OTTD (with a Special Guest) and New Purchase

Hello my dear readers, are you feeling springy? We are still blessed with nice spring temperatures here, which makes choosing an outfit a real pleasure after all those months of wearing the same outfit again and again (even if I a lot of clothes to choose from, at the end of the winter it gest a little boring)! I feel like I have won an entire new wardrobe!

Yesterday was a very important day for a lot of families with preschoolers in NYC. It was the day when everybody received the acceptance letters for the next school year and I have to tell you that a big weight got off my shoulders! My daughter was accepted into the nursery school that is just around the corner from our place and this is going to change my life as I won't have to walk half an hour a day to school (and back) as I do now. On the other side I really like the school where she is currently going (she is so happy there), and if it weren't so far I wouldn't have applied to another school and went through all the preschool drama again. If you're not in NYC you probably won't understand, the nursery school admission process is very particular to the city, apparently.

Anyway, I didn't know yet yesterday morning when I was getting ready for my walk to school, but the day was announcing itself as a great one already. For starters, it was unusually warm, even in the early morning, and I had plans to meet with a fellow JCA who happens to live in the neighborhood for coffee and a little shopping (returns actually) at the Collection store. That was a
lot of fun and I'm happy that I got to meet her through this blog!
I wore the pleated-chiffon cardigan in putty from last year, the "can't remember the name" cami also from last year and black toothpick jeans:



As you could see, we have a special guest today: my daughter was playing in the background (as usual) and she was so cute in her Stella McCartney for Gap wool minidress that I wanted her to be in the spotlight (while I usually try to crop her out):



I couldn't resist (mommy's heart) and took some pics of her alone:



It was the perfect weather to break out my long-coveted-finally-mine ruffled-collar trench. I haven't pics of the entire outfit but I wore the trench the other day to take pics of my new purchase (just replace the chinos with the toothpick jeans).
My new purchase is a purse. I have been looking for a small and easy to carry purse for-e-ver. It had to be a cross-body, so in case we have to take a bus or the subway I can carry my daughter AND the stroller (folded on my shoulder). But mainly I needed one for all those summer afternoons when we go to the playground after nap and I just need to take with me my wallet, keys and phone. I bought the Jcrew charmed mini-bag before Xmas but returned it because it was too dressed up for my lifestyle and also too seasonal (you don't want to wear tweed in the summer). Not that I disliked it but it just wasn't what I was looking for. Also the colors where a little bit difficult to pair as I don't have a lot of black coats/jackets (I have more in the camel tones).

So when I quickly walked into a BR store last Saturday just to browse what they had and I saw this small cross-body bag in a cognac leather and with a chain (bonus), I knew that I had finally found my baby. Moreover, they were running a promo where each customer was given a coupon and inside you could get 25%, 30% or 50% off the ENTIRE PURCHASE. It was my lucky day and I got 50% off! So instead of $98 I paid less than $50 (and it's a leather bag, not plastic).
Here it is:



It's small (same size of the Jcrew one) but I can fit my wallet, keys and phone inside:



By the way, this is the "other" watercolor floral scarf that I bought at the Jcrew event, for the reader who asked. I bought it to wear specifically with this coat:



Now, the fun part. When my husband saw the bag, he asked me if I had found it at Goodwill. In other words, he thinks that it looks cheap and why would I buy something like that, instead of a nice bag by Chanel or Vuitton? Well, I said, that's what my budget allows me, BR, Gap and JCrew and you get upset already if I spend what you think it's too much at Jcrew, I can only imagine the reaction if you saw a $2000 Chanel purchase on the credit card statement. After thinking it over, he came up with a deal: if I return the BR bag he will offer me a Vuitton in a similar style (it has to be a Vuitton). I thought he was kidding, but he really meant it.

Now my dear readers, I really like my BR bag, I think that the color and size are perfect for me and that I will get a lot of wear out of. I am almost tempted to keep it and let the Vuitton go. Am I crazy? I have to say that I haven't looked at the Vuitton catalog in a very long time but what I don't like in Vuitton bags is what all the people like, the fact that they are too recognizable as Vuitton. I don't know, maybe I have seen too many fakes in Italy but I'm not thrilled by the idea.
Trickery (pretending that I have returned the BR bag and wearing it behind his back) is not an option here as I'm sure that I will get busted sooner or later: you can't possibly wear a bag everyday and hide it each time that you come home.

