apparel

All the Best Things at GU, Uniqlo’s Sister Store

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers

GU, Uniqlo’s sister brand, officially launched in the States today with its e-commerce site and New York City flagship store, and Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo and I got a chance to stop in for a sneak peek earlier this week. (Check out the reel of our tour on the Strategist Instagram page.) Located in Soho a couple of blocks from Uniqlo, the two-story shop houses trend-forward pieces like barrel-leg jeans, half-zip hoodies, and nylon cross-body bags. After a walk-through and trying on different items, Liza and I concluded that the clothes definitely skew younger than Uniqlo’s, but there were still plenty of things we loved and would actually wear (as two moms of young kids). Below are some of our favorites — plus a few we think will be veritable hits. (A note about sizing: The range is limited from XS to XL, with some of the stuff more generously proportioned. In general, Liza and I found everything to be more or less true to size.)

GU (pronounced like the letters G and U) is going hard on the barrel-leg trend, offering multiple styles and colors for both men and women. Liza looked amazing in this dark-wash pair, while I was intrigued by the baggier vintage-wash jeans that were just the right amount of edgy without looking like I was cosplaying someone a generation younger than I actually am.

Liza and I both loved these painter pants. They have a subtle barrel wide leg and a cut that’s super-flattering to the butt. Liza prefers the light beige shown here, while I like the darker brown style. In terms of sizing, we found the pants true to size, but I should note that the sizing is not numerical and instead goes from XS to XL. I tried the small, my normal size, which is equivalent to waist size 26, and it felt right to me. The inseam also worked on both me (five-two) and Liza (five-seven), though I will say that without shoes, the hem drags on the floor for me.

Liza (left) in the barrel-leg jeans and me in the painter pants. Photo: Kathy Li.

I wanted this skirt as soon as I saw it on the publicist at the first preview I attended a few weeks ago. I love its length and the fact that it could be dressed up or down. I sized up to a medium in this and would either go black or gray, though the latter can admittedly veer dangerously close to school-uniform territory.

There were a lot of good sweatshirts at GU, and this was one of our favorites: a half-zip hoodie in an appealing butter yellow.

Just a really solid, go-with-everything, pointelle-and-lace tank at a good price. It looked very nice on Liza.

I predict this oversize nylon cross-body bag will overtake Uniqlo’s ubiquitous half-moon bag in popularity in the next couple of months.

And this glittery tote might just be the next Baggu.

As part of its U.S. launch, GU debuted a collaboration with Japanese street label Undercover called Kosmik/Noise. I kind of love this Wizard of Oz T-shirt.

The collection includes this tracksuit with the brand’s signature side-tape accents.

These satiny ballet flats definitely have Miu Miu vibes and are pretty comfortable.

The velvet mary janes are also very cute.

We also really liked this ribbed double-zip cardigan that has a fitted, corsetlike silhouette.

This sheer, frilled mock-neck is another great layering piece.

While we didn’t try this on, Liza and I both liked the idea of a two-piece set that could be worn multiple ways. The knit slip dress looks especially nice.

The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

All the Best Things at GU, Uniqlo’s Sister Store