j.crew new arrivals faves!

New arrivals! Wheeee, don't you just get a little bit of excitement coursing through your blood? lol.

So without any further ado, here are my faves:

Flair Skirt in Floating Rose -- Now at first I thought this was like the new Gallerista in cotton, but then I saw it's wool, and it's the Flair Skirt shape. Um, yes please!  What a gorgeous print. And in wool?! I did try on the Flair Skirt in pine green, very, very quickly, and actually couldn't take any pictures. I found that my usual size 4 for pencil skirts felt a bit snug. Not terribly, and perhaps I've been eating too many chocolate donuts, but I'm going to size up. I loved the shape and the length and the double-serge wool. So this one is a definitely try-on for me. It could be super beautiful or a flop. I'll let y'all know! It's showing as backordered until mid-September...already. Argh!! Why J.Crew? Let me know if you see it!

(squealing a bit)  Schoolboy Blazer in Blackwatch Tartan -- Eeeeee! I love me some blackwatch plaid. It's definitely a bit of a throwback, but with the modern fit, I think it will be lovely. I know I wasn't thrilled with the ones so far this year, so I'm hopful that this one will be better? Whatever, it's a must-see for me.

Winterlude Blazer -- This blazer looks so luxe and chic in the Collection photos of it. It's very pricey, so hopefully the quality measures up. It looks like a beautiful, thick and warm jacket though. I also need to mention that I love the pic of the model when she's super smiling.

Library Blazer -- Classic with a bit of an edge. (literally, mwhaha)  Wool/poly blend though, hm.

Montemarte Coat -- This just is a cool coat. Screams cool. And warm (heathered alpaca and leather).














Cashmere Blouse -- Add this to the dreaming column, b/c at $495, it's way out of my price range. But it sure looks lovely, no?

Will you be trying out any of the new arrivals? Have a wonderful day!

J.Crew reviews: cashmere henley, wool double serge in heather acorn.

Hello everyone!

I'm finally getting back into the swing of things, post-yard sale madness. So much to catch up on! We had a very successful sale and it was a lot of fun. Trying to decide what item to now purchase with my part of the "fun money." We put most into savings, but we each are getting a little bit to play with, after all that work. I think I'll see what the next fall rolloutout has to offer at la Crew... (she says, rubbing her hands together and cackling gleefully).

Anyway...on to a couple reviews I've been meaning to post for a while. Two lovely pieces from J.Crew's current fall offerings, the double serge in heather acorn and the cashmere henley. They feel very luxe together, and also quite cozy and comfortable.

No. 2 Double-serge Pencil Skirt in heather acorn. It's odd that with my pencil skirt collection, I do not have anything in camel. I've been more focused on the bold colors and fun prints. But there's something to be said for a classic and neutral camel, so I'm really happy they have this color this year. Usual fit (size 4).

Cashmere Henley in heather caramel. This was a bit of a splurge, but it helped to use a giftcard and the 20% discount. I love it, and it's another a classic. The leather buttons are fab, and the fit is great. Sleeves are a touch long, which perhaps is on purpose and I love. I usually do XS or small in their sweaters, and went with small for this one and think it's perfect b/c it's a bit slouchy. I can wear a shirt under it, which is how I'll style it a lot I'm sure. The caramel color is gorgeous, and I like that it's a shade darker than my pencil skirt, so can wear them together for an easy monochromatic look with fun accessories/boots.

A couple pics:

Here are some ways I plan to wear these pieces separately:

camel, leopard, dahlia by shopwithm

leopard, acorn, red by shopwithm

cashmere henley basic by shopwithm

cashmere henley and cafe capri by shopwithm

Have a wonderful day!

bogged down in rummage sale-ville.

Hello everyone!

As you know, I'm holding my first rummage sale this weekend -- yay me! (I'm no newbie though -- I've helped my parents hold them every year since I can remember.) It's a LOT of work, but in the end, it's really satisfying. I get rid of so much accumulated stuff, other people score some deals, and we get a little rainy day money to put in the bank. Everything that doesn't sell pretty much gets donated.

All the work is in the front-end, pricing, setting up, etc. Once the actual day comes, after you set out your stuff, it's not so bad. It's basically a reason to sit outside all day long.  It's also a nice opportunity to chat with neighbors. :)

I'll give you all an update tomorrow after I'm all done and then I'll probably do a fire sale on some J.Crew items on my closet blog. So stay tuned! Thanks for being patient during my absence!

OOTD: jardin love

Hello everyone!

I only have time for a quick post this morning, so I'm sharing a snapshot of my recent OOTD, wearing the J.Crew Jardin Skirt, which I picked up with my 20% discount and rewards card. Oh how I love this skirt! The length, the floaty cotton, the saturated grape color. Even when it's wrinkled after a long day (this pic is at the end of the day), it still is lovely. I went with an easy pairing of a white v-neck tee and JC's Suckered Gingham shirt. I was originally wearing wedge espadrilles, but at home, I threw on the easy flips. :)  If there's another FP promo (or it goes on sale soon), I think I need the dusty clay color.  For styling ideas, here's my Polyvore collection of my sets and other people's sets with the Jardin Skirt.

