J Crew - buttercup chinos online vs IRL

Again from the website:


IRL with a gold sequin tee I ordered from eBay. I think it kind of works! I would try this for an evening look, esp since it doesn't involve black in any way.

J Crew - flower pin blazer

This hot pink number looks new to me. Can't recall it in the catalog or online at this time. Wasn't exciting on. Droopy flower pin. Perhaps it is part of the upcoming release to occur in the next week or two? Tried it on. Not really my style. I 'get' the Chanel vibe, but it was better executed in the boucle' tweed Penny (98464).

J Crew - Emerson blouse, Kate dress, Vita cami

All of these items can be see in the Nov 2008 catalog ---

The flannel Kate dress (99245), $198, p.78. Yeeesssss, the gathered area definitely accentuated my stomach. Not cool. I didn't even want to bother with a belt to see if it would make a difference. The camel is very beautiful in person, though.


The Vita cami (10181), $98, p. 3 & p. 72. The size 2 sort of fit and I am usually a 4 or 6P. There wasn't a size 4 to try on for comparison. The size 2 definitely fit across the 34Cbust, but sat in a funny way across the collarbone and upper chest. Very Gladiatorish. Um, no.


Emerson blouse (99284), $88, p. 5. This pic is from the website.


They definitely styled it well for the catalog & online. The neck tie makes it secretary-ish on the body and I wasn't excited in the least. The collar doesn't stand up and it doesn't lay flat either. Also, the sleeves were odd. They hit right on my elbow. So they didn't come above my elbow, but didn't cover it either. I imagine the sleeves will hit people in different places. A pass for me on this one. Even on sale. IRL:

J Crew - new sweater

Saw this the other day and don't recall seeing it in the Nov 08 catalog:


You can't see it on the main pic, but some of the flames(?) on the sweater are metallic. Here is a pic of the tag.


And on a body. I'm a 34C and this is a medium. I'm not a model, but I think it looks better on the body than folded on the display table.


I think this is a pass for me. Not quite my style.

J Crew Outerwear - up to 30% off

J Crew Outerwear is up to 30% off in stores and online. The expiration date is unknown as this is for "a limited time." Also, the special does *not* apply to J Crew Outlet.


The beautiful Madeline (99294) is regularly $298, on sale for $248. Let me do the math for you. It's only a savings of 16.78%. Here it is in berry online:


And IRL:


I am not sold on the berry color, but it is definitely a mood lifter. I saw the dark poppy and it's definitely a red and not orange or pink. I would say it skews more on the warm side of red than cool blue red. I felt that it was TTS and may get a 4 if I order one. I would usually get 6P for the sleeves and overall length, but I think I was ok with this in a 4. It's too bad they don't have a petite run of sizes to try on in the store.

Was this coat available last year? Do you own it or have you tried it on?

J Crew - Penelope Mary Janes

I FINALLY got the Penelope Mary Jane's I've been dreaming of! I just couldn't justify the shoes at FP. They finally went on sale and I waited a day or two and then was all over it.


They are sitting in the box in the living room right now. I don't want to hear DH ask me what's in the box as I pull it out of the bag I snuck them home in. I like to have uninterrupted daydreams about my items when I open the packages. I prefer to not invite a running commentary because...well...that's what he likes to do sometimes. Like someone is narrating my life while I am living it. DH is a wanna be comedian at home, behind closed doors, but sometimes I'm not laughing. What can I say.

More on the shoes later!

THANKS, Fabulous Florida Mommy for creating a few smashing Polyvore sets for them. That had me convinced if I wasn't before. :-) In case I burned the URL, it's http://fabulousfloridamommy.blogspot.com

ETA: I really, REALLY love them. They look exactly like the online pic. I am not disapointed in any way. I am usually a 7.5. Sometimes my left foot prefers an 8. I tried the silver black on in-store in 8.5 and figured I would rather gamble with a 8 than 7.5 when I ordered the color I wanted online. You can always add a pad on the inside. Glad I got the 8 and I may need a pad in the right foot, but so far it doesn't seem like it. They felt good right off the bat. I didn't feel the same about the Juliet heel so that one was a pass for me. The Penelopes feel comfortable both in height and on the foot.


No...not going to wear them with rolled khaki chinos.

