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I decided to try introducing The Boy to some short-sleeve button-down shirts to wear instead of tees and polos. I have tried this before, when he was in high-school and he was not a fan of me even suggesting it. But I brought the following three shirts home last month and he was surprisingly receptive to them. His favorite is the first one, the Secret Wash Shirt in Blue Jasmin. He even asked for more shirts like this so I decided to give Old Navy and Gap a try.

~ Slim-Fit Linen Blend Shirt, Bluetification, Small ~

The Boy is very slim and is a Small in shirts. This specific shirt is a slim-fit and fits him just fine. You can see how the shirt slightly tapers in a bit just below the chest. He said the shirt fit him well and felt comfortable on, not too itchy. 
 

~ Regular Fit Linen Blend Shirt, Midnight River, Small ~

The color on this is a true Navy though I captured the color badly. This regular fit shirt also comes in Just So Cerulean – a baby blue – and White. This one is a little more roomy but still fits TTS. 

These linen-blend shirts have washed and dried well in the machine already.  He’s been adverse to wearing linen shirts in the past, especially when we traveled to Italy but it seems he’s gotten over that and likes both of these. He even specially asked for me to iron/steam the solid one so he could wear it to work. That took me completely by surprise but I’m glad he has decided to step up his dressing game.

I’ll have the GAP shirts review later this evening. I think he’s humoring me with those since I went a little overboard with the prints.

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Last year I found a black linen top from GAP that I wore the rest of the Summer. I’ve been looking for the same type of blouse in other colors since then. GAP has filled the need again with a Linen Top in various colors. Since none of the 4 stores in my area had my size, I went ahead and took a chance and ordered every color offered.

~ Linen Top, Fire Sky, Medium ~

It looks like the Medium fits in these pics but the arms were a little tight. When I moved my arms the shirt was a snug across the chest or back, depending on how I moved. And when I took this off, it was a bit of a struggle pulling it over my head. These are 100% Linen so there will be immediately wrinkling when you put on the shirt. I liked the bright orange of the Fire Sky color. 

~ Cargo Khaki, True Indigo, White, Fire Sky, Faded Black ~
I actually have a white linen top from Zara that I bought last year and again this year in a larger size as a back-up.  I could have dealt with the slightly snug fit if I didn’t have to struggle getting it off. If I would lose a little weight these would have fit just fine but if I buy something now I want it to fit for the size and fit I am now. Had these fit I would have kept all colors except the Cargo Khaki and White, since I have two of that color.

Have you tried the Gap Linen Top? Despite the wrinkles, I find Linen so comfortable and easy to wear in the Summer.

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I made a few purchases over the last few weeks from the Gap group when they had some great sales going on. I even included some items for The Boy, that I’ll have a review of later this week. I’ll start this morning with two dresses from Old Navy. I find that this Summer I am not even venturing into my main closet in the guest room. I have stuck to shorts and tees and easy Summer dresses, like the two below.

~ Striped Linen-Blend Shift Dress, Navy Stripe, Small ~

This dress looked like a sack online so I sized down hoping that would help with the shape a little. Not only does it still look like a sack on me, it is too tight in the arms/upper chest area. I would need a Medium for that to be a little looser. But doing that would make the body of the dress even bigger. The material is a Linen/Rayon blend and kind of felt a little potato-sackish. The material was a little rough. It might soften with some washes but wearing it against bare skin would be annoying. This was returned.
 
~ Embroidered Dobby-Pattern Shift Dress, Black, Medium ~

This dress reminded me a little of the Madewell Embroidered Stitchtake Dress. I thought I would try it out to see if I would be satisfied with it enough to not pay full-price for the Madewell dress. This dress also comes in Bright White with red embroidered trim. I really liked this dress. I ended up taking these pics and then keeping the dress on for the rest of the day. It’s comfortable and super easy to wear. The Medium is a nice fit and the material is 100% cotton. The material has an allover diamond pattern and I like that the embroidery isn’t substantial. No pockets on this dress but otherwise, it’s a great little dress from Old Navy. 
 