Polyvore:

jardin & gingham by shopwithm featuring a gingham shirt

On me:

Have a wonderful day!

p.s. I've been really slow in responding to comments this past week, and this week will likely be the same -- craziness with rummage, school starting, etc, etc, etc.  Just know that I appreciate every single one and am reading them all! I'll respond asap! :)

OOTD: land's end canvas sailboat dress.

Hello everyone!

First of all, a bit of geekdom. Are any of you caught up in the HP Touchpad firesale madness? I somehow managed to snag one through Amazon and it was delivered yesterday! My DH is still set on getting an iPad, so I guess this will have to tide us over for a while. :)

On to OOTD. During the recent Land's End Canvas Classifieds (it happens once a month, and is like Land's End On the Counter), I saw the Tie-waist Sundress in the red sailboat print. I watched it for several days,until it was at a rock bottom price. Based on reviews about the top being loose, I sized down to a 2, and am glad I did. It fits just perfectly and is a nice length. It's really cute IRL, and feels preppy and appropriate for toddler activities. :) The only con is that you have to fiddle a bit with bra straps so they don't show, but if you get them set, you don't see them really. The dress is still available in solid colors and a plaid.

Model shot:













On me:



















I also picked up that little capelet I remember watching last year a lot. Most reviews said it was too short/tiny, so I didn't want to pay much for it. So when it hit $10 in the Classifieds, I grabbed it. I don't have a pic, but I'm actually pleasantly surprised. It's a cute little shrug for sure!

I haven't been as wow-ed by their fall offerings this year as much as last year, but there are some items with potential, and the FP price points are much more palatable with all the JC increases lately.

Have a wonderful day!

garnet hill fall arrivals picks.

Hello everyone!

It's been a crazy week, and the next couple will be as well, with rummage sale madness, and school starting up for my little guy. So my posting might be a bit sporadic!  

Have you every tried out Garnet Hill? I've been loving their catalog styling the past year and in the spring finally purchased a gorgeous lace skirt on sale. The quality was top-notch, and the sale price was great. The skirt was a size 6, and fit me perfectly, so I'd say sizing is more on par with "normal' rather than J.Crew vanity sizing. They do, however, have the wonderful customer reviews, which are SO helpful in determining sizing.

The only issues I've found with them, is that only offer sporadic free shipping promos (although they are right now, on certain shoes/accessories) or additional percentage discounts. They do offer introductory special pricing and their sale/clearance can go super low.

Here are some of my favorites from their fall offerings:

Long-sleeve boatneck cashmere sweater (currently sale priced at $98 until 8/23) -- Hey, anyone recognize this model? ;) 

Ruffled equestrian jacket -- This is very similar to Anthro's 2010 Boucle de Souffle jacket, which I have and love.













Modern merino sweater dress -- Simple and chic.













Signature merino cardigan -- This is a bestseller that they bring back every year in new, fun prints.













Rosette knit dress -- This looks adorable and effortless. Easy fall/spring transition piece. Alas, looks like that pretty blue is backordered.













Asymmetical Cashmere Sweater -- Has an chic, Anthro feel...but in yummy cashmere.













Easy-Care Cashmere Wrap -- Everyone needs a cashmere wrap IMO. This one looks lovely, with this added bonus: "gently protected to resist spills without compromising its plush hand."













Bella Calf-Hair Belt -- If you're into this trend like me, this is a nice choice. Bonus free shipping through mid-Sept on certain accessories and shoes.













Frye Paige Riding Boots -- I soooo wish this boot fit my skinny calves, as the cognac color is perfection! GH carries some nice footwear brands, like Frye, Born, Nara, Gentle Souls, Donald Pliner and Born.













J.Crew is finally offering 30% off final sale. Not a huge update that I saw.
Have a wonderful week!

j.crew new arrivals: merino pleated skirt, houndstooth capri, plaid pencil

Hello everyone!

Yesterday I was able to pop into my local store for a little bit, and try on several new items. They didn't have the ones I'm dying over (the Flair Skirt, Double-breasted sweater-coat or Townhouse coat), but they did have a nice selection.

I had my toddler in tow, so I had to limit the dressing-room time, so I couldn't get everything on that I wanted to try.


There was a small sale section, and it included the Stripe-Breaker Sweater, which is now marked down to $50 (online as well). I tried it on before in a small, which was too big, but the XS was perfect. I really love the cotton and the neckline. It will work with a ton of items in my closet, and actually looked great with the three new items I grabbed.

