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My next stop after Madewell was the C. Wonder store. I’ve purchased from them before and have loved what I have so far. I knew there was a store at Santana Row but the Grand Opening wasn’t until the Friday I was leaving for San Francisco. I was happy to see that the store had opened early and I would only miss the festivities of the Grand Opening and not the soft opening of the store.

The store itself was bright and beautiful. I was immediately drawn to one of the front mannequins that had the Blackwatch Jeans (below). I did a walk-around first and grabbed a few items to try on. I have been hesitant to order clothing from them in case sizing was smaller or larger than what I think I am.

Plaid Wool Blend Hacking Jacket, Size 8, Wintergreen – I am finding I vary in Blazer sizes depending on the material. The size 8 was a good fit, especially over other layered items. I loved this Blazer and the only reason I didn’t get it was because I didn’t have the room in my bag for it. As soon as there’s a promo I will definitely snatch it up. I love the mint throughout the pattern as well as the Mint lining. And it has perfectly placed elbow patches.

Metallic Wool Blend Blazer, Size 8, Coffee – Coffee is brown. This is Gold. Despite the name color discrepancy this is a beautiful blazer. If I had a need for a Gold Blazer (i.e. Didn’t work from home but in an office.) I would get this/wishlist this blazer.

Polka Dot Silk Pullover, Size Medium, Wintergreen/Navy – I brought this in to try on under the blazers and ended up liking it. Not enough to purchase there but it’s on my Wishlist. I cannot resist Mint. (Yes, C. Wonder has a Wishlist. No waiting around for years.)

Cabled Crewneck Tunic Sweater, Size Medium – The Medium was a good fit and I could probably size to a Small if I wanted. I love the high-low hem but I can’t recall if this was long enough in the back to wear with leggings/Pixie Pants, cause I am covering that booty.  (All sweaters currently 30% off through Nov 11)

Silk and Jersey Ballet Neck Sweatshirt, Size Small???, Navy – This was an unexpected like. It’s very cozy and has an elbow patch. The arms are a little snug which makes me think I grabbed a Small and not a Medium. I do like this better than the full Silk Sweatshirt offered by J Crew.

Stretch Skinny Blackwatch Jeans, Size 29 – This size was a good fit and sizing up would be a touch loose and even more so throughout the day. This is my J Crew Matchstick size. I was also Spanxing it that day and probably would even when I wear these just to smooth out certain places. I love the Blackwatch pattern and have several items in my closet to wear with these jeans. For my day-to-day, the jeans are a much better option than previous years J Crew and Factory offerings of Trousers and Cafe’ Capri Pants. 
 

The Evil Eye Bangle was too kitschy to pass up. I wore this the rest of my vacation.

C. Wonder has only been around for a few years with a store or two in New York and an online presence. They are now expanding and opening stores throughout the country. I hope they come to Texas! 
If you register for an account you can add items to your Wishlist AND also review items on the site. If you register for emails you will receive 20% off your full-price purchase. If you share an item (Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) you’ll receive Free Shipping. I don’t think you can stack promo items (20% + Free Ship) but the Free Ship would be good to use when they have a percent off sale or specific items. Lastly, there is no promo code to remember when they have one. Promos are automatically applied at Check-Out! 
C. Wonder always has items I like and I love their Monogram Shop. I also purchased the Stencil Initial Letter Cuff as they were having 30% off all Monogram items and have already worn it several times. If you have a pup, they also have the most adorable sweaters, jackets and accessories! As far as sizing, they are in line with what I wear at J. Crew. I can now happily add clothing items to my wishlist without hesitation. 
Right now, C. Wonder has 30% off sale items and 30% off full-priced sweaters through Nov. 11.
Have you been to C. Wonder lately? Do you have a retail store near you? (Jealous!!!)

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My first retail stop of my day after getting a blow out at Dry Bar was Madewell. I was really excited as I have never been to one and just have the Western Jean Shirt I found at the outlet. Other than that one shirt I didn’t have any idea as to how sizing would run. Being a sister company under the J Crew brand I thought things might run smaller than J Crew so I am very happy to have been able to try on different items to gauge sizing.

I found the Western Jean Shirt again, this time in Gravel. I tried on a Medium, since that was the same as the outlet find, and the fit was perfect. I love the ease of wearing this shirt and the snap-buttons make this so easy to put on.

