Good Old Navy

Jul 1st 2009 at 3:21PM by Jamey Schrick

Being frugal when shopping for clothes is a way of life these days, yet who wants to give up fashion for affordability? I always find great deals on great clothing at Old Navy--which, by the way, is neither old nor naval. In fact, the company's name comes from a rather amusing source. Find out where after the jump.

Old Navy began life in 1994 when Gap Inc. opened three clothing warehouse stores in Northern California. The brand has grown to over 1000 Old Navy stores worldwide, but the original concept of a large, breezy warehouse-style store continues. Old Navy features hip, casual, fun fashions for the whole family at truly affordable prices. What could be better than that?

Old Navy Womens Blue Hipster Bikini Bottoms

Summer is just starting to heat up, and there's no better place to find cute women's swimwear than Old Navy. They feature mix-and-match bikini tops and bottoms, so you can put together any combination that you like to make sure that you stand out at the beach or poolside. Put together your perfect summer swimwear at Old Navy, starting at just $10.00.

Old Navy also has you covered away from the water with these hot swim cover-ups, perfect for slipping on right out of the water. It's stylish and comfortable, which pretty much describes everything you'll find at Old Navy...

...like this smocked tube dress--chic, sexy, and perfect for a sunny afternoon at the farmer's market or on the pier. Just $15! For breezy, fun women's clothing at prices where you can easily change up your wardrobe every season, Old Navy is really unmatched.

You've seen them: For years now, Old Navy has been touting its lineup of great activewear in goofy but cheery television commercials starring various celebrities. As a result, Old Navy has become the spot to pick up your yoga pants, hoodies, track jackets, and sports bras. Old Navy loves expectant moms, too, featuring a great selection of stylish maternity clothing.

Old Navy really has a little bit of

everything for every member of the family. You can find dresses, skirts, jeans, slacks, sweaters, jackets, accessories, children's clothing--even shoes! Some of the most popular items at Old Navy are the colorful sandals and flip flops, which are just part of a large selection of footwear for both sexes.

Of course, Old Navy is also known for its selection of cool t-shirts. I like to go dig through the racks at Old Navy to find a bright and comfortable conversation starter. I once found a shirt that had the name of my Iowa hometown on it! Now I can check out the shirts from my desk

chair. Each year Old Navy features an American Flag t-shirt, but I really love the trendy and clever old school logos, like this Brewhouse & Co. Ale t-shirt.

Which leads me back to where the name Old Navy came from:

The story goes that Gap founder Donald Fisher was visiting Paris in 1994 and was inspired by the name of a local establishment. Old Navy, in true American style, was named after a bar.