It's no secret that the brands I relied on heavily during those prep-heavy, khaki-wearing, collegiate years – J.Crew, Gap, Banana Republic – have had their ups and (lots of) downs ever since. But like all things in fashion, they seem to be coming back – and even appealing to those of us who moved on long ago.
And they all seem to have gotten the same memo for spring: lots of bright solids, freshly-scrubbed skin and tons of layering, particularly of "clashing" colors and prints. Luckily, it's pretty appealing mix – I find myself (for the first time in years) being drawn into their stores. I haven't shelled out any of my hard-earned dollars yet, but I'm definitely taking some notes. Let's review our options, shall we?
First, we have the Gap. They haven't seemed to quite sync their store and online offerings – right now, the store experience is way more appealing than the website. (They seem to be working on it though, complete with tips from new creative director Patrick Robinson and a pretty decent Spring lookbook, where I snagged the image above.)
My favorite part of the Gap these past few years has been their boys section – the pieces are cheaper, cuter, and have a great shrunken fit that works well for layering (like this rugby-striped polo shirt and purple gingham button-down). Throw in hot pink jackets and bold patterned scarves from the women's side and you've got yourself a pretty solid preppy-fun look.
Final verdict: We do like that the quality at the Gap is higher than fast-fashion brands like H&M and Forever 21 (of course, the prices are higher too, but we don't mind paying a premium to ensure our new clothes won't disintegrate as soon as they hit the washing machine). They seem to be on the right path; we look forward to some continued improvements.
Okay, moving on: J. Crew! The prices seem to have really skyrocketed (our perhaps our minds don't move quite as fast as inflation?), but the items are getting quite good and the styling – in the stores, catalogue and online – is quite fun. See for yourself.
Also, I really want these Martine satin heels, in regal purple. And maybe also bright green.
Their boys selection is also pretty cute. I like the idea of pairing one of these little sweaters with flouncy circle skirt on chilly spring days.
Also, Nantucket bracelets! I had one of these permanently attached to my wrist circa age 14. I love the idea of piling them on like bangles now. And! Only $5 each.
Final verdict: Kind of prohibitively pricey, but also the best take on modified preppy and definitely a source of lots of good eye candy. Still, once the brights thing gets old, what are they going to do to keep our attention?
And, finally! Banana Republic! Sadly, their website reads more like a big bland mess of office-appropriate neutrals. (Their store, which we visited last week, is a lot more appealing – we're still thinking about a chunky cropped cardigan sweater in bold Kelly green that was hanging out on the sale rack.) Still, there are some good things, like this dress:
{They've also got it layered over a crisp button-down on the website, which is pretty cute.}
We also were intrigued by their socks. Cute socks!{They've got more in store, especially in the men's section.} I could see these peeking out under chunky leather heeled sandals for a creative twist on early spring dressing.
Like J. Crew, Banana Republic seems to be working hard on growing their jewelry selection. Both brands have some colorful, affordable pieces. This three-stone bangle, $34, is my favorite. (The colorful striped enamel bangle is nice too.)
Final verdict: Well, perhaps we're not the ideal Banana customer – for starters, we don't dress to go to an office every day – 'cause we find most of it a bit too staid and conservative for us, particularly the website offerings. Still, baby steps.
Of course, it's not all fun and games and punchy-hued finds out there. We like where things are going, but we're not so into some of the ideas these brands refuse to let go. We offer as an example this image from the Banana website:
Please, ladies, if you must wear khaki pants, please do not match them with a khaki trench coat. Repeat after me: Too much khaki is just not cute.
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