We went back through the tall sections at Old Navy, Gap, Athleta and J.Crew this morning to see what moved since September 2. The two Gap Inc sister brands went in opposite directions, which is the most useful thing to come out of this week.
| Store | Share of tall styles on sale | Typical discount |
|---|---|---|
| Old Navy | almost 100% | 50% off |
| Gap | 80% | 40% off |
| Athleta | 50% | 30% off |
| J.Crew | 60% | 30% off |
Old Navy marked down nearly everything
Old Navy’s tall sale went from about 75% of the store to almost all of it, and the large majority of it sits at exactly 50% off. Denim was already there and barely moved. What changed is the categories that had been holding out: sweaters and cardigans went from about a fifth of the category on sale to all of it, and activewear, pants and tees did the same.
The leggings are the clearest example. The PowerSoft full-length tall leggings were $32 at 20% off last week and are $20 today, along with the joggers and the fleece sweatpants. Details in our Old Navy report.
One flat rate across a whole store is a timed event, so these prices end on a date rather than by selling out.
Athleta let its promotion expire
We said last week that Athleta’s flat 30% and 40% rates were the part with an expiry date and that the fall pieces were worth buying at those prices. The promotion ended this week, the tall sale shrank from about 70% of the store to half, and roughly a quarter of what had been discounted went back to full price.
Everything we named a week ago costs more now. The Elation legging went from $53 to $71, and two of its colorways went all the way back to the full $89. The Endless pant went from $65 to $76. The Skyline Zip Pant went from $89 to $104. The Venice wide leg is at full price in five of its seven colors. Details in our Athleta report.
That call was right, and it is the third week in a row this store has run the same pattern.
Gap’s cheapest tall denim got more expensive
Gap’s headline held around 80% on sale with a typical cut near 40% for a fourth week. Underneath it, every tall jean is now marked down while the typical discount on those jeans fell from about 40% to 30%.
The range compressed from both ends. Jeans at 20% off got deeper, and five styles that were at 70% off got shallower. The $23 jeans we flagged three weeks running are $39. See what happened at Gap.
J.Crew’s dress rebound lasted one week
Dresses and jumpsuits lost twice as many tall colorways as they gained, undoing last week’s restock, while fall trousers and skirts arrived at full price. The sale share fell from about 70% to 60%, and the most common markdown in the store is now 10% off. More in our J.Crew report.
How last week’s advice held up
We got the Athleta call right and the other two wrong, in ways worth writing down.
We told you to take your time with Athleta’s standing clearance because it holds through changing promotions. The Skyline barrel pant in Slate had been $60 for five weeks and is now sold out in tall. Clearance prices do hold, and then the stock runs out, so “no hurry” was the wrong read on a size run that was already complete and cheap.
We also said nothing looked urgent at Old Navy or Gap. Waiting turned out fine at Old Navy, where the whole store is cheaper this week. It cost money at Gap, where the deepest denim discounts rose by $10 to $16 on five different styles. A price that has held for three weeks can mean the run is ending rather than that the retailer intends to keep it.
The four best deals standing right now
High-Waisted PowerSoft Full-Length Pocket Leggings · Old Navy, $20 (was $40), 50% off, tall S to XXL, Dusk Navy
Was $32 seven days ago. Old Navy sells this in a full-length, a 7/8 and a crop at the same price, so pick the full-length one.
High Rise ’70s Flare Jeans · Gap, $44 (was $90), 50% off, tall 24 to 35, four washes
The widest tall waist run of any jean at the four stores, and all four washes carry it. Down from $53 last week while the rest of Gap’s denim clearance moved the other way.
Skyline High Rise Barrel Leg Pant · Athleta, $83 (was $139), 40% off, tall 0 to 16, five colors
The five colorways that held the 40% rate through the expiry, each with the complete 0 to 16 run. This is the deepest cut left on a full-length tall pant at Athleta now that the Slate version has sold out.
Tall slim-wide jean · J.Crew, $89 (was $148), 40% off, tall 25 to 32, Resin Rinse
Full price last week, and the complete waist run is available, which is uncommon at J.Crew.
What this means for the next few weeks
The two Gap Inc brands are running opposite halves of the same playbook, and knowing which half you are looking at tells you what to do.
Old Navy is at the start of a flat sitewide event, so the prices are as low as they will go and they end on a date. Buy the activewear, fleece and tees now. Athleta is at the end of one, so its prices have already reset and there is nothing to rush for. Gap sits between the two, and its denim is worth watching wash by wash rather than by the headline number.
At J.Crew, buy the tall pants and skirts that are marked down now, and treat anything in dresses as a single-size opportunity that will not be there next week.
The broader read on clearance: a deep discount that survives several weeks of changing promotions is real clearance, and it ends either by selling out, as Athleta’s barrel pant did, or by rising, as Gap’s denim did. Both happened this week, which is a good argument for buying the thing that fits when you find it at a price you like.
Check the fit guides before you commit: Old Navy, Gap, Athleta and J.Crew.
Prices, sizes, and stock checked September 9, 2026 at the four stores we track. Discount figures are typical across the tall styles we looked at. Some links are affiliate links; see our disclosure.