LOFT reviews

Hi everyone!

Banner day at the shops, with 40% off at LOFT (and 40% off at Banana, reviews to come). LOFT also offered the 40% off online, although many items are sold out, so I couldn't link to or name some of pics below.

Slub-tank Combo Dress -- I tried on the version with orange stripes up top (only white available online now), and thought it was really cute. Cuter than it looks in these pics. Cons are that it's on the short side, and the armholes gaped a bit (but not horribly). But nice for galivanting around. Ran TTS for me (this is a small). At $59.50 FP, it's still a deal, but even better with 40% off.

Shift Dress (I don't know the names of these, so if you know, just chime in) -- This was so adorable! In ivory and a geranium color (it has more of a pink tone than this pic), it fit really nicely (this is a 4) and was very flattering and comfortable. Nice and cool for hot summertime.  I believe it was $79.50 FP.

This silk dress  reminded me a bit of the J.Crew Jane dress. This was an 8P, all they had left, so it was definitely too big. I thought it was comfortable and pretty, if not a bit Working Girl. Nice dress for the office. It was on sale for $39.99 plus discount!

3/4 Sleeved Utility Shirtdress -- On sale for $40, a steal with the add'l 40 off.  They only had medium left, so that's what I'm trying on here (small would be the right fit). Smart and polished, everyone should have something similar in their wardrobe.

Zip-pocket sleeveless dress -- Cute little orange dress in a silky-ish (poly likely) fabric. Just pulls over your head. This was actually a size 0 and fit ok, so it runs big. It was priced at $39.99 on sale as well, plus discount. Zippered pockets, which I didn't mind, but will look dated eventually of course.

I also tried on a few summery dresses that aren't online and for which I don't have pictures. One was an Ikat-type cotton halter dress, that was very cute on, and very nicely priced. Another was an ensemble dress, with a gold linen-y skirt and white ruffled top. I'm a bit over the super-ruffled top thing, but it was really, really cute and flattering on. So if you see it, it's worth a try-on.

OOTD: cerise!

Hello everyone!

The other day was soooo dreary. Raining, chilly, and I had a whopping head cold. Still, I had to get out of the house for a bit, and so I pulled out some bright and cheery colors to wake me up a bit.  It actually did make me feel better, and DH complimented it, so that was a bonus. 

Love J.Crew's Cerise (bright orange) color, and am happy I picked this Mixed-Tape cardi up for a song in the fall/winter. I passed on the Marseille Floral Cami last summer, and sort of regretted it. Luckily, some lovely soul posted it on eBay for under $10, in my size, and I snapped it up. Love the two paired togeterh, with the bow peeking out.  I threw on my denim Minnies to avoid hems dragging in the rain, and was out the door.  I wore my patent Gap city flats in to the mall, but walked out wearing a sunshine yellow pair of JC's Rainy Day Ballet Flats for just under $20.Topped it all off with my treasured Icon trench, which makes me feel very pulled together.

Polyvore:

cerise! by shopwithm

On me:

Do you ever purposely force yourself to wear something in order to lift your mood? It seems to work for me!

J.crew Havana Clutch

Hello everyone!

I ordered both the black and natural versions of the Havana Clutch, unsure of which color I'd prefer, and received them both the other day.  Very cute! Smaller than I expected, in a good way (er, I never measure, which is dumb). A really nice size for drinks/dinner/date night. I like the patent piece and I like the shape. The only thing I'd change is to make it a flat bottom so it would sit upright. But that's a quibble.

Then I inspected them a bit more. On the bottom of the black purse are two straw pieces "holding together" the two pieces of the purse. (I use quotes b/c I'm sure they're not holding it completely, it only looks that way).  On the bottom of the natural clutch are...two thick plastic strappy things instead of straw. Like something with which you'd attach a toy to a box. Er, that can't be right.  I called CS and the CSA was very pleasant and checked with their "mock up section" to have them inspect one for me. Yeah, they didn't think that sounded good either. So they're exchanging it for me and we'll see. Meanwhile, the black one is all good.  Sorry I didn't capture the issue on camera.

Update:  I re-ordered the natural clutch to see if the strappy things have been replaced with straw, as in the black. Um, nope! Still plastic-y. So I took it back to show my PS. She decided to try snipping them, to see what happened (better her than me), and sure enough, the purse fell apart!! Are you kidding me?!  Unbelievable that they are trying to sell these things at all. Will be writing an email to complain.

I give it a thumbs up. Is it worth nearly $60? I've looked and haven't seen anything nearly as cute for less. Most are much more (Kate Spade, Jack Rogers, Michael Kors, etc.). Sometimes you can find cute little gems at a Marshalls or T.J. Maxx, but you'll have to dig/wait/hope/luck out. So IMO, yes, it's worth the money (ETA that it's worth it if this is the exacct kind of clutch you're looking for...but if Target came out with a copy, I'd say go for the Target version! :)

ETA:  Thanks to Polyvore friend kittywitty for finding this fab option at DSW! For $30, I think I might try this one out. Will pop into DSW today or tomorrow and check it out!

p.s. How lovely was the wedding? How stunning was Kate? Loved, loved, loved watching the whole thing, and teared up at the fairy-tale-ness of it all.  Don't they just seem so normal and likeable?

