Duel of the Week: the JCrew Cutwave Dress vs. the Phillip Lim Ruffle Dress

Before I start, I have to warn you: this isn't an "expensive versus cheap look-alike" topic, but an "expensive versus even more expensive" duel, so I apologize in advance if I go there. If you don't want to be tempted with impossibly cute but expensive clothes, just skip this.

I don't know if I have already told you, but the Jcrew new arrival that really got me excited when I saw it on the website was the cutwave dress, which is a Collection item and retails for $250. I really hoped that this dress wouldn't be as pretty IRL as on the website pics because it's the kind of dress that makes me splurge impulsively no matter all the very good reasons standing for not purchasing it.
But as soon as I saw it from the windows of the Madison Avenue Collection store (yes, from the windows, and not in the windows, because it was inside and I spied it each time that I walked by), I knew that I had a problem. I don't know if that's the reason why I waited so long before going and trying it on (I mean because I knew that I was going to love it), but when I finally decided myself yesterday there was only one left, the one on the dummy (sorry, I had to look this up, is that how you call the thing?) The SA thought it was a 0 (she knows that it's my size), so she took it off but it was a 2. I tried it anyway, knowing that it would probably be too big.
It wasn't perfect but it wasn't THAT big, I mean that I wasn't floating in it:



It is a really beautiful dress, the cotton tiers fall perfectly in waves and it's fully lined:



The bodice is where it would really need an alteration in this size because being strapless it needs to be very fitted around there, otherwise you know what happens:



The only default of the dress is the apparent metal zipper in the back:



I don't know what the designer or Jenna were thinking, but it's NOT that kind of dress. It's not "edgy" and it really would benefit from having the zipper covered. It neverthless remains beautiful.

The SA asked me if I wanted to order a 0 but I wasn't ready to buy it without trying it on in my size, so I told her to call me if they received more.
I was a little bit disappointed but also relieved because it is an elegant dress and if I bought it I wouldn't probably have the occasion to wear it more than once or twice this year, which makes it very expensive even with the red card.

The design of this dress reminded me of another dress that had been in the windows of a nearby store not a long ago, so I decided to check it out. I don't know why but I thought that this dress was a knockoff of a GORGEOUS Philipp Lim dress that I had seen in this Polyvore set a while ago and retailed for $450. But when I entered the store I realized that they carried Phillip Lim, so the dress that I saw was probably the real thing. In fact it was, but it was sold out in my size. They only had a 4 left and I tried for the sake of it.
It is a much more casual dress that I could wear every day (the belt comes with the dress):



Please bear in mind that this is not my size, but two sizes up:



Again, I was relieved that it was sold out in my size so I didn't have to fight the temptation to buy it (with which money is another problem).

So we have the JCrew that is half the price but much more elegant and less wearable. On the other side the "wave" design of the JCrew is more classic than the "ruffles" in Phillip Lim, that bears the risk to become "unfashionable" next year.

Do you like the JCrew? If they costed the same, which one would you buy?

My Weekly Visit to a JCrew Store: Pics of the New Arrivals

Last week I made up my mind on some recent purchases and I decided to return them on Saturday while checking out the new JCrew arrivals, even if I had already briefly seen some of them when I picked up the rosette tees. But before leaving, I imposed myself a rule, because I was a little bit afraid that I would go wild, being this the last weekend before expiration of the 25% off card. Since one of the readers of this blog kindly sent me her card, I've spent much more than I had planned on clothes (I really don't understand the Jcrew policy to make this card "exclusive": I think that they should be happy that this incentive works and makes people want to spend in their stores). Anyway, my rule was that I wouldn't spend more than the amount of what I was returning. With that in mind, I went off in my "bon voyage" outfit.

My first stop was at Banana Republic, to return the Darion Luncheon necklace (see my first post). The necklace was worth $74 but while I was there I noticed a golden bracelet that would complement perfectly my outfit of the day. Looking closely I saw that they had a "buy 3 for $30" promo on that and other "mix and match" bangles (whose price ranged from $14 to $18 each), so I dived in. The great thing with this kind of promo is that if you decide to return one or two items, the price of the third one is not adjusted, so you get to keep it for $10. But I really did like the three of them together:



That left me with $40 to spend. The next stop (the highlight of my trip) was JCrew: I chose the Fifth Avenue/Union Square store because I like to hangout in that neighborhood when I'm alone and I also had to return something at Old Navy which is not far.
I tried tons of stuff at the JCrew store, I think I spent at least two hours there. However, the two items that I was really curious about, the much-talked-about cotton-silk ruffle swirl tank and the cotton-ruffle tank (15697M) weren't available in store yet. So I guess that I will have to go back one of these days!
I have taken tons of pics and I have trimmed them down to the ones that I'm going to post, I hope that it won't be too boring. It's a long post, so bear with me!

