ANN
TAYLOR GO
BANANA REPUBLIC GO
GAP GO
DKNY JEANS GO
POLO JEANS GO |
| Hey there!
Here in New York (the city so nice
they named it twice!), the local office of Mother Nature, Inc. can't
decide if it's winter, spring or summer. Well, put your concerns
aside. The good news is that there are still many transitional
pieces that will withstand these tantrums of sun and shower, wind
and heat. |
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| ANN
TAYLOR |
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| At Ann
Taylor, the general theme is to incorporate a lightness and
freshness to office wear. The ever clever Ms. Taylor achieves this
excellently in her offerings to women this month. |
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Our first pick is this
v-neck knit sweater with three-quarter length sleeves and a silky,
stretchy fit, thanks to its viscose rayon/nylon fabric combo. The
zigzag knitting pattern has created an overall netting effect that
leaves a little peek-a-boo action -- great for displaying a
contrasting tank top underneath. It's got a v-neck on the back as
well, for some symmetry in terms of your comings and goings. It's
available in rainy-day-gray-blue (which I recommend with a bright
red tank top underneath), black, or white. $88.00.
Our next item is this 100% white
linen skirt with a white silk flower appliqué. It's got a cut and
paste, Origami Zen-ness to it, that is very girly yet edgy at the
same time. $78.00. |
| Now we've got a 100%
silk cardigan sweater in cream, with a trim of green v's that grow
along the edges and cuffs like blades of grass. With a slight clingy
nature, and only one hook & eye closure at the tip of the
v-neck, this sweater, although very demure in its coloring, exhibits
a balance of sweet and tart. $98.00. |
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Next up, a simply cut
strapless dark denim dress, made of cotton with some spandex added
to it for stretch. I like to describe it as uncompromisingly
versatile because of its ease of wear, yet with just enough wow
power for the eye. That is, no matter how it is combined with other
items and accessories, due to its rather solid and basic shape, it
can easily be dressed up, down, left or right without being mistaken
for being anything other than what it is: a great little dress.
$98.00.
For example, I've paired the denim
dress with a bold and beautiful turquoise necklace to ornament it.
It's a tasty piece of jewelry, with numerous strings of small blue
beads, like ripened fruit still on the vine, twisted together like
brambles of exotic berries. Yum! $60.00. |
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| BANANA
REPUBLIC |
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| One look
at Banana Republic's windows, and you can see that they no longer
have WORK on their minds, but VACATION. Banana Republic is waxing up
their surfboards, and getting ready for a surfing safari! The blue
and white color patterns evoke a gauzy, breezy, day at the beach
that is a welcome break from the hot pink of a few months ago. |
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For example, our first Banana
Republic item is their scrunchie silk, sleeveless top, that is part
nostalgic (think of a combination of a sea foam blue prom dress worn
on some enchanted evening), and part Helmut Lang, with a
modernistic, avant guard gauze bandage effect. Available in blue
green, black, or gray. $54.00
I've paired it with these great
linen pants, that have fuller cut legs (a relief from the boot cut
leg silhouette). The pants have both a front zip and a
drawstring waist for use as the cotton stretches out throughout the
day, plus deep side pockets. Available in cream, black, or brown.
$78.00. |
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Next up, a white 100%
cotton button down in soft cotton, with a light floral pattern woven
into it. It has three quarter sleeves with a horizontal strip of
gathers on the elbow for a bit of tension-at-the-elbow, to contrast
to the ease of the cut and the soft draping of the semi-sheer
fabric. $68.00.
My next pick is what I call the
"fairy girl scout skirt." It's a short, gray/green 100%
cotton skirt with a shower of metallic olive green flowers printed
on it. $68.00. |
| Our last BR pick is
from the shoe department. Patent leather strappy sandals that are
actually quite elegant, which is not usually something I'd associate
with patent leather. Perhaps it's the little Sabrina heel, or the
winding ankle straps; whatever it is, I like it! Available in black,
white, or light blue. $98.00. |
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| GAP |
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| At the
particular Gap I visited, there was a section in the back that
contained their 1960's line. It was like an oasis in the midst of
the vast and tired desert of khakis and the omnipresent bright
sunset-colored Capri pants. Actually it was more like some mellow
commune -- a neutral area where hippies, prairie girls, and flower
children stylistically meet. |
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Exhibit A in my anthropological mapping of the Gap's layout is a
candy cane-striped A-line denim skirt, with alternating light and
dark denim strips. It's got that wacky disco-hippie thing going on,
and comes in a versatile mid-calf length. $68.00.
Next we've got a white cotton petticoat ruffled skirt that is
very Laura Ingalls, with eyelet trim. When worn under other skirts,
like a true petticoat, it introduces an innocent and historical
aspect to dressing that I find to be lacking in modern fashion.
$48.00.
