Posts with tag the gap

When it comes to phenom labels that have been on the decline for a really, really long time -- Eddie Bauer stands in an elite class with notables like the Gap and Tommy Hilfiger. Once upon a time, those mega-bland, kahki-laced styles were all the rage ... but then came the late 90s. Since then, they've clung to a narrow band of loyalists who crave safari-casual and high waisted jeans. Now, EB is smack dab in the middle of a soul-searching reinvention, which includes launching a new back-to-their-roots line of outerwear named First Ascent, designed by real-live mountain climbers.

Designer Patrick Robinson's latest effort as Head Designer for The Gap is a bright one. He's teamed with Pantone -- which has a worldwide lock on all things color, from fabric to paint -- to create a line of tees for the company.

So we think Patrick Robinson is super talented. We've been waiting for ages to see his first full Gap collection. And he came through – for the ladies anyway. The womenswear is cute and classic. Just what we were expecting and definitely good enough to get the Gap out of its rut. As for the guys? Well... "just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip." A trip to the Gap. That turns out bad. Real bad.

Thanks to boring styles, plummeting consumer spending, and a tendency to leave their employees with Post Retail Folding Disorder, the Gap has finally been overtaken by as the world's largest clothing retailer. All hail the new #1: Spain's mega fashion retailer Zara, who we've really never even heard of. The chain, based in A Coruña, Spain, has apparently been a dominating force in Europe and Latin America -- but has only a handful of stores in the US.

Zara's parent company Inditex has managed to spread its successful chain of stores far and wide by some kind of weird business model that involves keeping up with the latest trends in fashion -- something that the Gap probably should have been focusing on. Zara's unique model includes in-house design teams and encourages staff members to point out any new trends to keep the designers up to date. Not only that, but Zara apparently spends very little on advertising. Instead, they use their stores as a means of drawing attention to their brands.

What's the hot color for this fall? According to designers at Banana Republic, H&M, and the Gap, it's depression-era grey. While they might be jumping the gun a little bit by repackaging styles from the Great Depression, it never hurts to try to stay ahead of the curve in the world of fashion. We haven't noticed any bread lines or wandering Okies -- do you feel like changing your style to suit the economy?

With all the talk about tooth art and the skyrocketing number of cosmetic surgeries in the US, it's hard to imagine people going back to the 30's for any other reason than for sheer novelty. Also, it's kind of an ironic way to try to boost slumping sales. The styles were previewed to Wall Street where they apparently got "mixed reviews." Basically, think Newsies: more hats, baggy pants, grey patterns, and utilitarian lace-up shoes.

Needless to say, we're not too wild about the look -- a little too costume-ish. Still, some of the styles will no doubt leak into the mainstream. If anything, we hope it's time for full-brimmed hats to make a comeback.

Girl-i-fying menswear trends has long been a style staple. There is something mysterious and sexy about dressing in clothing inspired by the opposite sex. From high-waisted trousers to a simple white button-down, there are plenty of ways to add some "dude" to your closet. There is one menswear style that has a little more femininity infused in it, and that item is the shirt dress.

The shirt dress is always a classic and is an office must have. The simplicity of the design makes it easy to add accessories to change your look to match the fashions of the moment. Take it a very safe place with ballerina flats and an over-sized business tote. Or sex it up by making it look like you just rolled out of bed with a one night stand, threw on some stiletto heels and hurried out the door.

No matter how you decide to wear your shirt dress it will always be in style. The great thing about the shirt dress is that you can get away with purchasing an inexpensive version because we all know how long we can keep white garments clean. The Gap is selling this ruffled shirt dress for a cool $69.50, which also comes in black. For a more classic (non-ruffled) version check out ShopIntuition.com, they have a great one on sale by Steven Alan which comes in a variety of colors.

So take your business casual self to the store and stock up on shirt dresses because this style isn't going anywhere.

Maybe it's the weather here in southern California -- cold, gray, and rainy. Or maybe it's the mood I'm in. Whatever it is, I am feeling extremely "home-y" It's all I can do to get back into bed with a cup of hot coffee and a few magazines.

However, there are things to be done, and since I do have to go out into the world, the Cowl Neck Sweater Dress from Gap is pretty good motivation. The knit dress is made from a cotton and angora blend, has long sleeves with exaggerated cuffs, and a ribbed cowl neck. The hem hits right at mid thigh, so if it were a "usual" warm day in LA, I'd just wear the dress as is, but since the weather is as it is, I am thinking some charcoal heather tights and boots.

The Cowl Neck Sweater Dress is $69 at Gap.

Inevitably, we all want to look amazing for our co-workers at least once a year, and there's no better occasion to "wow" our friends than the annual office holiday bash. But what is appropriate to wear? So many women have asked me this exact question in the past couple of years, and believe it or not, there is a fairly simple answer. So when in doubt, follow these few rules for easy holiday gorgeousness.

1) Buy a dress! I have nothing against skirt and top combos, but seriously, you have two separate pieces to deal with, and then once you add shoes, jewelry, and a jacket -- too many decisions! Stick with a dress, and you'll cut your stress in half.

2) Unless your invitation says "black-tie formal", a knee-length or just below knee-length dress is always appropriate. Look for richer fabrics such as velvet, silk, or stretch satin. Chiffon and lighter fabrics can work as long as they are in season-appropriate colors (think dark, saturated hues).

3) Sleeve length is totally up to you. You can go as bare as strapless, or as covered as full-length sleeves. As long as you like the dress and feel comfortable, you are going to look fabulous in any type of sleeve.

4) Bring a long coat, preferably in a black or in a print that picks up on the color of your dress. If you don't have a coat or would rather wear an item you don't have to check at the door, try a wrap. Wraps come in cashmere, silk, fur (real and faux), velvet, and just about any other fabric combo you could imagine. The best thing about wraps is that they can be twisted and pinned (with a pretty brooch) in limitless combinations. You can disguise almost all "lumps and bumps" with a cleverly placed wrap.

5) Sheer black or nude hose (Hanes' "Barely Black" are foolproof) work with almost any type of dress. If you want to be a little more daring, or are wearing a shorter dress, opaque tights can be a trendy look, but beware, as any opaque stocking tends to dress down a cocktail look.

6) You can wear open or closed-toed shoes with your cocktail dress. If you go with an open-toed option, make sure that your hosiery are made without the telling toe seam.

7) Try to match your necklace to the neckline of your dress. For example, if you are wearing a deep-v neckline, try a necklace with a simple drop. This ensures that you flatter (but don't take away from) your dress.

8) Have fun! Confidence is universally beautiful. Have fun and know you look great, because you do!

In my boutique, we generally carry sizes 0-14. Why don't we carry a 16, you ask? Well, it's because most manufacturers don't make a 16. That doesn't seem fair, you say. Why wouldn't clothing designers and manufacturers make clothing that fits the general public? Isn't fashion a for-profit industry?

Good question.

I have plenty of customers who see a top, love it, and leave disappointed because we didn't have it in their size. I feel awful knowing that many times, the customer thinks that we chose not to carry a size 16, rather knowing the truth, which is that the manufacturer did not create a size 16.

I feel an inclination to blame the steadily shrinking size 0 celebrities for the puzzling sizing guidelines designers seem to follow. With designers now going as far as to produce negative sizes for a tiny population of even tinier celebutantes, the average size-16 Everywoman tends to get left out, despite being in the sizeable majority.