First I wanted to try again the Lightweight-denim trouser in perfect fade wash (item 13900). I had already tried them the day when I bought the surplus gray matchstick jeans but since they were just arrived I decided to wait. This second time I didn't like them as much as the first time though. I love the fabric but I'm not sure about the trouser fit, they are very long (I tried a 0) and a little bit too flared for my short figure. Plus they aren't exactly cheap, as they retail for $120.
Here are with a T-shirt that I picked up to try with them because of the color (I didn't mind this tee, so I don't remember the price, but it was on the new arrivals table):



Then I tried them with the Georgia cardi (15131) in warm shell. I'm trying an XS:



And finally with the tuxedo-front cotton cami (item 15251M):



The cami was a real surprise: I didn't like it AT ALL the first time that I saw it in store, quite a while ago. When the new catalog came out though, it kind of awakened my interest, but still not enough to take one to the fitting room with me. However, while I was trying the pants, I could see them hanging just outside, so I asked the SA to bring me one to try, for the only reason that it was white and I was trying to determine if I liked the jeans.
Well, I don't know if I liked the jeans but I really liked the cami as you'll see in the next pics, I didn't want to take it off!

Next, I tried the Linen Monterey Skirt (14807M) in azalea just for the fun (size 0). It is a very airy skirt and if I was younger I would probably buy it:



I just can't see myself wearing this hue of pink but it is very pretty.
Then it was the turn of the jersey strapless dress in papaya (XS):



I know that you're going to say that I look great in this dress but the idea that I could buy the same thing at F21 for around $24 dollars crossed my mind at a certain point and I couldn't get it out of my mind. Honestly, I don't need a dress like this one, especially for $78, but I know that many of you liked it. I think that if you live anywhere near a beach or spend the summer at the beach you can get a lot of wear out of it, but I don't think that this dress is made to be worn in the city.

I also tried the similar Sanur dress (now in promo for $59.50), that is not new but comes in a new color very similar to the papaya of the strapless dress (I don't know how it's called though). Same thing, it's more of a beach dress (which I knew) and I didn't like the lenght:



But for those who own it, I wanted to show a fun way to wear it that the SA tried on me (honestly, I don't know how she did that), if you don't mind showing off your legs:



Next, linen beach shorts (always with the same top and Georgia cardi). I think I've tried a size 2 in white:



And a 0 in the warm maze:



I have too many shorts but these felt great, I'll keep it in mind when they go on sale. Almost done, I have only 3 items left to show you.
First, this mini. I couldn't find it on the website nor in the catalog, but it's a very pretty cotton mini. However, it's VERY short and if I'm not wrong it retails for $98:



Then, the "bow" skirt that I had already tried in turquoise and now comes in a new color ("bronzed twig"?). I tried it because I have read so many good things about the double serge in bronzed ochre, but the new cotton version is an Internet only item, and I thought that the effect would be similar:



I don't know if it's the color but I liked the turquoise much better (it also looked shorter?)

Last one, the cotton ruffle tunic (14834), which, besides the collar, is really a shirt and not a tunic IMO:


I like it more with the collar folded down:


I really loved it. In the catalog it doesn't show but it's in a very lightweight cotton with a soft wrinckled effect. I have a Zara shirt in the same cotton and I've worn it a thousand times. Now it's a little bit tired and I use it as a cover-up for the beach, so I was happy to find this one to replace it. It comes also in shell and in a metallic fabric (that I have tried and didn't like).

At the register I returned $140 worth of merchandise and I bought the tuxedo-front cotton cami, the Georgia cardi and this last shirt. With the 25% I was around $170 but if you remember I still had a $40 "credit" from Banana Republic, so I was good (I did manage to spend a little bit more by the end of the day though, but I will write another post about this)!

During this trip I tried almost everything that catched my eye but I left out a few items to try this week at the Madison Collection store, just to make the pleasure last a little bit longer, so stay tuned.

