Steve and Barry's Clothing for Women

Although it is no longer in business, people still look for Steve and Barry's clothing for women, thanks predominantly to its one major hit of the last several years: the Bitten clothing line licensed and fronted by Sarah Jessica Parker.

Bitten Babydoll Tank

When it first appeared, the appeal of Steve and Barry's clothing was instant, thanks to its trendiness and low price point. It started as a retail operation by two friends who knew only too well that not all college kids were rich and needed clothes that fit their style but also their limited budgets. Additionally, not all the poor kids wanted to haunt the thrift and vintage stores either, but rather were interested in clothes that had a modern look. The line started with sweatshirts and T-shirts and was really for the boys, although of course girlfriends have always nipped their boyfriends' clothes.

When the company first expanded into malls in 1998, they were a big hit because of the high volume of traffic they attracted. It was only natural that the selection would broaden, and by 2000, Steve and Barry's clothing for women was flying off the racks. The look remained strictly casual, encompassing such basics as jeans, cargo slacks and jackets. Likewise, the prices remained low, often even lower than such behemoths as Wal-Mart.

Starting in 2005, the company regained serious recognition from shoppers and the media alike with the somewhat surprising revelation that actress and fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker was starting a line with them: Bitten.

Many women who had gotten away from Steve and Barry's clothes, or never gone near them in the first place, were suddenly drawn back thanks to the appeal of Sarah Jessica Parker and the Bitten line. You don't have to have been a fan of her series Sex and the City to know that Ms. Parker is as much about style as her character Carrie. So for those who dismissed Steve and Barry's clothing for women as something worn by teens and college kids, it was a bit of a shock to see the actress involved with low price point clothing. What isn't widely known is that Ms. Parker understands that not all women can afford – or want to spend – a lot of money on expensive clothes, but that doesn't mean they don't want to look great. So she worked with the design team to create clothes that were inexpensive but feature attention to detail and quality that one wouldn't expect from clothes at this level. The trendy clothes were well-made and came in sizes from 2-22, showing some nice attention to plus size women who wanted to be stylish, even though the actress herself is petite.

Unfortunately, Steve and Barry's has not been immune to the economic catastrophe and, despite its low overheads and low prices, had to file for bankruptcy in 2008. Initially, the Bitten line was not affected and was the one bright spot in the company's otherwise gloomy outlook.

But even the power of Sarah Jessica Parker could not keep things going smoothly and she started looking for a new company to handle the line in late 2008.

While there are those who mourn the demise of Steve and Barry's, it is encouraging that Sarah Jessica Parker, who hardly needs cheap clothes herself, would work so hard to maintain the availability of quality inexpensive clothes. She made a point of saying that with the economy being in such a precarious state, it was important to her that this line continue to be available at reasonable prices so that women could still look good without it taking a toll on their wallets.

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