Fairfax County General :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
High school reunion reminded me of the "spiffs" who use to wear turtlenecks under Oxford shirts, with baseball hats and acid wash jeans, almost exclusively procured from BGO.
I remember that muffuckin warthog they put on all the shirts, and how all the lame ass mofos be blockin out letters on they hats to make them say "bitches get out." Strictly fo tha poserzzzz!
The guy who owned Britches was good a school chum of the guy who started Clyde's restaurant. They opened up Britches near Clyde's and Britches sold Clyde's chilli in a can.
Oh how I miss Britches, my best friend and I got matching bomber jackets there. That was a great store back in the day. LOVED back to school shopping there.
You still somtimes see middle-aged men trotting out their now-faded Structure vertical-striped 90's long sleeeve shirts. The stuff was great but now sadly out of style. Kind of cheaper version of Hilfiger or some Polo from the same era.
Of course! I was very proud when asked by a curious onlooker "where'd you get that rugby?" It's because of Britches that I still wear rugby's to this day. They sold a great suede ballcap and parka combo that I completely lusted. I always thought they would become as big as LLBean and Eddie Bauer. I suppose I was wrong. Hey, since we are on the subject...what happened to Banana Republic? Why are they now like...the Gap used to be?
Catalog Hog Wrote:
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> Hey, since we
> are on the subject...what happened to Banana
> Republic? Why are they now like...the Gap used to
> be?
Banana Republic and Old Navy are both part of the Gap chain of stores.
I remember britches! I still have 2 shirts from them that I always wear. They were kind of expensive. Plus they had the warthog on their clothes! I really miss Oaktree. Their shirts/suits were so damn cool. WHat ever happened to UMEN?
I used to work at Britches!!! Met my wife there! I still wear some of there clothes from 17 years ago. Wish they were still around....and I had the discount.
Yabels Wrote:
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> Britches was okay...
>
> Structure was where it was at.
They were not really contemporaries. Britches was huge and well before Structure. You obviously were not old enough in around 1990 to know how popular Britches was then. Structure didn't really gain ground until around 92. They capitalized on the grunge scene a bit. The color me bad reference is pretty inacurrate.
Britches was the Banana in the day and the Abercrombie before then. If you had the latest polo or rugby and wore it on the first day of school, there would be at least 5 other people wearing the same shirt. All these styles look rediculous now but such is style and getting old.
Still have Henleys from them..like 15 years old...they tried to do the A&F thing then tried to go back and lost all their customers...if they were still around I would be there...every 6 months used to get a 40% off coupon
I remember the one in Tysons I. It was right in front of Hecht's (now Macy's), I think on the second floor. The sales there were insane - like 60% off and they never ran out of the stuff you wanted, even when it was on sale. I've got one shirt left that the wife hasn't thrown out yet.
I have a roll-neck sweater from Britches that I still love. It's almost twenty years old!!! Wow, I've never thought about that before. Must be a testament to the quality.
I still have a few shirts that I bought at Britches in the late 1980s. One of them is a US flag rugby shirt that I now wear once a year on 9-11 and sometimes for other reasons (like the day after Osama bin Laden was killed). At one point they sold rugby shirts with the names of local high schools. I went to Woodson and I still my shirt but haven't worn it in probably about 20 years.
I have one short-sleeve shirt from there that I still wear fairly often.
LOL i used to work there as well, springfield mall store, and yes the employee discount was awesome. still have a bunch of rugby shirts, not the warthog ones, never dug them, that i wear on a semi-regular basis. obviously not for style or going out, but theyre great for working around the house or outdoors, and not being concerned with what gets on them. still holding up fine, a few of the buttons ( which were never used ) have dry rotted into oblivion and some seams at the cuffs have come apart. nothing beyond that.
the employees used to bring in mixed tapes to play in the store, i did as well. one of them the first song was killing an arab......assistant manager was not pleased when that came piping through, ha ha ha.
I actually grew up in Charlotte, but in high school in the late 80s all of the cool kids wore Polo, Hilfiger, or Britches. I can still remember how much cooler the clothes were there than at other stores like the Gap and, yes, Chess King. I still have a henley and a warthog shirt.
I actually am still wearing a great Christmas tie that I got at Britches back in '91-92. Get lots of compliments on it too, and it has held up surprisingly well over the years (then again, I only wear it 2-3X each year).
Back in the day I used to fuck a chick that worked at BGA. Her face was so so, but she had a rockin body. We were never a couple, but more or less fuck buddies. At one point, I started actually seeing another girl. The BGA chick didn't want to let me go. She told me that if we could still get together from time to time, she'd get me free shit from the store. I actually still have some of those rugby shirts.