What should I do? What would you do?

By the way, BR is offering 40% off a single full price item every Wednesday in-store only. You must present a coupon to get the 40% but I'm sure that they still have them under the counter so if you are interested in any BR new arrivals, make sure to ask and go in a Wednesday. For those who liked my Theory safari jacket in this post, they have a very similar style (even if the color is a little bit lighter and it's not 100% linen) for $98. I saw it in the store and it's very pretty (definitively the same fitted style).

Wow, it was a long post, I hope you enjoyed it! Happy Wednesday!

Weekend Outfits (featuring the Tulle Art Blossom Tee and the Merino Boyfriend Sweatshirt)

We had an exceptionally warm weekend here in NY (as everywhere else in the Northeast if I'm not wrong) and today is the first day with temperatures that are nearing 60 degrees since early December (heard on the TV this morning)!!! I know that it's too early to say that spring is finally here but at least we can enjoy being outside in the sun without freezing.

On Saturday morning I went on the hunt for a cardigan to wear with the potpourri dress and then I met my husband and daughter at the zoo. I hoped that I would find something and that they would match the Internet prices, since they were running the 20% off sweaters promo. I think that I found the perfect cardigan (and it's cashmere, so I will not freeze in my dress in Seattle), but even with the 20% off I couldn't stomach to pay more than $100 for it and I decided that I'm going to wait because this type of cardigans always goes on sale early in the season. It's a Featherweight cashmere cardigan in a color that appears to be in-store only (unless it's sold-out on the website, but I doubt it). The color code is NME and my guess of "neon melon" appeared to be spot-on when I asked the SA to check. By the way, did you know that they have a page with all the color codes and their explanations on the computer? I wanted to DIE when I saw the list and I almost asked for a printout but I couldn't find any good reason to give the SA for that (besides being a crazy lady who spends her time learning by heart the JCrew color codes).
Anyway, the color is a very bright melon (if not really "neon") and enhances the orange component of the dress. Another perfect match is the light berry color, but the orange-coral looks much better on my skin tone than the berry. I also tried a lot of Jackies but there wasn't a color that looked as good with the dress as the neon melon of the cashmere cardigan.

I wore my toothpick cords in faded cement, merino ethereal cardigan in heather dusk (bought when it went on sale a few weeks ago) and the Tulle blossom art tee that is currently on sale in stores for $24.99. I wasn't sure about the tee, because the fit with the wide scoopneck isn't too flattering on me. But it looks so good under the ethereal cardigan that I have decided to keep it. Of the three available colors, I like this one the best because the embellishment is black and I can wear it also as an evening tee.




My husband, unlike Slastena's husband, never commented on my soft ochre cords being pukey, but when he saw me in this outfit he had to say that the pants don't look "classy" (the color, specifically). They are definitively sporty, but that's the reason why I "needed" them and could justify buying a third pair of toothpicks (the navy ones are definitively more elegant and I can't wear the soft ochre with grey).
What I liked in this outfit is that it goes easily from day to night with a change of shoes and adding a necklace (and I knew that I wouldn't have much time to change for the evening):



I wore this to a neighborhood pizzeria where we went with a couple of friends and our toddlers. Boy, now I remember why we don't go out very often with our daughter, especially on a Saturday night. At some point the two were running across the restaurant floor and a couple of (not very understanding) ladies were yelling at us for letting them "ruin their dinner" (not that they did anything bad). At that age, they simply can't sit for two hours in a chair, there is not much that you can do: it's the running and giggling or the cries.

Yesterday we decided to cross the park and have brunch at a favorite Mexican restaurant on the Upper West Side. It was a GORGEOUS day and I broke out my Merino boyfriend sweatshirt in honey that I hadn't the occasion to wear yet as it has been too cold and I like it best worn alone and not over a buttondown or turtleneck. It's a little bit wrinkled from being under a pile of other sweaters in my closet. I wanted to iron it before leaving but my husband and daughter wouldn't wait for me:



Instead of a coat I wore my navy sherpa hoodie (from two years ago): it was the perfect weather to wear this outfit!




