Rocking the Gap's New Shirt Dress

I hate to pay full price for anything at the Gap. (Particularly since I live fairly close to the Gap Distribution Center in Hebron, Kentucky. This is not an outlet store, mind you, but a place to pick up cheap merch from all the the Gap properties. So sometimes there are not buttons on them or the hem is ripped out or there's a little schmutz...You can spend a hundred clams and walk out of there with a huge bag of garments and accessories. If you're ever flying into CVG and have a little time, it's only and exit away from the airport.) Plus--it's the Gap. Everyone and her sister falls in. And they have sales every whip stitch.

However, the new Gap Solid French Cuff Shirt Dress (they don't capitalize it, but I think they should) is totally worth the $69.50. First, it fits very well. Second, it's so so versatile. You could style this baby myriad ways. Also I was worried it would sell out in my size.

I wore it to work today with camel leather and wood platform heels from Diego di Lucca. (And get this ladies: They were free. That's right--free! $100 bucks at DSW + 80% off on clearance + two $10-off Reward coupons = free shoes! Look at their website--the sale's still going on. And, as I've demonstrated, they are literally giving stuff away. Even in 8.5 which is a popular shoe size.) For accessories, I chose a wooden beaded necklace I got an antique mall for like a buck and diamond studs in the ears. (I think one must be wary of over-accessorizing. One bold piece is quite enough, particularly on someone 5'2'' as I am.)

I've been using my latest vintage straw bag acquisition this week. It's actually straw covered in black vinyl and was a steal on eBay.



Other ways to rock the Gap shirt dress:

• partially unbuttoned with a tank or printed tee underneath and flip flops with minimal accessories, perhaps a delicate belt of the chain variety.
  
• over jeans. (The Go Fug Yourself ladies won't approve, but if the proportions are right I think it can work. And please--right now--bookmark Go Fug Yourself. Unless you're against smart writing rife with witty pop culture references commenting on photos of the rich and famous looking pretty darn crappy. And what's not to like about that!)
• under a jacket or sweater with tights and boots, taking it nicely into fall. You could also pop a tank over it with a thin belt as shone in a recent issue of Lucky the Magazine About Shopping & Style. (They added the "& Style" starting with the recent issue with Nick Lachey's new girlie on the cover.)
  
• open as a longish jacket. So very Bea Arthur or Janet Jackson in the late '80s.
  

And forget about the thin little belt that came with it. It's dumb. Style it with a different belt (or even a scarf) around the middle each time you wear it and you never have to wear the same outfit twice. (Today I wore my oh-so-versatile wide patent leather stretch belt. A steal for $30 at Macy's.)

I word about shopping online for black items: If the same item is offered in another color online, use that for reference. It's really hard to see the styling of black items on the Internet--they just don't photograph very well. And sometimes the black garments simply look like ass. But if the white or beige or light blue version looks good, the black will be good in person.