/ Reviews

During one of the promos a few weeks ago, I noticed that a few of my wishlist shoes went on sale. I had to try them to see if I really wanted them so I placed a really big order. Let’s see how they all worked out.

~ Elsie Pumps in Mixed Plaid, size 7 ~

These are not on sale but I wanted to try them before they sold out. I love the colors of this plaid and I have the shirt-dress in this print. I am a 7 in most J Crew shoes but am a 6 1/2 in the Elsie. That size was sold out so I ordered the 7, knowing it would be a little big. I would need an insert to make sure they didn’t fall off while I walked but otherwise they felt fine. These are really cute IRL and the heel is a blue plaid. Unfortunately, I really think the 6 1/2 is the better fit in the Elsie and so these were returned.

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~ Elsie Plaid Pumps with Bow, size 6 1/2 ~

I was in love with these the moment I saw them online. The print is one of my favorites and there are several shoe styles to choose from (espadrille, flat, slides, sandals) in this print. The size 6 1/2 in these Elsie Pumps are a much better fit. The little bow is set off to the side giving the pump a little sass, IMO. I did end up returning these, even though they were gorgeous IRl, but only because of the next shoe.

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~ Printed Multi-Strap Sandals, size 7 ~

These babies are lovely. Surprisingly, I don’t have a lot of heeled sandals. Espadrille wedges or flat sandals are what I usually wear in Summer. But these are perfect for jeans, skirts, shorts, everything! I chose the size 7 because I was afraid the 6 1/2 would be too tight across the toe. These are perfect at that point thought a little on the long side, as you can see from the slight gap at the heel. The straps around the ankle are a little short and could be about a quarter inch longer with one more notch to buckle.

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I wearing these today with some cropped jean and they have been comfortable so far, with the exception of the strap, which I moved to the last notch.

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~ Gemma Tortoise Flats, size 6 1/2 ~

I’ve finally found some Tortoise shoes I will wear. The Gemma are a PVC upper with leather lining and sole. There are three little holes at the arch, for a little airflow I’m sure. There’s a little protector at the toe tip inside the shoe that you can barely notice. The size 6 1/2 works for me in the Gemma. I slip out of the size 7s. I haven’t worn these yet and am worried about one reviewer online who said that hers started cracking. I’ll certainly report back if there are any issues found after wearing them for a bit.

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I kept both the Printed Multi-Strap Sandals and the Gemma Tortoise Flats as they were at the top of my wishlist. I tend to wear solid-colored heels and didn’t think I would get enough wear from the Elsie Pumps in Mixed Plaid and Elsie Plaid Pumps with Bow.

Happy Shoes-Day!

/ Reviews

~ Bow-Shoulder Top in Oversized Gingham, size 8 ~

I liked the look of this top but the fit was odd for me. I don’t know if the bow, which unties, was the reason but the top felt uneven. The only way to get this on was to pull it over your head. The bow does untie so you have a little more room at the opening. It could also be that there’s extra material in the top, to accommodate for the bow. Either way, I wasn’t a fan of the style though I like the print and colors.

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~ Off-the-Shoulder Top in Ratti Happy Cat Print, size 6 ~

I’ve read several reviews of the off-the-shoulder tops from J Crew that they are not staying put so I haven’t tried them. My VPS added this to my room. This should have been called “confetti print”. I don’t see a “happy cat” anywhere on here. But the print itself is fun and would be cute for Summer. It looks ok as a regular top, not off-the-shoulder.

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But the off-the-shoulder is so much more fun. I’m in a size 6 and that fit really well. I passed on this only because I bought one I’ve been wanting for months from another brand. I’ll share that review soon.

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~ Tippi Sweater in Blue-Emerald Gingham, Medium ~

This blue-emerald color of the Gingham Tippi is really pretty IRL. I happened to be wearing an ivory tank that day so it helps hide some of the sheerness of the sweater. I wish this had been in a lightweight cotton instead, as we are now too warm to be wearing thin merino wool. Of all the colors in the Gingham Tippi, I think I liked the Vivid Canary best.

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~ Short-Sleeve Popover in Vintage Plaid, Berry Multi, size 6 ~

I immediately wanted this top when I saw it online. The purples looked so pretty online. When I saw it in-store, the colors were more muted and faded. I prefer the blue in the shirt-dress. This runs big through the body but I can wear both the size 6 and 8. I prefer the fit of the sleeve in the size 8, over the size 6.

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You’ll have to fuss with the shirt a bit to tuck it in and make it look presentable and less sloppy but it does look nice.

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~ Short-Sleeve Popover in White Irish Linen, White, size 8 ~

The linen popover shirts were my favorite of all the popovers. I’ve been searching for some linen tops with short-sleeves for a while. I found one a Zara, in White, a few years ago, and one in Black and Gap last year but I wanted additional colors. This fit like the Vintage Plaid popover and, though this runs big, I do prefer the size 8 over the 6. Go ahead and size down in this one. You will still get the slouchy, casual look that your normal size would create.

