/ Uncategorized

J Crew Factory currently has 50% off on almost everything, both online and in-stores. Prices are already marked so there’s no code needed. I had placed a few orders as well as visited our brand new J Crew Mercantile located in the Quarry Market. I’ll share my thoughts of the store at the end.

~ Linen-Cotton Pocket Skirt, size 10 ~

I really liked the Chevron Dress from retail last year so I was happy to see the print in a mini skirt. I seem to have jumped a size from an 8 to a 10 for Factory bottoms, so I’ll say that it runs TTS. The two pockets in front have pleats under them but it doesn’t add any weight or width to the hips. This is still true to an A-line shape, even with the pleats. I really liked this skirt but am debating on whether or not to keep it. I’ve been wearing dresses and linen shorts lately so I don’t know how often I’ll wear this skirt.

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~ 5″ Summer Plaid Short, size 8 ~

I really liked the colors and patchwork of these shorts but the size 8 was pretty snug in the hips and butt. The size is the only reason I didn’t keep them. If I can find them in the Factory store in a size 10 I’ll get them. I don’t really need them so I won’t order them from online.

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~ 3″ Summer Plaid Short, size 10 ~

I really liked the colors of this plaid short. When I saw these online I debated between ordering these and the Flamingo Shorts. I chose the Flamingo Shorts but really like these too. The size 10 fit well, so TTS. I like variety of pink on these plaid shorts with a little olive mixed in. Super cute!

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~ 3″ Eyelet Short, size 10 ~

I didn’t originally notice these online but they are really nice IRL. The eyelet is black diamond-shaped. These are a nice alternative to the plaid and solid shorts the Factory/Mercantile is offering.

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~ 3″ Flamingo Short, size 10 ~

These are the shorts I ended up getting, out of all the cute ones I tried above. I think it was a mix of the color and the flamingos scattered on the shorts. They were just too cute to pass up.

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The J Crew Mercantile Store had men, women and crewcuts clothing. The store is much smaller than my Factory store in San Marcos. I wasn’t all that impressed by it. I would prefer to drive the hour to the larger Factory store than 20 minutes to the Mercantile store. There were a lot of sizes sold out and no help anywhere. I only saw one SA on the floor and no one in the dressing room or at the register. I’ll give it another shot in a few weeks but I don’t have high hopes.

/ Bella Picks

Nordstrom’s Half-Yearly has begun, ending June 5. I always look to these sales to find those Tory Burch items that have been sitting in on my shopping list. Right now, Fringe Tunic and Linen Tank will pair well with the J Crew Linen Shorts I bought. I recently purchased the Miller 2 Sandal in Snakeskin. They are a great flat sandal that is a dressier alternative than regular flip-flops.

Of course there are a few splurges on my list. Isn’t that teal Rebecca Minkoff bag gorgeous. I love my Gingham Shirtdress from J Crew but this Maggy London gingham dress has a nice fit-and-flare shape to it. If you haven’t tried the Cole Haan ZeroGrand Oxford I highly recommend them. I have them in Gray and they are really comfortable.

Those are my picks. What are yours?

/ Reviews

Shorts and skirts are finishing out my reviews from J Crew. I’ll have some J Crew Factory/Mercantile reviews in the next few days.

~ Cotton Jackie Cardigan in Dot, Small ~
~ V-Neck Linen Tee, White Navy, Small ~
~ Mini Skirt in Nautical Stripe, size 8 ~

I thought the whole outfit was cute, mixing the dots with stripes. The blue on the Jackie and skirt are slightly different shades though. I think maybe a different colored tee/shirt would make that a little less noticeable. My store had two sizes left in the Jackie Cardigan in Dot, a Small and XS. Since this is a cotton knit and I don’t button my cardigans much the Small fit fine. Husband hates this cardigan, calling it “old lady” but I really like it. So much that I’ve already worn it twice since purchasing it last week.

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My VPS put the skirt in the fitting room for me. It’s really odd to me for a few reasons. First, the title has “mini skirt” in it but this was 19-inches long. It hit me just at mid-knee. Second, there are pleats in the front and an elastic waist in the back. Those two things together make the skirt lay weird on me. I also think because of the pleats and elastic waist, it dropped the skirt lower, hence the visual longer length. I did like the cotton poplin material and that it’s machine washable.

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~ Gingham Pleated Mini Skirt, size 8 ~

This skirt is now on sale and is really cute IRL. This mini skirt hit me just above the knee. The waist fit well in the size 8, my normal pants/skirt size. I did see the description states this could only be “spot-cleaned”. That’s a bit disappointing and could be why it’s in the sale section now. I do wish they would have offered this in the pink as well, like the blazer and pants. I probably would have bought it at full price in that color.

