If, like me, you’ve noticed a change when strolling by a Gap storefront, you are witnessing the rebranding or reenergizing (as in returning to the very iconic and diverse identity the store achieved 40+ years ago). And if, like me, you were drawn into the store, you would not be disappointed with the quality of fit, the feel of fabrics, and the same price-value you remember from years ago when you last shopped there. “Fashion is entertainment. It’s also art, innovation, and culture,” says Richard Dickson, the current CEO. I could not agree more. Having Zac Posen, coming directly from his success with Barbie, leading the creative future for Gap is another big win for the company. So, how about it? Dare to venture back inside everyone’s favorite store from eons ago, not necessarily for the khakis, but certainly for a super comfortable “feels like Gap” moment.

SoCal often calls for shorts and a tank top, so I immediately was taken by these high rise linen-blend tan shorts. The fit, the fabric, and the style all worked to create exactly the comfort they were designed to. Strolling about, loving the burst of spring flowers and the return of sunshine heat, all is right in linen.

Poolside or not, I am one who dons a hat and sunglasses when out and about. Protect yourself, an always mantra, and include that preservation for your skin and eyes. As this weather screams get outside I find myself walking miles daily. How lovely to feel relaxed in such comfort while doing so.

So how did the Gap get so relevant again? The latest marketing team tells all. “The campaign, created and documented by industry leading female creatives, like photographer Amy Troost, director Talia Collis and choreographer Sadie Wilking, showcases Parker Posey moving freely alongside a diverse group of dancers. The 90-second spot, set to the emotional track “Mama’s Eyes” by pop-artist METTE, tells a powerful story through dance, sound, and styling that represents a message of acceptance and invites viewers to share their unique story with the world around them” (Gap). This very unique is key to my definition of style, summed up so well by Nathan Heller, “Style is said to be singular, which makes it difficult to define. It is personal, though its appreciation can be broad, and it is not the same as fashion– many people hold the terms to be opposed. Generally speaking, it raises from confidence in being one thing and not another, and in knowing when to join and when to pull back from the pack.” Right now, joining this renewed flare of Gap feels just right.

I have been enamored by pink for so long, in fact, it is part of my origin story. My mother, who was brown-eyed while I am blue, surrounded me in the color of the sky. Just about every holiday dress, nightgown, even my bedroom accent color was a mournful blue, while my sister, brown-eyed like my mother, was granted the festive spring hue of pink. It wasn’t until we were grown women when we finally realized that each of us envied the other, and were bold enough to switch. If I could I would live in pink, from the pastel to the shocking. You can see yet another reason I am loving Gap’s move to every shade of this rosy hue. Paired with the softest white linen button down shirt and black 100% cotton gauze shorts, I could not be happier in this bright crop top.  Yes, to feeling your best.

Speaking of pink, at first even I thought this VintageSoft Hoodie and matching VintageSoft High Rise Boyfriend Joggers too much. But then I put them on. Gap calls the feel “cloud like comfort” and seriously this is not marketing, but fact. Beyond the outrageous shock of pink and softness, is the great fit. Relaxed but not overboard. Here’s a sweatsuit you can wear even when you get off your couch.

You may be wondering right about now if Gap sponsored this post. As always, I write freely, and without any profit from those I include in my blog. But I will encourage you to visit the Bridging the Inclusion Gap page, and read for yourself their commitment to DEI practices throughout their company. “Inclusivity meant standing up for LGBTQ+ rights. Or insisting on color palettes that work for the true breadth of skin tones, and on size positivity that celebrates more human dimensions. And working to ensure the people who make our clothes work in safe, fair conditions and are treated with dignity and respect.” This certainly encourages my shopping there.

In David Brooks latest NYT Opinion column, he writes, “People’s psychologies are formed by the conditions that surround them.” Let that sink in… pretty amazing when you think of today’s fear-based and mis-informed conditions.

Brooks goes on to ask about “the kind of people who drive innovation and dynamism. What are they like?” And then he proceeds to tell us: “They put themselves in unfamiliar situations. They have diversive curiosity. They have social range, a wide variety of friends. They are able to combine disparate worldviews. They are driven toward continual growth.” Isn’t this the world we all envisioned for ourselves and our children to inherit?

Whatever garbage you are inhaling from MAGA, don’t be swayed into thinking less of what we all know to be true. That curiosity, free from bias, will open some magnificent doors. And through those very doors we will discover countless joys about ourselves and this whole enormous diverse world. From this flashy queer gal’s perspective, that means being daring, adventuresome, and brave. Wear pink, wave your flag, and say a big loud fuck you to prejudice and ignorance.

Photo Credit, always, goes to my dear Mj @artcitycreative