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~ Short-Sleeve Popover in Irish Linen, French Blue, size 6 ~

The only real different I felt in the size 6 was the length. It wasn’t cropped but did feel a little shorter than the size 8. The French Blue is a pretty color IRL but I already have 3 various blues in long-sleeve linen.

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~ Short-Sleeve Popover in Irish Linen, Golden Rose/Warm Emerald, size 8 ~

Out of these two colors, I preferred the Warm Emerald over the Golden Rose. These were taken after my vacation so you can see how they both look with a tan.

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~ Short-Sleeve Popover in Candy Stripe, size 6 ~

Again, this fit like the other popovers above but the stripes, yeah, not my taste. I do think you can pull this off with skinny white jeans or a denim skirt. Nothing too wide-leg or flowy on bottom.

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So, as you can see, I liked the popovers and it was just a matter of deciding which print and material I wanted to get. I chose the linen over all of them. You can still take 25% off with SUMMER or 30% off with your J Crew Card and CARDSONLY, through today.

Happy Shopping!

/ Reviews

I’m excited to share these reviews with you. I really liked a lot from the last few roll-outs. The Linen and Plaids have been some of my favorites. I do wish there were a few more fitted shirt styles but I can find those elsewhere.

~ Gallabia Peru Mini Dress, Small ~

The description for this dress stated it was a slim fit but it looked a bit over-sized on the model image. (A quick note, this is in the Beach and Cover-Up section and not the Dresses.) I ordered the Small due to the image and it does fit. The shoulders and arms are good to a little bit, especially in the arms. The arm-length is a bit long for me. If it wasn’t for the elastic band at the end this would extend to the middle of my hand. The body is a bit more fitted, just skimming my chest and hips. Since this is a cover-up the Medium would work better. You don’t want to struggle getting out of a cover-up while at the pool or beach.

The embroidery is beautiful. The front closes with a hook-and-eye at the bottom. Above that are two sets of tassels. Here, I’ve tied the bottom set and left the top undone.

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I tried this on without the belt first and the dress shifted around a bit. The belt did keep it a bit more in-place. You can also see the pockets so this is see-through, again, perfect for a cover-up; not so much for a dress unless you wear nude lingerie under. Overall, I ended up returning this. I didn’t think this was worth $250 price tag.

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~ Classic Short-Sleeve Shirtdress in Gingham, Small ~

These shirt-dresses are my favorite and I’m glad they are offered in different prints and material this year. I was tempted to order the solid black but was happy to see the black-and-white gingham as an option. The Small fits fine and I like how it gives me some shape at the waist. I have the white and navy from last year in a Small and wear them with wedges. That brings the length up some making sitting down very lady-like.

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~ Classic Short-Sleeve Shirtdress in Gingham, Medium ~

The medium was a bit looser through the body but the length was much better. Especially since I’ll continue to wear it with wedges. I don’t have a lot of black clothes in my closet so it’s nice to have this as an option.

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~ Candy-Stripe Dress, Small ~

I was interested in this dress when I saw it online but the fit is definitely TTS. The material is a little thicker cotton than the gingham and solid shirt-dress which may be contributing to the fit issue. I would need a medium in this dress though it would probably be way too big through the waist and hips.

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~ Short-Sleeve Cotton Shirtdress, Coral, Small ~

Here’s the solid coral shirt-dress. You can really see the length and how short it can get with heels or wedges on. The coral is really bright as well but I felt like it blended a little with my skin tone.

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~ Shirtdress in Vintage Plaid, Small ~

Most reviewers really don’t like this shirt-dress but I love it. It does run large and I felt the Small was a really good, to somewhat oversized, fit. I bought this for my trip and wore it several times. The material (cotton) is thin but it worked so well in the heat and humidity I was in. I didn’t find it see-through but what I wear underneath are usually nude and not something bright. I’ve wear this at least once a week. It’s a bit wrinkled here but irons nicely.

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The last shirt-dress is my favorite. I’ll be wearing the Gingham Dress soon, hopefully this weekend.

Which of these shirt-dresses have you tried?

/ Reviews

I was sent a survey from Anthropologie last week and upon completion received a 15% off promo code. MamaBella wanted me to order a dress for her so I decided to check the store to see if there was anything I wanted as well. I grabbed random dresses to try on along with the one MamaBella wanted.

~ Left Coast Ribbed Flare Dress, by Dolan, Navy, Small ~

I really liked this dress. It’s a pullover fit-and-flare dress and of the other colors I saw online (white, red, mint) the navy is the prettiest with the heathered look. The Small was definitely the best fit. The length is a few inches above my knee but I see this as a casual summer dress for outdoor BBQs or food truck park visits.

