At this time of economic crisis, it's fair to say that everybody has been affected and as we are all reminded every day shopping is dreaded throughout.
For this reason I think everybody agrees that shops with high prices are definately out of the question for now.
Zara is a definate choice for people on a budget, but this doesn't mean that the quality of any of their clothes is sacrificed.
I can honestly say that hen clothes shopping, I will always have a good look around Zara.

Range
The range in Zara is excellant, they do a very casual range which is suitable for all ages, and they also do a range of smart quality work and smart wear.
When I got my first full time job I didnt have a lot of money, and I suddenly had to start dressing smart. As a young girl this is so daunting, you want to stay conscience of your image and look trendy but you also want to look really grown up and smart and make an effort every morning. Zara matches this perfectly, they do such a large range of trendy and smart clothes.
Their work range is slightly more expensive than the rest of their clothes and this really shoes in the quality, however the prices are still reasonable.
When I bought my work clothes I ended up buying everything in Zara, they do a good selection of smart tailored trousers, also because i'm only little, sometimes a pair of smart trousers can have the wrong fit and make me look a bit boyish, I don't have this problem in Zara, they also do a good range of cropped trousers, which I find suit me a lot easier.
I also bought a selction of plain smart tops, which cost me about £4.90, these are just handy to have to put under a smart jacket or cardigan.

Along with their work range they also do a small selection of smart shoes and bags. The bag range is always a success in my book, Zara don't go over the top in there style they keep things simple and smart but at the same time keep it trendy.
I have never been a fan of Zara shoes, because they are primarily a clothes shop I don't think that much thought goes into their shoe selection. But this doesn't bother me because I would only ever go there for clothes.

The trendy and more casual range is suitable to most ages, but again because most of the designs are basic it's easy to mix and match things and get away with it.

I find that Zara is the sort of shop to go to if you suddenly wake up and reailse...I have no tops. Its easy to just go in there and pick up a few t shirts in a few different designs and come out with about 6 or 7 things for under 50 pound.

Quality
There are no issues with the quality of any of there range, I wear a lot of black clothes, which if you are the same, you will know is trouble after a few washes. After a while, black can look washed out and the once smart or trendy top you had can start to look a bit scruffy.
I have never has this problem with Zara and I also find that the quality and size maintains for hundreds of washes.

Style
In Zara there are tables of tops, the same style in different colours. I like these tables. However above the clothes rails there are also t shirts, I always find these can be a bit too much. I'm not a fan of clothes that have big slogons across them, and yesterday I picked up a number of t shirts that had 'Zara' written across the front in glitter...not cool.

Shop Layout
The layout in Zara is actually one of the best out of most shops i've been in, everything is clean and freshly coloured, the shops are always very large and spacious.
There is nothing worse than going into a shop and its crowded and there are clothes all over the floor, there is none of this in Zara, there are clothes rails and tables and shelves aboves the rails which means that the are just clothes everywhere! It's great!
The shoes are laid out along the bottom of the rails, so in general I think that they make really good use of all of the space they have.
All of the clothes are also laid out in their styles. Usually at the front of the shop there are the smart work range of clothes, in the centre of the shop the belts, tights, bags and t shirts in different colours, then towards the back is the more casual and younger range.

This makes it so easy to find what you're looking for, but if you don't know what your looking for (me, most the time) its easy to browse.

Pricing
Zara is priced fairly on everything they sell, as I have already stated the smarter range is usually slightly dearer, but the quality put into the clothes makes it worth the extra.
The smart range will still be very cheap though, I bought a Smart coat in there about a year ago and it was £45. I have had tons of wear out of it, and next year when it gets cold again, I will still wear it more because it still looks fabulous and I don't have to dry clean it..AND....because Zara keep their styles simple, I know that in a year, two years etc, the coat won't be out of fashion.
I also bought a black dress in there, it is beautiful and I wear it probably once a week, I can wear it with leggings, tights, jeans or on its own depending on where i'm going and so I have a number of different outfits for £30!
Again, Zara is also cheap if you want to pick up a handful of t shirts, this is especially good when it comes to the summer. I know that before I go away on holiday I will definately be picking up a selection of string vests, as they're £4 each.

Mens and Children
I don't have children, so unfortunately I cannot give you any information on their childrens section, but I have walked past it and its a good size!
The mens, I do know a bit about. My boyfriend buys all of his jeans in there and swears by the fit.
The mens section is very similar to the womans, there is a large range and its a good place to go if you want a reasonably priced suit or pair of jeans!

Customer Service
I have never had a problem with the customer service in any of the Zara's I have been in.There is always enough staff there to make sure that there is someone available if you need help and the queues are always cleared quickly.

I have never had to return anything to Zara so I cannot comment on their returns policy however each time I purchase something the sales clerk always tells me that I have 30 days, and also they're policy is on the back of the reciept.

Any Disadvantages?
In short. No. With Zara the range is big, it caters for everyone and the prices are excellant. What you see is what you get. The only problem I have is there aren't many of them near me. My closest one is about 30 mins drive away...but thats it!

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