J. Crew Review: Some moonglow and misty fog floral

With the holiday hoo-ha, I simply have not had time to blog much less shop. My husband went to some of my favorite stores and did a really good job of picking out a few goodies! It's so silly but I always find this exciting. A lot of times, he buys things that the SA recommends or just grabs whatever is at the front of the store but I felt like he really listened to what I wanted this year and picked some things I would not have picked for myself but that I love!

Really the highlight of the holidays was the absolute joy of my 4 year old daughter. Oh my - I seriously thought she might implode. It was so nice for her to spend time with family and just soak up all the love and attention. She was so kind and polite and sweet with everyone. My little heart just about burst with love for her. Speaking of which, I had to drag her with me on about 3 hours of errands today and she did not complain once! Soak it up. That's what I keep telling myself, because I know it will not always be this blissful!

Misty Fog Floral Popover (size 2)

 I quite like this print - fun and unusual color combinations. It has a vintage 70's feel without being too kitschy. The fit is typical of the popover fit - take your normal size. Can we talk about the popover thing this year at J Crew? I think it's way less flattering than a normal buttondown and I wish they would return to making more standard shirts. Half the store seemed to be popovers this time. Bummer.

 Moonglow Paisley Silk Tee (size 2)

 Maybe this one was mislabeled but it was HUGE. It's a really fun print and I like the simplicity of the shape, but size down on this one (unless this particular one was an anomaly). It's a bit too bold for my taste but I definitely like the idea. Vivid IRL without being garish.

 Side-Zip Varsity Dress (XS) in Black

 I read a review on J. Crew Aficionada of this dress. It is absolutely adorable and fit TTS for me. Sometimes I feel tempted to size down on the shift dresses but this one is more fitted (than the maritime for example). The length is not obscene and I love the sportiness of the shape. Please excuse the large side belly - I am only pregnant with Christmas joy (aka cookies, wine and cheese).

 Misty Fog Floral Shift Dress (size 0)

 Again with the food baby. I gained a healthy 5 pounds this holiday so it might be a few weeks until I return to normal. Anyhoo, I am usually between sizes on the Jules so I went down a size on this one. I liked the silhouette but it felt a little snug in a size down. The pockets are on the sides - not my favorite placement - but otherwise I think the dress is quite nice. The neckline is bit more open which I prefer.

 Shirttail Mini in Sequins (size 0)

 I think this is adorable for NYE! I'm already a fan of the shirttail mini in wool but I like this one too. The subtle pleats in the front lay nicely and the pockets are a great addition. I did notice that the sequins are not completely uniform - there are little ones all over that are a silver color - I think this is on purpose but it could be ones that slipped or had the navy color rubbed off? Has anyone else noticed this? This runs slightly bigger than the wool mini in my opinion.

 Frost Foulard Short-Sleeve Shirt

 I caught this on popback before final sale kicked back in. At first I thought, definite return, but it is weirdly growing on me. Yes it definitely looks like a pajama top. No I'm not completely sure what I would pair it with. But, I like the colors, the nice crisp cotton, the length and the darling piping. I don't want to buy into the pajama trend too much, I'm sure it will quickly go away, but I do like this.

Here's a close- up of the print since you can't really see it online.

What do you think?

Madewell Review: Game Plan Skirt and Shimmer Skirt

I've been holding out for a few coveted items at Madewell this holiday season but things seems to be selling out fast online! And not really coming back into stock... I'm hoping this will change once the holidays are passed and people start returning gifts. You never know with Madewell. J Crew seems to be more predictable - you can almost always catch something coming back into stock. Madewell really freezes prices on things and takes them in and out of promo price all the time. I may have missed my window for a few items but I'm okay with that. I think my closet is doing quite fine as it is :)

Game Plan Skirt (XS)

I was attracted to the idea of this one. Pull on, elastic waist, slightly longer length. I think this would look best on taller, straighter ladies. I felt like it emphasized the wrong parts and looked sort of awkward. It's a cute skirt though - I can see it with heeled boots and a soft sweater. The material is slightly itchy but it is fully lined.

 Shimmer Skirt (size 2, size 0)

This was on my holiday wishlist because I love a bit of gold shimmer for the holidays! Unfortunately, I did not love the material - it feels cheap to me. Reminds of the material on the Collection Salon Mini in Quartz Jacquard by J Crew (review here). That being said, it does fit the bill for a fun little party skirt. I can see going 50's style with a sweet cashmere cardigan and lots of jewelry.

My usual size 0 definitely fit better. Fit closer to the waist but still slightly below. I might even be tempted to try the 00 since I like this type of skirt to fit closer to my true waist, otherwise the proportion tends to look slightly off. The length is "party short" but not overly so.

I think I may be on a purchase holding pattern until the after holiday sales start coming. 30% off used to be tempting but I've gotten used to 40% off!
FYI - my friend went to Madewell yesterday and said she got 30% off sale and they stacked this with the 25% off $125 deal.... something to think about...

What's on your Madewell wishlist?

