Justice Clothing Review: A First-hand Assessment for Shoppers

As an avid online consumer and parent, I‘ve purchased my fair share of tween apparel over the years. Recently, I decided to try out Justice – a dedicated girls clothing brand catering to ages 6-12.

In this comprehensive Justice clothing review, I‘ll share my first-hand experiences as a Justice customer along with detailed research and comparisons against competitors.

Overview of Justice Clothing

First, let‘s cover some background. Justice originally started 10 years ago under Tween Brands, Inc. At their peak, they operated over 900 retail stores globally. However, in 2020 the brand was acquired by Bluestar Alliance and shifted to an online-only model closing all physical storefronts.

So today, Justice operates as a purely ecommerce fashion brand under bluestaralliance.com. They position themselves as a one-stop-shop for tween girls offering clothes, shoes, accessories and swimwear catered to youthful, feminine styles.

Now, as an avid online shopper and parent, I decided to put Justice‘s offering to the test this past month. I purchased three popular Justice girls outfits to assess the quality, sizing/fit and value across a range of products.

Below I share my hands-on evaluation across key purchasing criteria – alongside additional research and comparisons with leading competitor The Children‘s Place.

In-Depth Product Reviews

To kick things off, I selected three top-selling Justice clothes items across different categories to put through their paces:

Justice Striped Eyelet Girls Tank

First up, I tried out the Striped Eyelet Tank. This breezy cotton shirt features feminine details like ruffle trims and a flowy asymmetric hem. I ordered my usual girls size Medium (age 10) in blue.

Upon unboxing, the quality and construction looks decent for the price point. The cotton feels soft, lightweight and breathable – perfect for summer. The ruffle embellishments and asymmetric shape add visual interest.

However, I noticed the torso runs slightly short and narrow on this tank top. So I‘d recommend sizing up, especially if your daughter has a longer torso. The quality also seems a notch below similar tier items I‘ve purchased from competitor brands like Old Navy and The Children‘s Place. But overall, a cute casual top for only $10 on sale.

Justice Striped Eyelet Tank – ordered in size M (age 10)

Justice Denim Bermuda Shorts

Next, I tried the popular Justice Denim Bermuda Shorts. These mid-thigh length jean shorts feature trendy raw-cut hemlines and come in both medium and light wash denim.

I opted for the size Large (age 12+) light wash. The shorts feel nice and thick – not flimsy like cheaper denim blends I‘ve purchased elsewhere. The waistband has ample stretch and sits comfortably on the waist without cutting in. However, I found the length runs shorter than the size chart – ending a couple inches above the knee on my daughter rather than mid-thigh as depicted on the Justice model.

The quality seems fairly decent, especially given the affordable $10 sale price. However the sizing definitely seems to skew smaller than the chart specifies. So size up if you are between sizes to allow for growth.

Overall though, a solid pair of everyday denim shorts for tween girls – especially on sale under $15.

Fit is smaller than expected – order 1 size up

Justice Full Length Leggings

Finally, I wanted to evaluate one of Justice‘s staple items – their Full Length Leggings. Available in 5 colors, these are a wardrobe basic for many tween girls.

I opted for the classic black pair in my daughter‘s usual size Youth Large. The primary fabric blend is cotton with added spandex for stretch. The material feels smooth and substantial – not thin or see-through. The stretch waistband sits comfortably without digging in. And the length is spot on – fully extending to the ankle without gaping.

After a few wears and washes, the leggings have held up well. No pilling, tears or issues with the color fading. For only $11, these are a great value buy for basic black leggings. The quality exceed my expectations given many cheap leggings stretch out or degrade quickly.

My only gripe is that thinner cotton material does little to hide underwear lines. So you may want to have your daughter wear a camisole under tunics, longer tops or dresses. But otherwise, a comfy high quality staple item for tween girls.

Full Length Leggings – typical wardrobe basic

How Does Justice Compare on Key Metrics?

Now that I‘ve assessed a range of first-hand Justice products, how does the brand stack up against the competition on key purchasing criteria? Let‘s pit them head-to-head against Girls Clothing leader – The Children‘s Place.

Price & Value

When it comes to everyday discount pricing, both Justice and The Children‘s Place offer very competitive price points across all girls categories. However, The Children‘s Place frequently offers deeper discounts and loyalty perks – especially for savvy shoppers willing to hunt bargains.

For example, TCP runs 40-60% off storewide sales at least once per quarter. They also offer $10 off referral coupons monthly alongside 20% off birthday discounts and $5 reward certificates for every $25 spent.

Justice rarely discounts beyond 30-40% storewide. However they do offer reliable 25% off single-item coupons 2-3 times per month. So if willing to be patient, you can snag new Justice arrivals for 30% or more off retail pricing.

Overall The Children‘s Place edges out Justice when it comes to regular sale promos, coupon perks and loyalty incentives. But savvy Justice shoppers can still score similar 25-40% discounts on individual items using a little strategy.

Winner: The Children‘s Place

Quality & Durability

When it comes to clothing longevity and durability, both Justice and TCP score well for the price point. I haven‘t experienced issues with shrinking, rapid pilling or quick degradation with either brands‘ apparel.

However, Justice seems to use more premium details like ruffle trims, braided ties and embroidery that add visual interest. While TCP offers a wider range of fabrics blends – especially performance wear using moisture-wicking material.

If your tween is rough-and-tumble or will be wearing pieces daily, TCP likely offers greater durability. But for casual mix-and-match outfits, Justice‘s cute embellishments and feminine details help their clothes stay modern longer as trends evolve.

Winner: Tie

Sizing & Fit Accuracy

Finding clothes that fit kids‘ wildly varying growth patterns is tough. Both Justice and TCP offer detailed size charts alongside height and weight recommendations for each item.

However in my experience, TCP sizing charts prove more precise indicators of real-world fit. Justice clothes often seem to skew 15-20% smaller than their posted measurements.

For example, the Justice size 12 Denim Shorts I ordered ended significantly shorter than the 15.5 inch outseam listed. While TCP sizes align almost exactly with their posted specs over 90% of the time.

So if you have an in-between size tween, TCP likely offers more predictable, consistent sizing across their range. Justice tends to run smaller – so sizing up is recommended.

Winner: The Children‘s Place

Style & Design

When it comes to style and fashion appeal, Justice definitely nails the youthful pre-teen aesthetic. With trendy embellishments, vibrant colors/patterns and influences from current pop culture and celebrities – Justice‘s design team has their finger directly on the pulse of tween fashion tastes.

TCP takes a more classic, timeless approach – especially for everyday staples like hoodies, t-shirts and jeans. So if you have a tween that wants to emulate current looks inspired by musical artists, Disney shows or Youtube stars, Justice is the place to shop. TCP works better for no-fuss wardrobe basics.

Winner: Justice

Kids‘ Appeal

There‘s no denying it – Justice has mastered the modern tween cool factor. Everything from their branding, models, website, packaging and even their former brick-and-mortar store designs exude youthful energy tailored directly at grabbing kids‘ attention.

From bright, punchy visuals to influencer collaborations and relevant social media hype – Justice continues to capture what‘s trending among tweens in ways that keep them hooked. While TCP takes a more sober, mass-market stance that lacks the exciting edge.

So if you have a fashion-focused tween that cares about rocking the latest looks, Justice definitely brings more appeal. Just don‘t get sucked into buying the trendiest pieces at full price – wait for sales and coupons!

Winner: Justice

Additional Assessments & Comparisons

Beyond the product, price and style comparisons above, here is further intelligence for shoppers evaluating Justice:

• Ethics & Sustainability: Justice claims most items are produced via ethical processes – however lacks the level of supply chain transparency found with sustainable brands like Everlane. Some Justice swim pieces are now manufactured using recycled polyester.

• Shipping & Returns: Justice offers free shipping above $75 with no cut-off for returns within 45 days. TCP provides free shipping no minimums alongside 60 day return window – so greater flexibility for shoppers.

• brick & Mortar Availability: With all Justice stores now closed, The Children‘s Place operates 700+ US locations allowing families to browse, try on and return in-store.

• International Shipping: Unlike TCP which ships to over 100 countries, Justice currently only delivers domestically within the US.

So in summary – while Justice brings infectious fun energy specifically dialed into modern tween fashion tastes, The Children‘s Place competes strongly with versatile apparel, greater value perks and omnichannel convenience.

It depends if your priority is fueling temporary tween style cravings versus building a durable wardrobe foundation. Justice brings exciting trend-driven fashion with significant room still to improve ethical and environmental standards.

Consensus: Is Shopping Justice Worth It?

So pulling this comprehensive clothing review together – is Justice ultimately worth buying amid plenty competitive tween apparel alternatives?

The answer is: it depends.

For cute embellished tops, stylish swimsuits and on-trend outfit inspiration, Justice delivers. Their social buzz and marketing feel hand-crafted for 21st century tween girls.

However, for resilient everyday value staples you‘ll find greater selection, better loyalty perks and less sizing frustration shopping alternatives like The Children‘s Place, Old Navy or Target.

Personally, I plan to subscribe to Justice‘s email list and snap up seasonal tees/tanks when coupon codes align with my daughters‘ evolving interests. But will balance out her wardrobe with basic mix-and-match pieces from established value brands.

Hopefully you‘ve found this hands-on assessment of the current Justice clothing range useful. I‘m happy to answer any other questions from fellow parents in the comments below!