That guy is wearing your outfit

So it's been a few weeks since Seattle finally saw the opening of all three, highly anticipated H&M stores. The Northwest had yet to be graced with the presence of the stylish Swedish retailer until this summer. The closest locations have, until now, been Vancouver BC and San Francisco.

Today the store that we used to seek out when we traveled elsewhere is right down the street. We used to go to the NYC's,  DC's, San Frans and Chicagos of the country and come back with our hip clothes that no one in the Seattle scene would be wearing. Those days are over.

Albeit stylish and cheap; our three new stores are an embarrassment of riches. No matter what part of the city you are in you now have access to H&M and before long we will all be wearing the same cute undies, hip jeans and stylish little jackets. In the pre-H&M world occasionally we would run into people wearing the same American Apparel, Abercrombie or GAP tee's. That's bound to happen since those stores are staples of Everywhere USA and the places we have gone to for years. The retail climate has changed for the better in many ways but with this fortune we run the risk of seeing someone in the same clothes as us when we are out on the town. 

Don't get me wrong; I love me some H&M and have, several times, frequented the new locations. I have, however been careful to not go straight for the loud trendy purple tees or the black and white checkered scarves that we have so cleverly began to tie around our necks cowboy-style (Keffiyeh). Instead I have stuck to the hot inexpensive jeans, undies and basic tops that I will layer or accessorize with pieces from other stores, the internet and those crucial trips to other cities with different stores.

As a community we are often seen as clones of each other and in Seattle we definitely keep retail stores in business so this is a great opportunity to challenge those stereotypes. My hope is that now that we have access to so much affordable fashion, we learn to edit ourselves and maintain our own individuality and sense of style.