Gap Magic!

The clothes discussed below were given to me for free from Gap.

As a blogger, I tend to compose the beginning of posts in my head a lot. I think of a hook for a post and then compose the sentences in my head. For this post, I had a hook all planned - I was going to tell the story of my beloved Gap khakis - circa early 90s - that I once called in late to work to get a wood stain out of after slipping and falling three stairs before catching myself with two flailing arms and my butt on the slippery-when-wet wooden staircase that led out of my garage apartment. The same khakis I still wear at least once a week today.

It would have been a great opening, but then I came home, pulled them out of my closet, and read "Express Chinos" on the tag. Oops.

But it's actually a good metaphor for my Gap Magic visit to the Hollywood & Highland Gap today. Can an Express girl find clothes she loves at the Gap?

Well, I'll tell ya one thing, the sizing is a bit more forgiving. Both the jeans and the pants I ended up with are size 8s, and I'd probably still have to get a 10, maybe even a 12 if I could find one, at Express. (Although admittedly I haven't been there in years; I turned into a Macy's girl a few years ago, and then turned into a broke girl who doesn't buy anything ever. But my work pants are still my Express pants from years ago.)

At Gap, I was beyond excited to see "curvy" as one of the pants & jeans options. Because I have issues with pants. Usually, to get pants that fit in the hips, I end up with pants that don't fit in the waist, and I have to cinch them in with a belt or get them altered. So two things: First, very cute salesguy Aaron helped me decide to buy size 8s after I explained that I have a terror of buying pants too small and therefore a closet of pants that are too big. Second, I could get the 8s because they fit right. I didn't have to go up to a 10 to get the room I need in the hips.

They carry long and regular, and they call the shorter pants "average." Aaron and another Gap guy, Joel, both thought I could go with regular, but I went with average. They seem like the right length to me, although at 5' 4" I may be hitting the top of the "average" height range. Sometimes when I've bought "short" at other places in the past, they were indeed too short, and buying petite to get a shorter pant leg is usually a disaster for me.

So Gap pants = Win. I have seriously - FINALLY - found a new place to buy work pants.

Meanwhile, my most favorite find today was an awesome jacket that will go with pants and jeans whenever I want to look a little professional:

 

This pic doesn't really do the jacket justice, and as an outfit, there may be too much going on between the shirt, which has a pretty pearl and ribbon treatment at the neck, and the gray jacket, which has a striped inner lining. I'm not sure - What do you think? In the store, they had the gray jacket with black pants, but the top underneath was cream.

Here's outfit number 2:

 

The best thing about this green cardigan is that I now forever have something green to wear on St. Patrick's Day. I am so serious. Also, LOVE the little lace tank underneath which is an awesome purple.

But let's talk jeans. The "curvy" jeans did indeed fit me fabulously - but there was one little wrinkle. I didn't like the back pockets, which felt oversized, underdesigned, and frankly, made my butt look big. Now, I've got as many self-esteem issues as the next Angelino, but if I know one thing in this world for sure, it's that I've got an butt for jeans. It's a rare day that I pull on a pair of jeans, turn to look at my butt in the mirror, and don't like what I see. So the jeans above are not the curvy jeans.

The jeans above - which I am crazy about because they feel a little 80s retro meets modern denim to me - are the cropped skinny button jeans. A commentor on that link says, "...they look great and the detail on the leg makes them rock n' roll." I heartedly agree, and I really like how the denim is distressed.

So can an Express girl find clothes she loves at the Gap? Yes, yes, she can.

In fact, there seemed to be a lot of different choices. There were definitely some clothes I didn't like, but that's as it should be. You can tell I picked pieces with catchy detailing (including the studded, braided belt), but I'm sure other people came out with other sorts of looks. If I liked everything then maybe there wouldn't be clothes someone else might like. Perfect example: one of the pants styles hits the waist. I HATE pants that hit the waist, but I know for a fact that some women hate the low-rise that I love. So, especially in pants & jeans, the selection of fits and sizing was impressive. They had A LOT of different kinds of jeans.

Also, it should be noted that I was purposely and with difficulty fighting my love of the T-shirt. Gap is like T-shirt heaven. Both for solids and for designs. I'm beyond tempted to go back and get this "wild hair" t-shirt. But I already have SO MANY t-shirts OMG. So I resisted coming home with a T-shirt.

Oh, and I grabbed some cute panties, too, but sadly I did not have the chutzpah to ask Aaron to take a pic of me holding them up, ala BlogHer '08.

Speaking of BlogHer, I'm volunteering at BlogHer Business on the Thursday, and I am very glad to have this new jacket to wear. It's been a long time since I've gotten any new clothes (besides T-shirts!), so many thanks to Gap for a fun shopping experience.

Comments

[deb roby]

I got that very same grey embellished t-shirt. Love it. Sad that I look so crappy in jackets and sweaters - because I'm sure I'll need something at BlogHer.

And blocked my ears as Thom tried to convince me slip a few tank tops into my bag while I was at it...

[Miss Britt]

Personally, I think the jacket with that top works. :-)

[lizriz]

Deb - Great minds! I'm always looking for clothes that are strongly feminine, if that makes any sense. Like pretty, but also a strong look. I liked the mesh ribbon that's in with the pearls, and I liked the gray. I hope you did take the tank tops! Layers are your friend. Try a jacket and a tank instead of a jacket and a sweater, you know? They're also great with button-down shirts.

[lizriz]

Miss Britt - Thank you! I'm going to see how I feel on the day, if I decide to wear them together or not, but that top definitely seems like it should be peeking out from a jacket. :)

[Average Jane]

I got that lace-embellished tank in about five different colors, including the purple. I also let them talk me into the skinny jeans (I got the boyfriend jeans with the cuffs), even though I've been clinging to boot-cut jeans for a long time. I couldn't believe how much stuff I ended up with and I'm having to force myself not to wear any of it to work this week so it'll all be fresh and new for BlogHer.

[lizriz]

Average Jane - I totally want more of those tanks! So sexy, and they had a light blue...  And I, too, don't know how I'm suppose to resist wearing this stuff to work next week.  Gonna break in the jacket anyway.  :)

Funny you mention bootcut jeans.  I have been a fan for so long, and yet I pulled on the skinny jeans and they just felt so right. Times change, I guess.

[Carol Rizzo]

This was a wonderful development...and I love the photos! As for me...well at 63 one needs jeans that reach the waist. I just found a perfect pair at Coldwater Creek. Last Fall I bought black jeans so this visit I defintely wanted Blue Jeans. I have shrunk two inches due to old age so I have to buy their petete size jeans. Does the Gap have clothes for baby boomers? Mom:)

[Aaron]

...would have totally helped you take the pictures for your post, should've asked. Thanks for all your nice comments! It was nice meeting you, hope you enjoy all your clothes!

-"Very cute Salesguy" - Aaron

[lizriz]

Mom - I bet you could get jeans and pants at Gap.  They had a lot of variety.  Also, all sorts of solid T-shirts you might like, although the new, thin fabric style might not appeal to you.

[lizriz]

:) Hi Aaron! Nice to meet you, too. Yeah, I just couldn't do the pull the camera out in the store thing. I would have looked like a tourist! ;)

[claudia]

hmm..i don't know about the first pic..maybe some gray shirt would go better with that outfit.;)