Brand Names & Battle Scars: A Love Story in Labels

What are your favorite brands and why?

By now, you know I love to shop. And if you don’t—well, welcome. Grab a cart. Stay awhile. In Chez Kiki, shopping isn’t a chore; it’s an experience. I read the reviews like they’re the morning paper. I compare, contrast, second-guess, and then—just when I think I’ve found “the one”—I’ll try something completely different just to keep things interesting. Loyalty, for me, isn’t blind. It’s earned.

Take store brands. I used to breeze right past them like they were the understudies of the grocery world. Why settle, right? Until one day, curiosity (and maybe a sale sticker) got the better of me. And guess what? Plot twist: some of those “backup singers” are hitting higher notes than the headliners. Same quality. Sometimes better. Honestly, I’m convinced there’s a mysterious warehouse somewhere in the tri-state area cranking out both labels while we all argue in aisle five.

When it comes to cars, my loyalty used to be inherited. I grew up in a Chevrolet family, with a little Audi influence sprinkled in. And to be fair, those Chevys treated me well. Reliable. Familiar. Comfortable. Then marriage came along—and with it, a new contender: Jeep. Three years ago, that “contender” became my forever. My Jeep flipped—up and over, spinning like it had somewhere else to be—before finally landing on its roof. I crawled out upside down, shaken but here. That vehicle didn’t just get me from point A to point B. It saved my life. Brand loyalty doesn’t get more real than that. I won’t drive anything else. Period. Full stop.

Now let’s talk clothes—because this is where things get personal. I’m not a high-end, designer-label kind of girl. Give me classic with a little personality and I’m happy. About thirty years ago, I walked into Gap and felt like I found my fashion soulmate. Since then, my closet has become a tribute to all things Old Navy and Athleta. At this point, I should probably get a holiday card from corporate. And while we’re here—let’s just say it: Athleta gym clothes outperform Lululemon in my world. There, I said it. They last forever, they move with me, and they don’t make me nervous to actually…you know…sweat in them.

The only other brand that has truly earned my undivided loyalty? Nike. I’ve tested them all—every style, every promise, every “this will change your workout” pitch. But Nike? Nike gets me. I’ve got a thin foot with a high arch, and since 2014, I haven’t had a single ounce of foot pain after a workout. Not one. Sometimes I don’t even branch out—I just keep buying the same sneaker like it’s a trusted friend. No flash required. Just results.

If you’re keeping score at home, my “brand style” is less about labels and more about loyalty with receipts. I’ll try anything once, but when something proves itself—whether it’s saving my life, surviving my laundry routine, or supporting my arches—it earns a permanent place in my story.

At the end of the day, our favorite brands say a lot about us—not just what we like, but what we trust. They’re stitched into our routines, parked in our driveways, and lined up in our closets like old friends. Some we outgrow. Some surprise us. And a few? A few show up when it matters most and never leave. Those are the ones worth sticking with…no coupon required.

Unknown's avatar

Author: KikiFikar

Kiki Fikar is a native New Yorker who is passionate about taking the day to day life we all experience and sharing it in her tales from Suburbia. She will often be found at the gym, writing snippets each day for future story lines, listening to her two children create their lives, and building the perfect beachfront home and writing retreat in her mind.

67 thoughts on “Brand Names & Battle Scars: A Love Story in Labels”

  2. Im a mixed bag of backup singers and headliners, haha… I have a high arch, too… and I’m a Chevy guy, however… my dad is a Ford man… I’ve actually owned both… 😎

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Ooo Broncos are cool… I don’t really have a favorite… i like many… but my last one was a 99′ Chevy S-10 Xtreme… I bought it in 2o18… it had 120k original miles on it… I sold it not long ago… maybe one day I’ll add pics of it in one of my stories… it was really sexy lol… not your average lil pick em up truck 😁

        Liked by 1 person

      3. My first 2 vehicles were VW beetles… then my uncle gave me a mustang… then I got like another beetle… then after that got my first Chevy… it was an S-10 Tahoe king cab

        Liked by 1 person

      4. You had a Beetle? Ugh I still want one. Actually I now want that hybrid Volkswagen van that’s out. It’s so cool looking.

