/ Reviews

~ Jackie Cardigan in Herringbone, Medium ~

The Jackie is cotton but a little thicker due to the herringbone weave. It feels textured. I like the contrasting ringer neck and sleeve hem. This is TTS with my normal Medium fitting just fine, even with a layered tee. I do wish this was in Navy though I have wish-listed this gray.

NYTee_Cardigan

~ New York Destination Art Tee, Medium ~

I didn’t mind buying these full-price since I know I’ll wear them the rest of the Summer and layered under cardis and blazers in the Fall. They’ll get enough wear to bring the CPW down. I wasn’t going to get the NY Tee but there’s a Doxie on it. This specific tee I tried did seem a little snug in the arms, probably due to the ringer detail but the others were TTS.

NYTee

~ Paris Destination Art Tee, Medium ~

ParisTee

~ Venice Destination Art Tee, Medium ~

VeniceTee

~ Rome Destination Art Tee, Medium ~

RomeTee

~ Cropped Wide-Leg Pant in Linen-Cotton, Ecru, size 8 ~
~ Sloan Gingham Leather D’Orsay Flats, size 6 1/2 ~

These run small in the hips. The fly is button-front and you can see how it pulls, not laying flat at all. I like the width of the leg. The hem isn’t all the way to the ground so I would need to have them hemmed to cropped length. I don’t even think a size 10 would fit well across the hips. There’s too much pulling on the 8. The pant is a linen-cotton blend and doesn’t wrinkle as quickly as 100% linen pants. The Sloan flats are popping back occasionally. They’ll be a great little punch of color in the Fall. If you prefer, there’s also the Elsie D’Orsay Heel.

WideLegLinenCottonPant

~ Rayner Chino, Blue, size 8 ~

I can’t tell if this color and the pink sold out or were taken off the site. But these were in-store and I was able to finally try the Rayner Chinos. I was really hoping I would like them but I am not a fan. As much as I love wide-leg pants these are ill-fitting from the waist to the start of the inseam. Basically the rise feels too long. When I sit down it bunches. This doesn’t give me high hopes for the jean. I do like the fit of the leg, where the rise ends to the hem. The 25-inch inseam is the perfect pant length on me.

RaynerChino

I’m super sad about the Rayner Chinos. I am hoping the Rayner jean doesn’t fit like the chino. I tried them in petite and they were really tight so I need to try my normal jean size of 29.

What do you think of the Destination Art Tees?

/ Reviews

A few basic items are up for review next.

~ Tippi Sweater, Deep Copper, Medium ~
~ Floral Cotton Short, size 8 ~
~ Slingback Flats in Snakeskin, size 7 ~

I loved this color combination. The Deep Copper of the Tippi Sweater immediately makes the floral short Fall friendly. I can definitely see myself wearing this on cool October evenings. I’m sticking with my normal Tippi size of Medium and the shorts are fitting well in a size 8.

TippiSweater_Copper

FloralCottonShort

~ Perfect Shirt in Liberty Isborella Print, size 10 ~
~ Toothpick Jean in Skipper Wash, size 30 ~

ToothpickLiberty

After the Cocktail Shirt try-on, I grabbed a size 10 in the Liberty shirt. That’s a much better fit, especially in the arms and across the shoulders. I really like the print and can definitely see wearing it all year. I have some returns to make this weekend so I will probably exchange for this shirt.

LibertyPerfectShirt

~ Toothpick Jean in Skipper Wash, size 30 ~

I don’t need skinny jeans but wanted to try these on anyway just to gauge sizing. Even though I went up to a 30 this year these still fit TTS. I know these will stretch some but I would stick with that size. I DIY’d a factory pair a few years ago that look almost identical, with maybe a little more rips and tears.

ToothpickDistressed

I’ll have some IRLs from the Art Tees later this evening. That Deep Copper Tippi may also come home with me this weekend. I will need to find a few more items in my closet to pair it with.

What do you think of the Isborella print of the Liberty shirt?

/ Reviews

I was able to do a few try-ons last week after the Fall roll-out. My store had most of what I wanted to try on as well as new bags and shoes. Let’s take a look at how they fit.

~ Frayed Denim Pencil Skirt in White, size 30 ~
~ Tippi Sweater with Ruffles, Fuchsia Blossom, Medium ~

TippiRufflesOutfit

I like the idea of a white pencil skirt but wish this didn’t have the fraying at the hem. The size 30 was the closest to my normal size 29 but fit a bit loose in the hips. Since it has some stretch in it, I see this skirt really stretching out in the hips and booty area during wear. I’ll reconsider this skirt once it goes on sale because I will want to have the hem sown back up.

