Gap: Rolled Henley Sweater Review

This is Gap's Rolled Henley Sweater (style #635778), which retailed for $39.50. It was alpha-sized, and was available in a number of different colors, a couple of brights and some neutrals. I tried this on in a small, and found that it fits true-to-size, maybe even a bit large, depending on how you would want to wear it. If you're looking for a more fitted look and are on the smaller end of your size, you could consider sizing down in this sweater. If you want a looser, more casual look, then I'd start with your regular size and size down if necessary.

The sweater is made out of 100% cotton, and is a nice, soft knit. It's a nice, breathable fabric for a spring and summer sweater. The sweater itself is lightweight, and it is on the sheer side, at least in this color.

It's a pretty straightforward design - it has 3/4 sleeves, and fairly deep V-neck with buttons. There is a thin strip of trim on the front, faux-cuffs on the sleeves, and a rolled hem on both the sleeves and the bottom hem. Overall, a basic, but somewhat casual sweater.

I liked this sweater, but left it behind. I wasn't crazy about it, although I will say that it was super comfortable on.

What do you think? Do you like this sweater? Do you own it or have you tried it on?

Gap: Eyelet Sleeve Tee Review

This is Gap's Eyelet Sleeve Tee (style #655036), which originally retailed for $29.95, and is currently on sale. The tee is available in a few different colors (white, red-orange, light brown, and this light blue color), and is alpha-sized.

I tried this on in a size small, and I'd say that the tee runs a little on the bigger size. I did go back and one point and tried this on in an extra small, and that would have been the size I would get. If, however, you want to wear this tee pretty loose and casual, then you could try sticking with your regular size.

This tee is 100% cotton, and is a really nice, soft jersey-like fabric. I really love Gap's knit tees, as they are wonderfully soft and smooth. It moves and hangs very nicely. The tee is meant as a casual, more flowy top, and nice and roomy, especially at the bottom.

The tee is fairly basic, with a U-neck, some slight shirring at the neckline, and some contrast banding at the neckline and sleeves. The sleeves themselves have a floral embroidered eyelet pattern with scalloping at the edges. I think it's a pretty, feminine detail that works well with the casualness of the rest of the tee.

I really like this tee. I didn't pick it up when it was full price, but I was very tempted when I saw it on sale for $14.99. In the end, I decided I have enough tees for now, and left this one behind.

What do you think? Do you like this tee? Do you own it or have you seen it or tried it on? Which colors do you like?

Gap: Knit and Cotton Tank Dress

I cannot find this dress on Gap's website, but I'm pretty sure it is style #655030. It is alpha-sized, and retailed for $39.50. It was available in a number of saturated colors, including bright pink and bright blue. This is a rich, purple color in size small.

This dress has a knit tank with a pocket for the top, and a cotton skirt bottom. The skirt itself is very light, and the top is like wearing a really comfortable knit top. There are tiny pleats all around the waist. The dress itself moves all right, but is not super flowy, owing to lightweight cotton and the straighter shape of the skirt. I think the dress looks better from the front though - looking at the picture below, it looks kind of weird from the side, as it's not distributed evenly from front to back.

The dress fits true-to-size, and fits based on your top and waist size. There is a lot of room to hide any problem areas in your lower half, without adding extra weight. To me, this dress is a really great alternative to J.Crew's Cottage dress from earlier this season (in fact, I prefer it to J.Crew's).

The dress is a really comfortable casual dress. I think you could dress it up a bit with the right accessories, but I'm not sure that you could dress it up too much. Overall a really nice, summer dress, but I think you should try it on if you can to see how you like the skirt.

I was tempted to pick this one up, on more than one occasion. The first time I tried it on, and another time I almost grabbed it in the pink color, but I resisted both times.

What do you think? Do you like this dress? Have you seen it or tried it on? Which color would you pick it up in?

Gap: Pintucked Drawstring Shorts Review

These are a pair of shorts from the Gap, the Pintucked Drawstring Shorts (style #620780). The shorts are alpha-sized, and originally retailed for $39.50, with colors on sale online for $19.99 through $34.99. [Again, if you happen to like these shorts, check a local store if you can, as they may be cheaper there.] This is the rolling bay blue color.

