/ Reviews

Do you have those times where you have returns but when you get to the store you end up finding something else to exchange it for? I know I shouldn’t expect it, but when making returns I usually go with the mind-set of “in-and-out”. That never happens though. It’s like someone says “Squirrel!” and there I go veering away from my destination, the register to process my return. I “squirreled” my whole Saturday, finding one cute thing after another. And don’t get me started with Target. I’m lucky I got out of there spending less than $100 that day.

And what did I find at Tar-jhay? A lovely faux fur vest caught my eye. I’ve passed on them over the years but this one seemed to really peak my interest for some reason. I thought the Medium looked too big but the Small was sold out so I tried it on anyway. It fit really well. I think the small would have been too tight in the armholes so the Medium was a good choice. I might wear it with this Maeve metallic midi skirt but I also have this shirtdress from Tory Burch that had popped into my head when I saw this fur vest.

merona_furvest


Next, I headed to the mall where I found the Maeve Eclat Midi Skirt. It was styled in the window and I couldn’t resist it. You know I don’t have any midi skirts but this one just seemed so perfect for Fall and the upcoming holidays. It was styled with this sweater, which is 30% off today. I bought and Medium and it fits TTS.

maeve_eclatmidi


I also bought these Pilcro embroidered jeans. I have been lusting over them for some time now but could never pull the trigger, since shipping is just so expensive. And the reviews have sizing all over the place. But, I was lucky on Saturday because my store had a return, in a size 29. I grabbed them and immediately went to try them on. They fit great in the hips and thighs. I have worn them already and they have stretched some in the waist and booty but the thighs are still fitting well. I can see why sizing is off on these. I think a 29 Petite might have been a good fit as well, and would shorten the length a little. I will probably have to get these hemmed a little so they lay right. They are not as heavy as I thought they would be with the embroidery and light beading. I also tried on these bejeweled jeans and the sizing was really off on those. I tried on a size 29 and they were really really loose in the waist and snug in the hips and thighs. They also felt like they will stretch out as you wear them so they were a pass for me.

pilcro_embroideredjean

As I ventured my way to Madewell, I spotted these Mod velvet booties at Steve Madden. They are definitely a color I don’t wear, but I had to see them in person and try them on. They are new arrivals in store and pre-order online. They run TTS and I ended up with a size 7. They are out of my color comfort zone but I’m excited to style and wear them!

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This pretty pink velvet was also offered in sneakers and heels.


So, finally making it to Madwell, I saw this Velvet Bow-Back Top and thought it would be another great item for the holidays and evenings out. This is the Dark Metal color and it also comes in Distressed Stone and True Black. This runs really big. I considered sizing to a XS but I like the looseness of the Small. This is also a longer hem in the back. The bow is in the back, tied at the neck. I have several blazers this top can work with as well as some fancy pants. And, this top is so comfortable. I didn’t want to take it off!

madewell_velvetbowback

So that was my whole squirreled away Saturday. I’ve added several different options for you so you can “squirrel” through this post too!

Happy Shopping!

/ Reviews

Before I get to J.Crew reviews I did want to share one last set of try-ons from Anthropologie. With the 20% Fall Perk promo. for Anthro card holders, going on this weekend, I wanted to make sure you could see a few more items IRL.

~ Maeve Patchwork Peasant Dress, Small ~

The sleeves on this dress are shorter than the online image, which I like. The Small is a great fit. I switch between Small and Medium in Maeve items, depending on the style. I love the green and the colors are just gorgeous IRL. This has an additional slip that is removable for the lining. I did find that the one I tried on was longer than the dress itself. The slip can be adjusted. A floppy hat and boots make this a great Fall transition piece.

maeve_patchworkpeasantdress

~ Akemi + Kim Zaka Off-the-Shoulder Top, Small ~

Bell sleeve tops seem to be an upcoming trend for Fall (one, two, three). I saw this cute Akemi + Kim top  and knew that as long as it fit it would be perfect for Fall. This knit top fits perfectly in the Small. It’s supposed to be off-the-shoulder, carrying the trend into Fall, but I like the look of the ballet-neckline. The sleeve length completely cover my hands. The sides have slits as well.

akemikim_zakaots

~ Vanessa Virginia Augusta Off-the-Shoulder Top, Small ~

This was the first thing I grabbed for the fitting room and I absolutely love it! I am a fan of peasant dresses and tops, which brings out the little hippie in me. This top has gorgeous colors for Fall, navy, cream, orange with black lace overlay at the hem. That’s what attracted me to this top. From afar, I though it was part of the print but upon closer inspection it’s a lace overlay. I know the name of this has OTS in it but it looks just as good on the shoulders too. This is oversized and the Small fit really well for me. As soon as our temps drop to the 80s I’m wearing this as much as possible!

