My whole life, I have been searching for one thing and one thing only. I have “wandered through valleys and…vast deserts, climbed the highest mountains and run through the fields” in search of the best brand/store to buy my clothes from. There are specific brands I like for particular cool and trendy items, but in terms of basics and essential pieces, I struggled to find a quality and cost-effective place to shop. This was until I was introduced to UNIQLO.

I was kind of late to the party on my knowledge on UNIQLO. There wasn’t a store in the main mall where I shop in New Jersey, so I had never had any interaction with the brand. I was finally shown the light of UNIQLO in all its glory through a YouTube video back in December and went to check out the closest store to me as soon as I could. Since that day, I have basically replaced 90% of my wardrobe with their merchandise.

Being a fairly short guy, I have a hard time finding clothes that fit off-the-rack, but the UNIQLO items I’ve bought, from pants to sweaters to dress shirts, fit like a glove. And the sizes are completely standardized. If you wear a medium in their shorts, you’ll wear a medium in their shirts. It makes online shopping a breeze because you don’t have to worry about whether something will fit or not.

The biggest appeal of UNIQLO is its price. Not only are the products they make higher quality than comparable fast-fashion retailers like H&M and Zara, but their prices are lower. You can get a high quality pair of Japanese raw selvedge denim for $49.90 plus free in-store hemming. One of my most recent buys from them was their Hybrid Down Ultra Warm Coat, which is comparable in warmth and quality to a Canada Goose Down Coat, for only $179.90. They also have a seasonal line called the U Collection, which are fashion-forward products, so you can get those more runway looks without paying the luxury premium.

It’s a shame that there isn’t a UNIQLO anywhere near Washington University, or in the entire state of Missouri, because it is the perfect place for a college student to shop. On the price versus quality spectrum, UNIQLO is the perfect sweet spot where you get the best of both worlds. Some of my personal favorite products they make are their Supima cotton T-shirts, the slim-fit easy care shirts and their four-pairs-for-$9.90 multi-color socks. If you are used to shopping at places like Forever 21 and H&M, I recommend switching to UNIQLO. You’ll get a much better bang for your buck.