        I had a silver Chevy Camaro. Man I loved that car.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. Ooo yeah… I absolutely love love beetles… had a 69′ Baja one… a super awesome 72′ Canary Yellow Baja one… with a one of a kind tilt front end and a super badass motor… then I had a 73′ super beetle low rider… I learned how to work on vehicles from them… thats cool about your Camaro… I also had a white one… it was an 81… one day, maybe… I may look for a beetle to restore…

        Liked by 1 person

      10. Mine was an 85 and it was a V6. I didn’t care. It was all about the Long Island 80s scene with that car. Big hair – leather jackets. Madonna makeup. lol

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Jeep is a great car brand – and better now that I know it saved your life! I like that you embrace the brand debate and have nuance about it. it’s totally ok to have brand preferences.

    speaking of which, when you were talking about the grocery brand I’m so impressed with how the Bowl & Basket shoprite brand is dominating right now lol – it just sounds like such a wholesome brand, and yes it’s probably operating out of like…Hewlett or some other low key place lol 😀 Mike

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. can you imagine a store like that? that would be so cool – the name alone would run Whole Foods/Wegmans out of town! 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Love this, Karen. You kept it real the whole way through.

    I like how you don’t just follow brands, you test them and let them earn their place. That Jeep story says everything. That’s not just loyalty, that’s gratitude. Thank God you were okay….

    And I have to say, that part hit home for me. I got my very first Jeep this year and I love it. I’m so excited about it and have already done quite a bit to it. I’m in a few Jeep clubs and follow some groups on Facebook too. I’m hooked 😂🚙

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much my friend. It means a lot. Jeep brotherhood!! When this whole thing is over I’ll send my story to Jeep. Until then I’ll just keep up with the gratitude!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  6. This gets me thinking about brands and loyalty or lack of loyalty. I might have to write my own version because I know I’m such a conundrum. Loved Brooks Adrenalines for running but haven’t tried them in a while because they keep playing with them and I feel like they haven’t worked as well. Love Nike clothes — even though way overpriced — but not their shoes. Cars? Love stories like yours where people are loyal to extreme because a brand came through in the clutch. Sign me up. Love that! Interesting post Kiki!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. You’re right! Our favorite brands really say a lot about us. 👍

    Oh, and Nike? You just mentioned one of my favorite brands for sportswear! ☺️

    Nike… Let’s Do It!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  10. Once, when on a visit in Vermont, I surrendered to my curiosity and walked into a Lululemon store. I was always under the impression that clothes were items one bought, not mortgaged. I departed as I entered: emptied handed.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. It’s insanity. When I was first doing Bootcamp I vowed to buy Lululemon pants and a top when I lost weight (a reward). It would have been $10 short of a mortgage payment.

      Like

      Reply

  11. Fascinating, Karen. I never really thought about it before. Levis, Wranglers, Vauxhall cars (owned by General Motors for 100 years) They have always been my go to’s. I wonder if it’s because I was weaned on Westerns and never looked back. 😂
    I was a Nike fan, but about 20 years ago, I saw a documentary Team Nike and the Brazilian footbal team, it kinda put me off. But I understand your loyalty there. ASICS for me and similar to yourself they’ve never let me down. I’d love a Ford Ranger pick-up and a Stetson but A. our roads aren’t big enough and B. I’d look a plonker 😂Thanks for an interesting read 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you for reading! So good to hear from you. I always love hearing what runners wear. It’s always a popular topic when running a Spartan race. I once went three miles of a race with a group and all we talked about was the type of trail shoe we were wearing and why.