Would you buy or did you buy any of these new arrivals? What do you think of the lightweight denim pants (I have to decide between them and the Georgia cardi before expiration of the red card)?

Saturday Shopping Outfit

Saturday I spent the whole day shopping (yay) but before reporting on my finds, I wanted to post some pics of my outfit because 1) spring, or I should say summer, was finally here and I could wear my "bon voyage tee" without a cardi. If you live in the area you know that it was very hot, even too hot for a ringspun tee, but I can't go from winter clothes to wearing shorts and a tank without any transition, so I wore my white Citizen of Humanity summer jeans with the Jcrew tee ; 2) I almost managed to walk all day long on my platform sandals without twisting my ankles (I'm not very good at that as as rarely wear heels) BUT when I was a bare thundred feet from home (I was crossing the street just in front of my building) with a big JCrew bag and two very heavy grocery bags, I tripped, falled with my butt on the street while an entire classroom of fifteen years old was passing by (nobody offered to help but they surely had fun) and most importantly SCRATCHED my new golden Thompson tote! Now you can see a little bit of gray leather on both sides. Not to mention that I almost ruined my fresh $30 pedi. Luckily, I had bought a bottle of nail polish at the nail salon so I could fix it at home.

And worst of all I got busted. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that my husband doesn't approve of my shopping habit (see my post here for an introduction). With the grocery bags and the "shock" of my recent fall, I didn't pay all the attention that I usually put into hiding my purchases, plus I had also bought a pair of shorts for him (pre-approved purchase) so I just put down the Jcrew bag and quickly transfered my new clothes in the entry closet when I arrived home. My husband suspected something when he saw the bag but I showed him his shorts, so that was it for the moment.
However, the morning after, I woke up at the noise of the thin paper that wraps up the Jcrew purchases and I immediately thought "he found them". He did found my clothes hidden in the closet indeed, but he wasn't as mad as I though he would be; actually he was kind of amused as if I were beyond hope.
So keep all that in mind while you look at the pics.

I didn't want to upset DH BEFORE even going shopping, so I took a pic of my outfit outside the apartment next to the elevator. This is my first attempt with the self-timer and it could be better, but also worst:



The platform sandals that I'm wearing are the same hue of blue of the "Bon Voyage" and are one of my obsessions of last summer. The brand is "Corso Como" (it makes me smile because Corso Como is a very hip, although short, shopping avenue in Milan, the city where I grew up, where I used to go all the time) and I saw them at Lohemann's around end of June. I don't know you, but when I go to places like Lohemann's, Filane's etc. I'm looking for bargains and I don't like to buy FP even if Lohemann's FPs are at least half of regular stores FPs. So I waited for them to go on sale, and waited, and waited and finally bought them in ... October, for half the price, sure, but without being able to wear them until now. I love them even if I had blisters after ten minutes of wear (why, oh why all the cutest summer shoes must give us blisters?)



Here is the effect after the pedi. By the way, the nail polish is Essie "Mini shorts" that was featured in the last Jcrew catalog if I'm not wrong (but I picked it up without knowing that it was that one, I just love orange in the summer).



Coming up, pics from the dressing room...

Rosa, Rosae ... Rosette (like in Rosette Tee)

Yesterday I bought myself two rosette tees. Yes, bought like "in-store-bought", not like "I-bought-on-ebay-for-twice-the-original-price". If you subscribed to this post on the JCA blog, you might have already heard the story (I know that Francesca did!), but I will tell it again here with more details. It's pretty instructive!

So, I was reading the JCA blog late at nigh Tuesday when a comment of an anon who said that she had spotted a few rosette tees on a table in the back of a store, that she named "Rock center store", caught my eye. I immediately went online in the store locator section, trying to find out where this "Rock Center" store could possibly be. Nothing, no locations called "Rock" and no "Rock Center" (maybe she meant "mall"?) in all the USA. I was about to give up when it hit me that she was talking about the Rockerfeller Center in Manhattan.