J.Crew reviews: Conference jacket/skirt plus Cecilia, Allura and Castaway dresses

Hello everyone!

I popped into J.Crew yesterday to try on a few things, and wanted to share a mix of some new items and "older" pieces that have hit sale.

Conference Jacket in Linen -- At first I thought this was a different blazer, so that's why I grabbed it. This is a size 2 and it fit TTS. I thought it was pretty blah, but nice in a work environment I suppose. Not the most flattering blazer out there. Fairly stiff and the hook and eye closures were a bit hard to work for some reason, so that annoyed me a bit.

If you missed the bicycle tees last year, here's another that's in-store only, and already on sale for $20 (plus the 30%). It was a pretty pale pink with the nice periwinkle color.  I have it paired with the Conference Skirt in the madagascar peri, which is a very pretty color. Tried on my usual size 4 and didn't love the fit for some reason, and it was a bit short.

Found the Castaway Dress in the sale section, so tried it on (I think same price as online). I like the Amory Floral version better (IRL pic here), but I still like this as a super casual dress. Runs small -- I think this is a 0.

Cecilia Dress in casablanca blue -- Had to give it another try in the blue. They only had a 0 and that was too tight for me in the bust, so I'm holding it up. Nope, still doesn't work on me. Color is lovely though!

Allura Shift Dress in superfine cotton -- This was a really cute dress, although one size too small for me. This is a 2 and I'd have been more comfortable in a 4. That could be the bloat though. ;) I'm not sure how suiting pieces are running these days however. Very flattering, and I love their superfine cotton.

Lace and Tulle Cami -- Marked down to $30 plus discount in store, I gave it a final whirl. Nope, it just doesn't work for me. The tulle was snagged a bit already, but even with that issue, it just doesn't fit nicely on me.

Did you snag any goodies with this sale? With my cold, I slept in a bit this morning (6:15! sleeping in!), so didn't get to see if there were any fun popbacks early.

p.s. I got the modern red skinny belt and it's actually a solid red, not orange at all! Just an FYI.

J.Crew Silk Casbah Blouse & Dress, plus factory Silk Camp Shirt

Hello everyone!

Wheeee, I was very excited to receive my Silk Casbah Blouse yesterday, as I adore the print and colors, and hoped it would translate nicely to this top. 

Love it!  Love the rich jewel colors, love the little puff in the sleeves, lovelovelove. The color looks wonky in the online pic -- too contrast-y and with white, which is wrong. It's not really white, but gray, in the background. IRL, it's more like the pic when you do a search for it and it pops up (the pic when not worn by the model) -- does that make sense?  My only issue is sizing. I ordered a size 2 and the body fits fine, but I'm worried about the shoulders/back. If I were to bend down and pick up my son, I could see a nice little split occuring near the arm seams. So I'm going to try out the 4 and will report back. Oh, also, I worried about the length based on the pics online, but it was just right.
ETA: I forgot to report back on this! I tried the 4 and didn't see much difference in the shoulder constriction area, it was just a bit bigger body-wise. I think I'd still go with the 2, but sizing up one doesn't seem to make a ton of difference, as it's silk and drapes nicely.

I also tried the Casbah Dress, which is just lovely as well. It's light and airy and the color is, of course, divine. There is a size zip, and then there is a second zip for the bust corset section, which I kind of like actually. There is some pleating a bit to the side, under the bust, which results in some poofiness. Doesn't bother me though...kinda nice for a foodbaby, as audreybella says (modeling her dress beautifully here and here).  This is a size 2 (so TTS).

I also recently tried out the Factory Silk Camp Shirt (on promo for $54.50, 30% applies) in Cobblestone, as I love that color. It's cute and the silk is fairly nice. About on par for what I expected from factory. It's a pretty color and the fit is nice and TTS. I went with XS (same as the factory perfect shirts I've purchased), and I'd stick with that. Not an exciting shirt, but a nice basic and I love the camp button-up detail and the dark buttons. With the extra 30%, I think it's a great price if you're in the market for something like this.

Did ya'll get anything this morning with the 30% off sale? There were some price cuts on some items I've been watching, so I'm trying out the Lady Lace Popover (not sure of sizing or color) and also snagged the Canvas Schoolboy Blazer for I think about $55. What can I say, I'm a blazer slut. (File next to Slut/pencil skirt, Slut/sequins, Slut/JCsweatshirts)

On another note, I just bought tickets to Carrie Underwood at an outdoor concert location by me -- so excited! I love her, and I'm not afraid to admit it. She's just so talented. Did you see her rendition of How Great Thou Art? You don't have to be religious to appreciate how beautifully she sang it. See/hear it here:

Boden's union jack scarf

Hello everyone!

