I was able to stop by the Factory store recently and had time to try on a couple of things.

Charley Sweater in Lobster, Sz Small – This was only an extra $5 off but I love it. The navy is gorgeous and the sweater is very soft. The Small fit well too.

Pleated Printed Skirt in Red (Heart Throb), Sz 6 – This was a decent fit, if a little snug in the waist. The length is perfect and I don’t mind the Polyester material. Compared to the Color-Block skirts it’s not as cheap looking. AND, all skirts are 40% off in-store.

Dot-Dot-Dash Mini Skirt, Sz 8, Festival Green – This was a very pretty bright green. And wholy moly it’s lined. It was also 40% off but I passed. I would have loved a non-printed skirt in this color, because it is pretty.
Double-Serge Cotton Mini, Sz 8, Deep Orchid – This is a beautiful deep purple color, though it looks blue on my monitor. I had a hard time deciding between this and the Heart Print skirt. I chose the Heart Print because of the movement of the skirt but if this color is in-store next time I go I’ll grab it.
Pencil Skirt in Double-Serge Cotton, Sz 6, Bright Spearmint – This color is just slightly lighter than last year’s double-serge mini skirt, which I own, and also extremely similar in color to the retail No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Spearmint. I’d say EXACT. No, this is not lined but, YES, it does have pockets. Also, it was 40% off so I bought it for more than half off of the retail version. I’ve never had an issue with the double-serge factory skirts. They hold up well and I really love the pocket feature.
Heart Print Scarf, $39.50 – All scarves were an additional 30% off but I didn’t grab the style # for this. The blue is a little lighter than the blue in the skirt but it’s cute none-the-less.
Sequin Heart Graphic Tee, Sz Medium – Very cute tee and perfect for up-coming Valentine’s Day. The sequins are securely sown on. I don’t recall the tag price but all tees were on sale and I think this was $16.99 in-store.
I didn’t get a chance to write down any other discounts but the store had a percent or dollar off everything. The tiny sale section was an additional 50%. You can see more Factory options on Rose from 1 More Shopping Blog. If you have a Factory nearby, I suggest you visit it. It will save you more than ordering online.

Have a Great Day!

With a gift card from Christmas and some cash on my Paypal I wanted to make my Anthropologie purchases special. And I must say that I did pretty well.

The Painted Carousel Blouse by Weston Wear is just the right touch of whimsical to wear alone or under a cardigan. This is 100% silk and a pull-over style with nary a button or zipper in sight. This blouse runs big and I am glad I sized down to a small. A medium would have been very loose and saggy under the arms. 
The only thing I didn’t like was the way the blouse cut off a few inches above the hem and another panel of material was sown in. Almost like the blouse was originally too short so another two inches was added instead of recutting the material. You only see this from the back in one of the online photos. The rest show the blouse tucked in. The waist of my jeans is hitting the top of that extra panel so that you can gauge the length.
The Entomologist Blouse was another great pick for me. Roxy just reviewed it here. This is also 100% Silk but more of a Silk Chiffon and oh so flowy. I love Butterflies and when I saw this print it did remind me of J Crew’s Butterfly Shorts. I ordered a size 8 and it’s a perfect fit. The arms have button-sleeves and a 6 would have been too tight. You definitely need a cami underneath as this blouse is sheer. It is a little on the short side and I don’t know if it will stay tucked in, at least on the sides.

Are you interested in either of these blouses?

I received a J Crew “Factory First” email with a link to some new items today. These should be up for all to see tomorrow.

Intarsia Charley Sweater in Lobster – Another nautical-themed critter sweater if you missed out on the Factory Anchor. I’ve heard quality is good on the Charley sweaters so I’d grab this one fast if you really like it.

Crewneck Cardigan in Hearts – As I expected, JC carried over the popular Heart Throb print to the Factory store. This is in a Cardigan, Silk Shirt and 18″ skirt. Lots of options for everyone. 
This is silk, just like the retail version but not as high of a quality. I have the silk striped shirt from the fall. It’s not as soft as the retail silk shirts, IYKWIM. But if you did miss out on this I’d get it. I am glad this wasn’t done in a poly.
This is just like the Color-blocked skirts but in the Heart print. I’ve seen and felt that skirt and didn’t care for it at all. Hopefully this is less poly-looking and poly-feeling. 
Pleated Shift Dress – This is the Basket-weave dress from last Spring. Not sure how thick cotton-y it is. My guess is that it’s just a plain thinner cotton. I do like the Neon Rose and happy to see it in a true Navy as well.
Double-Serge Cotton Mini in Deep Orchid –  I love the double-serge minis and I hope this color is as rich and saturated in person.
Skimmer Pant in Dot Dot Dash – I love my Morse Code Capri pants in Navy. The Factory color is Cerise and comes in a pencil skirt, and mini in Festival Green

Cotton Pleated Shift Dress – I bought this in Modern Red last year and have my eye on the Navy this  year. They are just so cool and easy to wear.
I am happy to see the Cotton Sleep Shirt and Pant as separates. I think I like the shirt more than the pants. I hope there are more colors offered in the store.

Did you receive the “Factory First” email with the link? I will be near the Factory next week so I hope to try some of these on. 

Have a Great Day!

Skirt: J Crew City Mini in Dublin Tartan
Shirt: J Crew Striped Oxford
Sweater: Tippi in Navy 
Belt: Old Navy
Shoes: Kate Spade Kiki Wedges

I’ve been waiting to wear the City Mini in Dublin Tartan after the holidays to see if it could be done and not look like a  “Holiday” outfit. It was such a sunny day to try this outfit and I’m extremely pleased with how it turned out. The navy Tippi changes the look from Holiday to Plaid Mini Skirt outfit. I was originally going to wear camel tights and boots but the weather was so nice to go with wedges only. The second pic shows just how blue and pretty our sky was today. Love seeing that instead of clouds.