I also like these casual dress options from Old Navy. 
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Old Navy is not really a store I frequent too much these days but for what I’m wearing this Summer they are a good, inexpensive option. 

Have a Great Day!

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I took a gamble on J Crew Final Sale last week knowing only one item would really work. Let’s see if the others are to my liking as well.

~ Striped Short-Sleeve V-Neck Sweater, Clay White, Small ~
I tried this on in the Navy Champagne back in May. I really liked it but didn’t think a sweater for Summer was worth the price at the time. The colors finally went on sale and I was able to get the Navy in-store for an additional 50% off. I waited for a good promo online to order the Clay White. This runs large and the Small fits me well and the way I want it to. I actually wore the Navy sweater this week when I had to go in to the office. I knew I was going to be in a meeting room all day and that the A/C would be really cold. Yes, I was hot and sweaty outside but the sweater was perfect for inside all day. I love that the Clay White will work well in the Fall. 

~ Wide-Leg Cropped Jean in Odell Wash, size 29 ~

I’ve been waiting to try the wide-leg cropped jean since it first arrived. Reviews are mixed with some saying to size down or that these fit weird. I LOVE them! I am so glad I was able to get them on sale and with a promo. I paid $42 for them but now they are part of the 60% off section making the Odell Wash jean 16 FREAKING DOLLARS! Of course I ordered another pair. The Lowry Wash and White are still on sale for $104.99 plus 40% off with GOSHOPPING.
I love the fit of these. I took my normal size 29 and the fit TTS for me. The waist does gape a little in the back but not enough to make them super loose in waist or feel like they are falling off. They skim my hips and upper leg and then go straight down from there. They are not a super wide-leg but I love the feeling of a non-skinny jean. The length are normal for me (5’2″) but I wore them rolled and liked the look. I can’t wait to try them with heels/espadrille wedges. I should order the Lowry Wash since I haven’t had a whole lot of luck finding a pair of non-skinny jeans. 
 
 
~ Vintage Cropped Jean in Rinse Wash, size 29 ~

I tried these on in the Parisi Wash not too long ago, though not in the correct size. The size 29 are the better fit, as I suspected. I like the dark wash on these as the two Tory Burch pair I have are a little faded from so many wears and washes. These are a nice fit but they are not cropped on me like I expected. Maybe once they are washed a few times they will shrink up a little. The denim is a little rougher feel than the Parisi Wash. Those were really soft but they were also a very light wash. These are a good price at $36 with GOSHOPPING and a nice addition to my closet.

It’s also a great time to get some Collection, 3rd-party and Cashmere items. All these are and additional 60% off. The scarves are great for Christmas gifts. I ordered the Palm Tree Scoopback Swimsuit for only $20. The Striped Eyelet Skirt comes out to $16 if you can get your size. 
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Have you taken a chance on J Crew’s Final Sale items? Anything from the 60% off section you tried and love? 

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Tory Burch has some beautiful browns and blues for Fall along with a Paisley print. She always knows how to mix it all together so well. For practical reasons I would probably get one of the tunics, and am leaning towards the Tunic with Taping. The Suede Shorts look beautiful online in the Brick color and give off a 70s vibe. I’ve seen the Silk Short Skirt in person and it’s even more beautiful than the pictures online show. I was a little leery about the large paisley print but it’s really nice IRL.

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I’ve purchased quite a few pieces over the last few seasons and have been extremely happy with them and the quality of each item. I wear my Zora Tee quite often and it’s held up really well. I was also able to find the Embroidered Tunic I had been stalking since Spring. It’s been great to wear to dinner and a graduation party.

I can’t really say the same about J Crew right now as several items I’ve purchased from Spring have ripped, have holes in them or have faded. I’m at the point where I really would rather pay more for a quality piece than what seems to be the “fast fashion” J Crew is putting out right now. Hopefully the shake-up from last month at headquarters will turn things around. Wishful thinking!

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