fall into the gap part ii.

              

Welcome back to every advertising executive's dream, when I admit what a profound and lasting impact Gap commercials have had on my life.  The West Side Story-themed "Are You a Jean or a Khaki?" commercials are probably my favorite Gap ads of all time.  So taking that into consideration, along with the fact that the West Side Story revival just got totally ROBBED at this year's Tony's, I figured it was a good time to pull a little Bernstein-Sondheim love out of the YouTube vault.    

                

These ads were big sometime around junior high, the years when all my notebooks were Scotch-tape-collaged works of art, because I remember having one of the Gap magazine ads splashed across a binder.  I spent an embarrassing amount of time back then trying to decide if I felt a stronger pull from the jean side or the khaki side.  Looking back now, I was sure I'd identify myself as a jean.  I mean come on, they're winning definite style points (so much so that I'm even willing to overlook the instances of double-denim):

         

                
But then I revisited the "When You're a Khaki" commercial ... and the jumping snaps.  Ah, the jumping snaps.  How is a girl supposed to resist the jumping snaps?!?

            

          

Damn you, Gap ads, you've foiled me again.  It's a question for the ages.  So tell me, friends, are you a jean or a khaki?  Because I swear on a pocket-tee that I just can't seem to make up my mind.