BlogHer - Gap Design Editions brings high fashion to the mall - Comments

don't wait too long!

Susan Wagner — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:43:06 -0500

Last year the Design Edition pieces sold out almost immediately, and even now some of the shirts are only available online in a small range of sizes.

These are NOT pieces that will make it to the six week markdown.

There are a couple of strategies for the white shirt: be discerning about what you buy (opt for VERY good quality rather than than a cheap alternative) and make sure the fit is perfect, even if that means tailoring. And then make it work for you -- if you never tuck anything else, wear your white shirt untucked; if you're not a button-down kind of girl, look for a sharp white tunic or popover instead. Don't force it; the perfect white shirt is the one that is perfect for YOU, not some ideal of perfection.

One thing I really liked about the Phillip Lim shirts is that they are a substantial cotton, heavy enough NOT to be see-through or to require a layer, which is always nice. And no, they're not really for hanging out in the hot midday sun, but that's what a great white tee or tank is for, right?

Right.

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the white shirt

chalkhome — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:38:50 -0500

I also have mixed feelings about THE white shirt. I do own a few, being thin I freeze in them w/o an undershirt so I only wear them in the heat of summer. The color and fabric is good protection from the blazing rays that burn yet are a light layer. They usually don't fit well on my frame [long and lean] so I roll up the sleeves, belt or let it hang out, and wear w/ a fem skirt or jeans. I like too mix ruffles and straight lines or high and low. Sandie look for images of Caroline Herrera she wears her staple ! white shirts for evening w floor legnth skirts. Oh and the GAP showcasing the designers? just wonderful,wait till the end of the season and get these collector pieces at their deep sales.

I feel like white blouses

debawriter — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:04:18 -0500

I feel like white blouses look sloppy on me...they always bunch up and wrinkle and I look slobbish.

Is it just me? Or are there tricks to avoid this dilemma?

That said, I found that Brooks Brothers has a cotton blend they use in their white shirts, which keeps the shirt's shape and fights wrinkles. Strangely enough, I found this out at my local Goodwill. My local GW is in an upscale part of town and attracts the cast-offs of the rich and fabulous, so I shop there often. Awhile back, I found a well-tailored Brooks Brothers modified tuxedo like white blouse, which is fab. And it was $3.99.

I love wearing it with cowboy boots to take the Brooks Brothers edge off.

But meanwhile, IS there a trick to avoid the white blouse sloppy look?

Debbie

http://sandiegomomma.com

Personal shopper?

Angella — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 21:54:51 -0500

You are my style inspiration. Are you coming to SF in July? If so, can you hold my hand and show me what to wear?

I NEED HELP.

Gap Design Editions brings high fashion to the mall

Susan Wagner — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:47:31 -0500

This past week, Gap launched their second Design Editions line, created by of the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund competition. This year, the collection consists of pieces from 3.1 Phillip Lim, Band of Outsiders, threeASFOUR, and Michael Bastian.

And before you say that you've never heard of any of these people, let me remind you that that is precisely the point: the Design Editions line brings rising fashion designers to a Gap near you, at prices that, if high for the Gap, are certainly less than what you would pay to buy anything else created by these folks (between $78.00 and $88.00).

This year, the designers are reimagining the white shirt, which again makes the collection accessible to real women (who doesn't need a great white shirt?). FabSugar likes the idea, but their blogger wondered if the Gap should expand their thinking a little more:

I still wear the Rodarte Design Edition top I picked up last year; it's
definitely not your typical white shirt. But I have to ask: Should the
GAP be enlisting these designers to take on a different wardrobe
staple? I would have loved to see what this group could do with a more
affordable LBD.

While I agree that there are wardrobe staples beyond the white shirt, I think the white shirt is less daunting to most women than the LBD, and it is certainly more user-friendly than much of what we see during fashion week. The LBD seems to call for an occaision, which leaves many women unsure they really need one in their closet, while the white shirt is perfect for a random Tuesday. And a really cool white shirt is appropriate for virtually everything.

I saw the collection in the store this week, and I have to say that while I was impressed with everything, Phillip Lim has my number. His shirts are the perfect marriage of tailored and feminine; they also strike an interesting balance between utilitarian (they are made of machine washable cotton poplin) and couture (each has some unusual detail that goes beyond the basic white shirt). These pieces push the boundaries of what most of us -- women who normally shop at the Gap and not at the 3.1 Phillip Lim boutique -- might wear to work or to dinner or to go about our day, but they are still accessible and practical: the shirt pictured here would go equally well with a pencil skirt and heels or jeans and flats.

And for under $100.00, Gap gives us the chance to expand our horizons and experiment with couture. Even if it is off-the-rack couture from the mall.

I am thoroughly won over by the notion of making fashion -- not style, but fashion, what you see in magazines and on runways -- available to the masses. The divide between fashion and style is huge these days, for so many reasons -- so much of what we see during fashion week is impractical or silly or just out of this world expensive. And none of us has the ability or the desire to reinvent our wardrobes every season just to keep up with the trends. These pieces, these not-so-basic white shirts with their little unexpected touches, are a simple way to bring some chic home and add a little fashion -- Vogue magazine kind of fashion -- to your regular uniform.

I'm not the only one who feels this way: Wroxton at My Style Lounge is coveting the same 3.1 Phillip Lim blouse that I am, and Trashbag Aesthetics reminds us that this is a limited edition collection and pieces will fly off the shelves so buy fast.

Susan Wagner writes about fashion at Friday Style and The Working Closet and Fashion Find. Send her your pressing style questions at fridaystyle.susan@gmail.com.