/ Reviews

Last up from my small set of try-ons are the sweatshirts. Let’s take a look.

~ Botanical Sweatshirt with Floral Patches, Medium ~
~ Lightweight Boy Shirt in Oversized Gingham, Pine Forest, size 8 ~
~ Sailor Skirt in Double-Serge Wool, size 8 ~

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~ Botanical Sweatshirt with Floral Patches, Medium ~

I actually liked the print and embellishment/floral patches on this sweatshirt. Normally this is something MamaBella would immediately ask me to buy for her but I might just get it myself. I really like it with the Lightweight Boy Shirt in Oversized Gingham in Pine Forest underneath it. I could do without the dropped shoulder but it’s not enough to deter me from wishlisting it.

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~ Lightweight Boy Shirt in Oversized Gingham, Pine Forest, size 8 ~

No difference between this shirt and other button-downs as far as sizing. I should take a 10 and not an 8 in this. I really like the Pine Forest color which is perfect for Fall. I’ll pass on this though since I can’t think to wear it with anything other than jeans right now.

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~ Sailor Skirt in Double-Serge Wool, Heather Honey, size 8 ~

I was excited to try on this skirt as I thought it looked really cute online. The fit is really small in the waist though. I can still fit in a size 8 in skirts but I could only zip this halfway in the back. I’d need a 10 in this skirt. The Heather Honey color is really pretty IRL. The length on this skirt hits me just above the knee. The front sailor buttons are not functional. There is just a back zip (not exposed). J.Crew does their double-serge wool items pretty well and this little sailor skirt is no exception.

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~ Metallic Ruffle-Neck Sweatshirt, Medium ~
~ Straightaway Jean in Bluff Wash, size 28 ~

This is a slightly different name but the same style of sweatshirt from Fall 2013, the Ruffle Collar Sweatshirt. One updated difference is that the cuffs on this one are also ruffled, which I like. This runs TTS. There is a back zip. I like the metallic material for the ruffle but if you don’t there’s the solid version.

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~ Straightaway Jean in Bluff Wash, size 28 ~

I have not been in a size 28 in quite a while so that means these jeans run big. This size was really comfortable on and the button-fly front wasn’t too stiff. Sometimes button-fly can be hard to fasten and button. The waist is a little higher, hitting closer to my true waist but they don’t look weird like the Billie Boot does on me. The 27-inch inseam is floor length on me, even in the 28. I might go to a Petite 29 to see if I can’t get the cropped look without alterations.

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We are seeing a few familiar items from previous years in the Fall roll-out. From the Ruffle-Neck Sweatshirt to the Frances/Tuxedo Ruffle Shirt to the Faux-Leather Pleated Mini Skirt, which are all from seasons past. If they want to really recycle popular items they should bring back the Lexington Blazer in new colors!

/ Reviews

Variations of the windowpane print seem to be all over right now. I’ve seen several items offered at Banana Republic and Madewell, which has a great silk shirt. J.Crew Factory even has a cute pair of D’Orsay Flats. J.Crew has jumped in with their own windowpane items.

~ Classic V-Neck Cardigan, Wheat, Small ~
~ Sleeveless Silk-Twill Top in Windowpane, size 8 ~
~ Sammie Pant in Corduroy, Masala Chai, size 8 ~

I originally thought this was a color from the Donegal Wool Cardigan since it was on the same table as the other colors but it wasn’t. It is a cozy little wool-blend cardigan that runs a size big. There’s not much else to say about it. It’s a cardigan J.Crew does every year. The various colors of the Donegal wool version are pretty, with little flecks of other colors in the mix.

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~ Campbell Blazer in Donegal Wool, size 8 ~

I thought this blazer was really pretty IRL, though it’s just basically a gray blazer in a fancy wool. I take a Petite 10 whenever I can in blazers. It has the prettiest blue foulard lining with pink trim. I didn’t even notice it but the underside of the collar is also a pink felt. I don’t pop my collars so what’s under it doesn’t really matter. It’s in my wishlist.

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~ Sleeveless Silk-Twill Top in Windowpane, size 8 ~

I didn’t really look at this shirt up-close until I was in the store. I originally thought it was just navy with white panes but it is a black background with cream, navy and brown. The 8 fit fine though the neckline is fairly low cut on me. Some double-side tape is needed, at least for me. J.Crew is also touting this has a “built-in necktie” which is more pronounced below the neckline. Because of the low neckline, I passed on this top.