J. Crew Review: Colorblock Waffle Sweater, Silk Diamond Tile Skirt, Jeweled Cluster Sweater, Red Tartan Popover and Patch-Pocket Pencil Skirt

Luckily, my holiday shopping is mostly done. Thank goodness - I tried to brave a mall on Saturday and sadly gave up after about 15 minutes. I really enjoy shopping for gifts but not with a thousand other harried people! This past week has mostly been about updating all forms of identity. I realized my license was about to expire so I bravely went to the DMV to renew it. Lo and behold, I need a Social Security card to do that. I lost mine about 10 years ago. When I go to the Social Security office I realize I need a passport to get a card. When I look at my passport I realize it expired a year ago. Oy vey. Long story short, after much running around, I got everything fixed but woah - when it rains it pours! It's been one of those weeks that I am thankful to be living in a small city instead of back in NYC where a trip to the DMV basically requires having the day off. Hopefully in a week or 2 I will have some proper forms of identification.... Anyway, here are some reviews I've been meaning to post.

Collection Cashmere Colorblock Waffle Sweater (XS) in Acorn Dusk Burgundy

This is so cozy and comfortable. The only cashmere I have from J Crew is the featherweight cardigan which I bought last year when they accidentally listed it at a very inexpensive price online. I love that little cardigan. I have washed it twice, in the washer, on warm, by accident, TWICE - and it still looks great. The fit of this one is slightly "boyfriend"and I like that. The 3rd picture is trying to show the cute little line on the sleeve. Overall cozy and cute.

 Vintage Sweatshirt (XS)

I LOVE a good sweatshirt and this one is quite cute. The band at the bottom is wide which I really like - very flattering. My only hesitation is the "batwing" situation going on. Besides that, it is a perfect little sweatshirt.

 Silk Diamond Tile Skirt (size 0)

Nothing I have to have at this moment but I liked it. My usual size 0 fit quite well so no need to size up in this. The length is also modest for someone of my height. The pleats lay very well and the colors are quite pleasant.

 Jeweled Cluster Sweater in Lavender (XS)

I'm a bit over the "put a jewel on it" thing that J Crew has going on (as well as many other retailers). This fits fine but I just don't feel the need for jewels or 3/4 length sleeves.

 Red Tartan Popover (size 2)

This red tartan is so perfect I can't even stand it. The colors (which are poorly represented in these photos) are gorgeous! Unfortunately, I do not love the popover shape on me. I really need a nice nip/tuck at the waist so I don't look like all breast and no shape and this does not really provide that. It is absolutely adorable though and holiday-looking without being something that you would ONLY wear over the holidays.

 Patch-Pocket Pencil Skirt (size 0)

I was surprised to like this lot. I feel it fits a little small for my normal size (as you can see in the bum shot). Nonetheless, it was quite comfortable and I really liked the edgy little zippers on the front. They add interest without bulk. It is very form-fitting and sexy but I don't think I would size up. I prefer the fit of this to the normal No. 2 Pencil Skirt.

Looks like 30% is here to stay. Anything you're looking to pick up?

J. Crew Review: Holiday Sweater, Colorblock Funnelneck Coat, Gold-Stripe Dress and more

Only 2 1/2 weeks until the school is out! Yippee! It was hard going back to work after Thanksgiving, such a warm cozy holiday, but I have been comforted by the fact that I only have 2 more weeks of work and then I'm off again. I'm glad I got some of my holiday shopping done early because Xmas is on its way and I don't have a lot of time to gather the ol' gifts. Of course, I still accidentally found myself going to J Crew to look at a few things. Better to preview now becore final sale kicks back in!

Vintage Holiday Sweater (XS)

 I'm not really into the "holiday" sweater thing but this is basically cute. i like the shape of the sweater and the soft material. Not loving the placement of the deer - it's a bit too wide for me and I think it visually adds some girth to your top section. If you are looking for something cute and holiday without being too kitschy - this is cute!

 Gold-Stripe Dress (size 2)

 This seems to be the shape of the season - quite fitted on top and voluminous on the bottom. I tried on a dress similar to this from Anthropologie here. I like the way the top fits - it's very flattering. The skirt, however, is a bit too poufy for me. I love the gold thread and the over all simplicity but I feel thick through the waist and too poufy in the bottom.

 Toothpick Cord (size 27) in Cabernet

 I adore this color. I always size up in the toothpicks because I don't want them to be skin-tight and although these are snug I think they would relax perfectly after a few wears. Definitely wishlisted.

 Colorblock Funnelneck Coat (size 2)

 This was one of the few items I was really drawn to in the catalogue. It is super cute. The colorblocking is done in a way that truly flatters the body. The "skirt" portion in particular is great - nice dark color, straight lines, nice length. This coat is adorable and if I actually needed a coat I would be asking for it. I do love the funnelneck as well - cozy and cool.

 Trying to strike a casual pose. Imagining myself looking chic and fabulous ;)

Stretch Wool Motorcycle Jacket (size 2)

 Not great. Fits well zippered but looks funny open. I think the Boucle version of this jacket is much cuter. Doesn't really look that "moto" to me.

More reviews to come. Are you taking advantage of the current promotion?