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~ Cuffed Bermuda Short in Linen, Tuscan Olive/Byzantine Copper, size 8 ~

I have been waiting for these shorts FO-EVAH! I bought a pair of Collection Linen Bermuda Shorts almost three Summers ago, on sale (YAY!), and love them. They had been offered in black and white and only the white was in my size. A similar version was offered last Summer in a color similar to the Byzantine Copper below. Those were hideous. The length was well below my knees but not close to gaucho-style or super-cropped pant.

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But these Linen Shorts are exactly what I wanted. I ordered all three colors (they come in Flax too) because I didn’t want to miss out on them. The size 8 is perfect and the 7 1/2 inseam hits above the knee. I was a little hesitant about keeping the Byzantine Copper color but found I have several items in my closet to go with this color. The linen is not heavy or thick but fairly lightweight.

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There are a few differences between the Collection Linen Shorts and the current Cuffed Linen Shorts. First, the Collection Linen Shorts are pleated while the current shorts are not. They have a flat front, which I like a lot more. Second, the Collection shorts are lined, probably because they are white. I have no idea if the black color was lined. Lastly, the current Cuffed Linen Shorts have a cuff while the Collection shorts do not. The pockets are also slightly different with the Cuffed Linen Shorts having an on-seam pocket and the Collection short are placed a little more in front.

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~ Sunday Slim Chino Short, Chrome Green, size 8 ~

The Chrome Green color was really pretty IRL. I don’t have a color like this in my shorts drawer but eventually decided to pass on them since I have way to many casual shorts. The size 8 was a good fit for me, as I like the Sunday Slim shorts to be a little more on the loose side.

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~ Sunday Slim Short in Vintage Plaid, Bohemian Red, size 8 ~

I did not like the color of the Bohemian Red as much as the Patchwork. The red was too bright for me, IRL. Also, this version of the Sunday Slim Short is not chino material and feels a little more snug and not so loose in the size 8. I think I’d have to size to a 10 to get that loose feel I have with my other Sunday Slim shorts.

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It’s not even June and I have already worn the Cuffed Bermuda Shorts in Linen all at least twice. They will all be in rotation heavily all Summer long.

Have you tried the Linen Shorts?

/ Reviews

Pants and a romper are next, with shorts and skirts finishing out the J Crew reviews tomorrow.

~ Gazebo Pant, Navy, size 8 ~

I had ordered the petite size and saw the regular size in-store so I tried them on. I wanted to make sure I picked the right size, whether it was regular or petite. The length in the size 8 is good but not as cropped as I’d like it to be. The waist and hips fit well and I like how the leg just falls straight down from the hip. The wide-leg is a good width and not exaggerated. I love Navy Linen anything and these were really nice and saturated IRL.

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~ Petite Gazebo Pant, Vintage Kelly/Navy, size 8P ~

I was able to order these when there was a 25% off promo. I liked the 8P much better because the cropped length is so much more defined. The pant does pull a little more across the hips at first but does stretch some after a little while. The Vintage Kelly is so gorgeous IRL and I just love the Navy. I missed out on the Market Stripe so I’ll try to get the White on promo next.

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~ Petite Wide-Leg Ponte Pant, Black, size 8P ~

I’ve reviewed these in the Navy Petite and have worn them quite a bit since then. They are my perfect cropped length and so very comfortable. I bought the regular size 6 in black but once the Petite size was available I ordered that as well. They look great but I decided on returning these and keeping the size 6 just so I could have a floor length option of this pant. I will probably pass on the gray, or any other lighter colors that might be offered in the future. Due to the material, darker is better for me.

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~ Drapey V-Neck Romper, Black, Small ~

I was so disappointed last year when this romper sold out so quickly. I couldn’t get it in either color or sizes. As soon as it arrived back online this year I ordered it…and I love it! It’s a bit wrinkly in these pics since I wanted to make sure it fit before ordering another size. This run a bit large so the Small is a great fit. It’s still loose at the waist, doesn’t pull anywhere (shoulders, chest, hips), and has a good inseam. There’s a drawstring at the waist if you want to cinch it a little more, as well as a single button at the back of the neck. The only way in and out of this romper is via the neck. It does open wide enough to step into and pull up. The romper looks really cute with flat sandals and Summer-night dressy with heels.

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I am really happy to see a lot more Linen options at J Crew this season. I have been looking for pants and shorts for quite a while in Linen and have purchased at least one of almost every item.

Have you tried the Gazebo pants yet?

/ 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!