So, the morning after (ie yesterday) I called the store at 10 (I was in a hurry because I was bidding on one on ebay and the bid was about to end) and asked the SA who picked up the phone about the rosette tee. She said that they had them in the back and went checking for my size. Fifteen minutes after I was still waiting, so I hung up and called again. Another SA answered and this time the answer was a firm "no, we don't have those, they are sold out". I insisted because the first SA seemed pretty positive, but she fetched an annoyed sigh, like I didn't understand English (OK, sometimes it's true, particularly if I'm speaking with someone with a strong Southern accent, but I understand the Manhattan accent pretty well). I called again, had a third SA who told me the same thing and said that the first SA probably had mistaken it with the new dupioni-silk rosette tank that retails for $185 and it's a Collection piece. What could I say? But you know what, I pretty much trust more the people who give hints on the JCA blog than the avarage SA, so I didn't give up and went looking for the "Lauren Hutton" catalog (hoping that my husband hadn't thrown it away, which he always do when he finds a JCrew catalog around - can you believe that I have to hide them?) So here I am with the style number in one hand and the telephone in the other hand. Forth SA, I don't even explain that I've called before, I just ask if she can check on a style number and size. She looks in the computer and asks me to wait a moment. No more than three minutes later she picks up the phone again, asks if I'm the one waiting on the rosette tee. Yes. Shell? Yes. Size S? Yes (here my hopes fly really high). We have it, she says, I will put it on hold for you at the register. Like that. After four calls and 3 crewless SAs (HeidiG, I hope that you don't mind if I borrow the term, it's so appropriate!) calls. So, ladies, when you call a store and you're pretty sure that they have what you're looking for, just don't give up at the first crewless SA.

I was so excited that I HAD to go and pick it up (in case someone spotted it behind the register and pretended to be me, you never know) even if it was sure that it was going to rain and my daughter was ready for playground fun with shovel and bucket in her hands. Don't you want to take the bus instead, sweetie? It's so much fun! She didn't, she wanted to go and play in the sandbox, so we had to go. After ten minutes in the sand she was done with it, now she wanted to go to the zoo and watch the seahorses (or "otaries", that she has just learned to say in French). I liked that, because the zoo is merely 10 blocks away from the Jcrew store, so we went but we couldn't see the seahorses (from outside the zoo) because they had just fed them and they were (what is that seahorses do when they are not entertaining the visitors at the zoo? Swim?) sleeping in their pool. My daughter was so disappointed that I forgot for a second my tee and bought us two tickets so that we could at least see the penguins. She was delighted by the penguins (and so was I), and then she quietly falled asleep in the stroller, which is like a big green light for me to go shopping, when it's not raining like hell and I'm not 40 blocks far from home. But she was sleeping and well protected under the rain cover and it shouldn't take long because I only have to go to register and pay, right?, so here I'm, strolling down Fifth Avenue against the rain and the tourists.

Once arrived at the store, I, obviously, don't go straight to the register but take in the new arrivals, that I see for the first time. I'm a little bit overwhelmed, so I head to the back where the JCA spotted the rosette tees and in fact they are there. Two piles. Shell and (surprise) white (not natural, but white white). The first temptation is to buy the whole stock just for the sake of it, then I calm down and pick one of each in S and XS and head to the fitting rooms where I realize that not only I was about to pay much more fore the same thing on ebay but also buy the wrong size, because clearly I have to size down and take an XS in this.

This is more or less the end of the story (unless you want to hear how we managed to get home); I bought both the colors because I didn't want to change my mind and regret it after and here are some IRL pics, just because I want to share my happiness with you and in case someone is interested in seeing the white one.



I forgot to mention that I also picked up a cotton glass bottons cardi in shell to wear with the shell tee, because I don't have anything else in that color. Here is the entire outfit with the Cate slingbacks:



And this is the white one. I think I prefer the shell because the roses come out more on the shell and I can achieve the same look with any white tee:



And this is the last one that I want to share, with my daughter taking a nap on the floor:



Do you own the rosette tee? Which one do you prefer? Any episode involving crewless SAs that you want to share?

Matthew Williamson for H&M hits the stores today

A little reminder that the First Part of the Matthew Williamson collection for H&M hits the stores today, for a change from JCrew.
I always liked Matthew Williamson prints and boho style and I was thrilled to learn about his collaboration with H&M. However, I hadn't really marked this date on my calendar as I feel too old for standing for hours in line waiting for a store opening with teens and fashionistas alike, but I happened to walk by the Fifth Avenue (Uptwon) store yesterday and the main pieces of the new collection were already up in the windows. Looking doesn't hurt, right?

