In praise of Olive Garden and Hampton Inn; praise YOUR lowbrow favorites!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn still seem fancy to me compared to the places we stayed when I was a kid lol

I was just thinking this. We had to stay at the Travel lodge

Or the Quality Court!

We mostly camped, but when we stayed in hotels it seemed like we ended up at local dumps with names like Motel 7. There was one with the beds where you put in a quarter to make them vibrate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Had to buy a pair of jeans from Walmart in small town PA. They are the best fitting and most comfortable all cotton jeans. I am home now and can’t find them online!

Walmart has terrific bathing suits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is lowbrow about Ann Taylor clothing?
I am genuinely confused

Ask in the fashion forum.

My hot take is that some women wore too much of it in their early career and now they have more money and it reminds them of being relatively poor. These people are buying pieces that are 100s of dollars per piece now. Less famous brands that are upscale and often foreign.

OP here. I used to work at Ann Taylor in the early 2000s as a side gig. I loved it. The cashmere, the lined pants, the Merino wool, the suits. We used to open boxes in the back and want EVERYTHING.

Now, the materials are cheap, the “fit” is boxy, there are no sleeves are darts, the quality is abhorrent. I forgot myself and bought some things on sale last year online, but when I got them home in my hands, I realized how cheap the fabric was and how poor the quality was. Never again. It’s a shame, but Ann Taylor is terrible quality and far too overpriced for what it is. It’s junk fashion. It’s the junk food of fashion. You know it’s bad, but you consume it anyway. And I say this as a former employee and brand fan!

PP. You are correct that quality has dropped but it's also true that's pretty much true across the board until you start spending $300+ per garment piece. So no reason to single Ann Taylor out if you have to criticize mass mall brands. The people who dump on it seem to prefer indie/European brands.

OK, you’re taking it very personally. I also think Banana Republic and similar mall brands have declined in quality, but not as much—not such a steep drop-off. You can still find pieces at Banana. You cannot find anything at AT, and it’s because both the fabrics AND the fit are so awful now. There is nothing good in there. I still get birthday rewards via email and literally have gone in to get something basically for free or a steep discount, and walked out because nothing was worthwhile, nothing. You can disagree. And I would ask if you were the great-granddaughter of Ann Taylor or something, but I know from working there that there is no Ann Taylor!

[Anonymous]

I love Olive Garden. Love it. I think the food is really good.

I'm an expat and have lived in London, Berlin, Vienna, Singapore, and Dubai, and I've eaten at many "good" restaurants around the world. I still love Olive Garden, and I still think the food is good. Whenever I visit family in the US, I always go to Olive Garden with my sister, more than once in a visit, because I love it so much.

I also like that powdered salad dressing mix that you mix in its cruet with oil and vinegar. I can't remember what it's called, but when I go home for Christmas, I'm stocking up on that too.

And Big Red gum. I love that stuff and will take back many packs with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is lowbrow about Ann Taylor clothing?
I am genuinely confused

Ask in the fashion forum.

My hot take is that some women wore too much of it in their early career and now they have more money and it reminds them of being relatively poor. These people are buying pieces that are 100s of dollars per piece now. Less famous brands that are upscale and often foreign.

OP here. I used to work at Ann Taylor in the early 2000s as a side gig. I loved it. The cashmere, the lined pants, the Merino wool, the suits. We used to open boxes in the back and want EVERYTHING.

Now, the materials are cheap, the “fit” is boxy, there are no sleeves are darts, the quality is abhorrent. I forgot myself and bought some things on sale last year online, but when I got them home in my hands, I realized how cheap the fabric was and how poor the quality was. Never again. It’s a shame, but Ann Taylor is terrible quality and far too overpriced for what it is. It’s junk fashion. It’s the junk food of fashion. You know it’s bad, but you consume it anyway. And I say this as a former employee and brand fan!

PP. You are correct that quality has dropped but it's also true that's pretty much true across the board until you start spending $300+ per garment piece. So no reason to single Ann Taylor out if you have to criticize mass mall brands. The people who dump on it seem to prefer indie/European brands.

OK, you’re taking it very personally. I also think Banana Republic and similar mall brands have declined in quality, but not as much—not such a steep drop-off. You can still find pieces at Banana. You cannot find anything at AT, and it’s because both the fabrics AND the fit are so awful now. There is nothing good in there. I still get birthday rewards via email and literally have gone in to get something basically for free or a steep discount, and walked out because nothing was worthwhile, nothing. You can disagree. And I would ask if you were the great-granddaughter of Ann Taylor or something, but I know from working there that there is no Ann Taylor!

I have to agree. The fabrics are visibly awful and their vanity sizing is out of control. A 0 at AT is a 6 on other brands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jarritos

I’ll drink them, bake with them, and use them as a cocktail mixer.

I use jarritos as a mixer too!

