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Small-town Minnesota isn’t where you’d expect one of America’s longest-running women’s fashion chains to come from, but that’s exactly where maurices got its start nearly a century ago. Known for its size-inclusive approach and genuinely approachable pricing, the brand has stayed relevant across generations of shoppers. Here’s a full breakdown of maurices’s history, what it offers today, and whether it’s worth shopping.
What Is maurices?
maurices (stylized as maurıces) is an American women’s clothing retail chain founded in 1931 by E. Maurice Labovitz, headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota. What began as a single small-town store has grown into a chain with hundreds of locations across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada, built on a mission of offering stylish, accessible fashion specifically for women in small towns and communities that larger fashion retailers often overlooked.
The brand’s ownership has changed hands a few times over the decades. American Retail Group owned maurices from 1978 to 2005, followed by Ascena Retail Group from 2005 to 2019. In March 2019, maurices was sold to OpCapita, a London-based private equity firm, in a deal that kept the brand’s Duluth, Minnesota headquarters and leadership team intact. Throughout these ownership changes, maurices has continued to focus on its core identity: dressing real, everyday women with confidence-building, wearable fashion at accessible prices.
What Makes maurices Different?
- Genuinely inclusive sizing — maurices offers women’s clothing across sizes 0 to 24, treating plus-size customers as a core part of the business rather than an afterthought
- Small-town retail roots — unlike many fashion brands built around flagship stores in major cities, maurices has historically focused on serving communities in smaller markets across the country
- Long operating history — with roots stretching back to 1931, maurices has adapted its style and business model across nearly a century of changing fashion trends
- Established denim expertise — the brand has built out a particularly deep denim assortment, including its own m jeans by maurices label alongside recognizable denim brands like Silver Jeans Co. and KanCan
- Loyalty program — mymaurices rewards gives repeat shoppers a way to earn savings and stay engaged with the brand’s frequent promotions
What Does maurices Sell?
Jeans & Denim
One of the brand’s strongest categories, spanning straight, jegging and skinny, flare and wide-leg, bootcut, cropped, and ankle styles, available in both standard and curvy fits, alongside recognizable denim labels like Silver Jeans Co., KanCan, Flying Monkey, and Risen.
Plus Size Clothing
A fully dedicated plus-size assortment mirroring the brand’s core clothing categories, including plus-size jeans, tops, and dresses, reflecting maurices’s longstanding commitment to sizes 0 through 24.
Tops & Dresses
Everyday and going-out tops and dresses designed with the brand’s accessible, wearable style philosophy.
A dedicated online-only assortment including tops, bottoms, jumpsuits, shoes, and accessories not available in physical maurices stores.
Accessories & Footwear
Jewelry, bags, and shoes rounding out a complete maurices outfit.
Is maurices Good Quality?
maurices holds a solid overall customer rating, with review aggregators showing an average rating of around 3.8 out of 5 based on hundreds of customer reviews, indicating that most shoppers are generally satisfied with their purchases. Long-time customers frequently describe maurices as a reliable go-to for finding stylish, age-appropriate options across different life stages, with some reviewers noting they’ve shopped the brand loyally for close to two decades.
More recent customer feedback has specifically pointed to noticeable improvements in both style and clothing quality, with some reviewers who had previously drifted away from the brand describing renewed enthusiasm after seeing updated, more current designs alongside the brand’s growing social media presence showcasing real customer styling. As with any retailer with a wide, frequently updated catalog, experiences can vary by specific item, so checking reviews on individual pieces remains a good practice, particularly for going-out or occasion-specific clothing.
maurices’s Denim Focus
Denim has become one of maurices’s defining strengths, reflected in the sheer breadth of fits and styles the brand carries. Beyond its own m jeans by maurices label, the brand carries an assortment of recognizable denim brands including Silver Jeans Co., KanCan, Flying Monkey, and Risen, all offered across both standard and curvy fit options. This depth of denim selection, especially in plus sizes, has helped maurices build a loyal following among shoppers who’ve struggled to find well-fitting jeans elsewhere.
How Does maurices Compare to Other Women’s Fashion Retailers?
| Feature | maurices | Typical Mall-Based Women’s Fashion Retailer |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1931, Duluth, Minnesota | Varies |
| Size range | 0-24 (dedicated plus-size assortment) | Varies, often more limited |
| Denim selection | Extensive, including curvy fits and name brands | Varies |
| Market focus | Historically strong in smaller communities | Often concentrated in major markets |
| Ownership | OpCapita (since 2019) | Varies |
| Loyalty program | mymaurices rewards | Varies |
Tips for Shopping maurices
- Check the plus-size assortment directly if standard sizing doesn’t fit your needs, since maurices treats sizes 0-24 as a core, integrated part of its business
- Explore the denim guide on the website to help narrow down the right fit and brand for your body type
- Sign up for mymaurices rewards to access ongoing savings and promotions
- Check the Online Exclusives section for styles not available in physical stores
- Take advantage of free shipping on qualifying orders over $50
Final Verdict: Is maurices Worth Shopping?
Nearly a century after opening as a single small-town store, maurices remains a genuinely relevant name in accessible women’s fashion, having built lasting credibility through inclusive sizing, a strong denim assortment, and a renewed focus on current style that’s earned back some previously lapsed customers. With a loyalty program, a dedicated online-exclusive assortment, and continued investment in updated designs, maurices offers real value for shoppers who want stylish, wearable clothing across a genuinely wide size range. For anyone looking for approachable, size-inclusive fashion, maurices is well worth checking out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded maurices? maurices was founded in 1931 by E. Maurice Labovitz and is headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota.
Who owns maurices now? maurices has been owned by OpCapita, a London-based private equity firm, since March 2019, following previous ownership by Ascena Retail Group and American Retail Group.
What sizes does maurices carry? maurices offers women’s clothing in sizes 0 to 24, with a dedicated plus-size assortment mirroring the brand’s core clothing categories.
Is maurices good quality? maurices holds an average customer rating of around 3.8 out of 5, with many long-time shoppers reporting consistent satisfaction, and recent reviews noting improvements in both style and clothing quality.
Does maurices ship internationally? maurices ships within the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada; the brand does not currently have a dedicated storefront or shipping for other international markets like Australia.
What is maurices known for? maurices is particularly known for its extensive denim selection, including its own m jeans by maurices label, and its longstanding commitment to inclusive sizing from 0 to 24.
