/ Uncategorized

MODERN RED
I completely missed out on the Bubble necklace originally but was lucky enough to find a gray necklace on the JCA Exchange. J Crew has brought this back in Black and Modern Red.

Description from J Crew: We brought it back: the defining J.Crew statement necklace (it’s an icon) in 18K gold electroplated brass with hand-set resin cabochons and beads. Lobster clasp closure. Import. Length: 24″ with a 3″ extender chain for adjustable length.

Here it is IRL. I’m not sure if it is worth the $150 price tag. A pair of shoes or a pencil skirt, definitely. A necklace, umm…not so much. But, the Modern Red color is a gorgeous red. A true red in my opinion. I’ve seen the black in-store as well and it is just as pretty.  I’m on the fence with this one.

HOLIDAY PUNCH
Next up is the Cashmere Lined Leather Gloves, in Holiday Punch.
The chicest way to keep cold weather from getting out of hand, in the softest, most supple Italian napa leather (luxuriously lined with cashmere). 

As soon as I saw this color I had to see it IRL as well. I ordered a size Large, which is a perfect fit. This is such a juicy, vibrant color. It comes in Black, Light Walnut and Celestial Blue, which looks just as gorgeous as the Holiday Punch. Both colors look like they will liven up a nice camel or black winter coat. The leather is soft and supple and the lining is comfortable and cozy.
MARASCHINO CHERRY
Lastly, I have the Cafe’ Capri in Wool in Maraschino Cherry. As soon as this color popped up online I ordered them. They were back-ordered until last week and arrived Tuesday. They come in Black, Yacht Blue, Navy, Baked Citron, Bright Dahlia, Camel and Port Wine. 
I already have these in the Camel and ordered my normal size of 8 in J Crew pants. It was very hard to capture the true color of these pants. I am wearing them with the Juliet heels in Poppy and the Silk Polka Dot Tee. The heels are a bolder red, like the Bubble Necklace. The last picture was the best I could get with my point-and-shoot and standing about 15 feet away, zoomed in and flash on.

What do you think of these reds and pink? Are you interested in the Bubble Necklace this time around? 

/ Uncategorized

I am drawn to kimono/dolman/butterfly sleeves on blouses. I feel like floating away in those tops. Seems that Anthropologie knows of my weakness as they have two styles of blouses with these sleeves currently.

Tsuru Blouse by Maeve – Size 8, Comes in Wine and Navy. I sized up to an 8 only because the lower part of the blouse was a little snug but I do recommend getting your normal size in this. The top part fits well across my chest and doesn’t pull. it has a side zipper. Purchase

Geo-Feather Blouse by Fei – Sz M. Again, I sized up to a Medium due to the snugness at the waist. I like the colors and pattern on this one but $98 for “dry-clean poly” is a bit much. I’ll be returning this and waiting for it to go to sale to purchase because I do like it. Sees the Sale Wishlist

Hip Cinched Blouse by Maeve – Size 6, Comes in Green and Gold. I never paid attention to this blouse online because the feature color is Gold. The yellow seemed kind of bland to me from the online picture but I saw the green on the rack behind the gold and was drawn to it because of the color. I like the “hip cinch” but I’m not sure about the bow. Also, this is very loose on top while the waist is cut a little slimmer. Because of this, the top portion does slip down and doesn’t stay put. The color is gorgeous and I like silhouette. I’m think I’ll wait for a sale on this one though. STS Wishlist
Lemon Liftoff Blouse by Girls from Savoy – Sz 8, I am a huge fan of GFS. This cute owl-print blouse with the neck tie is adorable and whimsy. I consistently wear a size 6 in GFS but had to size up to an 8 due to the tightness around my arms. That’s my only complaint. It fit everywhere else in the size 6 so take your normal size. Will purchase soon

Flori Dress by Girls from Savoy – Sz 6, This is such a beautiful, floaty, flowy “old-school” style dress. I do wish it was about two inches shorter for me (5’2”) but it will love even more lovely on those who are taller than me. Pass

Are you interested in any of these?