J Crew - FS shell whisper lame, novelty cardi, Lizzie mocs, art nouveau ring, buttercup chinos

I received my whisper lame' in shell and I love it. I think I am ok with it because I got it for such a low price aaand, someone warned me that it was more pink than off-white. So thanks for the tip! It's very pretty. I will try to come back with a photo of it in IRL. I'm not sure if there are more available online.


I bought this for my mom for Christmas. Interestingly, she is a size 2 and took a medium in it. The novelty sweaters do run a bit small IMO. She usually takes a S, not XS. So maybe size up one? I haven't purchased one for myself, but have tried them on. I think sizing up is good unless you like a snug fit.


I was so lucky to find these in a b&m for $69.99 + 30% off. The Lizzie mocs are very, VERY comfortable. I am a 7.5, sometimes 8 and ended up in a 7. Interestingly, the 6 they had on display also fit! Apparently they mold to your feet. I think you might be safe to size down a half step. Don't go crazy and size down 2 steps. ;-)


I love the Art Nouveau ring (98370). I have a medium sized hand and usually wear 7.5 or 8 in rings. I assume that I purchased a medium ring, but it was unmarked. It's huge and I love big rings like this. But it's doesn't feel totally heavy on the hand, which is nice. I was embarassed when it rang up as Gaudi Ring. It's a reference to "an ornamental Gaudi building in Barcelona," per the website, but it immediately registered in my mind as gaudy. *lol*


I got a fantastic CS on the phone and she talked me into chinos. I had been considering the buttercup pair and caved in at FP (full price). I happened to go into b&m the next day and they were $19.99 + 30% off. I just got the FP pair today in the mail and of course they are going back. I love the color as they have won me over with yellow. And for one of my non creative efforts I'm going to mimic the look they have with the gold sequin tank. I am curious to see if I can pull it off IRL. The one they show with it is *gulp* $400. Truth be told, I ordered no less than 4 sequin tanks & a sequin shrug cardi on eBay for about $50 total with shipping. Random labels from random sellers. I figure I can resell or giveaway what doesn't work.

J Crew - Twisted Crystal Necklace

J Crew has a beautiful long gold & crystal necklace. It caught my eye a week or two ago and I purchased it yesterday. It's $70.


Look for it in the jewelry case, or on display. If you don't see it there, have an SA look on the displays in the front window. I think the stores get a schematic so many of windows displays are similar from store to store. On the J Crew website in the Collection area there is a model in a black leather jacket, olive Victoria silk cami and a mini skirt. A Crystal Necklace is listed as one of the items in the text on the page, but I can't see a good shot of the necklace in the photo and the text doesn't quote the price. When I saw that page I thought this might be the necklace they were referring to. My receipt says Twisted Crystal Necklace, EC7376 and the number below that (sku?) is 099101634290.

I can't find my measuring tape right now, but working with a ruler it appears to be 32" long (total). It's a bit hard to photograph the bling but here are two more pics.


Have you seen this necklace? What do you think of it?

J Crew - Aubrey jacket

My neighbors surely must think I am running some type of 'operation' out of my house. UPS is often stopping off to deliver a package. And today the driver showed up juuust as I opened the trunk of my car. He gave me the box, I put it in the car and drove off. Must've looked odd indeed. The timing was too perfect.

I was very excited about the Aubrey in the car when I opened it. I was so sure it was the color I had imagined. I took my hands off the steering to clap and everything! I didn't get a chance to try it on until I got home. The catalog picture shows the Aubrey as follows:


And here it is IRL:


Definitely not the deep yellow I'd hoped for. And just so you know...it's a jacket, just like the catalog says, and not a coat. I would take it off once indoors; not wear it as a blazer. I think some might compare it to the weight of the herringbone Fiona, fall 08 = light. So some people are going to think it is not worth $250 based on that.

The 100% wool Aubrey feels good to the touch. It's not itchy and the herringbone pattern is beautiful. Very subtle. The 2 buttons are plastic, not cloth. One button is purely decorative on the exterior and buttons from the inside. The other functions as normal through a buttonhole. I know some people don't like buttons that snap.


I am inclined to say that the jacket fits TTS. I have enough room in the shoulders and chest. However, the shoulder seam is dropped a few inches down the arm. It creates a weird puckering from the underarm to just above the breast. Not too noticeable, but it's there. The jacket looks outstanding with the collar popped. It stays in place when put up, but it's not too stiff. And it was Mad Men-esque. I could see Joan in it. However, when the collar is folded down it creates a mandarin effect. IMO, when the jacket is buttoned and collar is down it looks like a Chinese shirt. I think the Aubrey will be going back.