First, the Merino Pleated Skirt. They only had it in the saddle color, and I tried a size small. The pros: it drapes beauifully and is very flattering and comfortable. The length is perfect! The cons: I expected it to be a bit heavier and a tighter weave, and it looks sort of like there's almost a raised pattern, but...not really. Not sure about that. I want to say it almost looks like tiny snags. Speaking of which, I worry about the weave snagging, b/c it's not super tight. And this is not a con, but I expected normal pleating, and it's more like ribbing than pleating -- you can see the detail in the photo below. I actually think it would be much easier care than dealing with knife pleats.  Overall, I still like the fit and style and think it's very pretty and classy. Would kind of like to see it in different colors though, to make it a bit more special. You'll likely need a slip to wear with tights.

Next, the Cafe Capri in Wool Houndstooth - This was an unexpected love for me. Thicker than I imagined, with lining (although the lining is annoyingly not stitched down at the bottom -- is that normal?). Loved the colors and the fit. My regular 4 fit well.

No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Plaid -- Very earthy, fall-y tones in a pretty plaid. A bit dark for my taste. It was quite thin, which was disappointing, and makes it a pass for me. Seems to be the same shape and fit for me as other pencil skirts (I took a 4). There's a tiny pocket on the left-front, which is a cute detail.

Now that you've had a chance to peruse the new arrivals, what are your favorites/must-haves? 

more j.crew new arrivals are here -- my picks.

Hello everyone!

Exciting day in J.Crew-land, as the website is now open to Canada/UK/Japan (albeit with the disappointing news that the prices are super high apparently. Argh!), and they are now offering $8.95 flat shipping. They also rolled out their second fall lineup, and it's really lovely.  I'm loving the skirts, the coats, the colors, the more classic feel. Here are my favorites:

Double-cloth Townhouse -- Gorgeous. The caramel is calling my name. Must resist, must resist.














Skirts
Flair Skirt in Double Serge Wool -- Love the shape and length, as well as the doublecloth fabric, so this is one I'm going to have to try out for sure. I'm so happy to see navy too.

Merino Pleated Skirt -- Pleats, merino, length, love.

Gallerista Skirt -- Oh, love that they used this pretty print for a skirt. It's cotton and has more of a summery feeling to it, so I'm not sure how fall/winter-worthy it is.

Wool Maxiskirt -- Well, you all know from my previous post that I'm on board with the maxi skirt trend, and this one looks a bit fabulous. Very pricey though, as it's Collection. I'm worried that it's going to be insanely long though, especially in the shot of just the skirt -- looks like it's longer in back? So jury's still out.

Pants
Cafe Capri in Wool Plaid and Houndstooth Wool -- I'm not a major pants type of girl, as I tend to wear skirts/dresses more, but I do love these. Very tempting.

Cafe Trouser in Wool -- I just love this caramel color.

Hutton Tie Trouser in Wool Crepe -- Intrigued by these.

Sweaters
Double-breasted sweater-jacket -- Love this! Feels old school, but with a modern sensibility.

Slim pave cable-link necklace -- Not part of this new rollout, but I wanted to mention that I really liked this when I saw it in store. It's more delicate and a shorter length that the other cable link necklaces they have done. Very pretty!

I would have put the red Teddie Dress on here, as I was so excited and pre-ordered, but was disappointed to see the back exposed zipper. It could have been a really timeless dress, but not with the zipper. Bummer.

What do you think of the rollout?

anthropologie's water's edge maxi skirt!

Hello everyone!

Today I'm showing some love for a recent sale purchase at Anthropologie, the gray Water's Edge Skirt. I do have two maxi dresses, and I wore them this summer and was a fan. I hadn't yet given in to the maxi skirt trend, until I tried this baby on. It doesn't look like much in the product shot, but darn if it isn't the most versatile skirt ever for summer and fall! (Winter too, layered of course) LOVE. Bonus: it's on sale!

The skirt is a perfect length for me, allowing me to wear flats (and flat boots), as I am mostly want to do on a daily basis.  But the real star element of this skirt, is that it has a slip sewn in! Woohoo! Brilliance. Why don't they all have this?? I actually sized up to a size medium in this, which it seems like most reviewers have done (but I don't know if you *must* do this). It also comes in blue, and I'm hoping they'll add more colors.

Anyway, I started making styling sets on Polyvore, and I could.not.stop.  It goes with everything. Everything I tell you!  Here is the link to my Polyvore set collection for this skirt (which includes sets made by me and others). Some of my styling favorites:
Summer:

maxi ootd by shopwithm

water's edge & button-back by shopwithm

Fall:

water's edge & black lace by shopwithm

grey & cognac maxi by shopwithm

Winter:

maxi for fall/winter by shopwithm

IRL pics:
(Notes: My usual picture-taking spot is being held hostage by piles and piles of rummage sale prep. Also, my toddler was running me ragged, so I didn't have energy to do IRL styling.)

See it looking amazing on Villasba here. Have you tried this skirt? Are you into the maxi skirt trend for fall? 
Have a wonderful day!