Negotiation at the Gap

The day before my recent trip to LA, I fell into the Gap and tried on this little black shift dress.



It fit well and was simple, flattering and terribly comfortable so I wanted it to be my travel-to-LA outfit. I could wear it on the plane and in the cab, then change shoes, accessorize, and wear it to dinner at the hotel.

The trouble was, the only one left in my size was full of schmutz--makeup at the collar, deodorant in several places, dust at the hem. I knew, however, that I could launder all of this out--I'm good with stains. I pointed out the issues to the Gap associate and she gave me 20% off the $58 item. This is something I've done several times before at various stores--it works for missing or broken buttons, tiny tears in seams, etc. If there's an issue, they'll generally give you a discount. Note, however, that if you buy an item discounted as damaged, you usually cannot return it, so be certain it's something you really want and can fix. I knew I'd get a lot of use out of this dress. And, of course, it came out perfect after going through the wash.

I wore the dress to work the other day with one of my latest eBay accessory finds--this quite large, feathery flower pin.


I know--it's very early-Carrie-Bradshaw. But something about it called to me and compelled me to spend 8 bucks on it. Cheapy is not a fan. I got mixed reviews at the office as well. I was in the cubicle of one a female co-workers horning in on her lunch plans with a young, male coworker. He walked in:

Female co-worker: I invited [Material Girl] to lunch with us. Is that cool with you?
Male co-worker, turning to Material Girl: Are you gonna wear that brooch?

I found it quite precious that he used the word "brooch."

We had Mexican food for lunch and I somehow managed not to salsa up my feathers. And mixed reviews or not, I love this pin. The black shift is so plain, and I'm having a hard time finding the right necklace for the boat neckline. It's also not great with cardigans or jackets because the neckline is so high. This pin was the perfect focal point. I wore tiny earring and gold sandal in a very low wedge. I felt happy all day in my clothes.