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~ Citizens of Humanity Emerson High-Rise Boyfriend Jeans, size 30 ~

I am not really looking for any new jeans as I have plenty but I liked the color and slight fading of these so I wanted to try them on, in case I can get them on sale. Unfortunately, the store SA couldn’t find the lone size 29 so I tried on the size 30. They fit well through the hip and thighs though they were slightly loose in the waist. Nothing a belt won’t fix but I think the 29s might fit a little better.

As far as the high-rise, they do feel a little higher than my other jeans but I can’t really tell a difference. The hem is cuffed so if I unroll them they will be a perfect length for flats. They already are with the hem cuffed. I don’t own a pair of $200+ jeans and I will say these were really comfortable, even in a size up. I wanted to walk out of the store wearing them. I’m a fan and hope I can get them on sale.

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I purchased both tops as well as the Rosewood Lace Blouse. I have some various outfit ideas for all three, which I’ll share soon, and know I’ll wear them all Fall and Winter, and probably into Spring.

You can find other recent reviews here and here. I’ll have J.Crew reviews, starting with all the cherries I tried on, tomorrow.

/ Reviews

I hope everyone is ready for a long weekend. I know I am! I have only two things to do this weekend and that’s relax and watch some College Football. Football and Basketball – Those are the two sports seasons I cannot wait for. I’m not really into watching baseball over the Summer but it was great to have the Olympics hold my attention for two weeks. I also think I will try to go back into Anthropologie and peruse the sale section. This time there is 40% off all sale items. I reviewed the Chiffon Clipdot Dress, which is on sale, and there is a dress in these reviews that also went on sale.

~ Foxiedox Farfara Dress, Medium ~

I liked the colors, shape and fit of this dress until I noticed the lace panel on the chest shows your bra. You’ll either need to wear a strapless bra or some type of convertible bra or add a cami. It’s a synthetic material which make it machine washable but I think this would be so much prettier in silk, especially at the price point it’s at.

Anthro_FarfaraDress

~ Holding Horses Folklore Tunic, size 6 ~

This tunic dress looked huge on the hanger so I grabbed a size 6. I probably should have taken an size 4 with me to the dressing room. Honestly, this is shapeless, unflattering and the fit is huge. The chambray portion is washed out and not as saturated as the online image. Anthro usually gets those things right and there isn’t much difference between online images and IRL in-store. The embroidery is pretty but it’s definitely not worth $200. Thing is, people like this dress. There are 15 reviews averaging almost 4 stars.

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~ Maeve Ria Dropwaist Shirtdress, size 8 ~

The print on this shirtdress is just the cutest. And I love the colors as well. It’s so perfect for Fall and Winter. It looks big on the hanger but there wasn’t a size 6 to try on so I am wearing the size 8. I definitely need the size 6. The arms and chest are really loose and the waist is huge. I love the length and  I can definitely see myself wearing this a lot.

Anthro_MaeveRiaShirtdress

~ NUE by Shani Aliz Dress, Bright Red, size 8 ~

I saw this dress on the hanger a few weeks ago and couldn’t wait to go back and try it on. It looks so pretty in the red with the laser cutouts and nude underlining. This fits TTS with the 8 fitting just perfect. It also comes in black, if you are looking for a lovely alternative to your LBD.

Anthro_AlizDress

~ Byron Lars Lace Melange Pencil Dress, size 8 ~

This may be the year I finally purchase a Byron Lars dress. The Carissima Sheath always seemed too sheer due to the nude underlining. But this dress is lovely in person. It’s very lacy which I don’t really wear but it fits like a dream. There’s a detachable belt and a back zip.

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There are so many pretty things at Anthropologie right now. I added quite a bit to my wishlist.

Are you shopping the Anthropologie sale this weekend?

/ Reviews

When I visited Anthropologie a few weeks ago, I knew I wanted to try on some of the pretty dresses in the store. But I also grabbed a pair of jeans and this first lovely lace top to take in the dressing room with me. When I arrived in the dressing room, there were some additional “suggestion” items that had been added.

