a hassle when I just want to stay upstairs. Also the fitting rooms are TINY. Can barely move in those things, and no I’m not huge or anything. It’s also very hot down there, couldn’t wait to get out, but I guess that’s why they do it, so people hurry up when trying on things… Hope they open the upstairs one!

I’m only giving this store 2 stars because it’s in my neighborhood (Harlem) and I like American Apparel clothes in general. But seriously, this is the the worst American Apparel I’ve been to in the city. The store is small and they don’t have the largest selection compared to some of the others. The staff here is terrible — at least on the day that I went. I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon for some leggings. I have very low expectations for customer service and general overall friendliness in american apparel stores anyway, so take this with a grain of salt — but not a single staff member bothered to greet me, despite the fact that I was the only one in the store. Then, as I approach the counter I made eye contact w/​the girl near the register and smile… and was given a blank stare in return. Ok fine, maybe she’s having a bad day… So then I’m standing at the counter waiting to be checked out (mind you, I’m still the only person in the store) and the 2 staff people (guy and girl) behind the counter are just standing there chatting and completely ignoring me. Finally after a couple minutes, the guy looks at me and says «Oh, do you want to buy those?» Really?! No, I’m just standing here at the cash register with a credit card in my hand staring at you because I have nothing better to do. I’ll stick to the other american apparel stores, definitely not coming back here unless I really have to.

Worst american apparel that I have been to in the city. Totally chaotic and people just asking everyone they run into if they work there or not.
Long lines and not helpful staff. Id rather go to the one and fight the crowd on 23^rd than the one on W 125^th. They need to organize their store better so people can actually walk through the store and not just stand in a glob in the doorway.

so this is the place where colorful black women & gay white men shop, eh?
cool!
I got a pair of shorts that bring all the boys to the yard, a cotton thong that doesnt make my booty itch and I met Wilson Cruz standing in line behind me!
but OMG the music was so loud that it was nauseating!

I’m still shocked that there’s an American Apparel in Harlem. The two are sort of like oil and water and that’s probably why the store was empty when I went in.
There were three salesgirls and all of them were nice, helpful and not at all pushy.
I wasn’t in the mood (READ: didn’t have the money) to spend $ 100 on an absolutely beautiful 3D flower mesh top (you know the one) and everything else was a bit higher than I was willing to pay for say, sheer black tights ($ 20). I wish I could have bought the flower mesh top and the long chiffon skirt and the sheer, chiffon button-​up but I stuck with the sales section. They were having a 30% off sale on really soft cotton scoop-​neck tops and I picked up a gray one (the total was $ 12 because the sales associate rung it up as 50% off by mistake).
The gray top I bought is soft, fits nicely and doesn’t look cheap at all. It’s also a great transition piece. I love the scoop-​neck. It’s warm enough for fall/​winter and light enough for spring at the same time. The quality is spot-​on and that is usually the case for AA clothing. I’m definitely going to go back to grab the same top in white and peach.

Though not a fan or regular wearer of most of their items on a regular basis, short of Halloween (hello, shiny magenta roller shorts), I post this review on the store, not so much the products inside.
I mean, all American Apparels have the same items. Do I have to mention the mesh neon yellow body suit they have at the Harlem store? Nope. They have it all the other stores too. (And kudos to you if you legitimately want to buy it!)
The store itself is in a convention location on West 125^th Street, easily accessible from half a dozen subway lines and about four bus lines. It’s an average-​sized store… not cramped, but not overwhelmingly huge. The crowds? Virtually non-​existent. The people in there? Not as annoyingly hip as many of the downtown locations. The salespeople? EXTREMELY helpful. All six people working there came up to me at one point and asked me if I need help /​suggestions /​a dressing room. The music? Delightfully cheesy 80s, mixed with someone thumping T.I. out of their car’s stereo outside.
Next time I need my silver and black striped tube top and neon orange biking shorts (…NEXT Halloween, perhaps?), I will be going to this location.

If you want it in dappled fuchsia, or glittery slate, or bold stripes… you have an 95% chance of finding it here. American Apparel has that annoying cloyingly trendy thing going for it, but on the upside, my tiny friends, my big friends and my friends in between can often fit into and work it out in many of their pieces. That’s the wonderful thing about stretchy cotton — it adapts for a multitude of sins.
This 125^th outpost of American Apparel, like many of their NYC storefronts, is within two blocks of two Starbucks. But unlike many of its sister stores, it’s in West Harlem on 125^th Street.
As we, Dear Reader, have now discovered about shopping on 125^th Street in the early years of this millennium, if the price point is above «discount» the store will be almost always nearly empty.
Awaiting you are shorter lines, bored salespeople all too happy to help you and tick away their hours faster, full well organized racks (with a variety of sizes from XS to XL), and aisles not fraught with the hustle and bustle of 6 girls all vying for the same periwinkle mesh bodysuit.
Gentrification, you make me feel guilty, but I appreciate these rare middling moments in time when I can take advantage of commerce’s early adopters before the (rest of?) the yuppies and hipsters and slightly more wealthy crazies descend.