JCrew New Arrivals: The Beaded Ribbon-Front Top

OK, so this is not one of those posts where you get to see many of the new arrivals but just one of them. I had my camera with me went I walked into the store but I didn't feel like trying a lot of stuff and taking pictures. Sorry dear readers, but I will probably go again over the weekend and try more stuff without my daughter. I didn't want her to fell "neglected" as this is a tough week for her with the start of nursery school (it didn't go that well with the separation yesterday), so I just tried the two items that I really wanted to and took her to the playground.

I saw the Beaded ribbon-front top (page 28 of the new catalog) on Monday when I briefly checked out the new arrivals and it was love at first sight. However, I couldn't try it on because the 0 that they had put on the racks was already gone and the other ones were still in the boxes, so the SA took my telephone number and promised to put one aside for me (along with two other items) once they had gone through all the boxes and call me when it was ready. Now, I know that I have developed an exaggerated anxiety that a coveted item would sell out in matter of minutes, but when I didn't receive the call yesterday I started to worry, so I went back first thing this morning hoping that my stuff would be there. Well, the SA that took my name wasn't in yet and nobody knew about it. When I showed the top (in a size 12, the only out) to the lovely SA that was helping me and she looked at me with a sad face saying "I don't even think that we have any left of those in your size" I almost had a heart attack. Luckily, she was wrong and they had my size in the back (fresh of plastic bag) but the whole thing upset me.
End of the story, I bought it even if it's pricey for a top ($128 plus tax, that if you live in NY and you haven't noticed yet, went up to %8.something again). But I'm 100% sure that I won't return it and I will wear it over and over, this top is SOOOO me!

Once home I couldn't wait for my daughter to nap and try it on again (you can tell that you really love something when you want to wear it immediately, right?)
For your enjoyment and to share a little bit of my happiness, I have styled it the best that I could. I apologize if some of the pics are a little bit blurred but we don't get a lot of light here (in the city and in my apartment) today.

The color is antique stone, but it also comes in black (although the black beaded applique is a little bit lost on it IMO). First, the fit is good, yay! Not too big or boxy and perfectly fitted around the underarms:



I don't think that you need to size down in this one or it will be too tight across the chest. Of course, being silk, it is a little bit flowy. Here is the detail of the beaded ribbon (simply gorgeous):



Tucked in my favorite jeans, with a skinny silver leather belt and last year crackle Mary-janes:



With a military jacket, downtown-style:



And back uptown, an opening night at the Guggenheim anyone?





Seriously I wouldn't have thought of pairing it with this skirt if I hadn't taken it out to try it with my other purchase of the day (the Frances, more on that later). It's a Marley chiffon skirt that I bought at Intermix along with my birthday party dress back in the summer. I got it for a ridiculous price (less than $90) and I thought that I would wear it in the fall-winter in this color (the other option was a very bright pink but I didn't dare). Should I call it the most flattering skirt ever? Detail of the chiffon pleats:



I have been looking for a top to wear with this skirt for a while and I almost bought a black Victoria cami on Ebay some time ago. But because I had never tried the Victoria cami on I was unsure that it would fit me, so I let it go. This morning I tried the new Kelsey top but I felt a little bit overwhelmed by the ruffles around the collar and I didn't like that the buttons go all the way down (less elegant, IMO), so I asked the SA to bring me a Frances in dark charcoal (that I had tried back in July) for comparison. Well, I really liked the Frances on me, especially after the Kelsey, so I brought it home, hoping that it would go well with this skirt. What do you think?



In any case I like it in itself, it kind of built up, and you know what? After all these ruffles I found out that I don't have any ruffled top in my closet! Time to make up for that!

Any now I need your help. I would like to buy a new cardigan to wear with the ribbon-front top for the evening. What color would you suggest with the antique stone? Before you let your imagination go free, I have to tell you that I'm not going to try any "bright colors". I was thinking of a grey but they tend to be opaque, so maybe the mohair one? What do you think? Ideally I would love one with some sparkle in it but I don't see any right now. Of course I can always throw on my Michelle in dark charcoal but I think that a lighter color would go better with this top. Any suggestion, my fab readers?

Is the beaded ribbon-front top on your wish list? Do you like it IRL or are disappointed?

My Last JCrew Purchase: the Marrakesh Embroided Top

So far I bought two of the new arrivals: one is the chambray perfect shirt that you have already seen in the fitting room pics (and also on LinsdayB) and the other one is a top that I hadn't the occasion to show you yet.

It's called the Marrakesh Embroided Top and retails for $69.50. I have to say that the first time that I saw it in the store I dismissed it without even trying it because it looked like a leftover from two years ago, when peasant tops where everywhere, especially in white (well, had I known that it was called "Marrakesh Top" I would probably have tried it, as I love Marrakesh. We had a vacation, in fact it was a road trip, in Morocco ten years ago and absolutely loved it). But while I was strolling my daughter in the park the other day I saw a lady wearing this top in navy with the lizard skirt and she looked adorable. So the next time that I went in the store, I tried it and bought it. Did I tell you that I love navy?

So here it is. It's not the reason why I bought it but I'm so happy that it goes well with the daisy eyelet mini (the first one) that I'm having a challenge to pair with anything in my closet:



I plan to wear this outfit for our Father's Day lunch if it doesn't rain.
Detail of the embroidery along the shoulders:




And this is with jeans:



Have you seen this top in your B&M?

Have a Happy Father's Day Weekend everyone!