~ Butterfly Garden Midi Dress by Pankaj & Nidhi, size 10P ~

My store had a Petite size returned so I grabbed that instead of a size 8. Though I didn’t try on the size 8 I liked the fit of the 10P really well. I’m a sucker for butterflies and I love the print. I wish it came in a top too. The neckline is beaded and the midi length is high-low. Because of that, the lining stops around the knee.

~ Semele Shirtdress by Tiny, Small ~

I’ve tried on various versions of this shirtdress by Tiny. I find that the chest and waist fit fine while the upper arms are a little tight. Still I would stay with the Small in this dress. I don’t buy much long-sleeve in Spring unless it’s linen. Had this been offered in Fall, I probably would have been more interested in it.

~ Soha Maxi Dress by Floreat, Small ~

This is the dress MamaBella wanted. I usually find Floreat to run small on me but the reviews were consistent in stating this dress ran big. The Small fit me TTS to a little loose but is pretty comfortable. The maxi length hits just above the floor on me, which I love. Normally maxi dresses are dragging the floor and I don’t even consider them due to the alterations I’ll need to have done. It is a bit of a sack but I don’t think it’s too voluminous. Pockets are an added bonus. I bought MamaBella the Medium.

~ Agueda Shirtdress by Varun Bahl, Pink, Small ~

The color of this dress caught my eye so I took it to the fitting room with me. It looked like it ran a little big so I tried on the Small. Though there are buttons in the front, the only way to put this on is over your head. There isn’t another side zip or back zip to make it a little more accessible to get on or off. I didn’t have an issue putting this on, but taking it off was a completely different matter. No amount of wiggling was getting me out. I finally tugged at the sleeves a little and was finally able to pull the dress off. For me, that’s the only con. I though this dress was really cute. I love the pink over the black and white I saw online. Some reviews don’t like that the shoulders have a little puff but I don’t mind that at all. It gives the dress just a little more subtle character. The sleeves are 3/4-length and the length is just above my knee. I think the Medium Petite would have helped a little in the upper arms but otherwise I liked the Small. Only one other issue I found, for this specific dress, was the neckline seemed really exposed. I then noticed it was missing a button. I guess it popped off when someone else tried it on. I just exchanged it on the floor with one that had all the buttons and brought it home with me. I have no idea if I’ll keep it but I can’t stop looking at it.


Check out a few other of my dress picks.


What did you get over the weekend with your survey code discount?

/ Reviews

H&M has been a surprising go-to for my upcoming vacation. I ordered quite a few things including sunglasses, bikinis and tees. I’ve bought and returned over the past couple of weeks trying to only keep what I think/know I’ll wear after I return.

~ Patterned Jumpsuit, Black (also in Red), size 8 ~

This jumpsuit/romper is part of the H&M Loves Coachella collaboration. Everything is festival friendly. I liked this romper, especially in the black. The halter neck is flattering and the size 8 fits really well. I found that most H&M fits me like J Crew sizing and not Forever 21 or Zara where my “normal” size is smaller in those stores. I bought the red as well but returned it. I know I’ll wear the black, even if only at home or during summer pool parties. It’s perfect for the beach and an alternative to a normal cover-up. It’s really easy to get in and out of with a tie at the back of the neck and a large opening down the back. If you prefer pants, these are in the same color and print.

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A few more H&M Loves Coachella picks…

~ Embroidered Shorts, size 8 ~

I loved these shorts on the hanger and took them to try on. The size 8 was, again, a great fit. I really liked that there were several colors in the embroidery to choose from for your top. In the end, I returned these as 1) I have way to many shorts, waaayyyy too many; and 2) I didn’t think I’d wear these after the trip ended. It has a matching jacket as well.

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~ Diamond Cover-up, Medium ~

I would have preferred this patterned sarong but this will go with most of the swimwear I’m taking. I was originally taking the J Crew Factory Eyelet Ruffle-Sleeve Beach Tunic but it’s a thicker material and I this H&M cover-up is really lightweight.

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~ Beaded Jacket ~

I am in love with this beaded jacket. I saw it online first but then my store got it in recently. It’s just as gorgeous as I knew it would be. The embroidery, beading, colors and pom-poms at the sleeve are stunning. Alas, I wouldn’t know what to do with a beautiful piece like this. But, if it makes it to the sale section I might just get it.

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I also bought this cardigan in case I am wearing a sleeveless shirt and need to cover my shoulders. I’ve already been wearing these sunglasses, in green, and won’t mind if they break or if I lose them. I have this Linen T-Shirt in Gray and Blue. It runs big so size down one. I am bringing this bikini top and bottom, in the Turquoise Blue, with me. I sized to a 10 in both the top and bottom.

I’d say H&M is one of my new favorite stores. What about you?