Old Navy can be relied on, at least thus far, for a good sense of the American zeitgeist. Even in its plus line you will find items that are simple, well-cut, and aesthetically unchallenging, but still, somehow, oddly…cute.  Kimono tops and hobo bags are still the look of this decade, and the only real standout this year is the variation on canvas shoes: this year, the shoes have a loop around the ankle. I guess it’s that all-American tendency to throw in a slight element of Aubrey, an ever-so-slight pretension of the French. This would also explain their entire “French inspired line.” Because, evidently, French is now classic.

Mock though I may, I now own two Old Navy dresses and I’m quite pleased with them, and those shoes do look cute even if they will die before the end of the season.

I really don’t want to like Old Navy. I don’t. They gave the ultimate bird to their plus customers, tossing us out of their roomy stores for Internet ignominy, and they are so smugly middle class. But it’s a cute middle class, and it wears well, and layers into my punk/hybrid…and I sort of, grudgingly, like them.