/ Uncategorized

Hi everyone! I’m going to try to do a Shoes-day post every Tuesday. As long as I can stay ahead of myself I should have consistent posts.

I’ve been seeing a lot of slip-on loafers for Fall since mid-July from different retailers. When Nordstrom had their sale in July I purchased the Madee in Glitter. I thought they would give my jeans and pants a little pizzazz during the Fall and Winter months when things get a little gloomy. It was hard choosing from the two options at the time, Glitter and Calf-Hair Leopard. Knowing I already had a leopard flat made my decision a little easier.

The Madee is a variation of a men’s formal slipper and comes in 18 different colors and fabric. There is also the Madee-S, a colorful sequined loafer, and Melter, which has spikes at the toe. I took a size 7 and found them to be comfortable during my try-on. I have not worn them “full-time” yet but hope to soon. Currently the Madee, excluding the a few colors & styles, is on sale at SteveMadden.com for $79.95. Other retailers are also offering similar styles at different price points.

Aldo has the Pratillo, Killon, and Buschur for $60-90. The Killon in gold looks very similar to the Darby Loafer by J Crew. That price range is from $198-298. Of course, you are paying for an Italian-made shoe. I have not seen the J Crew Darby Loafer in person. I have seen the Aldo Pratillo and Black Patent Killon and would have purchased either of them if I had not already found the Madee on sale in Black Patent. During that sale I also purchased the Taupe Snakeskin. The Madee loafer has a leather sole with a heel while the Aldo loafer has a synthetic sole with a heel. The J Crew Darby has a flat rubber sole with no heel.

I think these will be my “go-to” shoes for the Fall and Winter. I’m excited to pair the Glitter with my Lolli pants, the Origami Mini in Toile and my trusty Ankle Toothpick jeans.

What do you think of the Madee? Will you be getting a slip-on loafer?

**I do want to disclose that I did exchange the above Madee in Glitter for the same pair. As you can see, the sole was coming unglued. I have not had this happen with the new pair or either of my other two pair.

/ Reviews

Lots of pictures below so let’s get to it.

Blythe Blouse – Extravagant Green, 8 – Love the color and took my normal size in L/S shirts. 

Silk Elodie Blouse – Paradise Blue, 8 – Another great color to go with several items already in my closet (Lolli pants, Cafe Capri in Camel, Viridian Green Pencil Skirt)

Silk Scarf Tank in Floating Rose – Rouge, 4 – I also tried on a 2 in this blouse. I was more comfortable in the 4. I did not like that it was longer in the back. Pass

Natasha Top – Vivid Poppy, 6 – Lovely silk chiffon cami/blouse in THE J Crew color of the season (Almost that I might not be loving it as much. Just bring out the RED already!) Purchase – Versatile blouse to wear alone or layered as we transition to Fall.

Sequin Slouchy Tee – Tawny Sand, S – Cute but it is not lined so you can feel the stitching. Also, I the sequins weren’t laying the same way and I would hate for it to snag on something. Pass

Silk Polka Dot Tee – Navy, 8 – Even though I just wore it for the first time, I quite like my Silk Striped Tee. I did size up due to the smaller cut in the sleeves. Purchase

Puff-sleeve Popover – Vibrant Flame, 8 – I really wanted this shirt. I think the puff-sleeve is so cute but the sleeves are cut smaller and it has a button closure. I even tried on the 10 and was not comfortable in it. Check your stores because this is on sale in the B&M. Sadly Pass