Now we've got a fitted, button-down shirt with three quarter
length sleeves and copper snap buttons. It's got the solidity of a
James Dean silhouette melded with the structure of a cowboy's denim
shirt. And because it's made of cotton and spandex, it only looks
stiffer than it actually feels when you're wearing it. Available in
bright bright orange, blue denim, or dark blue denim. $58.00. |
| The last two items,
which are great bags, compelled me to emigrate from the 1960's
section into the Hell's Kitchen West Side Story area of the Gap.
The first pick is a simple
apparatus -- a square linen pouch that closes when you pull on the
drawstring straps. It can be found in lush color combinations like
khaki with orange straps, red with brown straps, black with red
straps, orange with neon orange straps, or lavender with blue
string. $14.50. |
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The second and final
pick is a tried and true essential for warmer weather: the straw
bag. This one's great, because it's pretty roomy and is available
with three possibilities for handles: fuchsia pink, white, or pale
blue. $39.50. |
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| DKNY
JEANS |
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| Although I
have been known to put down Donna Karen and her "New York
Chic" empire, I have to admit that recently my heart has been
warming up to her. Drawn to the bright, bright color palette
displayed in her boutique windows, I found myself intrigued to go
in, much like a moth to a flame. I was surprised to have found quite
a few really cool items, like well-cut pants and interesting
tops. And so, I have signed a personal peace treaty with Donna (for
the time being), and with that, I give you my picks from her DKNY
Jeans line: |
| The first item is this
neo-preppy, 100% cotton sleeveless top. It's got a more fitted and
stretchy midriff and, of course, a white DKNY logo sewn on the
chest. Available in baby blue or light blue. $48.00.
Next are these way-cool white pants that are made of 100% cotton.
They've got a flat-front waist and knee patches with zippers at the
knees -- they unzip to reveal very 1980's athletic mesh knee
patches. $82.00. |
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Then there's this olive
green hoodie that's been shorn for the warmer weather. Its sleeves
have been shortened into tiny caps, and it's got a zipper going down
the middle. $69.00.
I've paired the abbreviated hoodie with these 100% cotton khaki
pants, which have a typical slim fit, boot leg cut. However, if you
like to wear your heart on your sleeve, and your money on you pant
leg, then this is the pair of pants for you! There's a removable
pocket that's attached to the pant leg by a zipper and two metal
snaps, which is so great for going out when you don't want to deal
with carrying a bag. $74.00. |
| My last DKNY Jeans pick
is this dark denim jacket, which is just a little bit dirty, but
dirty enough to receive a NC-17 rating on my dirty denim rating
scale. Actually, it is the cut of this jacket that made it stand out
from the fields of other denim jackets. It's longer, has a boxier
cut, has one left breast pocket and two side pockets, and metal
buttons that are hidden by a strip of dirty denim. $88.00. |
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| POLO
JEANS |
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| POLO has
always based its image on that whole sporty, WASP, all American
thing, and I feel like that image shines best in the summer. The
items that POLO Jeans have out do indeed support my perception of
POLO, with young and active-friendly clothes in fabrics that will
live through the entire summer. |
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First up, a stylish
version of an army vest. It is 100% nylon, in an "all that it
can be" army green, with a kooky pocket that's set on an angle.
It's also hooded, but you can roll the hood up and fasten it down
with the Velcro tabs that are found all around the collar, which is
pretty nifty if you ask me. $68.00. |
| Because nostalgia is an
enticing little bugger, this heather cotton/polyester top is the
second pick. Riding on the kitschy, late 70's wave (the one Mariah
Carey is perpetually on), this top has the styling of a Little
League baseball tee that you've saved for all these years, and still
refuse to throw away, because it's too soft and has too many
memories -- except in this case you're playing on team POLO and have
to pay $25 for you uniform! Available in either red heather or blue
heather.
Next, we've got the hot denim short shorts in stretch denim.
They're actually hip-huggers, which look not so ThongSongy (or Daisy
Dukes) when you get them in a size that's not tooo tight, so that
they fall on your hips. $48.00. |
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Our next item is a 100%
cotton button down with three quarter length sleeves. It's really
thin and soft, as if an oxford shirt had been hit with a mega dose
of flower power and became an ultra soft shadow of its former self.
Available in olive or salmon pink. $58.00.
Last but not least, a pair of denim Capris -- I doubt, and fear,
that anyone will be able to get through the summer without a pair of
Capris. These are pretty basic, except for the bright red stitching
they've got, which catapults them back onto that wave and straight
onto Mariah's refreshingly not-so-aerobicsized bum. $48.00. |
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| Well,
there we have them. I hope you enjoyed yourselves; I know I have!
Hopefully the next time I write this article, I'll be sporting some
hot new sandals and a slamming pedicure while I'm typing away. See
you next month! |
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