/ Bella Picks

This bow pump is my favorite thing from the J Crew Factory roll-out. The color along with the embossed faux-snakeskin is gorgeous. I’ll have to order these online as I know my Factory and Mercantile stores won’t carry them. But I need these in my life!

The Vintage Scarf has made it’s appearance at the Factory in a shirt, skirt and dress. I feel I need to get the Hound Dog tee in honor of our dog Gus. The little bow tie around the neck is the cutest.

There are also some repeats in the new rollout. I find the quality between the retail and factory puffer vests to be the same. I have both in different colors and they fit, wash and wear the same.

Currently, all new arrivals are “up to” 40% off, through Sunday. And you can take 50% off “Wear Now Styles”, so basically sleeveless tops, tees, and shorts.

Happy Shopping!

/ Bella Picks

J.Crew had new Fall arrivals on Tuesday and they brought all the #ShinyPonies. I seriously have more shoes added to my wishlist than clothes from this roll-out. I seriously think I need every pair.

I will probably, finally, buy my first pair of Kiki’s but now I just need to pick which one. The calf-hair flats would look great with jeans, but the cap-toe is very classic and Chanel-esque. I would pick the Elsie Suede Pumps in Chartreuse over the India Blue but then get that color in the Cece Flats. And the Avery Heels in Tweed are unlike any pair I have in my closet. Of course, there is this Mary Jane style from the #NSale.


I received the Style Guide last week and did pre-order the Bee Tippi. There’s also a Perfect Shirt and socks if you’re adverse to getting another Tippi Sweater. Of the destination art tees the Paris and Rome are my faves. I do expect there will be Factory versions of these tees. And how pretty is the All-Day Tote in Vintage Indigo? I love that J.Crew is adding back saturated colors to their bags. I haven’t bought one from them in a very long time.

So many pretty things to chose from, especially the #ShinyPonies. What are your picks from this latest roll-out?

/ Bella Picks

It’s really hard to even think about Fall, especially Fall shopping but the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale helps you look forward to it. Early Access for one of the best sales of the year is going on now – the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. If you have a Nordstrom Debit or Credit Card you can shop the sale today. The sale will open up for all shoppers on Friday, July 22. This is no ordinary sale. You get to shop new, Fall items that are temporarily marked down. Shopping early ensures you get the item you want. Quantities are limited and a lot sell out fast.

I took advantage last year and bought The Boy some Onitsuka Tiger sneakers. I was hoping I could get him to switch to these leather Sperry’s but he chose the Onitsuka Tiger sneakers again. I also added a few more pair of Tommy John trunks to Husband’s collection. He also likes the Traditional Fit shirts from Nordstrom.

For me, shoes and boots are the first things I look at. I received the Early Access catalog so I was able to dog-ear some pages on items I wanted before the actual sale. I’m really digging the Navy Suede boots by Ugg. Over-the-knee boots are still on-trend and it looks like, maybe, the Vince Camuto Melaya would accommodate my large calves. If not, the Frye Melissa Button boot will work, though it’s not over-the-knee.


Something to note is that not all colors or style of an item are included. For example, the Melissa Button Boot I have linked to is a wide-calf option, in Cognac or Slate. These same colors are on sale in the regular boot option. But, the colors of Black, Cognac and Dark Brown Leather in the same boot are not included in the sale. And if that’s not confusing, the Cognac color that’s on sale is a little more distressed, in the pictures, than the non-sale. As long as you are using the Early Access link and then the Anniversary Sale link (launching on Friday) you will have no issues with getting the sale item. From there, you can then filter down to what you are looking for.

Of course, I bought my favorite bra, introduced to me by a reader of the blog during last year’s sale. I’m also looking for a new cross-body bag, in a Fall color. Though the shearling vest would be cozy, I like the faux leather drape jacket more. The Kate Spade sleepshirts are really cute, especially the bows. This Alice & Olivia dress isn’t the one I really want but is cute none-the-less.


The sale will open to everyone on July 22 and run until August 8. I like the convenience of the debit card as the money comes out of my checking account and I still get to earn points, have a Triple Point Day and other perks that a credit card holder might have. I also like it because I set aside a specific amount for this sale. I can’t go over that amount like I could with a credit card.

Happy Shopping! I hope you get what you’re looking for before it sells out.

/ 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.

CirqueSwingDress

~ 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?

/ Reviews

On my birthday a few weeks ago, the Tag Sale items got “even better” with an additional 30% off sale items. Sadly, that promo ended yesterday. I did spend the morning of my birthday in-store, shopping for sale items from my wishlist. Unfortunately, I only ended up getting one sale item, the Herringbone Napkins. A lot of what I wanted was not available in my store.

Most of my purchases that day were full-price items, but I did have my birthday discount to use. We are in the process of painting again, this time in the hallway and kitchen. I want to use teal and aqua colors wherever possible in the kitchen and dining and the colors of both the Sibylla Spoon Rest and Puglia Tablecloth are what I’m looking for. Though the spoon rest is on back-order until August I was able to find it in-store, as well as the Puglia Napkins. And I preferred those over the tablecloth since I found a similar one at TJ Maxx that day.

I like the colors of the cheese board and it goes with my Molly Hatch items, like this measuring cup. I also tried on a few dresses, one of which was my birthday dress, and I’ll share some fitting room pics with you tomorrow.