J Crew - soft jersey Adelaide dress - on FS

I am so happy someone posted about this on J Crew Aficionada. I had seen the dress in b&m and wasn't impressed enough to try it on. Well a second glance, and at $49.99, I quickly purchased the navy:



After receiving it and loving it, I decided to order the honey glaze:


I love that color as well. I wasn't sure if there'd be enough contrast with my skin tone, but there is. I think lovers of honey glaze would like this dress. I think if you have a warmer skin tone and like mustard colored clothing, you'd like this. Honey glaze strikes me as a mustard.

As far as fit -- I got a small and feel it is TTS. I have to agree w/the person who posted on this as far as the length of the dress. It looks to the knee on the model and when I hold it up to my body it seems it will go to the knee. However, when I put it on it's 2-3 inches higher than I expected. Not a problem. I just don't think a heel looks that great with it. Maybe a pair of hose with heels could work. The Adelaide measures 33.5" from shoulder to hem.

I wore the navy with flat sandals that have wood and stone accents, a few bracelets and no necklace. It was so easy to throw on and go and I got a bunch of compliments. Always a nice bonus to feeling good to begin with.

J Crew - Whisper Lame' Shirt - on FS

The Whisper Lame' Shirt in Soft Graphite - final sale $19.99


In real life:


It doesn't matter that the CS rep I spoke w/pronounced lame' as layme. The blouse is beautiful! A nice pop of shine underneath the dream tie cardigan:


And when I called the next day to order the lame' in shell, that CS also thought the blouse is layme. I am sure the shell color will be beautiful and not lame at all.


I will try to post the IRL version upon receipt. Although at $19.99 these may be gone very soon. In the meantime, here is what kate! had to say on J Crew Aficionada:

"...i just received my whisper lame shirt in shell yesterday! i completely agree with your post of the fit/style/itchy factor. BUT the shell color is NOT AT ALL what it looks like online. in fact i called CS and asked if i could return it (i have never done that before). after explaining to the cs that it honestly doesn't look like the online color at all she said I could just this once. its not the beige-y soft color it looks online, it is a full on PINK color. ie its the color of a light pink dress shirt. might work for some, but i felt like a barbie with it on. :( hope that helps someone!!"

More about the blouse -- I like shiny things, but I wouldn't say I'm a girly girl. This has a subtle shine/sheen and still makes a statement. It kind of looks like a regular gray button down and then your fairy godmother came and put a shimmer all over it so you could go to the Upscale Casual Ball. If you wear it solo you don't have to worry about looking like a disco ball, imo. It's just not loud enough. And it looks really great underneath other tops & jackets. I am a 4 or 6P, 34C. I ordered a 4 and am thrilled with it. I would have been unhappy with a 6. So I'd say TTS.

The fabric is lightweight and just a tad see through. Not in bad way. It's fluid and not stiff in any way. I think the gold lame' tank is just a little heavier. Maybe gold thread is a little thicker. Who knows. And the gold lame' tank has a zipper which makes that side of it stiff. There are no such issues with the button down.

The material is not itchy or scratchy on the tank nor on the button down. I have sensitive skin. And I also have some psychological issue where certain fabrics/texture give me the heebs and put pain in my teeth. "Look Ma, no heebs."

Here is a pic to show a contrast between the interior and ext:

Notice how the interior doesn't show the vibrant threading? It's flat grey. So no itching. It's 100% cotton so it's not 'noisy' either since it's not made of polyester.

J Crew Georgia dress - on final sale (FS)

The Georgia dress is on final sale for $39.99 in deep persimmon and bright blue. Black and grey mist are out of stock. I just recvd the blue (and put it on without ironing out the shipping wrinkles):


I have to say that I like the bright blue and grey mist Georgias. The black is a nice basic, but it's a flat black and not as rich as I like. Still, a nice basic. I am curious about the deep persimmon but I figure 3 of these dresses are enough and the orange-y color might not provide any interesting contrast with my skin tone.

The bright blue Georgia is close to the bright azul Jackie cardigan. And no, the blue is not as shiny as the camera makes it out to be in this pic and on the web.