BTW I didn't wear the necklace in the end, I'm not sure if I really like it with the sweater and anyway we were just going for a stroll in the park and a brunch in a very casual place. What do you think? Do they go together (I don't have another necklace that I could possibly wear with this sweater)?

I also made an unexpected purchase this weekend (at another retailer), but I will leave it for another post.
Have a great start of the week!

OOTE (Deco skirt and Posy cami)

Yesterday night we went out for dinner with friends. Just grownups. I can't even remember when was the last time that we went out without our daughter, it's like we emerged from hibernation.

The weather was warm enough to wear my deco skirt. I haven't worn a skirt in ages, with all the cold and snow this winter, so I was very excited.

You have already seen a similar outfit in the past, but at that time I didn't own the posy silk cami yet. I'm happy that I have decided to keep this cami because the skirt and the cami are made to go together. I have to thank GigiofCa because it was mainly her comment that decided me to keep it. At the time of the crazy post-holidays sales, $19.99 for this cami seemed almost expensive (because I didn't get the 30% off on top of that price); isn't it funny how everything is relative? What was I thinking?

Anyway, here it is, with the BR velvet jacket:


I took the pic above in the afternoon when I was trying the outfit on. That's why I wasn't wearing tights, not that it was THAT warm (my stocking drawer is in another room and often out of reach when I try stuff on).
But I took the following ones when we came back from the restaurant (and you can see that I had tights on. What you can't see are the black Juliets heels that I wore with the outfit):





I'm not sure if I will have the time for another post today, so have a happy Friday and weekend everyone!

Product Review: the Watercolor Poupourri Dress

I have been vaguely considering the Watercolor Poupourri dress (22356) for a wedding that we'll attend in Seattle early May. For some reason I forgot about it when we had our JCA event last Saturday and I tried on the Poplin Bridget dress (22975 ) in soft violet instead, but that dress did nothing for me (not to mention that I already own a one-shoulder dress that I wore for my 40th birthday and was a stunner).
When the price of the poupourri dress dropped from $148 to $79.99 yesterday, all of a sudden it became sort of urgent to purchase it for the wedding, especially when I saw that the one that I had placed in my cart had disappeared after only a few hours (the 0 appears to be sold-out now on the website). So I called the PS at the Rockefeller Center to hold one for me and I went today to pick it up.
As I said, I had never tried it before and that's the reason why I didn't pull the trigger yesterday. This kind of dress can be a hit or miss, but in this case it's a total hit. Not only I love the print, but it fits me "like a glow".
Yesterday when I was trying to figure out if it would fit me and if there were any hidden faults, I tried to find a review of this dress in the blogosphere but didn't find any IRL pic or post about it. I even searched Polyvore for outfit ideas for the wedding, but it appears to be missing from Polyvore (I find a little bit strange that there isn't a single set featuring this dress: if anyone has a set, please let me know). So I thought that it would be useful to post some IRL pics and additional infos in case you are considering this fabulous dress for that fabulous price before it's gone (I don't think it will linger for very long). In the following pics I'm not trying to style it or anything (no time today!) and apologize for being barefoot, I just wanted to have some pics to show you as soon as possible.

This dress fits truly TTS, I don't need any alteration in my regular size. First of all, the lenght is exactly what it's supposed to be (the description says "falls above the knee"), even if I'm not as tall as the model, as you know:



Second, the bodice is very fitted (I was afraid that I wouldn't "fill" it) and the extra band of fabric sewn between the bodice and the skirt is very flattering and gives this dress extra structure (the skirt has darts):



An adhesive strap runs along the top of the bodice and helps it to stay in place. The bodice is lined in cotton as the description says, which makes it more comfortable to wear. The zip is in the back and not on the side. By the way, the fabric is not the same as the mini, which is more textured.
And, it has pockets as a bonus for those who love this feature:


At first I was all excited with the idea of buying a big necklace for the occasion, but I think that I can get away with my 20 bucks pearl necklace, that is just perfect with this dress:



I think that you can't go wrong with this dress if you can do a strapless dress.
Are you considering this dress on sale? What would you pair it with? Do you think that a Jackie cardigan in a yummy color would be OK for a wedding?

