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I have a lot of sweaters that will be broken up into two posts today.

~ Mixed Stitch Blanket Sweater, Small ~

I liked the fit of this through the body but the arms where it joins to the sweater was tight. It was so constricting I couldn’t raise my arms above my head. The sweater just seems to have been woven pretty tight. I saw this on a store employee and made a comment about it and she said she noticed the same thing but that it did stretch out after a little while. I have the Merino Fair Isle Sweater (Factory) that has the same colors so I passed on this. 
~ Oversize Sweatshirt in Exploded Floral, Small ~

This is another trendy, oversized, drop-shoulder, graphic sweatshirt. The small was still roomy enough to layer another shirt underneath. It was pretty cozy though. I have enough sweatshirts in my closet I currently wear.

~ Sparkle Side-Slit Sweater, Pink Sparkle, Medium ~

This sweater was on a table with the Navy Sparkle. I don’t have a lot of pink in my closet and thought this would be fun for the Holidays. I liked the sparkle. I liked the underside that was made with a cotton yarn on the inside making it comfortable. I was worried the metallic yarn would be inside as well and then be itchy. The pink is a nice color too. 
And then it become a hot mess. Avoid if you have any chest at all. You can see it fits like a tent once it hits the chest on me. I can’t get over how large this made me look from the side. And the slit on the side was to the armpit so a layer is required. 
Here’s the underside of the sweater, soft cotton. 
~ Woven-Front Cardigan, Small ~
I have liked this cardigan since I first saw it in the store. I sized to a small and it still felt really comfortable. I will layer this over the Silk Sleeveless Blouse and Tissue Turtlelnecks. 
I know that some of these will look great on some ladies but I just didn’t think these were flattering or different enough to come home with me. 

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I was able to stop by J Crew over the weekend before this week’s new arrivals. I was finally able to try on some items I’ve had on my wishlist.

~ Sequin Side-Stripe Shirt in White, size 8 ~

With all the side-zipper sweaters out there needing a layer underneath this shirt is perfect. The sequins are Navy with a tan grosgrain ribbon down the side. Right on J Crew-trend this is a longer length but still fits TTS in the shoulders and arms. 
It’s great for those exposed-side sweaters but a pass for me. 
  

~ Classic Silk Blouse, Dark Forest, size 8 ~

I was hoping J Crew would release the Silk Sleeveless Blouse in more colors for Winter but they went with the full-sleeved blouse, with a longer length. This color is beautiful IRL but a little tight in the shoulders. The arms are pretty long too so I’d have to get them altered to remove the excess material. Another pass for me. 

~ Seamed Panel Tee, Black, Medium ~

I only grabbed this as I haven’t seen any IRL pics or reviews on it. It fits TTS and is pretty comfortable against the body. This tee is nothing special and so I passed on it as well. 

~ Donald Robertson for J Crew Ostrich Tee, Small ~

These ostriches have high-heeled lace booties with ringer socks. I didn’t see that detail until I saw the tee in-store and laughed out loud when I did. This runs loose so the Small was the best fit. I will layer this under a cardi and blazer. 
~ Regent Blazer in Glen Plaid, size 8 ~
I saw this blazer when it first arrived in store and loved the glen plaid print. I was finally able to try it on and the Regent is not a flattering fit. The single-button does nothing for shape on me. I need at least a two-button closure with the first button to hit a little higher on the waist. The size 8 was pretty snug so I don’t think that my normal 10 Petite would work either. I would probably have to go to a 12 Petite. This, and the other Regent Blazers, are all a pass for me. 

So I guess that wasn’t a great run for me on shirts in the dressing room this time aroudn. But I do hope these reviews help you, if you are eyeing any of these items. 
Have a Great Day!

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Wow! I had no idea I hadn’t done in-store reviews for J Crew since late September. There have been so many other retailers who have caught my eye this Fall it was nice to take a little break from J Crew. But, the break is over since I’m really liking several items from today’s roll-out.

~ Fringe Tank, Black, Small ~
The armholes looked big on the hanger so I grabbed a Small to try on. That is a size down from my normal Medium. 

On the heels of my Tory Burch skirt reviews comes another wrap skirt from J Crew. There are several styles of this one but the Elephant print is the most adorable. The size 8 fit well to a little roomy but I’m sure a size down would raise the hemline and be tighter on the hips. Instead of fooling around with buttons or hooks in front of the skirt, there is a back-zip. 

I really didn’t think much of this shirt on the hanger but thought it might be dressy enough for a small party or dinner. I actually liked it once I put it on. I’d probably wear this casually with jeans and my Merino V-Neck Cardigan in Navy. 
~ Slouchy Wool Pant, Electric Red, size 6 ~
I usually wear a size 8 in bottoms but these seemed like the same style as the Drapey Drawstring Pant which I took a size 6 in. That was the right size as this is still a little roomy in front but a nice fit through the hip and thigh. I must say these were very comfortable on and not itchy at all. The wool-blend almost feels like a bonded wool. They are supposed to be cropped but you can see they are the perfect length for my 5’2″ frame. I also prefer these over the Drapey Wool Sweatpant because there is no elastic gathering at the ankles. 
  