Also - Olive Garden is, and will always be, our family favorite. I've been in there sometimes twice in one week. During Covid, we were doing pick up on the regular. I've even written "To Whom It May Concern" letters to them to complain about stuff lol! My personal favorite is ordering the special alfredo dipping sauce for the breadsticks in lieu of the marinara, and then for my entree getting eggplant parm and swap the spaghetti with red sauce for fettucini alfredo. Heaven! Also - i have had two separate servers SWEAR to me that their eggplant parm is cooked fresh in house daily, and does not come frozen (as I had always assumed). Apparently they salt and dehydrate a ton of eggplant slices in the kitchen every day! I've eaten in some of the best italian restaurants in the world, and OG gives them a run for their money.

OK, this thread is fun, but let’s not get carried away now.

I think they meant it gives them the runs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn still seem fancy to me compared to the places we stayed when I was a kid lol

I was just thinking this. We had to stay at the Travel lodge

Same here, although we children were delighted to stay at the "sleepy bear motel!"

[Anonymous]

In case no one has posted this already, here is a lovely story about a lady who reviews restaurants for the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota. She went viral for her detailed review of Olive Garden back in 2012!

https://www.grandforksherald.com/lifestyle/10-years-ago-this-month-marilyn-hagerty-reviewed-olive-garden-relive-the-viral-moment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spam

Those dried potato flakes that make mashed potatoes when you add water.

OMG yes.

Or KFC potato and gravy.

[Anonymous]

Hanes cotton briefs - the granny panty kind.

[Anonymous]

Totino's pizza (not the pizza rolls- never had those)- I could house one in just a few minutes. I also swear it was called Tostino's and was stunned to find out as an adult there's only one S in the name.

Also another huge fan of Olive Garden salad and breadsticks.

There's a gas station/mini mart where my parents live in Charleston that is amazing- Refuel. The whole family runs there to get junk food/slurpees.

IKEA vegetarian meatball platter is worth the trip down 95 to Woodbridge.

Cranberry sauce from the can- my husband makes an amazing homemade cranberrry sauce with whole berries and Grand Marnier- but I like the stuff straight out of the can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is lowbrow about Ann Taylor clothing?
I am genuinely confused

Ask in the fashion forum.

My hot take is that some women wore too much of it in their early career and now they have more money and it reminds them of being relatively poor. These people are buying pieces that are 100s of dollars per piece now. Less famous brands that are upscale and often foreign.

OP here. I used to work at Ann Taylor in the early 2000s as a side gig. I loved it. The cashmere, the lined pants, the Merino wool, the suits. We used to open boxes in the back and want EVERYTHING.

Now, the materials are cheap, the “fit” is boxy, there are no sleeves are darts, the quality is abhorrent. I forgot myself and bought some things on sale last year online, but when I got them home in my hands, I realized how cheap the fabric was and how poor the quality was. Never again. It’s a shame, but Ann Taylor is terrible quality and far too overpriced for what it is. It’s junk fashion. It’s the junk food of fashion. You know it’s bad, but you consume it anyway. And I say this as a former employee and brand fan!

PP. You are correct that quality has dropped but it's also true that's pretty much true across the board until you start spending $300+ per garment piece. So no reason to single Ann Taylor out if you have to criticize mass mall brands. The people who dump on it seem to prefer indie/European brands.

OK, you’re taking it very personally. I also think Banana Republic and similar mall brands have declined in quality, but not as much—not such a steep drop-off. You can still find pieces at Banana. You cannot find anything at AT, and it’s because both the fabrics AND the fit are so awful now. There is nothing good in there. I still get birthday rewards via email and literally have gone in to get something basically for free or a steep discount, and walked out because nothing was worthwhile, nothing. You can disagree. And I would ask if you were the great-granddaughter of Ann Taylor or something, but I know from working there that there is no Ann Taylor!

This is really depressing. I was thrilled after college when I could finally afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May I never be at a point in my life where I feel the need to "admit" to eating at places like Olive Garden or Popeyes.

Yawn.

Just say you like it and go lol. This whole "OMG I know it is sooooo bad and embarrassing, usually I am so much KlAsSiEr than this but I must admit to liking OMG *gasp* fast food twice a year!!!11!!1!" is...bleh.

Agree. These threads come up periodically and they are so cringey.

+1. It's the same people who claim to never eat McDonalds or drink Coke.

Uhhh, do you think both of those things are sold on every corner in the US because they taste bad?

[Anonymous]

I love the egg souffle thingies at Panera and egg mcmuffins from McDonalds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love Olive Garden. Love it. I think the food is really good.

I'm an expat and have lived in London, Berlin, Vienna, Singapore, and Dubai, and I've eaten at many "good" restaurants around the world. I still love Olive Garden, and I still think the food is good. Whenever I visit family in the US, I always go to Olive Garden with my sister, more than once in a visit, because I love it so much.

I also like that powdered salad dressing mix that you mix in its cruet with oil and vinegar. I can't remember what it's called, but when I go home for Christmas, I'm stocking up on that too.

And Big Red gum. I love that stuff and will take back many packs with me.

Good Seasons! I like it too.