/ Reviews

I mentioned during my review of the Patio Pant in Bi-Stretch Wool that I had ordered the Tux Stripe version. They finally arrived and I absolutely love them! They will be a great alternative to skirts or dresses for the Holiday events when the weather is colder.

 ~ Patio Pant with Leather Tux Stripe in Bi-Stretch Wool, Black, 8 Petite ~

I ordered the 8 Petite because I wanted them to be cropped like they are in the model image online. They hit just above the ankle in the Petite. The slacks fit great in the Petite through the waist, hips and thighs. I’ll keep the pockets closed for as long as I can as I like the sleek look and I rarely use my front pockets.
 
I came up with two different ways to wear these Patio Pants. First is with flats and what I would wear to the office.
~ Merino Cardigan, J Crew (J Crew, Loft) ~
~ Polka Dot Blythe Blouse, J Crew (J Crew, Bluefly) ~
~ Candy Studded Flats, Christian Louboutin (old) (Dillard’s, Kenneth Cole)
 
And here’s the second outfit with a solid Cashmere sweater and fun heels. Just add a favorite necklace and you’re ready for a nice dinner or casual Holiday party.
~ Cashmere Tee, J Crew (Nordstrom Rack, Macy’s) ~
~ Etta Printed Heels, J Crew (J Crew, Guess) ~
 
Have you tried the Patio Pant or seen the Patio Pant with Leather Tux Stripe in person? Our weather is starting to cool off at night so I’m hoping I can wear these on our next date night.

/ Reviews

I have a few more items to review from my latest Factory visit.

~ Classic Button-Down Shirt in Flannel, Dark Chambray, Medium ~
I loved this blue color with the white pop. The shirt was also very comfortable. It’s not heavy but lightweight for flannel. The Medium fit well, which is my normal Factory shirt size. Unfortunately it’s not quite a color fit for my closet so I passed on it.
~ Homespun Popover Shirt, Barnett Plaid, Small ~
I loved this shirt. I originally thought it was Linen but instead is Cotton. It looks familiar and I think I may have bought this for my niece in August. Twins! This was almost sold through in-store and it’s probably because it’s lightweight enough for Central Texas Fall weather. I tried on a Small and luckily it fit with just a tiny little bit of snug in the upper arms.
~ Ribbed Knit Sweater-Dress, Heather Flannel, Small ~
This dress was an unexpected surprise. I would layer under it rather than over it. The Small fit well so I would say to size down, as my normal size is Medium. I liked the Heather Flannel and it also comes in black. Add a little Spanx and this is a great easy dress to wear.
 
~ Owl Collector Tee, Medium ~
If you’re still into the graphic or sequin tee this is a cute one to get. The sequins are mostly white with a little brown outline and around the eyes and nose. Also, the Elephant Tee is a exact dupe of the retail version. Almost like the cut out the tag and replaced it with a Factory tag. I did get another of those as I love wearing mine a lot.
~ 3″ Boardwalk Pull-on Short, Dark Forest, size 8 ~
I’m not sure if this color has sold out online or was an in-store only color. It’s a gorgeous Forest Green IRL. I also saw the Autumn Crimson and it’s just as saturated and perfect for Fall. The size 8 was the best fit on me. I was able to pull the waistband down a little so the 3-inch inseam isn’t that short.
 
~ Classic Wool Fedora, Burnished Brown ~
I absolutely loved this Fedora and it came home with me. The brown does read a little more on the red/burgundy side. I wish the Heather Carbon had been in-store as I might have chosen that one as well. It also comes in black.
That’s it for my Factory arrivals from a few weeks ago. Early Access for the latest October roll-out happened today so everything will be accessible tomorrow. I didn’t really see anything I needed to had to have. I hope I can make it to the Factory store again soon so I can the new arrivals IRL.

What do you think of these items? Or are you happy to see new arrivals at the Factory?

/ Reviews

With the temps changing I’m always interested in additional outerwear to add to my closed. I usually go for a new blazer each Fall season since I wear those the most. I have a few coat options if the weather warrants it.