J Crew Issy Sweater Jacket

The Issy Sweater Jacket $148

In real life:


I tried this on and I immediately thought $50 max, H&M. I usually don't compare J Crew to H&M because I don't see a direct correlation. But in this case I immediately thought of H&M. I can't see paying $148 for this. #1 - It's wool, but too lightweight. The Jamie jacket is heavier, imo. I realize the Jamie is made of cotton, but still. #2 - The 'jacket' falls into an open stance. There is one button under the collar and that's it. It's cut into a tapered, open shape. There is no way to close it. I guess this is something you can throw on as a cute topper for nice weather fall days. I already own cardigans and other swing jackets that will do the trick. This is a pass for me.

J Crew Madeline dress

This is the mysterious black dress I saw in a J Crew b&m. It is currently not available in the Oct 2008 catalog or online.

ETA: This is the Madeline dress






I tried it on and the collar is great. The ruffles are done better this year than on last year's sparkle phoebe blouse - maybe because the material on that blouse is lightweight. I didn't try on last year's Phoebe dress in wool. In this year's design there is a square of material to go across the cleavage and operational buttons down the front of it. It's set between the ruffles and it appears that you can see cleavage, but you can't. It's sexy in that regard. The fabric on this dress reminds me of the Super 120s wool. It's lightweight, but feels strong -- if you will -- and I didn't find it itchy at all.

You pull the dress over your head and there is a side zip. There are also the requisite pockets, as many of the newer dresses have. There are princess seams at the rear but not at the front. It may have taken away from the look of the dress to have seams running down the front but I felt like the dress is missing some shaping at the waist. Maybe I am supposed to be in a size 2, but I don't think so.

Tag info for those interested:

Ann Taylor Loft coupon code

I usually don't visit Ann Taylor Loft on a shopping trip or frequent the store online, but I clicked on an ad today while on another website. I saw a very pretty bauble necklace for only $34:



10/21 ETA: I love it. It's the perfect bauble style statement necklace for a petite person. Here it is IRL -->


I then went to retailmenot and found a coupon code. 89400012 takes $25 off of $50 through Oct 19. So I got the necklace, plus this scarf:


10/21 ETA: The scarf is very pretty in person. The overall colors and effect are darker than on the web. Also, it's more voluminous than it appears and takes a second to tie it like the inspiration photo, but it's worth it. The scarf is a good size. It can be worn around the shoulders in a shawl fashion as well.

I had to throw a pair of trouser socks onto the order to go above $50, but the net total was $40 including shipping. That's pretty good.

Ann Taylor Loft is definitely a place to swing by for jewelry. I picked this up about a month ago in the store for $30 + 25% off:



Maybe I check them out more than I thought.

J Crew Georgia (dress) on my mind (and in my closet!)

I kept thinking about J Crew's Georgia dress and asked for feedback on the Aficionada blog. I always love a good sheath because they are so versatile, but the major stumbling block was that this one is unlined silk. Someone finally chimed in with good news about the dress so I ordered it in Grey Mist.

The Grey Mist is about the same gray as J Crew's silk Piper tank. It's not the *best* color for my skin, but boy is it versatile. I've already tried it with a black cardi and necklace, obviously. Magenta is also a striking color with it. I tried the dress on with the grosgrain rhinestone belt in peacock blue and that's a cute looka s well.

The dress has a long zipper at the back and you can step into the dress. No wiggling it overhead. The flower attachment is a spiral of chiffon circles. I haven't taken it out of the package yet. Adding a flower to the dress is very cute, but it would probably be a red one I own or another one I have in gray. This one seems flat and unexciting. Maybe it fluffs up. The dress has pockets, but I can't put my hands in both and walk comfortably around that way. One hand in pocket while standing works, but not both. That's fine with me.

One of my concerns was how the dress gathers at the rear above and below the waist seam. It appears from the website photos that it might not be very flattering to one's backside. I feel like the rear is flattering looking. My hips are straight, fyi. It's my stomach that's the issue for me. The gathering extends from the back to the front sides of the dress and it creates some illusion of a waist where I have none. I imagine this is potentially even more flattering on those with a waist. You are going to have some wrinkles across the lap after being seated for awhile, but they are thin and evenly spaced; not chunky and random. I am a 34C and the front fits just fine, but there is a little too much material in the back. I will probably have it altered a bit. It's an easy fix. Oh -- and DON'T use a steam when ironing this. I used steam to get the shipping wrinkles out and the silk started to shrivel into tiny puckers. I ironed it right out, but I won't be using steaming on it again.

The see-thru issue, given that the dress is unlined --> The silk is thin, but not super thin. I don't find it to be see thru. I don't see the need for a slip. I ordered it in black today.