I tried these shorts on in a size small. They fit true-to-size, although to be fair, I don't wear a lot of alpha-sized bottoms that aren't skirts; however, I fit into Gap's numerical equivalents to a size small, so I think you'd be safe going with your regular size. If you are on the smaller end of your size range, you could potentially considering sizing down, as the shorts have an elastic waist with a drawstring.

The shorts are a cotton/viscose rayon blend, and they are pretty soft. They're fairly comfortable, with a more relaxed fit and cut. The shorts themselves are also very comfortable - the leg holes are cut very comfortably, and they are a nice lounge/very casual pair of shorts. The fabric is a tad bit on the wrinkly side, but not overly wrinkly.

As I said, these shorts are pretty casual. I don't think there's a really wide range of styling options for these shorts. If you get them in a more neutral color, I think you have some more room to play with color pairings and dressing them up or down a bit more, but in the end, the details and fabric are pretty casual, and don't lend themselves too easily to being dressed up.

The waist is elasticized with a drawstring. There is pleating on the front with slant pockets in the front, and button flap pockets in the back. I don't like the waist detail - there is too much going on for me.

So I left these shorts behind because all I can see when I look at them is gym shorts. They remind me of the pair of shorts I would bring to school once a year, put in my gym locker, and then wear with shame once a week while I attempted to be athletic. I don't mind gym shorts, but I mainly keep them to inside the house (and SCUBA diving - you can wear whatever you want when you go SCUBA diving :)), and I already have a lot of "around the house" shorts.

What do you think? Do you like these shorts? Have you seen them or do you own them? Would you consider picking them up now that they are on sale?

Gap: The Dip-Dyed Summer T Review

This is Gap's Dip-Dyed Summer T (style #655031), which retails for $18.50. (At the time of this review, Gap is running a promotion on "Summer Deals", and this tee is on sale for $15.) This tee is available in petite and tall (only petite is showing up right now), and is available in a few different colors, but only cocoa is showing up online. [You will probably have better luck in-store for this tee.] Gap describes the tee as such:

Look no further for the perfect warm weather T. Ours is light and irresistibly soft to the touch--plus it comes in a rainbow of saturated shades. Each one has a unique personality thanks to the cool ombre effect.

I tried this tee on in a size small. I think it fits true-to-size, and would not have sized down in this one. I would have sized up if I were going for a more relaxed fit (my preferred), but my regular size worked out fine.

The fabric on this tee is a slightly coarser cotton (a slub cotton, they say), but it is not rough or uncomfortable. There is a bit of stretch in this tee, and it is a bit clingy, so if there are any problem areas (especially in the middle) that you want to hide, this tee is probably not the best candidate for the job.

The tee is a tad on the sheer side, but luckily, the obmre pattern helps hide most of the sheerness on the top. At least it did with the color I tried on - it may vary by color. I like the ombre/dip-dye pattern, but I wish that the transition had been a tiny bit more subtle. The shirt goes from such a saturated to non-saturated shade of blue, and it all sort of seems to transition right under the bust. I would have liked to have seen a more gradual change in color, but oh well.

I think the tee would work well for a variety of casual bottoms, and even some slightly dressier bottoms, but I would see myself mainly wearing this out and about, pairing it with jeans, shorts, or maybe a cute skirt. It's certainly more interesting than your plain old tee, and having the multiple shades of a single color allows you to be creative when pairing it with other colors (at least in mind).

I left this tee at the store because I have too many tees, and don't really need another one. I also prefer softer, jersey tees, to "textured" ones, if you will. However, I do think this is a nice way to jazz up a regular tee, and you can get a lot of wear out of this one. At $15 or $18.50, I think it's a fairly reasonable price, too. (And to be honest, if I were going to buy a dip-dye tee, I'd probably go with Express's, as I love the fabric.)

What do you think? Do you like this tee? What do you think of the dip-dye/ombre pattern showing up more this season? What colors would you like to see this tee in?

Gap: White Chevron-Striped A-Line Dress Review

This is Gap's White Chevron-Striped A-line Dress (style #620797), which retails for $59.50. It is numerically sized, and is also available in petite and tall. It is available in this one pattern, railroad. (However, the same style is available in black/pinstripe as style #620794.) Gap describes the dress as such:

An understated chevron print seamlessly highlights a flattering A-line silhouette, making for an elegant dress that you can count on for any occasion.