New Arrivals Purchases (and Styling Ideas)

Last Saturday I met up with some New Yorker JCAs at the Rockefeller Center store for a morning of shopping fun. I generally shop alone as my best shopping pal (my mom) is five thousand miles away, so it is a nice change to shop in the company of other ladies who share the same passion (should I say obsession?) for JCrew clothes. We were welcomed with coffee and donughs by the nicest of the PS and we were given a 20% off incentive on all our purchases of $125 or more and it clearly worked because I broke my rule and spent much more than I wanted to (even if I knew that that would probably happen). But on the other end I didn't make impulsive purchases: I bought almost exclusively what was on my list and I'm pretty sure that I will get a lot of wear out of everything. A surprise hit among the other ladies (that I didn't buy for myself but liked on everyone else) was the Linen-silk city pant that got many criticisms on the JCA. They were very flattering and so comfy!

I didn't have my camera with me so I can't show you pics from the fitting room (I couldn't even take a pic of the group of ladies); on the other side, I tried all that I bought once at home and I made an effort of styling most of pieces, so you'll get an idea of how I plan to wear them.
What I liked of these new arrivals is that I can easily incorporate them in my wardrobe and mix them with pieces that I already have (and I don't wear often enough).

Let's start with the vintage bateau top (24484) that is backordered in my size in both the camel and pewter colors until mid-June on the website. The top finally arrived in stores and I bought it in both the in-store hot pink color and the camel. I rarely buy multiples but these have a very different flair in my opinion. The pink one it's a very fresh and easy top for spring to wear alone with jeans and a navy cardigan or raincoat (this is actually the only fitting room pic that I have because I had tried it at the Collection store as soon as it came out and then bought it on Saturday with the 20% off):



The camel one is more versatile and can be styled in different ways. As soon as I tried it on, I thought of my still unworn denim safari jacket from last summer and I hoped that they would work together. Not only they work but I love the outfit:




In the catalog the tee is styled with the tiered brique skirt, so I tried it with a couple of skirts that I already have. First with my white linen Monteray for a stroll in the park or an icecream with friends (can't wait, can't wait):



Then, with a white pencil skirt and a safari jacket (this is a linen one from Theory) for a more sophisticated look:



The third pairing features another new arrival which has been recently discussed on the JCA blog and seems to be one of those "love it or hate it" item: it's the metallic beach cardigan (23159). Obviously, I'm part of the "love it" crowd as I bought it in the golden camel color. The golden is much prettier than the silver IRL (which is darker than on the website pic and in fact not silver at all, but more of a dark petrol kind of grey) and works as a neutral for the day (it's great with khaki):



It doesn't feel itchy to me (much less so than the mohair cardigan from the fall) but I wouldn't wear it on a beach. Here is with another controversial item, the tie-dyed Wednesday skirt (25003):





Of all my purchases, this is the one that I took a risk with. To be honest, this skirt isn't easy to pull off because of the high elastic bandwaist. I loved the print in the spring Lookbook, then was disappointed when the March catalog came out and we got to see the elastic bandwaist (I thought that it wouldn't work on me), then fell in love again when I saw it in store and tried it on.
It is not excessively short but definitively needs a very fitted top and a belt like in the Catalog because the fabric tends to poke out at the hips and add weight even if it hasn't pockets. Because it has a little "tribal" flair, I tried it with the Theory safari jacket:



I really see myself wearing this outfit A LOT in the summer.

The other two purchases that I made are maybe less exciting for you to see but again, it's something that I'm going to wear a lot for sure.
The first is the Featherweight cotton long cardigan (23007). I have been wanting one of these since they made they first appeareance last month because they are like a summer version of my beloved Michelle cardigans, that are really a staple in my closet. I had a hard time to pick up just one color and in the end I bought the slate one because it goes with many outfits and the color is very flattering on me, but I'm going to pick some other color when they go on sale. I bought my regular XS but you might want to size up if you wear your cardigans buttoned up:




BTW, even if it's a pretty basic cardigan I totally felt like Jennifer Aniston when I was taking the pics in this cardigan, probably because of the color (see rule number 1 = totally worth it).

