The Unexpected (But Familiar) Place You'll End Up Doing All Your Summer Shopping

Real talk: When was the last time you thought of swinging by Banana Republic to shop for anything other than one-off job interview getups? It's probably been a while since you've revisited the beloved mall staple, which likely served as your introduction to business-casual dressing. But if you're only browsing the retailer's buttoned-up garments (which it still does quite well, of course), you're seriously missing out on a treasure trove of pieces that strike that oh-so-delicate balance between on-trend and unexpected. Here's what we want to know: When did Banana Republic get so good (again)?

The Gap Inc.-owned brand may have parted ways with creative director Marissa Webb in 2015, but its fashion credibility isn't floundering: It still counts on stylish faces like Olivia Palermo and Kevin Love as ambassadors, and holds onto its time slot on the official New York Fashion Week. Banana Republic's sales figures may have been rocky for some time, but the retailer is truly stepping up its game when it comes to forward-thinking garments, breaking from its sensible-staple mold. In fact, its summer '17 selection has plenty of major trends in the mix: high necklines, asymmetrical hems, silky slips, daring slits, and cold shoulders galore... and that's just the apparel. We were delightfully surprised when we found ourselves perusing its site randomly, pretty much continuously adding items to our carts (specially considering how the once-familiar landscape of our local malls continues to change ...and not in the best way).

Ahead, we rounded up some of our favorite pieces currently on offer at Banana Republic — because sharing our favorite retail secrets is caring.