I tried this dress on in a size 6, as it was the only one close to my normal size 4 that they had in store. The size 6 fit very well, and was a very comfortable fit. It was just tiniest bit loose in the bust, so I would have liked to have tried on a size 4 for comparison, but the 6 definitely worked. Because I wasn't able to try on my regular size, I can't make a judgment call on how true-to-size this is. I would suggest starting with your regular size, and then potentially sizing up based on how it feels in the bust.

The fabric is a really nice, midweight cotton, almost like a twill or chino fabric. It is fairly soft, and moves very nicely. The A-line shape in combination with the empire waist and the band underneat the bust helps to create some shape, while still allowing the dress to move and flow.

The pattern is a very pretty pale grey all-over chevron stripe. It reminds me of seersucker stripes, but without the texture. Only the bottom half of the dress is really chevron though, meeting in the middle and creating a line down the front. The rest of the dress has the stripes either horizontally or vertically, and usually in a contrasting direction to the adjacent parts of the dress (if that makes sense). Overall, I think it's a pretty cute pattern. The monochrome allows you to do a lot in terms of accessorizing this dress with colors, and with dressing it up and down.

The bodice of the dress has 3 patterned buttons down the front, which are also a cute little touch. I like that they are also done in the same pattern, keeping with the contrasting look, because it's a cute enough detail on its own to make the dress interesting, but still subtle enough that it can be worked into however you style it.

The dress was a tad too long for me for a summer dress; I would have preferred it a couple of inches shorter. (I know, I know, ongoing issue.)

Here are the product details. I am almost always a fan of topstitching in casual clothing.

I think this dress is very cute. I didn't try it on with the strap because it was all curled up in the little envelope and I was getting tired of trying on clothes this trip, but it does look cute with the strap on the model. Even though this dress was a pretty good deal and I had a coupon, I left this one behind because I just know I probably wouldn't wear it that much.

On a separate note, I also would have liked to be able to try this on in a petite, just to see how it differed in fit from the regular size, especially in the length.

What do you think? Do you like this dress? Have you seen it or tried it on? Do you own it? Are there any other colors you would have liked it in?

Gap: Cut-Off Jean Shorts Review

These are Gap's Cut-Off Jean Shorts (style #646529), which retail for $44.50. They are numerically-sized, and are allegedly available in petite and tall (neither tab is showing up on the website right now). They are available in this one color, deconstructed dark. Gap describes the shorts as such:

Cut-off jean shorts are the ideal summer staple--great for adding rugged style to warm-weather looks.

I looked for a size 6 in these, but they only had them in-store in a size 4, so I went with those. The 4s were a little snug all-around, and while they "fit" and all, I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing them. I would suggest starting with your regular shorts size, and then sizing down if you are on the small end of the size range.

These are a fairly standard set of denim shorts. The denim is a nice, medium weight, good quality-feeling denim. I think the shorts are cut to be a little tighter to work with your natural curves (because isn't that part of the reason why denim cut-offs exist? To show off curves?), but I would say they are uncomfortably tight.

The fraying on the cut-off part is very minimal, and looks a little more polished than actual cut-offs, or trying-too-hard cut-offs. There are a couple of very small spots of distressing, which I think actually work well on these shorts, as they are tiny.

I will say that these shorts are awfully short (again, maybe part of the nature of denim cut-offs?), but they also sit lower on the waist, so if you are concerned about the length, you could always try sizing up to get a little bit more length.

I really like the color on these shorts, too, but that is really just personal preference - I prefer classic or dark blue rinses (but not dark dark rinses) for my jeans, so this color was right up my taste alley.

These shorts are a pretty decent pair of denim shorts, and while I think they're a great wardrobe staple for the summer, I'm not sure how differently they can be styled. I think there is only so much you can do with a pair of super short denim cut-offs, even if they are rather cute. I cannot think of how to dress these up (and I mean really dress up, not spruce up and look stylish), but I do think you can easily pair them with a lot of different casual summer tops.

All in all, I think they are a pretty good buy if you don't already own a pair of cut-offs, or if you're looking for a new pair. I was hesitant about getting these because of the length, but after I looked at the pictures some more, I decided to pick these up in a size 6. (The best part is that Gap was running 30% off shorts at the time AND let me combine my 25% off coupon with that. So a really good deal.)