My favorite piece from this collection is the yellow and blue sequined dress that is on sale for $249 (sorry, I couldn't grab the pic but it's viewable on the H&M website, and it's the eight item from the left in the collection). The execution looks beautiful, but I think it's a little bit pricey for H&M. Anyway, I would never buy it because I wouldn't know where to go dressed like that. Pool party, anyone? It looks like this first part is an even more limited edition made of few outstanding pieces for party-goers, while the "summer collection" (in all the stores on My 14th) will be more affordable and maybe more wearable.

Do you plan to check this collection out? Do you own an H&M item from a "designer collection"?

Dear Havona (Part 2)

I bought the Havona top some weeks ago after my husband announced that he would finally take me (us) to Bermuda on his next business trip the first week of May. He goes at least twice a year and he NEVER asked me to go with him (not that I haven't begged him), but this time I didn't even have to insist, he just offered. I wasn't going to say no, right?
I thought that the Havona would be perfect for Bermuda. We are staying only five days, and it's not like I would have gone naked hadn't I bought it, but I needed an excuse to buy it because it looks like something that I wouldn't typically wear in my ordinary life. I don't know you, but I LOVE to buy something new for a vacation, it makes the wait and the packing all more exciting.

Anyway, I got it (how I got it will make the topic of another post) and even if I had read reviews about it, I wasn't prepared for its sheerness and lightness. It's just unlined organdy and it's so ethereal that I was taken aback.
My biggest worry was that besides the vacation, I wouldn't have any occasion to wear it, it looks way too elegant for me; but once "demistified" it is very nice worn with jeans. I would totally go out to dinner with friends dressed like this:



Or like this:



but with a bra (that I have to buy, NO WORRIES, I'm not going around like this. When I saw the pictures I thought that I wasn't going to post them, but I don't have the energy to do this again and anyway I haven't bought the bra yet, so please don't comment on my nipples, I KNOW that they are showing) or the same waterfall cardi as above:



Once the issue of the money-per-wear resolved, I set my vacation fantasy free. Here I'm on the deck of a luxury cruise ship, taking the breeze in while I wave "Hellooo, captain":



Because of the sheerness of the top, I like it more tucked in the pants than not:



But maybe it's just the contrast with the white, because I liked it much better worn untucked with these $10 beach pants. They are a little bit lighter IRL than on the pics, but still go wonderfully with it:



Here I was obviously having a cocktail on the beach...

Back to reality, here is how it look with a pencil skirt:



And this is maybe my favorite outfit. It's elegant but discreet at the same time and I love the contrast between the colors of the Havona and the navy of the capri pants:





And a variation on the same (note the change of bracelet):



In the end, I think it's more versatile that it looked at first. I'm not sure how the flower will hold up after a few ... minutes of wear, but it's possible to unsew it and as FFM suggested.

What do you think? Do you own this top? Have you been tempted to buy it? Do you like the more casual ways to wear it? Do you have any suggestion that you would like to share?

The Grey Surplus Matchstick Jeans (now on sale for $69.99)

Ladies, I'm so overjoyed by the fact that I have been able to snap up a pair of the grey surplus matchstick jeans (item 13359) for $52 (sale + additional 25% off with the red card) that I have decided to write a short post with IRL pics, in case my joy is contagious and I can convince someone else out there. I want you to buy these jeans!

I'm sorry if I bother you again with the zebra tee, but these jeans are the perfect match for it: they are not black, not white, not dark charcoal but a very light gray perfect for spring. In fact now that I think about it, I've tried them for the first time the day that I bought the zebra, so I can now recreate the dressing room look. In fact, I wonder if my zebra tee wasn't a consolation prize for not being able to buy the jeans (at $135 they were efinitively too expensive. I never splurge on Jcrew jeans as I already splurge on premium brand jeans at least once a year).

So here they are with the zebra (and the matching wide patent belt that was also on sale):



Detail of the pockets and waistline:



I sized up in these. I normally wear a 26 but I bought a 27 because they are not stretch and I was afraid that they would be too tight in the tights and it's a color that doesn't forgive (you know the effect). That's why they are a little bit loose around the waist, but nothing serious.
You can roll them up and wear them barefeet to ...run the dog on the beach? Sorry, I've just watched Marley and Me:



And they look great with heels. Here are with the Cate slingbacks (that I also bought) one leg rolled up and one leg down for demonstration purposes. I apologize for the quality of the pic but the lighting in the fitting room was really bad:



I bet that they will go fast at this price. So if I have convinced you "hurry, they might not last long".