"Posted by: 100% cotton ()
Date: December 19, 2011 02:22PM
Back in the day I used to fuck a chick that worked at BGA. Her face was so so, but she had a rockin body. We were never a couple, but more or less fuck buddies. At one point, I started actually seeing another girl. The BGA chick didn't want to let me go. She told me that if we could still get together from time to time, she'd get me free shit from the store. I actually still have some of those rugby shirts."
Of course dear, I'm sure that's all true. Now be a good grandson and give me my sponge bath.
"Posted by: Yabels ()
Date: November 23, 2010 12:51PM
Britches was okay...
Structure was where it was at."
Did the name and clientele not clue you in to the fact you were shopping at the GAY store and your clothes screamed "I am gay"?
Stones Wrote:
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> Yabels Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Britches was okay...
> >
> > Structure was where it was at.
>
>
> They were not really contemporaries. Britches was
> huge and well before Structure. You obviously
> were not old enough in around 1990 to know how
> popular Britches was then. Structure didn't
> really gain ground until around 92. They
> capitalized on the grunge scene a bit. The color
> me bad reference is pretty inacurrate.
>
> Britches was the Banana in the day and the
> Abercrombie before then.
Structure specialized in silk shirts like the ones Parker Lewis wore in Parker Lewis Can't Lose. It was not grunge at all, not at all. For the grunge look there was that army surplus store in Georgetown. Or you could buy oversized flannels and tight jeans at Britches or Hecht's.
NeumDog Wrote:
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> I used to work at Britches!!! Met my wife there!
> I still wear some of there clothes from 17 years
> ago. Wish they were still around....and I had the
> discount.
I worked at Britches too. Right after they gifted the new VW Beetle to all their district managers and right before they went bankrupt. I wonder if that had anything to do with going bankrupt? Anyhoo... I really loved the company but HATED my manager. Only job I've ever just walked out of. Just told her to take my keys since she obviously wanted me to quit.
Wow! It's only been about 2 years since anyone posted any comments here about Britches clothing store. Let's get it started again...
Bitches Flannel shirts used to be the best around. It's rare to find a good quality Flannel these days that doesn't shrink, fade or fall apart. Any comments or suggestions??
I got some great flannels from Gander Mountain in Fredericksburg.They were $15.I got about 2 dozen.That was 6 yrs ago.All of these shirts are in wearable condition.No fraying, holes,tears or lost buttons.Great shirts.
Back in 1985-86 Britches is where it was to get really cool rugby shirts . They weren't cheap but everyone wore them with their Levi 501's and brown boat shoes. Really cool shirts with the warthog in different colors, rivaled the polo shirt or alligator Lacoste and or the fox.
I'm still down with OP and their corduroy shorts!! I tell you, I lived in Alexandria Virginia and the Springfield mall was where the store was....chess king, merry go round and the gap were store of choice!!
Chess King Wrote:
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> Chess King was shizni
Yep, I believe we had a britches in South Lakes shopping center. Chess King LMAO. I remember being a youngin, and always wishing I had the money to buy the Michael Jackson jackets.
No No....that wasnt britches in South Lakes my bad.....but my brother used to work at Britches warehouse off Herndon parkway....I used to get free shit. The shirts would be young as hell sometimes....but it would be free..lol.
Huntington Wrote:
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> Oh how I miss Britches, my best friend and I got
> matching bomber jackets there. That was a great
> store back in the day. LOVED back to school
> shopping there.
Gay. Just gay. Gay as the day is long. Super gay. Too gay to live.
I'm wondering if there's a market for NOS (new old stock) Warthog short sleeve shirts (with original tags still attached)? I uncovered about six brand new (size 2XL) shirts of mine that I had stored a closet at my parents house and wondering if I should sell them or just hang onto to them for another 20+ years =)
I worked there in HS and college - GREAT place to work-GREAT people teaching you. Kinds of like a dream - the 2 owners had this collection of folks that only hired people that fit in. I attribute much of my success, EVP ad agency, to everything they taught me - and GREAT music!!! Little Feat - RObert Palmer blasting on Saturdays and the daily truck deliveries, drinking beer and straightening the jeans wall - too bad CML bought them and ruined the culture and structure - bummer.
BGO was great! I always thought their warthog shirts were far better than Izod. They just felt better. I'm wearing a BGO tie right now, which is why I started thinking about the store. I can't believe that it's been so long since the store went down. Besides the warthog shirts, the rugby shirts were great--I had an American flag shirt that lasted for years and have never been able to replace.
