Bar III

Shop Bar III

Launched in 2011, Bar III is one of the exclusive apparel lines sold at Macy's. The brand is geared toward young, style-savvy consumers looking for garments with a distinctive twist. R.H. Macy & Co. was originally founded in 1858 by entrepreneur Rowland Hussey Macy. After failed ventures in Massachusetts, Macy moved to New York and established his dry goods store in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. Business grew quickly, and Macy's started to expand. Eventually, the retailer outgrew its original location and moved uptown to 34th St.--where the iconic flagship store is still in operation today.

Macy's began setting up locations outside of New York City in the 1920s, and it had reached the West Coast by 1945. The brand started to garner national name recognition with its annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was broadcast across the country. Still, it took until the '90s for the retail chain to expand beyond major metropolitan outposts. After the brand merged with Federated Department Stores in 1994, the company began acquiring other major department store chains and rebranded existing stores across the country under the Macy's masthead. Today, there are more than 850 Macy's locations in both urban and suburban markets. The retailer sells name brand products in addition to cultivating a number of private labels like Bar III.

Women's Merchandise

Products

The women's collection from Bar III offers chic and contemporary apparel in a number of different categories. Dresses are available in styles like sheath dresses, fit-and-flare dresses, sleeveless dresses, maxi dresses, shirtdresses, shift dresses, and more. Designs are versatile, and many of these dresses are appropriate for casualwear in addition to being excellent choices for a night on the town. Tops include tees, tanks, sweaters, crop tops, peasant tops, cardigans, camis, and peplum tops. You'll also find outerwear like anorak coats, bomber jackets, trenches, military jackets, blazers, puffer coats, peacoats, and more.

Bottoms are among the boldest clothes from Bar III, and options include printed leggings, gaucho pants, palazzo pants, mini skirts, and midi skirts. Options like jumpsuits and rompers are also available, and they set up a unified outfit. The Bar III swimwear collection includes bikinis, bandeau tops, monokinis, one-piece swimsuits, and cover ups. The brand's shoes are very fashion-forward, with options like boots, printed pumps, wedge sandals, gladiator sandals, and shooties. Beyond apparel, Bar III offers jewelry--including statement necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. You'll also find home décor items like bedding sets, sheets, duvets, and throw pillows.

Swap.com's Rating of Bar III

Bar III is a little difficult to pin down because the brand offers such a wide array of different clothing options. In general, the women's collection presents a stylish take on traditional apparel that ranges from relatively subtle to extremely bold. Many options are form-fitting to accentuate your silhouette, while others are simply designed to show some skin. The brand takes several garments that are more traditionally featured in juniors' collections and introduces them to a slightly older demographic. Appealing most directly to twentysomethings, Bar III speaks to consumers looking for distinctive apparel that expresses their own personal style. If most of the brand's clothing options refrain from becoming too bold, the same cannot be said of Bar III's shoes and jewelry. These categories are full of edgy pieces that are designed to make a statement and stand out. Since the brand has the longstanding Macy's reputation behind it, we give Bar III 4 stars out of 5.