J. Crew Review: New Sweaters, Tops and a Jacket

Hello! Finally I am back after a longer hiatus than I had planned. I have not really been in the mood to shop or try on clothes lately thus the lack of blogging. Why, you may ask? Well, I have big news. News that seems to get bigger by the day. I am pregnant! We finally decided to add to our family and while I am super excited I am also dreadfully tired and nauseous. Plus I am in the weird stage of pregnancy where I don't really look pregnant, just sort of lumpy and different. Awesome. I will also say that when your body is doing this for the second time, it doesn't wait, it just gets right down to business. Whoomp - there go my breasts. Whoomp - hip expansion in the first trimester, oh yes please! And I believe my belly is not going to go unnoticed for much longer.

I'm not sure what this will mean in terms of my little blog but while I can still pretend to wear real clothes, I will review them! I finally decided to treat myself by looking at some clothes that I think could work during and after pregnancy and I'm glad I did. It's sort of a fun challenge right now and I am in no rush to wear my old maternity clothes (although apparently my body is).

So here is the first of a 2 part J Crew Review. For sizing reference, while I have not gained much weight yet, my hips are definitely wider, my waist a bit thicker and my cup size has increased by one. Hope this will be helpful for those of you who are similarly sized :)

Hooded Basket-Weave Jacket (XS) in Royal Indigo

 I don't know why, but I sort of love this jacket. It's not really anything special but I like it's cute casualness. You could probably size down on this one but I'm not sure if that would cause the shoulders to be too tight. It's definitely cuter buttoned rather than open. It's currently $199.99 in-store but I didn't take it home because it's not waterproof. If I buy a casual jacket, it at least has to be waterproof.

 Lace-Sleeve Sweatshirt (XS) in Sugared Ivory

 I like the idea of high-low mixed together and the fit was fine in my usual XS. I wish the lace was softer so that it lay better on the arms. I think I may officially be over the "dressed-up" sweatshirt thing. Not sure I was ever totally into it in the first place :)

Merino Texture-Panel Sweater (XS)

 There's something about this that I like. The bright springy colors, the sections that are knit as almost a mesh - it's interesting. I like the more open neckline. The fit is slightly slim.

Marled Linen V-Neck Sweater (XXS) in Marled Navy

 I'm a big fan of J. Crew's linen sweaters - they are the perfect throw-on layer for a cool summer night. I don't mind the oversized nature of this one (this is one size smaller than my usual size) but I do mind how cropped it is. It's really short and I'm afraid it would end up as a midriff top if I washed it. I really like the look of the one in Marled Meadow - so fresh and happy for spring.

 Embroidered Stripe Tunic (XS)

 I've tried this one on before. It's just so darn cheery! It doesn't look as good as it did before because my ever-expanding chest is casuing it to look like maternity wear instead of a cute swimsuit coverup. Nonetheless, highly recommended. Cute and just different enough to be fun!

 Cutout Floral Sweatshirt (XS)

 This was on sale for a very reasonable price with discounts. As far as a sweatshirt goes, this is pretty cute. My usual XS felt slim and flattering. I'm not sure what to do about the cutouts though - you'd have to choose what color you would want showing carefully or wear a cami?

 Merino Triple-Stripe Elbow-Patch Sweater (XS) in Sky Purple

I never even noticed this before but I thought it was adorable. I'm a big fan of elbow patches and I like the overall relaxed shape of this sweater. Usually I am not a fan of drop shoulders but this one did not bother me. A really cute casual little sweater!

Piped Andie Chino (size 2)

 I'm a big fan of the Andie chino. I sized up in these because I thought it would just be upsetting to try on my usual size - I've already sort of lost any semblance of a waist and don't think I could button my usual size. One size up still fit fine. I like the piping a lot but am not a huge fan of tight pants in khaki - show too much lump and bumpiness. As I mentioned, my hips have already widened a bit so I think this accounts for the tightness in the rear. The material of these felt slightly less dense/stretchy than the original Andies. I like it - felt like it had the potential to be less "grabby".

More to come plus some Anthro reviews on the way. Have you been picking up any of the new arrivals?

Anthropologie Reviews: Mireia Blouse, Edisto Column Dress, Moorea Maxi Skirt, Pieced Stripes Column Dress, Crocheted Pullover and Level 99 Lily

Here are some fun items that caught my eye on my last visit to Anthro:

Crocheted Pullover (S)

This appears to be sold out now. I would prefer a smaller size but there is something quite charming about this sweater. The little appliques at the bottom are well done and I like the details at the chest and neck. It is also SOFT, like I want to live in it boyfriend cashmere sweater soft. Of course it will probably pill like crazy but that's what I have a sweater shaver for. Also like the slightly longer hem in the back - good for booty coverage. Anyway, haven't tripped across an XS yet but I wouldn't be able to resist if I did.

 Mireia Blouse (size small)

This blouse makes me sad and is a perfect example of how some items at Anthropologie just need to be simplified. I LOVE the print - I know it's crazy but it's really eye-catching and fun. What you can't really see is the ridiculous cascade of limp ruffles down the front. I mean, really? At first I thought the ruffles were two halves that were meant to be tied together like a secretary blouse but alas, no. Such a beautiful print that could have been done in a simple, tasteful blouse. Why oh why overdesign things? On a side note, this is a small and fit quite well so this shirt might run a bit small.