What do you think? Do you like these shorts? Do you have any pairs of cut-offs that you love? What would you pair these with?

Gap FO: 25% off for Cardholders

Gap Outlet is offering 25% off any purchase of $75 or more for Gap family cardholders.  This offer is good from May 21 through May 31.  You must present the coupon above to get the discount (click the graphic and print).

Gap Outlet is also offering "special edition" red, white, and blue logo tees for just $5, from May 21 through May 25.  This reminds me of Old Navy's $5 flag tees (and other holiday tees).

What do you think?  Will you check out this promotion?  Would you wear a red, white, and blue Gap tee?

Gap: Flutter Sleeve Pom-Pom Tee Review

This is Gap's Flutter Sleeve Pom-Pom Tee (style #594871), which originally retailed for $29.  It is now on sale for $19.99, and is also eligible for the 20%/25% off promotion I posted about earlier.  The tee is available in regular, and in select colors in tall or petite.  It is available in a number of cute colors: coral, yellow, purple, navy, white, and brown, and is alpha-sized.  Gap describes the tee as such:

A wardrobe essential that changes with the season: we put an artsy spin on our supersoft T, adding whimsical pom-poms to its breezy sleeves. In tons of cool shades, stock up on this inspirational find.

I thought this was a super cute tee when I saw it on the hanger.  I tried it on in an XS, because it looked a little big on the hanger, and I tried it on the in the brown color, which is a really nice, medium-rich brown color.  I'm not normally a fan of brown clothes, but I really like this shade.

This tee is super comfortable.  I think it runs big - I sized down to an XS - but I have been finding that for Gap, I am wearing XS in almost everything, with the exception of tops that are very fitted across the bust.  The fabric on this tee is amazingly soft, and moves really well.  It's a medium-weight jersey, but on the lighter side of medium (if that makes sense).

The sleeves are a true flutter sleeve - they are very loose, and I think they are very flattering.  I am super self-conscious about my upper arms, so I love the way this shirt makes my arm look!I think the back is also a very nice silhouette.  The fabric drapes really nicely, and creates a nice, casual look, but without being too billowy or big.

The front and back necklines are also really nice.  The front is a little deeper than the back, and the front has more of a U-neck than a scoopneck.  The neckline is a little on the wider side, but I don't recall having any issues with pesky straps sliding out.

Here is a close-up of the pom-poms on the sleeve  These pom-poms are nice and soft, and are a cute, small detail that create a cute little sleeve hem.  Below is a grainy close-up of the pom-poms on the sleeve.  They are fairly unobtrusive, I think.

These are the product details from Gap's website.

When I initially tried on this tee, I left it behind, only because I was strictly at the store to try on clothes, and wasn't planning on buying any.  Later, however, I got a coupon code for a percentage off, so I picked it up in purple, and then I picked up the brown and yellow when they were on sale and with a different coupon.  So as you can see, I really like this tee!

What do you think?  Do you like this tee?  Did you pick it up?  What do you think of these pom-poms versus THESE pom-poms?

Gap: Save 20 - 25% Percent

Gap is running a promotion right now where you can save 20% on your new purchase, and 25% if you use your Gap, Banana Republic, or Old Navy card.  The e-mail was promoting Gap's new arrivals, but luckily the coupon can be used on your entire purchase, including sale items.  Gap has some really cute new arrivals out, which I will post about soon!

You can also combine this promotion with other promotions - I was able to pick up a pair of new arrival shorts that were 25% off, plus another 25% off because I used my Gap card.  You can print out the e-mail to use the coupon in-store.  I unfortunately only have one online code, but if I don't end up using it, I will offer it up here.  This promotion is good until May 31, 2009.

Gap: Strapless Pom-Pom Dress Review

This is Gap's Strapless Pom-Pom Dress (style #585664), which originally retailed for $69.50, and is currently on sale online.  This dress is numerically-sized, and was available in coral, light brown, and off-white colors.  It is also available in regular, petite, and tall sizes.  Gap describes the dress as such:

This dress has all the right moves: the babydoll silhouette provides a flattering fit for all body types, while the artsy pom-poms and romantic shirring add texture and volume.

I had wanted to find this dress for awhile, ever since I saw it in one of the headers on Gap's website.  Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed by it when I did finally find it.  I tried this dress on in a size 4, in the off-white color.  I am not a fan at all, I'm sorry to say.