Vintage Matchstick Cord – Vibrant Flame, 30 & 29 – The matchsticks seem to be cut a little differently this year. I am quite comfortable in both the 29 & 30. Again, a great color to welcome Fall. Purchase in the 29
Cafe’ Capri in Plaid Wool – Deep Navy/Blackwatch, 8 – I didn’t realize these were not online so I didn’t get a picture of the tag. These are the Cafe’ Capri in a lightweight wool but are cut a bit smaller. I have the Camel in an 8 and they fit great. These are a little snug for some reason. My PS did say she had to size up too so it wasn’t just me. I really wanted to buy these since the skirt didn’t work out for me (see below). Wishlist Purchase

**Update – This is the Cafe’ Capri in Plaid Wool. It is selling out which is why I couldn’t find it online. Check or call the B&M if you like these pants. I went back and tried on the 8 & 10 and found the 10 to be loose but comfortable and the 8 to fit “just right”. Go figure. Must have been bloated or something on the I first day I tried them on. Needless to say, I did purchase these.
 
Wool Lounge Pant – Heather Charcoal, Sz 8 & 6, #47328, $138 – Now, these are oddly cute. They have an elastic waistband and hem. They are Favorite Fit and run a size big IMO. The 8 was really baggy while the 6 fit much better (2nd/3rd pic). I tried them with my sandals to give a visual of them in heels. I think they would be cute with heels but for the price I’ll Pass.
Jester Sweater – Saddle Flame Carbon, M – Cute but Pass
Flair Skirt in Double-Serge Wool – Cool Pine, 6 – A-line shapes are usually my friend but the Flair Skirt is not. I think it might be where the pleating is but I will not be purchasing this in any color or patter. Pass
No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Blackwatch Plaid – Deep Navy, 6 – This is not a typical pencil skirt. The waist is smaller and there’s pleating below the waistband so it made my normal size 6 in JC pencil skirts a pass. Also, take a look at the side-view picture. There’s some bunchy-ness going on. You’ll probably need to size up one.
Flair Skirt in Plaid – Warm Bark, 8 – A great pattern for the Flair Skirt. Pass
Origami Mini in Check Wool – SGR, 8, #47743, $128  – Pass
Cowlneck Poncho – Grey White, XS – A very cute poncho that is super cozy (shown with the Liquid Silk Skirt in Bright Dahlia). But I just wasn’t comfortable in it. It would a hassle to have to take it off and on while running errands. I would have to make it my main clothing item with a tee or cami underneath. Pass
Double-Breasted Sweater Jacket – Vibrant Flame, M – This is so very Anthropologie. I had a boiled wool cardigan/sweater I purchased from there by Casch. I loved it but it got too small for me. This is reminiscent of that cardigan. The buttons are somewhat difficult because the hole is smaller than the button. Weird. And it leaves fuzz every where. I like it though. Purchase-but may return for the Navy
Streetscape Cape – Saddle Black, S – This is so lovely, but I need a Sherlock Holmes cap and a pipe. And, I felt like 1) doing the robot 2) I had T-rex arms. But I like it.
Metallic Foil Jacquard Dress – Gold Saddle, 8 – The shape is similar to the Darla dress which I tried on here. Cute and material seems nice but I wasn’t a fan of the Darla. This has an exposed back zip but it matches the material (gold). Pass
So, four purchases out of the 19-20 items. I am waiting on my online purchase of the Wool Cafe’ Capri in Maraschino Cherry. Those were immediately back-ordered but should be shipping in a week or two. I can’t wait to see them.
What has caught your eye with the J Crew Fall Arrivals?

/ Uncategorized

Below are a few more items from round 2 of my personal shopping appointment. I modeled most of my outfits for my PS and the store manager that I failed to take a few pictures, especially of one I loved! We had a lot of fun.

Winnie Dress, Black, Sz 6 – This is very comfortable (acrylic/rayon/nylon with a little stretch) but this color attracted quite a bit of fuzz and lint. The size 6 fit well but could have been a little more fitted in the waist. It also comes in Heather Slate.

Blythe Shirtdress, Dark Navy, Sz 6 – This also comes in Pale Camel (how can camel be pale?) and Poppy. I love the length and the skirt on this but the top was snug in my shoulders and arms and pulling across the bust.

