Store Review - Cato

While many of my friends hit the beach and the cruise ships this spring break, I’m one of a few students who stayed home to do work. And by “doing work,” I mean that I’ve been shopping and making sure my closet is stocked for my next few installments of the blog. But before I post my piece on separates on Monday, I wanted to answer a reader email I received from Karen, a staff member at UNC Career Services:

“I wanted to let you know that I always shop at Cato – the prices are phenomenal. You may want to check it out!”

Up to that point I had been to Cato once – in seventh grade. I bought a rainbow striped sweater that ended up having that awkward “short-but-wide” cut to it, and never went back. But I was willing to give them a chance. Recently, they donated tons of patent pumps to Dress for Success, and if their act of philanthropy wasn’t deserving enough, the shoes look great with a suit and almost every pair has gone home with a client. So I gave them a shot. Here’s the run down:

The Pros

·         Style – I was excited about their pieces because they were modern, and had bright spring colors, yet still had a mature look. And a lot of the pieces looked like they could be dressed up or dressed down. Their best pieces were tops and slacks.

·         Price – Most tops were under $20, bottoms were a bit more. The clothes were made of sturdy fabric and the stitching felt secure, so I imagine they would be a good investment and would last several seasons.

·         Variety of sizes – Shoes ran up to size 11, while half the store is dedicated to plus size. And the designs in both section compliment a feminine figure.

The Cons

·         Size variety didn’t apply on my side of the spectrum. I only found a few tops available in a size small, and the smallest size pants I saw were a 4. Not sure if this is unique to my local Cato, or the brand in general.

·         No online store. I wanted to look into ordering a top I spotted during my visit, but their website doesn’t include a way to place orders. So if you see their printed coral tank in a size small, hit me up!

·         Quality in accessories. I’m still in the stage of building my wardrobe where I need to make sure I have a few quality basics that can survive lots of wear and tear in the belts, bags, and shoes departments. Their clothes felt sturdy, so I was disappointed with the lack of leather/amount of pleather in accessories.

Overall, a win! Thanks for the tip, Karen!