How my daughter managed to poop at the JCrew sample sale and then again at ON (for mothers only)

I had planned to write a post about the JCrew sample sale that is going on this week in NYC if I ever decided to go (which I finally did today), but the sale turned out to be so boring and uninteresting that I wasn't even motivated enough to take pictures to post (plus the only time that I took the camera out I was immediately gunned down by not one but two guys of the staff as if it were a nuclear plant and I a potential terrorist).
My husband is on a business trip and each time that he goes away I do things that I would never do when he's around just because he's not watching. Like taking my daughter on a afternoon-long shopping trip to one of Manhattan most unpleasant neighborhoods (Penn Station - I used to work there and I hated every minute of my lunch break). At this point you must have a very bad opinion of my husband, but besides the fact that we don't share the same passion for shopping in general (I would say that we are at the opposite on this matter) and Jcrew in particular, he is a very good husband. And he's handsome!

The weather was bad today and my daughter was about to nap so I didn't feel too guilty to plot my little escapade while she was dreaming of going to the playground, because I couldn't have taken her to the park anyway.
You have to know that my daughter has always been on the constipated side, with a peak last summer where for at least three months she was only able to pass a stool with the help of a suppositoire (it was horrible to watch, she really suffered a lot). Now it's better but I have to say that normally poop is not something that I have to worry about when we are around. But ten minutes after we arrived at the sample sale (she was in a very good mood by the way, she made me laugh several times and entertained the staff as well) she, well, pooped. And you could see on the faces of the ladies who were inspecting the racks of $60 sweaters with big holes in them that they could smell it and they knew where the smell was coming from as she was the only kid at the sale (that is as to say that I was the only mother to think that a JCrew sample sale was a place to take your kid to). At Clothingline (the company that hosts the sale) they don't even have fitting rooms, let alone kid-friendly restrooms with changing tables ,so I decided to do nothing about it until we left (she didn't seem to be too bothered).

The next stop was Old Navy where I checked out the graphic tee that Slastena is wearing here. When we entered the big fitting room she reminded me, in case I had forgotten, (which I did, but you have to understand, I had just found the only XS left under a pile of other tees) that she had pooped and needed to be changed (she said "Cacca", Italian for poop, and "Diaper", in English this time). At that point my maternal instinct came back and I underwent the not-so-pleasant operation of changing her in the fitting room, which turned out to be one of the most embarassing moment of my short career in motherhood, because for the life of me I can't remember a poop that smalled so bad and to make things worst I DIDN'T HAVE a plastic bag with me to dispose it (in the end I simply closed the diaper with the thing in it as firmly as I could and put it the stroller basket). So, if by any chance you were at Old Navy on 34th Street today around 4.30 and you happened to smell something weird in your fitting room, that was certainly us. Another embarassing moment was when she run out of the fitting room and I had to run after her in my panties and catch her before she got into trouble.

But all in all it was a lot of fun. And I was happy that I didn't find anything to buy at the sample sale because on our way back we made a last stop at a JCrew store and I found some unbelievable deals on items that I've been coveting for a very long time (I got the patent Cate slingbacks for $52 and the matchstick surplus gray jeans for another $50, thanks to the red card that one follower was so nice to send me. Debra thank you again!)
So, if there is a lesson about sample sales that I have learned today is that it feels so good to be able to buy for a very good price something that has been longtime on my wishlist, as opposed to spend on something that I haven't DESIRED, just because it seems such a good deal. When I'm tempted to buy something on an impulse just because it's a deal that I can't miss, I should always tell myself that if I hadn't happened to see it, I wouldn't want it (this could be true for most of the clothes that we buy, but is especially true for clothes that we buy at a sample sale).

The other lesson would be never leave the house without plastic bags.

There is another zebra in town

Last Thursday (when I visited the Soho store and tried the cargo pants) was the first real day of spring in NYC, a warm and sunny day, so I decided to took my zebra (tee) out for a tour and a little social experiment.
I have to say that I had enough time to think about how I was going to wear it and there aren't tons of options (colors are limited to black, gray and white and it has a rock&roll look that makes jeans almost mandatory).
It was warm compared to the days before but still in the low 60s, so I couldn't wear it alone. Here is how I've layered it, step-by-step (the jeans are from the Gap and it was the first time that I wore them as well. They are very soft and I love them):


Then I threw on my Michelle cardi in dark charcoal:



And I finished adding my Zara windbreaker (the color is between a military green and gray):



By the way, I love the Zara windbreaker. It's from the current collection and I have it in navy too, which is a little bit more elegant (it retails for $99). I really couldn't decide between the two colors so after buying the navy one I called my mother in Italy (where Zara is usually cheaper) to buy me the green (she loves to go shopping for me).

