The two Gap Inc sister brands went in opposite directions, which is the most useful thing to come out of this week.
Old Navy marked down nearly everything
Almost all of Old Navy’s tall section is on sale, and most of it is exactly 50% off.
The leggings are the clearest example. 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.
Gap’s cheapest tall denim got more expensive
The range compressed from both ends. See what happened at Gap.
J.Crew’s fall trousers and skirts arrived
Fall trousers and skirts arrived in tall at full price, and about 60% of J.Crew’s tall styles are on sale. More in our J.Crew report.
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
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.
Skyline High Rise Barrel Leg Pant · Athleta, $83 (was $139), 40% off, tall 0 to 16, five colors
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
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.