~ Origami Skirt in Metallic Matelassé, Silver Metallic, size 8 ~
This is the same fit as the Elephant Skirt above ad would be great for the Holidays. I have enough party skirts right now but would probably lean towards this in Black to wear a bright color on top. 
  

~ Beaded Chevron Popover in Blackwatch Plaid, size 8 ~
This shirt is over-sized but not in the shoulders. It almost seems like they kept the section above the pockets the same as the older Perfect Shirts and Popovers and then added more material to look over-sized and long. I would stick with my normal size 8 in this but I really need a size 6 to slim the body a little. The beading seems sturdy and won’t easily fall off but I didn’t inspect it too closely. Of course, blackwatch plaid is great for Winter. 

I know a lot of people are liking the beaded chevron shirts but I would wear this layered more than anything so no one would see the beading. Also, once you are tired of the beading, how hard is it to take them off without a bunch of pinholes left behind.

~ Wool Side-Zip Cable Sweater, Heather Dove, Small ~
Again, I know this is meant to be over-sized but I would need to size to an XS to really make it work. I tried it on because it looked cozy on the hanger, and it is, but I could do without the drop-shoulder seam and the all-the-way-to-the-armpit side zipper. 
If you want to use the side-zip you’ll need to layer under this. This is merino wool though thicker than a Tippi sweater. I like the cable-knit and popcorn details but overall I would even look at this on sale. 
I brought the Fringe Tank and Origami Skirt in Elephant Parade home with me. What are liking from this roll-out? 

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Finishing out my visit to Tory Burch, I tried on two dresses, one of which is now on sale and the other is the perfect Holiday/Special Occasion/Party Dress for me.

~ Katy Dress, size 6 ~
This is a classic silk Georgette shirt-dress updated in pink dots. The length hits me just below the knee for a lovely modest look and perfect for a more professional workplace. Alas, the size 6 was too snug in the bodice though the hips in the skirt were perfect. You can see slight pulling across the chest. I would need a size 8 for the best fit. There are buttons down the front but also a side zipper making it easy to get into. 
  

The blush pink contrasts nicely against the black background. I would add a little merino or cashmere cardigan for work or church.

~ Rayna Dress, size 8 ~
This dress is a wool silk blend and very fitted. I’m struggling a little in the size 8. I tried on the size 10 (forgot to take pics) and it was a much better fit. The painted blue irises on this fit-and-flare skirt are so pretty IRL. 
  
This dress is the perfect party dress for me this season. I already have plans to wear it to a Holiday party, New Year’s Eve and a family wedding next October. Now, I just have to buy it. I’m hoping for a promo of some kind like last year on Black Friday weekend. 

I don’t think this dress needs any jewelry but if I did it would be a collar necklace like this one from Nordstrom or a simple strand of pearls like this one from Target.

The print on this dress is peppered throughout the Holiday Collection. 

Have you thought about your party dress or outfit for this season?

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I thought the patterns and colors on both of these next two skirt from Tory Burch were really interesting.

~ Karina Skirt, Sandshell, size 8 ~

The Karina Skirt is a pretty floral print on a wrap mini skirt, sitting at 18 1/2 inches. I would wear this with a solid sweater on top pulling from the more subtle colors on the skirt, like mint, olive or the cobalt blue.
The size 8 fit true-to-size to maybe just slightly big in the hips. I’d stick with the size 8 as the waist was a little snug for me. Sizing to a 10 would make the waist a little more comfortable but add more material at the hips.

I am a little worried about only two buttons holding this skirt in place. It’s definitely not for a windy day, though the bottom layer does go all the way across both legs.

I love the little fabric button on the outside. The inside button is a plain, sturdy clear button. You can see the subtle colors I mentioned above in this picture.

~ Juliana Skirt, Douglas Fir, size 8 ~
I tried this on for the print. The material is mostly cotton with a silk blend but felt almost like a quilt material. The wrap on this is more exaggerated than the Karina Skirt. The print matches up almost exactly where the top wrap meets the bottom. 

It’s also much shorter at 17 inches. The size 8 fit snug so I would size up in this skirt. Tights would also be a requirement for this skirt. Other than the Tanya Top in Black or Ivory I had a hard time trying to style this skirt in my head.

The print, though, is a conversation starter.

I passed on both of these skirt as well as not including them in my wishlist. They are not quite my style and the prints, though unique, are not what I’m looking to add to my closet at this time. I can’t love everything, right? 

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