WhiteDenimSkirt

This was actually really cute IRL even though J.Crew basically slapped some ruffles on the Tippi. I do like that the ruffles are small and not overwhelming the sweater. Sizing is the same as a normal Tippi. This ruffle sweater is also offered in Navy and Ivory.

TippiRuffles

~ Sleeveless Tunic Sweater, Ivory, Small ~

I was looking forward to seeing this sweater IRL. I was hoping the length would be long enough to wear with Pixie Pants and it is, in both the front and back. The material is a cotton blend and not too heavy in weight. It’s a bit comfortable and soft on as well. I sized down one to a Small in this tunic. It is also offered in Navy and Dark Poppy.

TunicSweater

~ Cocktail Shirt, size 8 ~

I thought this shirt was oddly cute when I saw it online. Right now, I’m having to size up to a 10 in the button-down shirts. That’s just me enjoying my Summer and no reflection of the shirts actually getting smaller. Stick with your normal size in this. IRL this is still a little odd looking but it grows on you. The back is also “pieced”. At least the sleeves match. You can also get one for your mini-me.

CocktailShirt

I’ve wish-listed all the tops in this post and will wait until a sale price to re-consider them.

Have you tried any of these tops?

/ Reviews

I saw the new arrivals at J.Crew last Wednesday and have several try-ons to share over the next few days. The high-light was the Tippi Sweater in Embellished Bee. It’s really cute and fits TTS. Surprisingly, I really liked the Sammie Pant in Polka Dot. That also fit TTS but I could have probably used a Petite size in the polka dot. Today, I will share some of the bags that were in-store. I am really pleased that so many saturated colors are being offered this Fall.

~ All-Day Tote, Roasted Chestnut shown, also Black/Cabernet/Light Mustard/Vintage Indigo ~

This is a really beautiful bag IRL. There’s a small coin purse in front and a large pocket in the back. Inside there is contrasting cloth lining with three additional pockets. There’s also a luggage tag and key holder/dongle inside. J.Crew is calling the small front pocket a cardholder. Maybe they mean for a metro or store rewards card but certainly not for a credit or debit card.

AllDayTote_Front

AllDayTote_Back

AllDayTote_inside

~ Coin Purse in Italian Leather – Black/Roasted Chestnut/Atlantic Coast/Collegiate Green ~

I rarely use cash these days so I don’t know if I’d use this as an actual coin purse. It’s also really small, fitting only a small amount of coins inside. I’d probably use it to store additional store rewards cards, like my Anthro card, or even some hair ties. I love all the colors but I am partial to the calf hair.

CoinPurse_2

~ Coin Purse in Italian Leather – Warm Sunflower, Sunwashed Pink ~
~ Coin Purse in Gold Italian Leather ~
~ Coin Purse in Italian Calf Hair ~

CoinPurse_1

~ Coin Purse in Italian Calf Hair ~

CoinPurse_CalfHair_Front

CoinPurse_CalfHair_Back

~ Signet Bag in Italian Leather – Deep Pewter & Cobalt Sea shown, also Cypress Olive/Dark Wine/Festival Red/Roasted Chestnut/Black ~

I really wasn’t expecting my store to have these bags so I was surprised to see three different colors. The Deep Pewter is a dark gray IRL with a contrasting ivory key fob. It’s a bit bigger than I expected but the width is smaller than the crossbody I was using that day. I like that there’s a little more depth than my current crossbody.

Slingbag_Gray

Slingbag_Blue

~ Linen Tank Top with Fringe, White ~
~ Bermuda Short in Heavy Linen, Vintage Green~
~ Miller Sandals in Snakeskin ~
~ Marion Crossbody (similar) ~
~ Signet Bag in Italian Leather, Deep Pewter ~

You can see the bag hits a little lower on me than the one I was using. But you can adjust the length on the strap. It looks to be a good size once you have it on, and not too small. It also comes in Collection Colorblock Italian Calf Hair and a Collection Colorblock Leopard Calf Hair.

Slingbag_Gray2

These are all really nice for the first set of Fall arrivals. I hope that means that Holiday will have some great clutches and going-out bags!

/ Reviews

Over the last two months I’ve been subscribing to Blue Apron, a meal delivery service. I originally started with the 2-person plan and had 3 meals a week delivered. You can choose 4 if you prefer. I recently changed to the Family plan since The Boy moved back home, transferring to a local university. He says it’s because he wants to be near his friends. I say it’s because he missed his momma! The Family plan also has 2 or 4 meal options.

