It’s both a wonderful and dangerous thing to work at a fashion magazine— there’s always something new to buy. Every day, some wonderful slice of inspiration in the form of leather or linen or silk pops up in my inbox or walks past my desk.
Recently, an object of affection was this sweater—a cropped-but-not-too-cropped, boxy, v-neck, 100% cotton, very long-sleeved (long enough to cover my wrists), machine washable GEM.
I spotted it on my work-mate and asked who made the knit treasure,
“Gap, can you believe? It’s $70.”
And so it goes… I bought the sweater in 3 colors. Black, blue, and cream.
I’ve worn it dozens of times. Especially the black.
When knit shopping, always check the fabric composition. This is the best way to ensure the piece will 1) feel good on your skin 2) look elevated and 3) hold up over time. You’re looking for cotton, cashmere, or wool. If you see any sort of synthetic fabric (acrylic, tencel/lyoell, polyester, nylon, elastane) that means it made of plastic. Drop it. Or don’t.. and just proceed knowing it won’t be a star purchase.
Theoretically, cotton should not be pricey. So if you’re on a budge, keep an eye out for 100% cotton. And for a few more dollars, cotton blended with cashmere or wool.
I can’t shut up about this sweater. I’ve been yapping about it to my mom, friends, and entire office for a month, and now most of them own it too. My texts and DMs look a bit like this:
A Gap comeback makes sense right now. Heritage brands are having a moment. The millennial children who grew up lurking around suburban malls are now adults. We have money of own to spend, and nostalgia—when it’s done right—sells. Abercrombie and J.Crew are the major 2020s rebrands that come to mind—Abercrombie lead by brand consultant Aaron Levine (who we covered in Esquire earlier this year), and J.Crew lead by my one of my favorite instagram follows, Olympia Gayot.
The Gap renaissance is next in line.
Gap was originally a denim shop. It opened in 1969 San Fransisco, amidst the LSD craze and the height of Haight Ashbury. Counterculture—free love, drugs, hippie culture, and anti-war protests—was pulsing through America. Gap made jeans for flower children and staunchly liberal college students. They all flocked to the shop for affordable, durable denim and ending up wearing it for a lifetime. My mom—a San Fransisco, free-thinking, denim-loving child of the 60s—was one of them.
The ethos of the brand (rooted in culture and quality) is seeping through again. This fall was Gap’s best collection in decades. Thank god. The driving force behind the rebrand is Zac Posen, named Creative Director of Gap Inc. back in February 2024, and this fall was his first collection to hit the market.
Candidly, I’ve never been a huge ZP fan. His namesake brand was never for me, but nonetheless, he’s very talented. The man has a goddamn vision. What he’s doing with Gap has my attention!! More than any other retro-mall-reboot right now.
I took a scroll through Gap’s site after this wildly successful sweater purchase. Here are a few other very strong hitters:
Plaid sweater - never skip the men’s section
Ballet flats - more suede in case you haven’t had enough. 100% leather
Floral cardigan - adorable
Red socks - you know I love a statement sock
Suede belt- 100% leather
The sweater of the hour. Also comes in a boyfriend fit, which I’ll end up ordering soon enough
A few more honorable mentions:
Tote bag - spotted a stranger wearing this the other day. Incredible in person
A classic hoodie
Shear sweater - chic
Another 100% cotton but cable-knit
Talk later,
Kathleen x
Great article. Might have to go to GAP with you when you are in KC and have you pick out some clothes/christmas gifts for me.