So I’m thinking Green for St. Patrick’s Day. What do you think? Any other ideas for getting more non-Holiday outfits out of this skirt?
Have a Great Evening!

As retailers start bringing in Resort and Spring Collections, in the middle of Winter, it’s a good time to take a look in your closet to see what you do have that might be similar. I don’t have my Spring Shopping list put together but I do know of a few items I don’t need (from my favorite retailer) since I do have very similar items to what is now being offered. Take a look and see what I’ve found already in my closet.

The Voile Skirt in Stripe looks very pretty and I like the red and blue/black stripe but I do already have and LOVE the Gimlet Skirt in Coaster Stripe. I am not sure if the few inches of flat panel before the pleats would feel tight across the hips or not. Also, the length on the Voile Skirt is 23 inches, several inches below my knee. I have found I prefer above the knee or all the way maxi for my skirt lengths; I’m not a midi- girl. That still doesn’t stop me from wanting to see it, either IRL or on someone’s blog.

The Blythe Blouse in Pale Graphite is another one of my favorites. So much that I bought another one, just in case. It’s very rare that I will buy the exact same item as a back-up but I love it that much. Now, for Resort/Early Spring, there is a Soft Sand color with darker Polka Dots. I’m not so much a fan of the darker spots. For me, I think the appeal of the original from Fall was that the Polka Dots were in Gray/Graphite which blended slightly with the base color of the shirt. The darker spots are not doing it for me. I also think they should have switched these two…the Soft Sand for Fall/Winter because of the darker spots and the Pale Graphite for Resort/Spring. Makes sense in my head. Of course, if I see it IRL I’ll probably change my mind. But for now, definitely off my list.
I have similar variations of the Silk Short-Sleeve Blouse. I have the Striped Tee from a year or two ago and the Raindrop Lace Top in Navy. I wore my Striped Tee constantly after the initial purchase for several months and haven’t worn it since, maybe a year to 14 months. The Raindrop Lace Top fills a void of Spring/Summer Navy blouse and it’s Cotton, making it easier to wear than Silk. I’m sure the Silk Short-Sleeve Blouse is pretty IRL and the Warm Ivory would fill a void in my closet but it’s not a have-to-have. If it makes it to sale with a % off I’ll probably get it, that is, if the fit is right.
I have enough Striped Sweaters to last me a while. The Jackie Cardigan in Stripe is very similar to the Factory version I purchased last Spring. I have an Ann Taylor Loft green striped cardigan that will fill the void of the V-Neck Sweater in Stripe. If anything, I need two or three solid colors of the Jackie.
Shorts! I live in these all Summer and have quite a few pairs. I started trying to wear skirts more this Summer but still need a good reliable pair (or 10) of shorts. But I have found that these Anchor Shorts are  at the Factory Store every Spring/Summer. That goes for the Denim Shorts. I found mine last year at the Factory and they were exactly like the Retail version that was offered this past Summer, which is the same pair being offered now. The only difference is that mine are darker, which I like. Also, the Factory comes out with lots of colors in the 3-, 5- inch and Bermuda Shorts, so I’ll look there first before the Retail store.
I couldn’t forget the Double-Serge Pencil Skirts, could I? J Crew pencil skirts are my favorite and they fit me very well but this year I’ll be looking for a special print, like the Porcelain Paisley from last Summer, before making a purchase. I have very similar solid Pencil skirts already to substitute for the pretty new colors being offered now. And, two of the colors I wanted last year went to sale I was able to get them for a really really good price.
First, instead of Indigo Blue, I have the Factory Casablanca Blue and the Retail Mini in Brilliant Blue. I am sure the Indigo Blue will be very vibrant but I doubt it will be that much of a brightness to make me change my mind. Next up, is the Spearmint colorway, and I am sure it’s super gorgeous IRL. But I do have the Bright Spearmint Double-Serge Mini, the Jardin Maxi in the Morning Aqua, the Cafe’ Capri in the Tropical Aqua and the Sterling Skirt in Mint to fill the Winter void. Lastly, is the Melon color. Oh, it’s sooo pretty online and is definitely going on my list. I have the Sterling Skirt in Autumn Coral. I suspect the Melon will be slightly lighter and definitely pretty for Spring and Summer.
So, picking one of the three colors isn’t bad. The Fresh Pear looks pretty but I wasn’t too much of a fan of the Kiwi so I doubt I’ll be attracted to it. And, I have the Natural from last year that I purchase for about $24. A good staple color to have.
Jewelry is last to discuss. The latest incarnation of the Frog Critter bracelet is pretty, especially with the gold links but I have the Summer 2012 version and like the resin better. It’s more playful, IMO. I love my Flower Lattice necklace in Multicolor and was oh so tempted to get it in the Crystal but I really wouldn’t wear it very much. It’s more for a dressy occasion and not every day, at least for me. That, and I’d rather spend $228 on something else.
With each rollout I will be looking to my closet to see if I have a similar version. I really am looking for those special pieces now, like the Jules in Scroll Print. Having a list for Fall helped me so much. I didn’t stray very far from it and really looked for the items I had on my list and found a few of them on sale, including my two Kate Spade pieces. So I may be paying more, but I will be consuming less.
You’ll also notice I didn’t discuss shoes or bags. Those really are special pieces for me. I may be more selective in my purchases and already have two very specific items on my list. Once it is finalized I will share it with you.
So, do you have anything new from your favorites stores that you might already have in your closet?

**Hmm, what’s that Kate? You have something you want me to see? Oh this too?