Gap

Pulling on your favourite pair of denim jeans feels like coming home after a long day. They fit you perfectly and always make you feel good about yourself. But the only way to find that elusively perfect pair is often through (a lot) of trial and error. To help you on the journey, I've asked our editorial team to spill on the brands that make their absolute denim favourites. Be it rip-torn perfection or a pair of super-comfy skinnies that you're looking for, we hope that our tried-and-true suggestions can help you find your new favourites. 

I've got a case of the pre-fashion nerves. No, not because I'm presenting a collection nor am I walking the runway, but Alison (our POPSUGAR Health & Beauty editor), Marisa (our publisher) and myself will be spending next week basically living on-site at Carriageworks for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia. And that requires some very calculated wardrobe choices. You see, we spend all day on our feet madly writing runway reviews, snapping our favourite front row looks and interviewing the industry's crème de la crème, so we need to look presentable yet feel comfortable. They'll be no peacocking for the street style snapper-pack from us! Here's how I intend to walk the cool/comfy line. 

The perfect grey marle tee or tank is a wardrobe saviour: magically going with everything without looking like you've tried to hard. It's an off-duty staple that adds instant cool to an otherwise dressed-up ensemble. Just like your favourite blue jeans, we think no essential wardrobe is complete without (at least) one. Whether you prefer a luxury fine-weave or thow-in-the-wash cotton jersey, we've rounded up ten of the very best grey marle tops so you can start your collection. 

There's something about blue jeans. The staple wardrobe item has never really gone out of style, but we're looking at the classic blue hue in a whole new light. Forget black, put your white skinnies on hold for a second, save the indigo for next year — because it's the mid-to-light blue denim spectrum that looks suddenly fresh. Whether you want to try out this season's rip/torn trend, give the super-baggy boyfriend style a whirl, or prefer to stick to your tried-and-true skinny leg style, we've rounded up the best denim brands to know and own. Doesn't every girl want to be a blue jean baby? 

The Gap Summer 2013 forecast? Sunny with neon pops of orange, pink, and yellow; a strong chance of denim on denim with tie-dye showers with a canvas bag breeze. In all seriousness, there's always a sense of classic Americana built into Gap's collections season after season, but for the warmer months ahead, expect there to be a little bit more edge involved. While there's enough Nantucket girl (fresh stripes, printed shorts, and crisp button-ups) to serve us well in the prep-inspired getaway category, we're also seeing a lot of rocker-chick references. Slightly frayed denim cutoffs in washed-out fades, bleached denim tie-dye shirts, and a light-wash jean moto jacket all make the cut. Styled together, this mix offers easy — and price-point friendly — ways to tap into Summer's iconic and trendier staples in one go. Luckily, we've got two of our own GAP flagships in Oz (Chadstone VIC and Sydney CBD), and the US site ships down under, too. Winner. 

Well, as usual, it was a big ole week for us here in the Sugar office! We all came together to celebrate the birthday of one of our especially stylish team members, who was lucky enough to score a slew of pressies — including a designer necklace sent by the designer herself! We got into the swing of Halloween things, donning a few less-than-scary masks and scoping out the endless pics that famous people posted on social media — including Ellen DeGeneres' hilarious get-up. When we weren't clowning around, we were working (promise!) to bring you the latest in fashion, beauty and celebrity, including an interview with the newest British It group, Little Mix (they're so lovely!), checking out designer collections and trying on the latest beauty wares. Wanna see all the pics that prove it? Click through the gallery!

Striking the right balance at the office calls for sophistication and polish, without being too stuffy — after all, you're just dressing for work, not putting on a school uniform. With that in mind, you should feel free to work the season's trends right into your 9-to-5 look, and that's exactly what we're doing. Some staples remain, like a great sheath dress and a classic trench, but we're also adopting jewel tones, printed loafers, and a fresh play on the essential shirt. Inside, we've culled the 11 pieces you'll want to slip into all season (and maybe even on weekends).

Pinch and a punch for the first day of the month! August is the last month of Winter, so this best-of-online-edit is dedicated to the promise of a new season. Some of these items will definitely have to be put on the backburner for a few months (neon shorts in 15 degree temperatures are no-ones' friend!), but others are good to go now. Either way, we think the following ten must-haves have been informed by the coming season's slick new, colourful sensibility. Take the tour and try not to pull out your credit card. We dare you.

Did you know that Gap ships to down under? Yup. The US label known for it's classic take on American prep has expanded its international shipping to include Australia; good news for those wanting to shop the brand's entire global range, or who can't get to Gap's three Aussie flagship stores. Thus the reason why we're looking at Gap's Holiday '12 look book with renewed interest. These Wintery-treats won't be hitting the (online) shelves for a little while, but there's still plenty to a) inspire some fresh seasonal ensembles or b) put on the to-buy list. Take the tour and see what's in store from Gap, or skip to the fun bit and shop up a storm online.