For those guys who are still wearing their BGO shirts--I say keep on doing it. As a middle aged guy myself, I feel that a shirt's great if you like it and it fits! Look at it like this: would you have wanted your dad to wear a Michael Jackson jacket?
I worked at Hechingers in high school... Does that count? I looked up Britches because I miss good clothes, and was wondering if they were still around.........Langley '89
Willie Wrote:
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> I worked at Hechingers in high school... Does that
> count? I looked up Britches because I miss good
> clothes, and was wondering if they were still
> around.........Langley '89
Langley 89...knew me a bunch of people from then...mid 80's
Britches was awesome. I remember saving up money to get the Columbia Bugaboo jacket from there. That was right after Starter jackets were the shit. Bell Biv Devoe 4 life!!!
I was thinking about BGO this afternoon while wearing an old shirt I got there when I was in high school and seeing all the new college freshmen. I got that shirt before most of them were born and given the time it took to make it and ship it to the store, it was probably made before most of the undergrads were born!
To my two ex high school boyfriends:BGO was THE store for Boyfriend gifts. I recall buying rugby shirts for my then guys in '85 and '86. I never bought anything there for myself, but fondly recall borrowing (back) the rugby shirts (popped color) to wear with my ankle zip Guess jeans and pointy Mia flats.
Your Ex HS Girlfriend Wrote:
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> To my two ex high school boyfriends:BGO was THE
> store for Boyfriend gifts. I recall buying rugby
> shirts for my then guys in '85 and '86. I never
> bought anything there for myself, but fondly
> recall borrowing (back) the rugby shirts (popped
> color) to wear with my ankle zip Guess jeans and
> pointy Mia flats.
>
> Thanks for the memories!
I'm wearing a Schnitt today that I bought back in the late 80s. I have to laugh that the shirt is older than a bunch of kids we've hired here in the office!
elwoodboll Wrote:
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> I'm wearing a Schnitt today that I bought back in
> the late 80s. I have to laugh that the shirt is
> older than a bunch of kids we've hired here in the
> office!
I remember them advertising the schnitt, but don't recall what kind of shirt it was. Can you remind me or post a pic of one?
ex BGO employee Wrote:
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> LOL i used to work there as well, springfield
> mall store, and yes the employee discount was
> awesome. still have a bunch of rugby shirts, not
> the warthog ones, never dug them, that i wear on a
> semi-regular basis. obviously not for style or
> going out, but theyre great for working around the
> house or outdoors, and not being concerned with
> what gets on them. still holding up fine, a few
> of the buttons ( which were never used ) have dry
> rotted into oblivion and some seams at the cuffs
> have come apart. nothing beyond that.
>
> the employees used to bring in mixed tapes to play
> in the store, i did as well. one of them the
> first song was killing an arab......assistant
> manager was not pleased when that came piping
> through, ha ha ha.
-------
LMFAO!!
that was me who brought that tape. asst mgr was some italian looking dude with steel wool for whiskers. even when clean shaven he had a 5 oclock shadow. "turn that song off!!" i scurried back to the little closet room and quickly fast forwarded it.
the manager looked like the DJ from wkrp. i cannot remember anybody's name who worked there, but i think i went to HS with one guy. some dude i met while waiting at the dmv - shocker - told me about working there. i think he went to woodson. the hiring process was more involved than getting a green card, i think the only thing i didnt have to do was piss in a cup.
i too still have several rugbys, a henley or two, and a duster that i wore maybe three times. your assessment of how they wear out is spot on.
Britches Great Outdoors was huge in the 80's. Heavy play of radio ads on DC 101 radio. Recall their 'Warehouse Sales" in late 80's-early 90's from the warehouse on Herndon Parkway. People lined up in the parking lot for scoring a bargain... I was one of them. Great store for a time. Sad that they couldn't keep things going.
I remember Britches. It was preppy people clothing. They had a warthog on their polo shirts. I owned several of them and still own a Britches plaid button up shirt and Britches maroon zippered coat. I kind of liked that store. I knew two hot girls who worked there and I called them "the Britches bitches."
I surely do, and I miss it very much! I bought my favorite jacket of all time there -- leather lapels, soft tan cotton body. If I could find anything that looks like it now, I'd buy it immediately.
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I surely do, and I miss it very much! I bought my favorite jacket of all time there -- leather lapels, soft tan cotton body. If I could find anything that looks like it now, I'd buy it immediately.
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