The Berry Plaid Boyshirt is sold out on Madewell.com but you can find it on ShopBob. This shirt feels soft and very comfortable on. I’m wearing a Medium and wouldn’t size up. The darker red you see is more Cranberry or even Maroon. It paired (very bottom of post) very well with my Factory Clare Cardigan in Cabernet.

I loved the over-sized look of the Viewpoint Sweater. I have on a Small in the first two pics and an Extra Small in the third pic below. As you can see, I’ve also layered this sweater and it is still really over-sized. Since my normal Madewell size seems to be a Medium I would size down two sizes and get the XS. It is currently included in the 25% Off All Sweaters promo, through 11/11.

My favorite item was the Striped Pleat Skirt. I have on a size 8 in the first pic and a size 6 in the 2nd and 3rd pics. The 8 was loose and the 6 was perfect in the waist. The length was not too short for me and this has pockets!

Image was lightened some so you can see the contrasting navy/black stripes.

Another skirt I liked was the Structured Pleat Skirt. The website says this is a “Midlength Mini” and “24 inches long”. I am wearing an 8 and could size to a 6. You can see the length is just below the knee on me. The Striped Skirt above is more fun to wear and that’s the one I chose.

Lastly, the Leather Pocket Mini-Dress was an item I saw online before I left and really wanted to try on. I have on a Medium in the first two images and a Small in the second two. The length on the Medium was great but the fit was loose through the chest, waist and hips.

 

The fit of the Small felt much better. The length came up about an inch in the Small but I will be wearing leggings and tights under this dress.

  
I purchased the shirts and the tunic as I was limited on space in my bag. At the time, I knew Madewell was having 40% off sale items but the store had a limited sale section. When I was back at the hotel I looked online and saw the Striped Pleat Skirt was on sale, and included in the 40% off so I quickly ordered it along with the Linen Los Angeles Tee, to qualify for free shipping. And now the cozy sweater is on sale so I’ll have to decide whether to buy now or wait for a sale or pass altogether. 
I also fell in lust with the Barnwood Boot in Golden Spinach. It looks gray but has a shade of green in it. And go see ShOperaRach, who also has some Madewell items reviewed. 
Have a Great Day!
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We are back from my wonderful West Coast vacation and with the exception of our Denver layover, we had a great time. Layering was key for this trip and I really loved everything I put together and wore.

Travel/Day 1 – This was my airport/airplane look. I then layered when we arrived in San Jose.
JC Matchstick Jeans, JC White Oxford, Kate Spade Bangle, KS Glasses Ring, JC Cece Ballet Flats

Once we arrived in San Jose, I added my Factory Clare Cardigan, Excursion Vest and Printed Airy Wool Scarf. It was perfect as the sun went down.

Day 2/Shopping Day – I was alone on Day 2 and spent the whole day shopping and eating on Santana Row. Loved it! I visited my first Madewell store as well as H&M and C.Wonder. AND! I experienced my first blow-out at Dry Bar. That was a lot of fun and a great way to start my shopping day!

JC Silk Blythe in Polka Dot, JC Jackie, Ankle Toothpick Jeans in Dolphin Gray, Lexington Blazer, Burberry Scarf, Cece’s, Michael Kors Cross-body Bag in Gray (found at TJ Maxx), Alex and Ani Bracelets

The scarf was good for the morning and I tucked it in my bag during the afternoon.

I found these Alex and Ani Bracelets at Nordstrom the day before I left on vacation. There were so many to choose from but narrowed it down to these three. I wore these every day except the travel days so I didn’t have to mess with them through security.

Day 3/San Francisco Drive – We took the scenic route to San Francisco so I wanted to be comfortable in the car.

All J Crew: Pixie Pants with Tuxedo Stripe, Drapey Crepe Tunic, Excursion Vest, Cece Flats, Deco Necklace (new, in-store)

Day 4 – We had brunch and then were off to explore a little of San Francisco.

JC Merino Pocket Tunic, JC Toothpick Jeans, JC Lexington Blazer, Michael Kors bag, JC Necklace

I changed for dinner into the Medallion Tie-Silk Skirt and Tippi Sweater. I debated on wearing the Janey’s but since I hadn’t broken them in like I thought I would I stuck with the Cece’s. I added the Lexington Blazer to complete this look.