So excited to have received my Boden Union Jack Scarf in time for the big royal wedding this week. :)  It's a gorgeous scarf, and I've barely taken it off since it arrived. The blue section has some fab navy polka-dotting going on, the stripe is a warm ivory rather than stark white, and the red is a smattering of smallish deep red (nearly burgundy) dots on an almost coral-y pink background. It all works beautifully, feels very soft and looks smashing, if I do say so myself.

Sorry, I didn't look at the scarf before taking the pic, and the tag is hanging out. :)



Is it wrong that I want to dress up and go to a party to celebrate this wedding? Alas, I think I'll be enjoying it from my own t.v. Perhaps at least I'll wear a hat. :)

p.s. J.Crew sale had some new cuts this morning (of note, Urbanite dress, Lady Lace Popover, Canvas Schoolboy).   Also, I'll be posting a review of the Casbah silk top asap. Love it!  

talbots: 30% off everything today! Free ship w/NO min!

Hello everyone!

Today I received a lovely email from Talbots, telling me that today everything is 30% off. Everything! Not only that, but there is free shipping, with no minimum!! Caaarazy!  (No codes needed either.)

Here are some of the pretties I have in my wishlist:

Talbots Jackie Fit Tuileries swing jacket -- I have the skirt, but still pine for the jacket. (IRL pic)

Tuileries floral skirt -- Have it and love it, but wanted to mention, as it's at such a great price and still a few sizes left. (IRL pic)

Talbots Grace Fit Double-breasted Faille jacket -- Have it, love it, want more colors! (IRL pic here)

Shoreline stripe pencil skirt -- Obviously I need to add this to my closet -- both stripes AND a pencil? ack!

Washed Silk Full Skirt -- Looks effortless and would love it with just a simple black or white tee/tank. See it on Gigi here.

Eyelet Tee -- Eyelet is always pretty, isn't it?

Linen Sash Shorts -- Thinking of getting these in black and dressing them up.

Double-Handle Satchel -- Still lusting after this... (IRL pic)

Leather cinched-bow espadrilles -- These look both comfortable and pretty. Cute in yellow too!

Have you tried anything at Talbot's recently?  

p.s. Did you go for anything at Anthro today with the markdowns? There were a lot of item on my wishlist marked down, ack. 

Have a wonderful day!!

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Alexandra!

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Thanks to everyone for participating and following and reading. I really appreciate you all and wish I could send every single one of you something. Ah, maybe when I'm rich and famous... ;)

j.crew reviews: silk twill pencil skirt & perforated ballet flats.

Hello everyone!  If you celebrated Easter or Passover, I hope you all had a wonderful time. We had a fabulous and chaotic (in a good way) Easter yesterday with family. So much fun for the little ones!

I had been watching J.Crew's Silk Twill Pencil Skirt in modern red since it popped up on new arrivals. A Collection piece, it was too pricey for my blood. When it hit sale with 30% off, I bit. (It looks like others did as well, since it's currently sold out online, but may pop back.) 

Love it, even though it's not exactly what I expected for some reason. First, the color is the fabulous modern red...which we all know is really more of an orange. Although I will say that this skirt tends a bit more towards red than the Dorrie. It's a bright and cheerful shade. The Dorrie fulfills my need for orange on a casual, everyday, run-to-Target basis. This baby is for dinner out, non-child-focused desitnations like the museum, and dressed up for holidays or special occasions.

The main reason it's not so much for around the kiddos, is that the fabric is covered in very snag-worthy, um, nubby, webby, stringy things. (Ok, that does NOT sound good, but look at the close-up pic below and you'll see what I mean. Anyone know a proper way to express this? lol.) Anyway, I could see that texture from the online pic, but wasn't sure exactly what to expect. It's a little more fragile than I thought it would be, which is sort of a bummer, but I'll live. I think the texture adds some nice dimension and interest and also makes it easy to dress down a bit as well. The length is 20" and I'm ok with that.  Pockets, hooray! :)  I took my usual size 4 in pencil skirts, and it fits well.

Here are some pictures:

A couple ways I might style it:

navy and modern red by shopwithm

navy and modern red by shopwithm

Overall, I think it's a lovely skirt and am glad I got it. I would not have paid near full price for it though, truth be told. What I paid was still a bit pricey, but not ridiculous. I just worry a bit about how long I can go before I snag it, you know? 

I also was able to grab the sunflower Perforated Ballet Flats with the extra 30 when they went to a sale price, and am SO glad I did! They are just adorable and fit perfectly in my regular 8.5. Not at all snug and feel like they are already broken in. Will not be at all painful, hooray! (ok, well, they *are* ballet flats, so they're not for hiking miles and miles.) Definitely thumbs up on these.  Again, mostly sold out, but may pop back.

Boo that I came down with a terrible head cold yesterday, and alas, was up half the night and didn't get up early to see any update of the sale stuff this morning (Extra 30% off). Was there an update? Are you partaking of the sale?

Have a wonderful day!