The dress fits true-to-size, but I would note that it isn't super light.  The dress has a couple of layers, if I recall correctly, and while the fabric itself is pretty light, I think the detailing kind of weighs it down, both literally and figuratively.  The dress does move and flow very nicely.  It has an empire waist, and is fairly comfortable (granted, I only had it on for a few minutes).

I dislike this dress for two reasons: the pom-poms, which are the feature of the dress, and the unnecesary "romantic shirring" at the bottom.  It's not that I object to the shirring itself, but there's just so much of it.  It's so long, and I think it would have looked better if it were half as long.  I think it makes the dress unnecessarily long, too.  I can usually squeeze by in a "regular" dress as far as length goes, but this one is just ridiculously long.  I mean, look at the model - it's above her knees.  Mine is at least halfway to my ankles.

And of course, there is the elephant in the room to address, the pom-poms.  Ugh - this was the main feature of this dress?  The pom-poms are arranged in a couple of half circles on the bust.  Looking at them now, it almost looks like they were trying to emulate a double-strand pearl necklace or something, but I think they miss the mark a little.  The pom-poms are hard, and I think they are too big and clunky for the material.

Looking at the first IRL picture now, they don't seem so bad, but I disliked them immediately (even on the hanger), when I saw them in-store.  Here is a close-up of the pom-poms.

These are the product details from Gap's website.

I think it's fairly clear that I did not like this dress at all.  I think Gap had the potential for a pretty cute dress, but I think they overworked the details (shirring, bottom hem, pom-poms), and ended up producing a dress that looks weighed down, when it should look fun and flowy.  I passed on this one.

What do you think?  Do you like this dress?  Have you tried it on or seen it in-store?  Do you own it?

Gap: Airy Pleated Print Blouse Review (Update)

This is an update to yesterday's post about Gap's Airy Pleated Print Blouse.  I tried this top on in both colors available, a dark blue-grey/teal pattern and a red-orange/light pink pattern.

My feelings about this top are the same, but I do want to note that the fabric on this top was very nice.  It is a nice, light cotton that would be great for wearing in the spring or summer (or any other time it is warm!).

Because of the cut of this shirt though, it doesn't move terribly well.

I do have to say that I like this color combination better than the other one.  I think the bright red-orange works really nicely with the light pink, and is prettier than the dark blue-grey/teal combination.

What do you think?  Which color combination do you prefer?

Gap: Airy Pleated Print Blouse Review

This is Gap's Airy Pleated Print Blouse (style #587216), which originally retailed for $49.50, and is now on sale (prices may vary).  This top is alpha-sized, and is available in petite and tall sizes.  It is available in both a red and navy print.  The top is also available in solid colors.  Gap describes the top as such:

Breezy cotton with an intricately pleated neckline and romantic puff sleeves--perfect under a blazer for a chic office look, or dressed down with your favorite slouchy pants.

I tried this on in an XS, and in the navy and red prints (red print is another post).  I had really high hopes for this top, as it looked so cute on the hanger.  However, I didn't really like it on me.  The top fit fine; I would say it fits true-to-size.

My problem with the top was the cut and the ties at the neck.  First, the top is pretty shapeless.  It really just hangs on you, and gives you pretty much no definition at all.  I think this shirt might have benefited a lot from a couple of darts around the bust area.  I realize that the style is loose and flowy, but I think you can do loose and flowy without necessarily being unflattering.

I also don't get the ties at the neck.  They are so long that I don't know if tying them would make that much sense - you'd either have to make the loops really long, or leave the ties hanging really long, and I'm not sure how good either one of those options would look.

This top has tightly pleated sleeves that are elasticized and slightly puffy.  I think it is a cute detail, and they add a nice twist an otherwise boring top.  As for the pattern, I think it's cute, but I can't help but be reminded of olives when I look at it.

Here are Gap's official product details.

I left this top behind, because I didin't really like the shapeless silhouette.  I would have also probably ended up cutting off the ties, and I definitely would have tried to find a way to create a waist (tailoring or pairing with a belt), and that just seems like too much work for a RTW top.

What do you think?  Do you like this top?  What do you think of shapeless silhouettes?  What do you think of the ties?