Day 5/Travel – Headed back home and though I really wanted to wear those Toothpick Jeans again I opted for something a little more clean.

Madewell Shirt, Factory Clare Cardigan, Cropped Matchstick Jeans, Cece Flats

I tweaked my packing right before we left and overall loved everything I brought with me. They all mixed and matched so well. My favorite item HAD to be the Toothpick Jeans in Dolphin Gray. Who knew they would be extremely versatile? I will have to get another pair. I wore them 3 times on vacation and am wearing them again today. I didn’t wear a few items either including the Janey Flats. The Cece Ballet Flats in Black were THE.PERFECT.SHOE for everything I had, even the dressier skirt and Tippi Sweater. 
The weather was gorgeous and how Gigi described it, cool in the mornings and warming up in the afternoons. Layering was so key to everything and the Lexington Blazer was perfect for this trip. If I was warm it was not too heavy to carry on my arm, or put in my 10 cent bag. 
Have a Great Day! As soon as I find some time I’ll post some reviews of Madewell, C.Wonder and Anthropologie. 
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I made some returns to J Crew and I found a few items to try on from the new arrivals.

The Pleated Stretch Flannel Dress caught my eye online and I’m happy I was able to try it on, in a Size 6. I could Spanx it in a 6 but I would prefer a little wiggle room and would size to an 8. The material was flannel with a little stretch. I like the fit-and-flare shape and am a big fan of A-line skirts. I would also probably buy the Heather Indigo instead of this Heather Flannel color.

My VPS suggested I try on the Stretch Herringbone Skinny Cargo Pant, Size 8. I liked the Herringbone part of the pant but this was a little too skinny for my hips and thighs. The 8 was the right fit.

I was not a fan of the Lace-Trim Swiss-Dot Top in the Style Guide but liked it once I tried it on. I have on a size 6 and this seems to run big. I would normally be satisfied with the 8. The body is lined while the sleeves are not. This would be a good work top but also work well with denim, I’m thinking my new Toothpick Jeans in Dolphin Grey.

The Toothpick Cords in Neon Amethyst are gorgeous IRL. I fell in love with this color and it was on sale too! Sadly for me, I already have a similar color, not as bright, from a few years ago so I passed on these. I took my normal size 30 for the Toothpick Jeans/Cords.

I own the Matchstick Cords in Sea Salt and love the color, size 29. I debated on whether or not to get a second pair in this same color but decided against it. I paired it with the Jaspe Tunic in Heather Silver, which looks more Ivory/Cream IRL, and the Houndstooth Baseball Cap. Now, I know the Jaspe knits are comfortable but I originally thought this was the Vintage Sweatshirt and about choked when I saw the price tag…$118! The size Small was a good fit in the Tunic but major pass on this Tunic.

What do you think about some of these? Interested in any? 
Have a Great Day!
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I stopped in to Anthropologie to peruse the sale section one day and found some non-sale items to try on. The sale section was small, like everything had been purchased or shipped elsewhere.

The Starlit Stripes Dress by Leifsdottir caught my eye immediately. I knew I would need a size 8 but there was only a size 6 to try on. I could not get it zipped past my rib cage so an 8 is the correct size for me, in Leifsdottir. The sparkly top with the beautiful teal and black striped metallic midi skirt is so pretty. I love the color combination and will try to recreate it with something else. Unfortunately, the length is all wrong for me. The model online has 6 stripes on the skirt so I’m betting it was altered to get it to just-below-the-knee length for her. I so wish I could wear this dress. I’d have to alter it and remove 4-5 stripes and that would probably throw off the shape of the dress, maybe making the bottom even fuller than it is. This will be a wonderful party dress for taller ladies, like my friend Catalina. Sadly, I have to pass on this dress.

     

The store styling has a glittery belt and the Swirled Fur Cowl in Cream. Just gorgeous!

Another item that caught my was the Lattice Blossom Top by Weston Wear. I tried on the Black in a Small and the Ivory in a Medium. This was so pretty in both colors but I liked the fit of the Small and the Black color the best. This will be wonderful dressed down with denim or cords or dressed up with a silk or sequined party skirt.

I have lots of time to kill today so I’ll be in lots of fitting rooms for some show-and-tell next week!
Happy Halloween!