Notes from the Dressing Room-Feeling the Gap

Lately, I've found myself a little unenamoured with the offerings of my favorite store that rhymes with G Stew. Madewell has been getting way too much of my money and Gap has piqued my interest whenever I view their website. I took a looky-loo in the store and even found myself in the dressing room. Here are a few reviews:

 1969 Western Polka Dot Dress, $69.95, available here

Lots of retailers have been throwing polka dots on jeans and chambray shirts these days, so it was only a matter of time before they migrated to other articles of clothing. I would love a polka dot chambray top, but don't feel like I need it, so the idea of this dress was intriguing. My size wasn't available, so I had to size up. There was way too much bagginess in this size so I would say this fits tts. This was a nice casual dress that can be thrown on anytime, the cotton felt comfy. The sleeves would look great rolled up or down, there were no button gaps going on, the length was great (not too long and dowdy and not inappropriately short, I'm 5'4 by the way) and the two chest pockets do a great job of blending in. The only thing that I could really complain about is the string belt which added nothing to this dress. I think something more substantial would work better at creating a nice shape. I'm still debating if I have a need for such a dress although I think it would be perfect for casual Friday at the office when I don't feel like wearing jeans. Thumbs up on this one!

 

Embellished Dolman-Sleeve T, $34.95, available here

So I was browsing through Net-a-Porter yesterday and came across this tee. I thought the jeweled neckline was fabulous, but there is no way in hell I would pay $500 for a tee. Okay, maybe if I was super filthy rich, but that's just craziness for what it is and I immediately thought this Gap tee gets the job done just as well at a fraction of the cost of the fancy one. The website made the jewels look pastel-y, but this was a more vibrant (slightly neon) pink in person. I'm not 100% sure why the description says it is dolman sleeve because I didn't find anything different about the sleeve on this compared to any other t-shirt. The weight on this is a bit on the thin size, but I wouldn't consider it tissue thin. I sized down in this and it fit great, not loose or tight, just right in the middle. I thought this was really cute and would have considered it, if I didn't already have a nice pile of tees at home.

 

Marbled Jacquard Jacket in Diva Pink, $69.95, available here

This cardigan reads more tweed-ish looking rather than jacquard. Who names these products? There's nothing cuter than a cardi with a retro feel but still modern enough to not make it look old. This looks like something I imagine Jackie O. might have thrown on in her times. The color is nice although it appeared more red than pink to me, the white trim was nicely done, the feel is soft and cozy and it has adorable (if incredibly shallow) pockets. Unfortunately, the button closure ruined the look for me. There was gaping (and I was just wearing it by itself, no extra layer) not only from a side view perspective but also in the front. Those buttons didn't want to lay flat at all. Sizing up would have been too big and sizing down didn't seem to be a good option for that issue. Perhaps it would have work best on a smaller chest. Overall, very cute, just not for me. Fit is tts.

 

1969 Dot Legging Skimmer Jeans, $69.95, available here

Dots, dots and more dots! I noticed that J.Crew came out with a chambray shirt with an open/abstract polka dot print and these jeans have the same pattern. I have one pair of Gap jeans from a million years ago that I picked up at Marshall's and other than that, I have not tried on any of their jeans. With all of the new (and super cute) patterns and colors that they have been rolling out, I figured it was time that I give them a try. I have to say, I am now a fan. These were soft, I thought they looked flattering on my shape and the length was just right for almost any shoe whether I went flat or heel. I'm fairly certain that I tried on my regular size in this as I forgot to capture the tag. I would probably go for that size although I would be concerned about these stretching out. I didn't snag these up because I have a ridiculous amount of jeans already, but I don't have too many prints. I will probably get one pair soon, just have to pick a pattern.

So I was only there to browse, but now I have some things on my wishlist (including these leopard shoes that you can see in some of the pics). Gap always have great sales, so something tells me, I might be adding a few things to my closet.

Anything catch your eye lately? Have you tried Gap denim before? Would you recommend?