I didn’t really look around or research the different options out there. I had received a promo for $30 off my first box so I decided to try it. I created an account, selected my delivery date, the three meals (and now two), to be delivered the following week. I downloaded the app to my phone to easily manage the deliveries and assist with prep and recipe instructions. You can visit their FAQs here if you have questions on how it works.

All the food you need to make the meals come in a box with large ice packs. This is to ensure the food inside, particularly the meat, does not spoil during the delivery and before you get home. The three most critical items used in each meal are not included, but you should already have them – salt, pepper and olive oil. I haven’t had to use anything of mine from my pantry or refrigerator for the meals.

Blue Apron Box

All the veggies and non-perishables are on top with the ice packs and meats on the bottom. There are recipe cards inside as well. Once my box is delivered I sort everything out and refrigerate the perishables. I usually review the recipe card before starting so I always have a hint of those steps in my head.

Blue Apron Veggies

Blue Apron Meal 3

And here are just a few of the finished meals we’ve had over the last two months.

Seared Pork Chops & Fig Compote w/Sauteed Kale & Farro Salad

The Fig Compote was delicious. I savored every single bite. And making the compote was so easy.

Blue Apron Pork

Spicy Miso Glazed Chicken Wings w/Purple Rice & Zucchini Salad

Blue Apron Wings

Steakhouse Salmon w/Thyme Sauteed Potatoes, Green Beans and Mushrooms

Blue Apron Salmon

Peruvian Roast Chicken & Potatoes w/Green Beans

This one was by far one of my favorites to make. And I was able to recreate it too. The recipe on the app had the exact requirements for the Peruvian Spice Blend.

Blue Apron Chicken

Crispy Catfish & Parsley Mashed Potatoes w/Spicy Cajun Slaw

Blue Apron Catfish

Sweet & Smoky Spiced Salmon w/Dijonnaise Potato Salad & Green Bean

This was our first Family plan meal and so very delicious. We ate all the green beans but I did have the last piece of salmon and the potato salad for lunch the next day.

Blue Apron Family Salmon

Now, I’m sure you’re asking why I chose Blue Apron. Our grocery store is always very busy. Even when I do go grocery shopping it’s only to get a few things for that day or the next. I haven’t been grocery shopping with a full list in quite a long time. Blue Apron is easy because it does the grocery shopping for me for 3, now 2 meals.

The other reason I chose Blue Apron is there would be days when I didn’t want to cook or didn’t like what was in the fridge/freezer/pantry to cook. That’s when we would get fast-food, order pizza, or get something from a sandwich shop. Even though I’m spending more money (about $10 per person) compared to the fast food places, I know we are eating meals with a meat or fish and veggies. I’m not stressed about going to the grocery store any more. And I now have a huge reference of recipes to choose from, along with step-by-step instructions, from the app. The ingredients are fresh and portion-controlled. We never had leftovers with the 2-person plan. We do with the Family Plan but either The Boy or I eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. And the meals are delicious!

A few Christmas’s ago I received a new set of pots-and-pans along with glass prep bowls, a set of 10. The glass prep bowls have come in so handy when cooking these days. The very first thing each recipe card tells you is to wash all the veggies and cut, slice and dice everything that needs to be. Once I’m cooking I’ll either use my stainless steel utensils or wooden utensils. For my birthday last year I received a set of really good knives. Husband was tired of me buying a new knife from TJ Maxx or Target every few months. I don’t slice and dice very well so whoever made the herb scissors is my new best friend. I think there’s been garlic in a meal each week so a garlic press is super handy too. I haven’t had to use measuring cups since everything is already portioned out.


There are many more recipes on the app and I successfully made one that wasn’t being delivered to us. I was able to find everything at our local grocery store. One additional perk is that you can skip weekly meals. I knew we would be gone for a few days in two different weeks so I just cancelled the meal delivery for those two weeks. Everything is managed on the app on your phone.

You can also switch meals for a different one. For example, on the 2-meal Family Plan two meals out of four are pre-selected for me. I can go in and change those to 2 out of the any 4 I want. The 2-Person 3-Meal plan had 6 meals to choose from but if you selected a certain meal, some might not be selectable. They want you to have a balanced week and not eat red meat the entire week. So if you chose something with beef, the other beef option can’t be selected. You can also select a vegetarian plan.

We have really enjoyed Blue Apron. It will be interesting to see what they choose as the months get cooler. I also subscribe to the Blue Apron Wine Club, receiving 6 small bottles a month. Those are good for dinner and shared between Husband and I. It’s just enough to enjoy our meal. Now, I would love to find a dessert meal plan. Not that we eat a whole lot of dessert but it would be great to try.

Are you interested in Blue Apron or any of the other meal delivery plans out there? Have you tried any of them?