~ Tiny Rosewood Lace Blouse, Medium ~

I really liked the high lace collar of this blouse. I can see this being worn with denim, a moto jacket and a lovely skirt. There are so many options for this blouse. The Medium fit me fine everywhere except the neck. It was tight. I don’t have a large neck but I guess the neck on this is running small. It only buttons in the back of the neck. This lace blouse will definitely require a cami as it is very sheer.

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~ HD in Paris Elsie Tank, size 6 ~

This was one of the items I found in my dressing room. This has a swingy bottom but ran a little snug around the armholes and chest in the size 6. The size 8 would make it fitting TTS in those areas but probably a bit wider on the bottom half. Overall, I really didn’t like this tank. The fit, material and colors were all off for me.

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~ Level 99 Chambray High-Rise Wide-Legs, size 29 ~

These chambray jeans/pants are super soft and comfortable but they fit odd. The waist was too big and loose but fit great through the hips. The length is perfect for me to wear with flats or heels.

Anthro_Level99ChambrayHigh-Rise

~ Vanessa Virginia Collaged Lace Top, size 8 ~

This was one blouse that looked prettier on the hanger than it did on me. I liked the floral appliques and the lace detail but the blouse just hangs on me. I like peasant blouses a lot but this one just doesn’t appeal to me.

Anthro_CollagedLAceTop

~ Pilcro Mid-Rise Wide-Leg Crop Jeans, size 29 ~

I really liked these jeans. They fit really well in the size 29. They flow nicely from the hips down to the hem. The only thing about these is that though the undone hem is the perfect flat shoe length on me, I would love for them to be where the original hem was before they undid. I would have really liked that cropped jean. They don’t look too bad with a heel though I would like another half inch of length for a heel. I’ll look for these again when they go on sale.

Anthro_PilcroWideLegCrop

Though these didn’t quite work out for me, some the dresses I will review tomorrow are lovely.

/ Reviews

On my birthday I tried on a few dresses at Anthropologie. I never thought one of them would become my birthday dress.

~ HD in Paris South Island Dress, Blue / Orange, size 8/6 ~

I really liked the simple style of this dress and grabbed two colors in two different sizes to try on. The blue is a size 8 and fits well. The straps were a little loose and I felt that though it gave me a nice shape it could be a little more fitted.

SouthIslandDress_Blue

The orange is a size 6 and fits a little closer to the body. The straps are still a little loose so I think I’d still need a small alteration at the shoulders. The length on both hit just at the knee, with no telling difference between the two sizes. I love the pleated flouncy skirt. It’s great for twirling. I felt comfortable in both sizes and would probably choose the orange print over the blue, though both are equally pretty IRL.

SouthIslandDress_Pink

~ Maeve Cirque Swing Dress, Small ~

I was in love with this dress the moment I saw it in-store. It sold out quickly and my store had this lone Small on a rack with other “last one” items. Maeve sizing is all over the place for me so I thought I’d give this dress a try. This was a great size for me and I thought the dress fit really well. The chest was not pulling or tight. The length is just above the knee. I do think it’s too voluminous for me though I really liked the print and the cotton lining.

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~ HD in Paris Paleta Shirt Dress, size 8 ~

This was another dress I had been eyeing for a while. It also was sold out in my store except for this one size 8. The fit is fantastic and though some reviewers didn’t like that the belt was permanent, I preferred it. I love the little popsicle print all over, though once Husband saw the print he immediately nixed the dress. The Linen Printemps Shirt Dress is exactly the same dress, though in solid.

PaletaDress

~ Plenty by Tracy Reese Tybee Shift, Medium ~

I really liked the fit of this dress and the slight shape at the waist. I do wish the shoelace tie at the neckline wasn’t there. It’s the only thing that stopped me from buying it. I would have preferred something more like the Lin Lace Dress neckline. The print is fun and Summery. The Cantania Dress is the same print but with a halter neck and fit-and-flare style.

TybeeShift

~ Eva Franco Plaid Halter Dress, size 8 ~

I liked the print and colors of this dress on the hanger and brought it to the fitting room to try on. I really wasn’t thinking of buying it but it fit really well. It’s a linen-blend with a fit-and-flare silhouette and halter neckline. The hemline hit’s just below the knee. Husband really loved this dress, over all the ones I tried on so it’s the one I bought and wore for my birthday. I stayed cool all evening, even in the high 90 degree temps. I really loved it and cannot wait to wear it again this weekend. The Plaid Halter Dress is now on sale.

PlaidHalterDress

What do you think of these? Have you shopped for dresses at Anthropologie lately?