The last purchase is the Heathered microrib jaspé hoodie (23331) that everybody has been raving about. I had bought and returned the zipped version last winter because it felt too thin at that time of the year and I thought that it was something that I could wait to buy, but it makes more sense for spring. The fit is very flattering and it's certainly soft and comfortable. I happened to be wearing the crystal symphony necklace that day and I really like how it dresses it up a bit:



Last, I bought the belt that you have seen in all these pictures (I don't think that it's available online but if you're interested I will provide the style number) which is worth to pay almost FP (like almost all the JCrew belts) because as you could see it can really transform an outfit, and one of the floral scarves to wear with my "new" ruffle-collar trench coat.

What do you think of my purchases and the outfits that I have shown? Is there anything that you would buy for yourself? Anything that you dislike completely? Please share!

OOTD (Soft Ochre and Maize)

I dropped my daughter at school earlier this morning to attend a parents-teachers conference. The good news? It's warm today, way warmer than last week. If it weren't for the heaps of snow on the sidewalks you could almost tell that spring is around the corner.

I wore my toothpick cords in soft ochre, Glenbrae boots, cashmere crewneck in warm maize, contrast-stitch perfect shirt from last summer and pearl and chain necklace:



I love how the colors go together and I also love the mix of casual and pearls.



I know that many of you have this shirt and don't know how to wear it. For me is the easiest shirt, it goes with pretty much everything (just try and you will see).
This morning I wore the crewneck sweater buttoned up and with the necklace worn on a double strand over the collar of the shirt (see pic above), but now I'm wearing it open, with the necklace left long over it:



Stay tuned for a new arrivals post later (featuring the beach cardigan among others).

And the Winner Is ...

Good morning fellow readers! Let's start the week with some good news for one lucky follower.

The winner of the giveaway is ... JulieStyles (Julie, I guess)! Random.org picked the number 57, and of the 60 valid entries hers was the 57th. Congratulations to Julie who wins the JCrew canvas tote (Julie, please contact me at crazyaboutjcrew@gmail.com with your details).

To the other who participated and didn't win, first thank you for your comments and let me tell you that you know how you fell: I never won a giveaway. Second, there will be more because I found out that it's pretty fun, so stay tuned!

And because there are new followers I would like to take the opportunity to say a few things about me and the blog:

1) There seems to be a myth about me being tall. I'm 5'2", so I'm pretty petite. I probably look taller because I'm proportioned and I generally look good in mini, but I'm no model.

2) My favorite brands are JCrew, Theory and Tory Burch. I also have to mention the Gap because even if I wouldn't say that the Gap is my favorite clothing brand I must admit that during the year I certainly spend more money at the Gap than at Theory or Tory Burch.

3) I appreciate that many of you asked for more posts. I will try to post more but I generally use my daughter's nap time to blog and there is only much that I can do in two hours. My long-time readers know that I generally don't blog over the weekend and in the evening because my husband doesn't approve of me blogging during "family time". However he travels quite a lot and that's when I post more.

4) Please be assured that I read and enjoy all the comments that you leave even if sometimes (in fact, most of the times) I don't comment back and I prefer to use my time to write a new post instead (unless someone asked a specific question that clearly needs to be answered). I personally never subscribe to posts and I don't necessarily expect the blogger to comment back and I assume that that's what most people do. I just wanted to apologize here if this is cause of frustration for some of you. But please keep commenting, comments are bread for bloggers!

4) I have been working for more than ten years as a project manager before becoming a stay at home mom two years and a half ago when my daughter was born. I could stop working because my husband can support us and I feel privileged for that, but also my work didn't pay enough to pay a full-time nanny in the city. It didn't make sense to work just to pay a nanny, so I'm the nanny now and when my daughter is older I will reconsider going back to work.

5) Sometimes I make up words or I use expressions that probably don't sound quite right to your ears. That's because I write in English which is my third language after Italian and French. I could stick to the clothes but because my dream has always been to be a writer, I can't help myself. And yes, I meant "fit like a glove" and not "fit like a glow" but I'm happy of this involuntary effect.

Once again, thank you all for participating and follow the blog. I really find amazing that you take the time for reading what I write and that you seem to like it!