LOOKBOOK: GAP

When neons first made a comeback, we were pretty stoked--our NYLON pink logo is pretty bright, after all. But now it's a few seasons later and, to be honest, Day-Glo is no longer as blindingly eye-catching as it once was. So meet your new form of brights: sunwashed neon. It's as if you left your electric yellow Cambridge satchel outside and allowed the color to fade just the teensiest bit. We saw it on lots of runways, but it will also be coming to a mall near you come spring '13, courtesy of Gap. The mega-brand has embraced sunwashed neons in just about everything, from tangerine pants to shocking green envelope bags, as you can see from their lookbook. (There are also khaki coats, drawstring skirts, and nipped blazers that we love, neon or not.) What we love about this toned-down bright is that it still packs a punch but doesn't overwhelm an outfit; instead, you can pair it with leopard print sandals, oversize clutches, or lots of layers and look effortlessly good. As for that NYLON pink? We'll, that's always in style.