      Hope you are having a great week!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Oh, yes it’s a fascinating topic. I remember everyone at the end of a run, saying which trail shoes they liked, mostly expensive! One girl said, “I did my 110 mile Ultra in these, two years ago. I got them from EBay for £25” 😂

        Liked by 1 person

  14. I pulled a Patrick Swayze from Dirty Dancin on my Camaro… my friends were leaving the bar late one night… it was pouring rain and locked my keys in the car… there were these wooden railroad track ties in the parking lot… I picked it up and chunked it through my window… shattering it with such force it slammed into my center console and busted it all up… I drove home and got soaked from the rain coming in the driver’s side… but my friends were good haha

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  16. Even I discovered Old Navy many years ago on driving trip on the West coast and bought the store! We don’t have them here 😔
    I’m a walking gear fella and Craghopper & Peter Storm work for me 👍

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  20. Very nice! We’ve been a hardcore Subaru family since 2011. They’re affordable and really do last forever; my 2011 Outback has almost 144K on it and is still going strong. I gave it to my son last year. I rotate between Adidas and Asics for running, but my most loyal brand is definitely Degree. It’s the best deodorant out there.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Love this! See you know loyalty and feel it too! Degree is with me everyday. This year I bought Adidas for the first time but not for workouts – they were always featured in outfits in Pinterest so I bought several colors. I love them as a shoe alternative.

      Hope your week is going great! ❤️

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Awesome! Adidas are great, especially because of their styles and colors. Lately, I have been gravitating more toward the Asics Nimbus because of the cushioning. I’m trying to keep my knees healthy and I think, at least for me, they are better than Hoka.

        Liked by 1 person

  22. Great writing, my favorite line: “Plot twist: some of those “backup singers” are hitting higher notes than the headliners.” These days, it seems I’m loyal to a brand because I’m too lazy to look elsewhere 🙃! Cheers to a great weekend ahead.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  23. Kiki, great post! Love jeeps…guardian angel for you there…and my fav car was my VW Westphalia camper that Sue and I did an extendo road trip in. Camping in the Florida Keys state parks, far from city lights, was magical. Hammock and a blender and a paperback…wow, that was a great era 🌴 🌊 🏖️ 🍺🍔

    lol about the store brands… do you remember in the 70s, that generic craze? The had one whole aisle in Winn-Dixie 😍😂 of nothing but black and white boxes with very little info. No pix, no “serving suggestion,” barely any ingredients …just “COLD CEREAL,” “DOG FOOD,” “SPAGHETTI,” etc. Think we tried them a few times but it faded as quick as it started.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. That is amazing!! What great trips you must have had! Did you see the new VW vans – the hybrid ones? Friends of ours just bought one and it is absolutely adorable. I offered to advance it for them anytime they needed it. Lol.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  24. For long, advertisers have banked on emotional appeal to enter consumers’ homes and minds. In India especially, there’s an overdose of it, family emotions, nostalgia, aspiration, sacrifice, status, all packed neatly into a dramatic 30-second story. And to be fair, it works to an extent. It gives brands salience, familiarity, and the “top of mind” recall.

    But your loyalty clearly comes from lived experience, comfort, reliability, consistency, and in the case of your Jeep, literal survival. That kind of trust is very difficult to manufacture through advertising alone. Real marketing is also about letting consumers experience the product firsthand, listening to feedback, and then improving the offering instead of just improving the slogan.

    Consumers today are far smarter and far less loyal by default. Between Amazon reviews, comparison videos, Reddit opinions, and the notorious algorithm constantly whispering “customers also bought…,” brands are basically competing inside a 24/7. So if a consumer sticks around, it’s usually because the product has genuinely earned its place in their life. Very much the way you described 😊.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you so very much for reading. We could talk for hours on this topic. You hit so many keynotes here. The marketing alone is big business. I sometimes wish I had gone into marketing but then would I be the shopper I am today? I think I would know too much from the inside. Lol.

      These internet influencers and social media promoters are being paid to boost a brand. As I’m doomscrolling through Instagram when J get home from the gym – I’m clicking on each ad that pops up convincing myself that this collagen face cream is different and that I need to have skin like a 25 year old Korean woman. Would brands stand out without these influencers? By today’s standards I’d say no!

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment