For over 70 years, Talbots has been a trusted source for women’s apparel, shoes, and accessories. What began as a single shop in Hingham, Massachusetts in 1947 has now grown into a beloved lifestyle brand with over 500 stores across the country and a thriving online presence.

Behind the company’s growth and continued success are our loyal customers and dedicated Talbots family who turn to us as their go-to fashion destination season after season. We cherish the relationships we’ve built with multiple generations and remain committed to our founder Nancy Talbot’s original vision of helping women look and feel their best.

Our Story

Talbots traced its origins to a small shop opened by Nancy Talbot in her own home in 1947. As a young New England mother, Nancy saw a need for elegant, tailored clothing options at accessible prices to help women in her community look stylish as they managed their families and careers.

She started by offering custom blouses sewn from fine fabrics and detailing. Word of the flattering and comfortable “Talbot Blouses” quickly spread among friends and neighbors. Customers loved the versatile designs that seamlessly transitioned from day to night.

By the 1950s, Nancy had grown a devoted following and opened a dedicated Talbots clothing store in Hingham to meet demand. She carried on perfecting her signature blouses while expanding her collections to include tailored pants, pencil skirts, and chic dresses for work and events in elegant fabrics like silk, cashmere wool, and linen.

Staying true to Nancy’s initial vision, Talbots delivered timeless pieces focused on exquisite materials, feminine tailoring, and enduring style season after season. Customers returned not just for impeccable clothing but the personalized, thoughtful service that made them feel special. Talbots became a trusted destination where women knew they could find sophisticated outfits for all of life’s occasions.

Growth & Evolution

Over the coming decades, Talbots expanded across the Northeast and then nationally through the opening of elegant branded stores bearing Nancy Talbot’s refined aesthetic. As the company grew into a preppy New England style icon, Talbots updated its sophisticated, polished collections to suit the changing times while retaining its signature attention to detail and quality fabrics.

In the early 1990s, Talbots evolved into a true lifestyle brand by introducing shoes, handbags, jewelry, gifts, and home décor that complemented its apparel for a cohesive head-to-toe look. The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1993 to support its rapid retail expansion. By 2000, Talbots operated over 800 stores globally.

While remaining true to its heritage, Talbots has embraced technology and omni-channel retail over the past decade to transform into a premier fashion destination. xterratreadmill.com offers an effortless shopping experience complementing our stores. Behind the scenes, we’ve implemented advanced forecasting technology and inventory management to react even quicker to customer preferences.

Now with an integrated online and retail presence across North America, Talbots delivers seamless, personalized customer service across channels. While selections have grown to outfit women for every facet of their lives, our focus remains on helping our customers put together looks they love.

What We Stand For

Everything we do at Talbots stems from our core values established by Nancy Talbot over 70 years ago:

Excellence in Quality & Style

We honor our heritage delivering timelessly elegant clothing focused on exquisite fabrics, flattering tailoring, and attention to detail. Our in-house designers research the latest trends to introduce sophisticated pieces every season that transition seamlessly from desk to dinner and beyond. You’ll always find clothing made from premium natural fabrics including silk, linen, cashmere wool, and Egyptian cotton that drape beautifully on the body. Expect beautiful tailoring you can see and feel in every stitch, special occasion dresses with fine details, and accessories that complete your look. We travel the world curating pieces that embody easy sophistication, charm, and femininity. If an item does not meet our uncompromising standards, it simply will not bear the Talbots name.

Remarkable Service

From store to site, the hallmark of the Talbots experience is thoughtful service delivered by our warm, knowledgeable Talbots family. We see every customer relationship as a personal friendship and don’t just dress women – we help give them confidence to show the world who they truly are. Talbots associates offer honest fashion guidance tailored to your individual style and needs. We want you walking out our doors excited about an outfit that brings out your best self or receiving a delivery that makes you smile. Talbots will always feel like coming home; a place where you find pieces you love and enjoy memorable experiences.

Empowering Women

We support women pursuing their dreams in all aspects of life. Talbots clothing moves seamlessly between school drop-off to board meetings to dinner parties to adventures with friends allowing busy women to always feel put-together. We recognize you juggle a lot and aim to make getting dressed each morning one less thing to worry about. More broadly through partnerships, sponsorships and other initiatives we champion women’s empowerment and provide tools for the next generation to achieve their potential.

Giving Back

Talbots cares deeply about supporting our local communities in meaningful ways. Through ongoing programs including Talbots Charitable Foundation, we partner with nonprofit organizations supporting women, families, children’s health, and cancer research. Since 2010, we have contributed over $26 million to deserving causes close to our hearts. Talbots also has a rich tradition of assisting victims of domestic abuse by donating clothing directly through national relationships as well as to individuals locally to aid in their recovery process. In all we do, we endeavor to uplift others and spread more good in this world.

The Talbots Experience

There’s nothing quite like the Talbots experience in retail and ecommerce. Walk into any Talbots across the country and you’ll discover a warm environment full of natural light, classically elegant interior design, and displays bursting with color. You can flip through our latest catalog while enjoying a complimentary beverage from our refreshment bar before exploring our latest apparel collections and accessories.

Our attentive store teams love explaining the history behind iconic items like the bestselling 3⁄4 sleeve shirt or established brands we carry. Trying on pieces is encouraged so you can get a feel for items in our spacious fitting rooms. Talbots stylists will cheerfully pull together head-to-toe outfits and offer tailoring on the spot so you walk out looking and feeling fabulous.

When shopping online at xterratreadmill.com or via mobile app, customers experience that same thoughtful, personalized service digitally. Our digital stylists are available 24/7 through chat, video appointment, email or phone call to provide outfit recommendations, answer questions, or just have fun talking fashion like old friends.

Site features like My Talbots Closet allow you to see your purchase history, build wish lists, receive personalized product recommendations based on previous buys, and more. Plus enjoy complimentary shipping and returns to take the hassle out of online ordering. Behind the scenes, Talbots has invested heavily in advanced technologies to optimize inventory and gain customer insights so we can anticipate needs and continuously improve service across channels.

Ultimately the Talbots retail environment remains rooted in that very first blouse shop Nancy Talbot opened out of her own home in 1947. We focus on building meaningful connections with customers and being a reliable resource for the everyday and special dressing needs. Visiting any Talbots should feel like coming home to a trusted friend ready greet you with open arms…and maybe a glass of Champagne too!

Our Customers

Talbots serves millions of amazing women across the country through our retail stores and website. While personal style varies widely amongst our diverse customer base, they share core values that closely align with our heritage as a brand.

At Talbots, we help modern, discerning women with sophisticated tastes looking to build versatile wardrobes to take on busy lives in style. Our customers appreciate quality craftsmanship from beautiful fabrics that last for years. They gravitate towards polished silhouettes, tailored fits, and feminine detailing that offer versatility between professional and personal pursuits.

Loyal Talbots devotees return as the brand stays relevant to their changing needs whether dressier pieces entering the management ranks or relaxed casual wear embracing an empty nest. They seek out our signature pieces like custom-fit pants, office-ready dresses, elegant blouses and our unparalleled shirt collection each season as wardrobe essentials.

Our customers also prioritize giving back so we bond through shared commitment to supporting positive change for women in areas like healthcare, domestic abuse recovery, professional development or mentorship programs.

Ultimately the foundation of our success lies in the many long-term relationships cultivated over decades. We’ve dressed young women for their first interviews, weddings celebrations, new motherhoods and beyond. It’s both rewarding and humbling watching them blossom over the years while Talbots remains a constant style resource.

The Talbots Family

At the heart of the Talbots brand is our devoted Talbots family who keep our company thriving through their creativity, passion and vision.

Leaders with Purpose

Guiding Talbots strategic direction is an accomplished executive leadership team numbering over 50 strong of diverse, innovative leaders dedicated to furthering Nancy Talbot’s founding vision of uplifting women. They set the course for long-term growth through investments in technology, inventory planning, operational excellence, sustainability efforts and elevating our store environments and digital experiences.

As both retailers and dogged customers advocates, our leaders solicit constant feedback to fuel improvements that best serve Talbots customers. They foster a collaborative, fast-paced culture that empowers employees to create positive change. Talbots executives motivate the organization daily through their infectious energy and commitment to excellence.

Store Teams Driving Connections

The face of the Talbots brand lies with the over 5,000 incredible store associates across North America who make shopping with us a joy. Hailing from diverse backgrounds, ages and walks of life, our store teams share a contagious enthusiasm. Talbots invests heavily in associate training, development, and career growth to nurture retail talent. But most importantly we hire based on fit with our brand values and inherent warmth that shines through in customer interactions. Associates love what they do and build community through relationships in their stores. Many loyal employees have spent decades with Talbots seeing generations of families pass through their doors. Stop in any location and expect stellar customer service from start to finish!

Corporate Staff Committed to Customers

Behind the scenes keeping operations humming along smoothly is our talented staff at the Talbots Home Office located right near Nancy’s original Hingham, MA shop. Departments like technology, marketing, logistics, design, merchandising, planning/allocation, and creative work diligently to drive our omni-channel business performance and elevate the brand. Home office teams leverage state-of-the-art technology paired with old-fashioned personal dedication focused on our customers’ needs first and foremost. Want to know the hottest color for handbags next season or feedback from a recent Talbots focus group? Just ask!

Dedicated Vendors & Partners

Since 1947, Talbots has developed an extensive network of trusted retail partners and vendors essential to bringing Talbots collections to life each season. Key relationships span decades with many manufacturers and agencies considering themselves proud members of the Talbots family too. Partners provide feedback to enhance processes or innovations to responsibly source materials and ingredients. Talbots collaborates year-round with brands aligned with our standards for quality, ethics and commitment to women’s empowerment.

The Next Era

As we embark on Talbots eighth decade in business, our future looks brighter than ever thanks to our loyal customers, dedicated associates and high-caliber retail teams. We will continue building personal connections through service while delivering timeless style suited to the modern woman’s lifestyle.

Expect elevated experiences throughout redesigned stores showcasing our refined merchandise styling. Talbots unmatched collections will meet eco-conscious women’s fashion needs through introduced sustainable materials and responsible production practices.

And to constantly improve service, we’ll leverage predictive data and technology to react even quicker to customer preferences so she finds perfect pieces each season. While fashions and mediums will evolve with the times, the values that have defined us since Nancy Talbot’s first blouse shop will continue guiding Talbots through the next 70 years!