Shopping for the Perfect Cardigan--Old Navy

I hit Old Navy during a long solo lunch when I really need a break from work. Old Navy is a favorite store, too, offering much of the same merchandise as its sister store, The Gap, but with a funkier edge and more reasonable prices - The Gap seven or eight years ago.

Old Navy offers a few items all the time, like jeans, khakis, and T-shirts and turtlenecks, but they also offer a highly focused seasonal collection that changes about every six weeks.

But on the sale rack, I find a cute, fitted, ribbed black sweater with a zip-front and a buttoned mock-turtle neck, marked down to $12.00. In the dressing room, it looks great even though the sleeves are a little long. It's not the long-term wardrobe addition I need, but I love it and it will be fun for awhile. I buy it, along with a pair of chocolate brown khakis in the same cut as the favorites I bought a few months ago. They're on sale, too, for $7.99.

I leave Old Navy satisfied, even though I'm still missing the sweater I came to find.