Route 66

Shop Route 66

The Route 66 brand of clothing for kids and adults is manufactured for exclusive distribution at Kmart and Sears stores. The retail group that would grow into Kmart was founded in 1912 by entrepreneur Sebastian Kresge. Originally known as the S.S. Kresge Corp., the company branched out into discount retail when it opened the first Kmart store in 1962. The new venture thrived throughout the '70s and '80s, but it started to go downhill in the early 1990s, when it was surpassed by Walmart.

Sears, Roebuck & Company was founded back in 1886 as a mail-order catalog. Though the catalog had catered mostly to rural customers, Sears began to target people in urban centers when it opened its first retail stores in the 1920s. The brick-and-mortar stores soon started to overshadow the mail-order division and spurred Sears to become the top retailer in the country by the 1950s and '60s. Sears, too, began to decline as the 20th century came to an end, and it almost went under in the early 2000s. In an effort to save both retailers from bankruptcy, Kmart acquired Sears in 2004. The parent company was renamed to Sears Holdings, and it continues to operate about 4,000 stores under the two different mastheads. Several house brands are sold at both Sears and Kmart stores.

Babies & Kids Merchandise

Products

Route 66 puts out a wide range of clothes for kids of all ages in addition to being one of the top exclusive brands for adults. In sizes for infants and toddlers, you'll find options like dresses and leggings for girls as well as tanks and printed onesies. Boys' clothes include graphic tees, button-down shirts, and outerwear options like denim jackets. The brand also features jeans for both genders.

Moving into kids' sizes, short- and long-sleeved graphic tees for both boys and girls are available in several different colors and feature gender-specific prints. Other girls' tops include blouses, tanks, camis, tunics, and more. Route 66 features an eclectic mix of girls' bottoms that range from jeans to leggings to skirts in bright colors. Girls' outerwear options include hoodies, jackets, and heavy winter coats. For boys, tees and button-down shirts are certainly the most popular tops. Outerwear is a little more diverse, however, with graphic hoodies and jackets being featured as well. Boys can also find options like cargo pants and shorts in addition to jeans. When your little one graduates to adult sizes, you'll also be able to find a broad selection of Route 66 shoes, boots, slippers, and more.

Swap.com's Rating of Route 66

While Route 66 is clearly a good representation of the quality exclusives available from Kmart and Sears, the brand's clothes for kids are the epitome of casualwear. Graphic tees feature very generic prints like horses for girls and video game references for boys. As such, you might find that these options only appeal to your little one during a brief phase (if at all). The brand's pants and outerwear are a little more timeless and built to emphasize function in addition to form. You'll also find that the selection of clothes in adult sizes (which can also be worn by older kids and teens) continues this trend by being both comfortable and stylish. We give Route 66 4 stars out of 5.