j.crew reviews: bow dress, lobster sweater, last day for promo!

Hi everyone!

Whew, made it through a crazy week and weekend, and this week should be a little more calm. I have some J.Crew sale items rolling in, and wanted to share. Today is the last day of the online 40% off sale promo (GET40). Factory is offering up to 30% off new arrivals (prices marked) and 40% off final sale items (code MOREPLEASE) right now.  Have you been shopping this one? There have been some really great deals.

First is the the Ribbon Bow Dress, which I haven't seen much about online, and wanted to try out.  It is a nice light silk chiffon, which I love for spring and summer (rather than winter), and is lined. It has a size zip and a keyhole neckline (which isn't noticeable in the pictures, but breaks it up a tiny bit). Since it's hard to see in the model shot, you might have missed that it has a peter pan collar. I ordered my usual size 4 and it fit nicely, but...wait for it...it's short. Too short. I don't mind a shorter dress to wear out to some sort of event, but I'm just not sure to what evening event I'd wear this? Perhaps tights and cardi for a more casual look could possibly work?  I think in the end, the length makes it just looks too...young and little-girlish. That and the peter pan collar and possibly the sleeves. Pretty much the whole thing doesn't work for me. :) There is a banded waistline that you can't really see b/c of the print, but you could break it up with a belt if you wanted. Anyway, it's a miss for me.

The winner for me is the Factory Lobster Sweater. I know many of you might be tiring of the critter thing, but how can one resist the lure of a lobster and visions of clambakes on the beach. I actually have a very old J.Crew lobster sweater in a khaki cashmere with a coral lobster on it already, but it's too warm for summer. A cotton version in preppy navy and red is perfect. In my pictures, the sweater has skewed a bit to the side, sorry. The lobster is actually placed just right. (Erhm, wrongly placed could have been a disaster, no?)  I ordered a small and that is just right for me. I definitely wouldn't size up. It's priced at $68 right now. If you've ordered from Factory already during this sale, you might have received a 20% off $125 coupon in your package, so keep an eye out for that. (Underneath the sweater in the first pic is the Artist Tee in Abstract Dot, which is about $12 with discount, and a pretty true red color, which is something I've been trying to add to my wardrobe.)  

Have you had successes with this sale? I think they've done a good job clearing out with this discount. I was very happy to get a the mint Double-Serge Hacking Jacket for under $60 and the Stadium-Cloth Duffle Coat for just over $100.

Have a great day!