~ Wool Blazer, Green, size 8 ~

I am so happy I was able to see this blazer in-store. The green color is perfect for Fall and I have quite a few outfit ideas for it already. The size 8 fit fine though I prefer 10 Petite. I ended up buying this one since it was 50% off in-store and online was about $15-20 higher at the time. I usually don’t button my blazers but do layer under them.
~ Bonded Trench Coat, Medium ~

I found the perfect trench at the Banana Republic Factory Store so I was very underwhelmed when I tried this one on. The material is a little thicker, not much, but enough to notice. The sleeves have an elastic cuff and there’s no belt. There’s that collar strap hanging on the left but I couldn’t find a button on the right to connect it to.

The fit was good in the Medium and enough room for some layers.

I didn’t personally like this one and would have like to have compared it to the Trench Coat.

I debated between getting this vest or the Wool Blazer and chose the blazer. I loved this vest though. The Small fit well, same as my excursion vest size. I know some have sized down two sizes but I like the Small on me.

I really do like the Sherpa lining and it comes out so you can wear this into Spring. There’s a front zip and buttons and front flap pockets.

There is also an interior drawstring so you can cinch the waist. At the time I was in-store, this was 50% off. I highly recommend this vest, in case you’re still debating.

~ Quilted Jacket, Navy, Medium ~
I tried this on for the blog only but really liked it. The Medium was a great fit and still enough room to layer underneath. I liked the Navy color personally but I think the store was selling out of all three colors.

There’s a front-zip and buttons and high collar.

I liked that the sleeves had an interior elastic cuff to help keep the cold out.

The Wool Blazer did come home with me and the Sherpa Lined Utility Vest was very very tempting.

What do you think of this set of outwear?

/ Reviews

Like I mentioned Sunday, I was able to visit the J Crew Factory to look at the arrivals from a few weeks ago. This week will be the next roll-out. I’m guessing Early Access will be Tuesday and the full roll-out on Wednesday.

~ Chevron Stitch Boatneck Sweater, Heather Safari, Small ~

This fit well in the Small. The arms are a little snug but I like how it skims the body. Sizing to a Medium will make this too loose for my liking. This is a merino wool blend but felt very comfortable and soft on. I like the Heather Safari color as well with the striped neckline, wrists and hem.

~ Intarsia Zebra Sweater, Gentle Sea Ivory, Small ~
This was on my wishlist from the beginning. I don’t care for the light blue of the sweater but the zebra is cute. The Small fit well and I wouldn’t size up, even if I was layering underneath. After seeing this IRL though I decided not to buy it. I have a lot of sweaters and usually wear my Cashmere Sweaters the most.
It’s always good to visit the Factory or new Mercantile store in-person if you can as the promos are usually different from online. At the time I visited, everything was between 40-60% off. Both of these sweaters were 50% off.
What do you think of these sweaters? Are you excited to see what new arrivals bring to the Factory?

/ Reviews

Last up today for dresses are two I didn’t except to ever try on or even love.

~ Paper Crown Florette Maxi Dress, size 6 ~

This was a return to my store and though I knew it would be long on me I really liked the retro style and was happy to try it on. The size 6 is too small for me. I couldn’t get it zipped past the waistband so I would get the size 8. I think the 8 Petite would still be too snug in that area. The top didn’t drape very well but only because of the zip issue. I see the potential in it and in the right size will drape nicely. The length was long, as expected and would need some hemming.
 

Both sides of the skirt portion have slits that may only show when moving. This dress would be a nice alternative to a cocktail dress and you’ll still look and feel glamorous.

~ Byron Lars Carissima Sheath, Black, size 6 ~
A variation of this dress by Byron Lars has been around for a while but it’s the first time I’ve tried one on. My store had a return of the Black in a size 6 and decided to try it on just to gauge the fit. I was surprised at how well this size fit. I couldn’t get the back to zip all the way but that’s just due to reach. The lace arms were not too tight and didn’t feel like they were going to shred at any moment.
 

I really like the Navy as it’s such a different color option than black but still nice and dark. This dress made me feel sexy and thin. I am debating on ordering the size 8 as I’m a little worried about arm movement and the lace limiting that. But, it’s no wonder it has an almost 5-star review at Anthropologie. It’s definitely a dress for everyone.

What are you thoughts on these two dresses? Have you ever tried on the Byron Lars dress?