 Edisto Column Dress (size XS)

Yowsers. Lots of information about my body in this one. It is flattering I guess but was way too tight for my taste. The material is dense and while stretchy is not soft and stretchy like a Bailey 44 dress might be.

 Edisto Column Dress (size S)

This is a better fit but still felt too restrictive and unforgiving. Only for the bold :)

Vegan Leather Mini (size 0)

Clearly this was a random return. OMG. I LOVE this skirt but I think I have to face facts which is that the size 0 is a little bit snug. Not horribly so but I would prefer a size 2 (which of course is completely sold out company wide). I don't know what it is about this little skirt but it is flattering, doesn't look cheap, has well-placed pockets and is a delicious plum color (even though the color is listed as blue). Sigh.

 Moorea Maxi Skirt (size XS)

I can see throwing this on constantly in the summer with a little black tank top, some jewelry and cute sandals. It's very comfortable and flattering since it basically falls straight down. I'm not usually drawn to prints and colors like this but I liked this one.

 Pieced Stripes Column Dress (size S)

Oh Bailey 44, I wish I could quite you. Yet another delicious iteration of their column dress. I can't understand why this one didn't sell as well - I think the colors are so cute. It fits in its usually fablous "what body flaws?" way.

 Pieced Stripes Column Dress (Size M)

I have one of these dresses in a M that I like to actually wear to work and things like that so I thought I'd give it a try. I definitely prefer the S but mostly because of the way the skirt hang at the bottom of this one.

Level 99 Lily Skinny Straight (size 26 Petite) in dark denim

The petite length was great but I also think these are slightly tighter than a regular 26. They are very cute and flattering. Super low rise and a little tight but I think the regular size would fix taht. The fading on them is attractive and not a pounds adder. Sometimes I get so tired of whiskering. Why would I want white lines on my thighs? It's like a neon sign saying please look here and try to guess if I've been eating doughnuts and pez for breakfast. What? No, that's never happened.

Overall some cute things and man oh man are they trying to clear out the winter stuff. The pieced stripes dress is already down to $49.95!

Anthropologie Reviews - Aquarelle Crops, Lehua Maxi, Canna Shift, Travelogue Jacket and Embroidered Kalea

Whoops, it's been quite a long time! The fast slide into Spring Break always means that things are a bit hectic both at home and at school so shopping has just not been on my mind much (wait, what? maybe I'm coming down with something...). I think I'm also dying to start thinking about spring clothes but of course can't even bear to try them on when it is 20 degrees out! I'm liking a lot of Anthro's latest very casual easygoing clothes. Here are a few things I tried at my latest visit.

Travelogue Jacket  (size 2)

 This is cute. I think it needs to be paired with something a bit dresses. The sleeves are a bit snug at the bottom but I think that's from the little tab that helps keep them ruched or rolled or whatever. I'm always on the fence about a blazer made out of drapey rayon. Sometimes I think it looks very cool and and laid back and other times I think it looks just sort of wrinkled and sloppy. Overall I think this is a cute little twist on a black blazer.

Gracie Top (size XS) - thanks to thatdamngreendress for helping me identify this top!

 I have NO idea why I can't find this on the website but I can't. I believe it is full price. It fits beautifully and although it would clearly require a cami, I didn't mind. Elegant, simple, not too snug. My only holdup is that I've seen blouses like this sold on ebay, straight from China, for about $15 and I don't think this one is any different. Not sure if I would pair this with jeans or something dressier. Wouldn't want to tuck it in because of the lovely bottom.

 Canna Shift (size 2)

 Love a good shift dress and the punchy color on this one makes it really fun. I think it would be more elegant without the exposed zipper (I enjoyed that trend but am ready to move on now). The length is perfect on my 5'4" frame. Just short enough without feeling overexposed. TTS and an easy little party dress.

 Embroidered Kalea Blouse (PS)

 I keep on coming back to this blouse but I don't think it's a great fit on my body. I'd prefer the regular size but that hasn't been in stock in a while. The PS fits fine (the PXS was so tight I couldn't move my arms) but the low cut front is a bit of a deal breaker. Camis are fine but I don't want to have to wear them with everything. I love the embroidered placket but I wish the colors were a bit more muted. They are truly fluorescent.

 Lehua Maxi Skirt (size XS)

 This skirt is gorgeous. I didn't realize it was a mermaid shape, which I love, and this really dresses it up a bit. Several reviews online stated it ran big but I didn't find that at all. Then again, my waist is a little thick these days. The length was great and I even liked that the waist sits a bit higher (as you can see in the first shot).  There is an exposed zipper on the back which I could have done without but it's not too bovious. Overall really lovely but quite dressy.

 Aquarelle Crops (size XS)

 I'm really drawn to all these bright, flowery, tropical prints going at Anthro. I tried these on for fun but woah... they are a hot mess. I would need to size up to at least a Small but they would still fit oddly I'm sure. They are quite tight in the hips and bum and then the pockets sort of flap around loosely. The legs fit okay until you get to the bottom where you can see they are painted on to my calves. This makes the bottom party flare out and look, well, ridiculous. I was hoping they would be slouchy and easy to just throw on with a t-shirt but as you can see there is no slouch. Just unflattering grabbiness. Yowch.

A lot of good things got second cuts this week. I'm still contemplating the Tropicalist Shift - already makred down to $40. Simply adorable. Did you grab anything?