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~ A-Line Dress in Silk-Twill Windowpane, size 8 ~

Though the length is too long/midi-style on me, I really liked the shape of this dress. Add a blazer and it’s great for work. A sparkly necklace and you are date-night ready. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get this zipped up the back. It was stuck at the seam again and the zipper pull is too small to grab and force it up. I think the size 8 would still fit in this dress but I can’t tell you that for sure.

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Overall, I really wasn’t a fan of this Windowpane print, especially after seeing the Banana Republic items. That blazer though…I’ll be waiting for a good price on it!

/ Reviews

On to the J.Crew Cherry Print items. My store had all the basic items offered. We don’t receive Collection or many shoes, unless they are returned so I was unable to try on the Collection Jacquard Sheath Dress in Cherry Print or the heels or flats.

~ Tippi Sweater in Cherry Print, Medium ~
~ Tuxedo Ruffle Top in Silk Georgette, size 8 ~
~ Pleated Midi Skirt in Cherry Print, size 8 ~

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~ Tippi Sweater in Cherry Print, Medium ~

This fits like all other Tippi Sweaters. The cherries are red on a black background. The Tippi in a Medium always fits well everywhere except it runs a little long in the length. I haven’t worn my Bee Tippi (included in the current promo) so I passed on the Cherry Print.

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~ Tuxedo Ruffle Top in Silk Georgette, size 8 ~

The Frances ruffle is back. The ruffles on this top are the same as the Frances Cami and shirts from 2009. This top does have the tuxedo pleating down the front. The color is ivory with black, tiny polka dots. This fits fine in the size 8. It’s really cute for work but not something I need or will wear very often. The Boy Shirt in Polka Dot in the same colors would be a better option for me. I do like putting either under the Tippi in Cherry Print, mixing the two different prints and patterns.

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~ Pleated Midi Skirt in Cherry Print, size 8 ~

I actually thought this skirt was really cute. But I just cannot wear midi skirts without feeling like I look way too short. The size 8 fit really well, so this is TTS. I think the Tippi and Midi Skirt work well together. The black background on both are very similar.

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~ Classic Popover Shirt in Cherry Print, size 10 ~
~ Faux-Leather Pleated Mini Skirt, size 8 ~

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~ Classic Popover Shirt in Cherry Print, size 10 ~

I felt the size 10 was the right size for me, right now. That could change if weight loss happens but I’m ok with the size up. I think this goes well with the Sammie Cords in Masala Chai and I did finally purchase those with this promo. I have a red Tippi I think I’ll put on over this at some point but this shirt is a great transition piece to wear through Fall before layering for Winter.

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~ Faux-Leather Pleated Mini Skirt, size 8 ~

This is the same style skirt that was offered last year for Fall. I still think the size 8 fit just fine. This is a mini skirt but it only hit about an inch above the knee on me. I seem to be gravitating more towards pants and jeans so I don’t think I would get enough wear out of the black colorway to justify a full-price purchase. I do like the Cabernet color though my store didn’t have it in stock.

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~ Silk Wrap Dress in Cherry Print, size 8 ~

This wrap dress fits great in the top, as you can see. If you aren’t afraid of showing off the girls then this dress is for you. The problem for me was it would not zip up the side completely. The zipper got stuck at the waist seam which I know means it wasn’t the right size. I would probably need a size 10. Unfortunately, this doesn’t come in a Petite.

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I do love the flamenco/wrap-style of the skirt on this dress. From the Spring/Summer Preview at Fashion Week it looks like J.Crew might be trying to bring this skirt style next year. If you are curvy like me, I would say to size up. I think someone who’s more of a straight/boy shape will be ok in their normal size.

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The current promo is 25% off tees, sweaters, jackets & more, with code SHOPNOW. My store honored any items that were part of the online promo and they also had a few different promos in-store including 25% off shirts. Because of that, I was able to buy the Popover at 25% off.

Are you shopping any cherry print items?

/ Reviews

Before I get to J.Crew reviews I did want to share one last set of try-ons from Anthropologie. With the 20% Fall Perk promo. for Anthro card holders, going on this weekend, I wanted to make sure you could see a few more items IRL.

