Fashionista’s everywhere pay attention to the runway for the upcoming trends each season. Imagine my surprise when those trends are now showing up in Old Navy stores everywhere. It’s no secret to anyone who reads this blog and our main blog; I adore Old Navy and have for a long while. I’m definitely their cheerleader when it comes to reviving their brand (and Gap Inc. overall). From the looks of their latest commercial for their Spring dresses, it looks like that revival is here much sooner than we expected.
A few weeks ago I posted the top ten trends for Spring. The biggest trend obviously being dresses, but also the eyelet and above the knee hemlines, and while not on their list, baby dolls are popping up everywhere. I was sitting in my living room when the newest Old Navy commercial played and I couldn’t contain my excitement over their newest line of dresses. I’m not alone; Carleen Pruess from Beauty and Fashion Tech felt the same way:
“The other night the commercial came on and my boyfriend asked what it was for (he missed the intro), he was surprised when I immediately said 'Old Navy.' I hadn't really thought of Old Navy as a source for dresses in the past, but the ones in the commercial are cute and just the type of summer dress I like. I'm a sucker for sundresses and Old Navy prices sure can't be beat! I particularly like the halter dress in the commercial. It looks like I will be going shopping there soon.”
Other fashion Bloggers feel similar...
Shopaholic D. from Shopaholics Anonymous said:
"The new Old Navy ad is eye-catching...definitely different from what they usually do, but it makes me want to stop in an Old Navy store and see if the dresses are as cute in person as they are in the ad. The dresses and ad are definitely more fashionable, but I like how they still stay true to their usual friendly style with the ad's underlying 'happy feeling'."Robin Kassner from Let’s Talk Style gave her input as well:
“Personally I am a big fan of the return to dresses, since I wear dresses all the time. They are girly and fun and always make you look put together. Old Navy’s new dresses seem perfect for the beach or a Hampton’s weekend getaway. You can pair them with some hot turquoise necklaces, gold bangles and a jean jacket or just throw them over your bikini for some hot summer fun.”When I contacted my friend Lauren Dimet at Second City Style she had just been thinking about heading out the door to Old Navy to check out the dresses herself. The commercial had intrigued her. Here’s what she had to say:
“Old Navy finally nailed a trend for all ages. The dress. Personally, I love wearing and seeing others in dresses. They are the perfect solution for looking put together in a flash. While the tube top long BoHo prairie dress is reminiscent of Spring ‘05, Old Navy has hit upon a few of Spring ‘07’s biggest dress trends. Eyelet, empire waist, baby doll and florals are all represented and at price points which are affordable. The frocks Old Navy is advertising run $30-35 (not on sale) while comparable dresses at department stores run $75-500 like Milly’s Syndey Mini Dress.
The strapless white eyelet dress is adorable and looks like styles by Diane von Furstenberg or Nanette Lapore, but with a $34.50 price tag, I may have to run and buy one for myself! Currently there is a white strapless gown on Neiman Marcus’ site by Shoshanna for let’s just say, ad a zero onto the end of Old Navy’s ($340). There is also a comparable eyelet dress by Lilly Pulitzer for $300.
My advice, when buying mass produced clothing, stick with black and/or white. The floral prints and bright colors become calling cards for those brands and you won’t be able to fool anyone you bought it at Saks. I guarantee if I paired the Old Navy Strapless Eyelet dress with a cropped jacket, a good pair of strappy sandals, a high quality clutch and hit the town, nobody would guess in 100 years that my dress cost only $34.50. It’s all about presentation.”
I agree with Lauren, many of the dress styles are so similar to the designs of top name designers that I think it will be easy to dress like it came off the runway without anybody knowing the difference. That’s just the thing, while Old Navy has always been about trends and the latest fashion, their advertising didn’t reflect that. The focus had previously been on fashion for the entire family, where now it is just on fashion, as what it should be.
I think with the launch of these new dresses and the advertising reflecting and projecting that Old Navy is the place for the best fashion at a price everyone can afford, they will begin to see current customers remain, old customers return and a whole new customer base form from those addicted to runway fashion.