Dream Fair Isle Vest, Forest Clementine, Sz S – I like this vest but didn’t like where it hit over this dress. It also comes in Caramel Flame, that has little flashes of pink throughout.

Poppy, Sz 6 – The lighting in this small fitting room made the color of this dress too bright in the picture. I loved this color and had a hard time deciding which one I wanted more.

Dark Navy, Sz 8 – This is a much better fit for me throughout the top. I take an 8 in the Blythe shirt as well. I’m thinking of shortening the sleeves and make it more like the Ruthie Shirtdress. 

Maisie Dress, Getaway Green, Sz 6 – This is a very flowy dress with pockets. I like the color of this and it also comes in Graphite, Waterfloral and Abstract Floral Violet. I think the arms are a little clingy and I think the elastic waist will probably not stay put. I think I would pair it with a leopard belt.

No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Double-Serge Wool, Vibrant Flame, Sz 6 – Oh, this color is just so lovely. Y’all know that. My PS paired it with the Elodie Sleeveless Blouse in Stripes, Black, Sz 6. I really debated on getting this skirt but in the end I didn’t. I have a recent Ann Taylor purchase of an orange skirt in cotton that will get more use than this one in wool. 

No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Vintage Tweed, Blush, Sz 6 – Such a pretty Chanel-esque skirt. Also comes in Navy. This is paired with the Perfect Shirt with French Cuffs in French Blue, Sz 6. I had the Merino V-Neck Sweater in Viridian Green over the Shirt.

Look at the cute waistband on the interior of the skirt. LOVE!

Perfect Shirt with Bronze Buttons in Navy Plaid, Sz 6, paired with the Merino Pleated Skirt in Saddle, Sz M, and the Greer Wedge Ankle Boot, Cognac, Sz 7. I told myself no more plaid or stripes but this shirt was so cute and soft I couldn’t pass it up. The skirt is great and I hiked it up for a high-waisted look. I can see it looking great like that with a different shirt and a wide belt. I would size to a Small if I bought it but I’m passing for now.

Merino Boyfriend Sweatshirt, Heather Fern, Sz S – This is meant to be very oversized. When I see the words “Boyfriend Sweatshirt” I think of slouchy and oversized, not wide with dolman sleeves. My PS paired it with the Cafe Capri in Houndstooth Wool, Sz 8. This is my normal fit/size in the Wool Cafe Capri and JC pants in general.

No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Plaid, Sz 6 – This skirt is wool but was very lightweight from what I can remember. Added to my wishlist.

Hacking Jacket in Herringbone, Charcoal, Sz 6 –
Vintage Cotton Stripe Baseball Tee, Heather Flannel, Sz M
Trouser Jean, Dark Rinse, Sz 8
As you can see, the Hacking Jacket in a size 6 is more nipped and fitted at the waist but I could barely move my arms. (Something like “Fat man in a little coat.” a la Tommy Boy. Chris Farley was hysterical.) The tee is great and cozy, with stripes only on the sleeves. My PS pulled the Trouser Jeans because she knew I liked the Flare but would have had to take the hem up about 8 inches. These are just as long on me. While the Flare did not lose it’s ‘flare-shape’ at the bottom when I cuffed it, these did seem to lose their ‘boot-cut’ shape.

And this was the final outfit that my PS put together that I failed to take a picture of.
Origami Mini in Peony, Dream Fair Isle Vest in Caramel Flame, Perfect Shirt in Medium Gingham in Classic Pink
I thought this was a great outfit and tied the pink tones together well. I am becoming a fan of this print that this on the skirt. Would pairing this with the Darby Glitter Loafers be too much? I have a similar pair by Steve Madden that I bought for half the Darby price. And those come in 20 different colors, materials and patterns.

I can’t wait until the cooler temps finally get here.

Have a Great Day!