Then I wore my aviator Chanel sunglasses as a final touch, put the baby in the stroller and got out of the apartment. I was half expecting people to nod in sign of recognition but apparently not everyone in the street is a JCA (how suprising).
I knew that in fancy Soho people would fake indifference anyway. However, I was a little bit disappointed that it didn't create curiosity or any reaction when I wore it to the playgroung in the afternoon (my playground friends didn't make any comment and the other people didn't even smile, which is the effect that I was hoping for). I think that the whole point of having this tee is to have fun with it, which includes people somehow reacting to the fact that I'm wearing a zebra. I guess that if I had walked in the JCrew store (the one where they know me, because in the Soho store no reaction as well), they would have probably greeted me with some "How cool your zebra tee", but it's like writing a book and having only your friend and family to read it.

I'm going to give it another try, but I start to wonder if it was money well spent. Maybe I should have gotten the rosette tee instead of this one. Well, at least my daughter loves it and says "Mama zebra" every five minutes.

Have you the zebra tee? What is the people reaction when you wear it?

The Ripstop Utility (Cargo) Pants

A quick post on the ripstop utility pants that I could try on yesterday.
Yes, I lied. I said that I wouldn't visit a JCrew store for a while and I didn't last a week. But it wasn't planned, I swear. Yesterday I happened to be in Soho (husband invited us to have lunch downtown with him and let me pick the restaurant) and I couldn't resist the urge of enter the Soho store, also because it's the only store in NYC that carries the Crewcuts line (and my daughter is almost 2, ie old enough to wear Jcrew, yeah!)

The ripstop utility pants (item 14784) caught my eye in the last website roll-out (they look gorgeous on the model) and so far I hadn't seen them in store. But they have finally arrived, as Jcrew let us know yesterday in an email sent to the happy few (I saw it on JCA blog but I haven't received it).

I'm between a size 0 and a size 2 in Jcrew pants. I've tried a 0 first in the only color available (golden hickory, that I don't like). Pardon my appearance but I just had a sumptous lunch and it shows around my belly (Gigi, if you're reading this, not sure that it's a good idea to try clothes just after lunch, especially if you plan to post pics!)



Pretty bad uh? I always have a problem with drawstring waist pants, I find that generally they are not very flattering and these are no exception.
I agree that it's not the best style to wear with flats, but I forgot to take them off! I hope that you get the idea anyway.
The size 2 wasn't better, even worst because they get baggy in the leg as someone pointed out on the JCA blog. Here is the light pewter:



And here is the white with the perfect-fit corsage tee in lavander:



I'm happy that I could try them on in both sizes, so I won't be tempted if I see them on sale on the website. I already have two pairs of cargo pants that I don't wear much, I must not be the cargo type!

Have you been coveting these pants? Do you own them?

Dear Havona (Part 1)

Dear Havona,

I have to tell you something: my love for you was a little bit biaised. It wasn't love at first sight. I didn't like you the first time that you made your appearance in the spring lookbook. I didn't even NOTICE you, and then when others made me look at you, I thought that we weren't made for each other. You looked too sophisticated, whereas I like simplicity.

But then something happened. Maybe it was seeing you on Fabulous Florida Mommy; maybe it was the fact that we decided to go to Bermuda for Mother's Day weekend and all of a sudden I could picture myself, my neck adorned with your beatiful flower, while sipping a cocktail and looking at the sunset from the balcony of our hotel's room; maybe it was just the fact that my size sold out and all of a sudden you became more attractive because I couldn't have you. Whatever the reason, I became obsessed with you. I looked for you everywhere but you were elusive. And then one day you were there, waiting for me. Oh! The pleasure of the conquest. You were mine.

I promise you, my dear Havona, that I will not leave you in my closet. Our love will be consumed and I will wear you, and more than once.
And if it turns out that it wasn't real love but just a flirt, I will set you free and return you where you come from, before the date on the ticket is past. Because you are exquisite and deserve real love.

TO BE CONTINUED ...