The Enea apparel shop, situated on Wangfujing Street, catches your attention with deep discounts loudly advertised by the entrance door. I walked by the shop right before the Spring Festival, in early February, and could not but notice a pair of thick casual pants marked down at RMB 29 (EUR 3? USD 5? Is this for real?), and a black women’s coat discounted at RMB 189!

Girls’ casual wear is offered in bins and racks by the entrance door: sweaters and coats with hoods come in pink, purple, blue, and white. Boy’s wear is hung on the racks towards the back of the shop. According to a hospitable shop assistant, their merchandise is manufactured in Guangzhou, a city renowned for its textile industry.

Prices ranged from RMB 29 to RMB 289 after applying the 50% discount.

The shop assistants could not speak much English. Be sure to bring a paper and a pen to jot down a few figures while you bargain.

What I appreciated:

A long grey overcoat

What customers appreciate:

Low prices, diligent service

50% off! I could not help but pause when I came by this attractive sign. Just as excited as other customers to get my fair share of the bargains at hand I rummaged into the bins.

Feel 100% is known to offer quality casual wear at reasonable prices. The brand originates from the Guangdong province. It opened many stores in Beijing, often near universities and busy shopping areas. The client base of the brand is made of fashion-conscious young customers. The store I visited is situated on Wangfujing Street, the famous pedestrian street near Tian An’ Men Square.

This outlet is neatly decorated and orderly. Sweaters and scarves are displayed by the entrance door, coats and outerwear hung on racks. Jeans, designed for both girls and boys, are to be found to the back of the shop.

A service-minded shop assistant recommended an orange and blue cotton jacket priced at RMB 398 before discount (EUR 38, USD 42). I checked it carefully and saw the seams had been sewn pretty tightly, and the feel of the material was soft and warm.

Because I visited the shop right before the Chinese New Year, most of the apparel offered was in red, pink and orange tones – colors of happiness in the minds of Chinese people.

Prices range from RMB 98 to RMB 498, before the 50% discount.

What I appreciated:

The orange cotton jacket I was shown

What customers appreciate:

Reasonable prices, fashionable looks

I couldn’t help but pause when I walked by Yilaka, a casual wear shop whose name means “apparel that attracts more repeat customers.” I imagined most customers first visited this shop because of its funny title, like me.

Due to its location near several universities, Yilaka caters mostly to young customers who make up their base. I noticed that the shop has apparel for both young men and young women, with a nice selection of leather jackets, sweaters, colorful shirts, hats, scarves, and other fashionable items. Garments displayed near the entrance were mainly for guys, while ladies clothes were located further in.

The shop girl recommended me a yellow jacket with a matching brown hood priced at RMB 338. The material is sheepskin, which is very soft. A close examination showed that that the stitching was quite good. At only RMB 270 after a 20% discount, the leather jacket was also quite cheap.

Prices ranged from RMB 70 to RMB 500. In general, the merchandises get up to 20% ~ 40% off. If you want to haggle, bring a pen and paper.

What I appreciated:

The yellow jacket

What customers appreciate:

Reasonable prices, fashionable design

While many women's apparel stores offer items on sale, few are like Ziyunxie, which only offers discount women's apparel. You may buy most clothes here for 30% to 50% off normal prices.

I visited its outlet near the Jishuitan subway station, curious to see what bargains they had. Inside, I found some garments displayed at the center of the store, while others hung on the racks by the walls.

The merchandise at the center of the store included sweaters, short jeans, and scarves. All priced from RMB 50 to RMB 150 after discount. The helpful shop owner said that most of the merchandise come from Guangzhou. She recommended me a pair of Mickey jeans priced at RMB 50.

As for apparels displayed on the walls, I saw coats, jackets, sweaters, jeans, and skirts. I picked out a cardigan in light blue priced at RMB 108, made of soft materials including caddice and wool. The stitching is good

Prices for cotton sweaters ranged from RMB 100 to RMB 500, while other items were around RMB 50 to RMB 300 after discounts. For most items at Ziyunxie are much cheaper than that of similar items in department stores.

What I appreciated:

The Mickey short jeans

What customers appreciate:

Casual wear, at low prices

You Huo offers casual wear to young Beijingers. The name "You Huo" means temptation, which describes the style of their clothes.

I visited one of its two locations near the middle North 3^rd Ring. Attracted by the discount ad outside, I stepped into this garment outlet. The young shop assistant greeted and showed me the new arrivals displayed by the entrance. Inside, attires for young guys hung on the left wall, with hats on the innermost shelf. The offseason garments hung on a rack near the right wall. 2^nd floor displayed sweaters on sale.

The shop assistant told me that their new arrivals has clothes for both gals and guys. She recommended a jacket, in either brown or black, made from the 2^nd layer of cow leather. The price is RMB 278 for the male design, and RMB 228 for the female design.

The price for garments ranges from RMB 50 to RMB 300. While merchandise on sale costs from RMB 30 to RMB 200. The shop assistants could not speak much English, unfortunately.

What I appreciated:

The brown jacket

What customers appreciate:

The apparel on discount often, casual wear in modern design

Americans are likely familiar with Esprit, a popular brand for clothing in US. First created in California, Esprit has become a well known global brand, with several outlets in Beijing.

This Beijing Esprit store, sheltered at 4^th floor of Pacific Center, carries most of Esprit’s Fashion, from casual wear to underwear, from handbags to kids’ clothes, all at discounted prices. The products are made in Shenzhen and Shanghai. However, the design comes from its headquarters back in the US, in keeping with its western style and quality. The price is a huge attraction for tourists and expats alike, who make up 40% of the store’s customers.

The shop has many sections; the businesses-casual section carries shirts, jackets and ties of various designs and colors.  Prices range from RMB 200 to RMB 500. The cut and stitches are well done. The women clothing and undergarment area features a wide range of clothing for females.

In casual wear area, T-shirts sell between RMB200-RMB 300, and jeans between RMB 200- RMB 400. They come in various colors: white, black, sea blue, light green, dark blue, light pink. Don’t hesitate to ask the shop assistants to help you find your favorite mix and match. Make sure to look at the discounts. During my visit, all casual wears were 50% sales off.

What I appreciate

The design of the clothes

What customers appreciate

Fashionable western design at low prices