In March of 2023, GQ style editor Yang-Yi Goh broke the biggest story in mall-related news since the doom-and-gloom prophesying of the pandemic years: Banana Republic was good again. The Gap-owned galleria stalwart was never bad, per se, but over the years it had strayed from its adventure-outfitter heritage, trading the rugged hallmarks of the ’70s-era jet-set for more anodyne corporate-drone fare. Its sudden menswear glow-up was a glorious return to form, jam-packed with snap-front western shirts, double-pleated khaki pants, and enough suede to outfit ABBA—on an ABBA cover band budget. Our interest was officially piqued.
Stop Reading, and Buy This Before We Do
To keep us interested, though, BR would have to play more than just the hits. So for its latest fall drop, the brand pulled inspiration from a different archetype altogether: the ‘90s heartthrob, he of louche, pleated trousers, rumpled striped shirts, and cropped, boxy jackets. It’s not quite an about-face for the brand—before all of that was retro-cool, Banana Republic helped make it cool cool—but it’s one of the savviest plays yet from a rejuvenated big-box retailer not named J.Crew. Make moves to the Banana Republic site to browse the collection in its entirety, or keep scrolling to ogle a dozen or so of our favorite picks below.
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