~ Maeve Patchwork Peasant Dress, Small ~

The sleeves on this dress are shorter than the online image, which I like. The Small is a great fit. I switch between Small and Medium in Maeve items, depending on the style. I love the green and the colors are just gorgeous IRL. This has an additional slip that is removable for the lining. I did find that the one I tried on was longer than the dress itself. The slip can be adjusted. A floppy hat and boots make this a great Fall transition piece.

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~ Akemi + Kim Zaka Off-the-Shoulder Top, Small ~

Bell sleeve tops seem to be an upcoming trend for Fall (one, two, three). I saw this cute Akemi + Kim top  and knew that as long as it fit it would be perfect for Fall. This knit top fits perfectly in the Small. It’s supposed to be off-the-shoulder, carrying the trend into Fall, but I like the look of the ballet-neckline. The sleeve length completely cover my hands. The sides have slits as well.

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~ Vanessa Virginia Augusta Off-the-Shoulder Top, Small ~

This was the first thing I grabbed for the fitting room and I absolutely love it! I am a fan of peasant dresses and tops, which brings out the little hippie in me. This top has gorgeous colors for Fall, navy, cream, orange with black lace overlay at the hem. That’s what attracted me to this top. From afar, I though it was part of the print but upon closer inspection it’s a lace overlay. I know the name of this has OTS in it but it looks just as good on the shoulders too. This is oversized and the Small fit really well for me. As soon as our temps drop to the 80s I’m wearing this as much as possible!

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~ Citizens of Humanity Emerson High-Rise Boyfriend Jeans, size 30 ~

I am not really looking for any new jeans as I have plenty but I liked the color and slight fading of these so I wanted to try them on, in case I can get them on sale. Unfortunately, the store SA couldn’t find the lone size 29 so I tried on the size 30. They fit well through the hip and thighs though they were slightly loose in the waist. Nothing a belt won’t fix but I think the 29s might fit a little better.

As far as the high-rise, they do feel a little higher than my other jeans but I can’t really tell a difference. The hem is cuffed so if I unroll them they will be a perfect length for flats. They already are with the hem cuffed. I don’t own a pair of $200+ jeans and I will say these were really comfortable, even in a size up. I wanted to walk out of the store wearing them. I’m a fan and hope I can get them on sale.

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I purchased both tops as well as the Rosewood Lace Blouse. I have some various outfit ideas for all three, which I’ll share soon, and know I’ll wear them all Fall and Winter, and probably into Spring.

You can find other recent reviews here and here. I’ll have J.Crew reviews, starting with all the cherries I tried on, tomorrow.

/ Bella Picks

As soon as I ordered the Gingham Sandals with the Ankle Wraps I knew I wanted a white shirtdress to wear with them. Now, I have the J.Crew Short-Sleeve Shirtdress but I wanted something more structured as well as flattering. The J.Crew white shirtdress is too short for the sandals, which has a 3 5/8 inch heel. I liked the Michael Kors white dress but the arms looked like they might run a little tight.

I found a few dresses at TheRealReal but not in my size. The Ralph Lauren dress was sleeveless and eyelet, making it too Summery. So, what did I find?


The Sophia Shirt Dress from Boden and it was on sale. I ordered the white in an 8 Regular. It is a perfect fit! It’s a little stretchy but not too much. It has cap sleeves and is a fit-and-flare style with the length hitting me just at the knee. Perfect!

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You can see the pockets on the white shirtdress dress and I am wearing nude-colored undergarments. I think this works instead of finding a slip to wear under the skirt portion.

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The most surprising and best part of the dress are the reverse buttons. I don’t know what the official name is but basically, the dress buttons to the inside and outside. This is especially helpful at the waist and bust where gaping can happen.

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And, to tag along with the shirtdress, I found the cutest booties. They style is very reminiscent of my Rag & Bone Newbury Booties (TheRealReal in Leopard). I love the Leopard calf-hair on these and the stacked 3 1/2 inch heel. There’s a low-heeled bootie if you prefer that instead. I am usually a 7/37 but Boden suggested I order a size 38. They fit a little loose in the toe box but I am pretty sure I bought the right size. I will be wearing socks with these so that will help make them more snug.

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The zippers are on both sides of the bootie, in case you need a wider space to get your foot in.

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Through tonight you can take 20% off at Boden. That will decrease to 15% on Friday and 10% Saturday and Sunday. If you have an account you should see a code or prices automatically updated to reflect the discount.