when i first got my position at the club some eight years ago, one of the first visits i made was to banana republic for some office appropriate additions to my wardrobe. to me, banana had always been synonymous with professional attire, so it was exciting that at 22, i was finally ready to walk through its hallowed doors and begin to build a 9-5 closet.

since then, i’ve learned to evolve my work wardrobe, trading places like banana and ann taylor for stores offering a fresher, more unique look (i.e. anthropologie and madewell). somewhere along the way, banana republic’s simple silhouettes i was so enamored with when i first entered the so-called “real world” became stuffy and dare i say it, a little boring.

but lately, i’ve been noticing the eldest sister in the gap, inc. family stepping up her game. flirtier patterns, more modern shapes, and a wider array of color palettes have all graced the company’s front window displays in recent seasons and it has made me entertain the idea of a prodigal return to the store i once knew and loved. and then on saturday, banana revealed their spring 2016 collection at new york fashion week -pastel pink eyelet, new denim silhouettes, and can we talk about the SHOES?

needless to say, i’m finding banana republic totally a-peeling these days. here are just a few examples from saturday’s show that might have you falling back in love with the fruit, too:

top image instyle

all images women’s wear daily