OOTD: Lofty!

A quick OOTD today with the item that was at the top of my wishlist, the Loft Boiled wool blend peacoat. The Loft had another of their flash sales the other day with everything in store at 50% off for an afternoon, so as soon as I received the email I run to my store to put it on hold (this time I came back early, without daughter in tow). They had received a delivery of the regular sizes that were all in stock so I could try the 0 and 2 regular but I still went with the 4P, as the proportions were better on me in this size for some reasons (the 0 was the other size that I could have done but it was more swingy and the sleeves were too long. The 2R was GIANT and the 2P was too short and high-waisted).

So, here it is. It is the perfect topper for my new "uniform" (it covers the butt) and I didn't have a black casual coat (the only black coat that I have is the JCrew Script coat from a few season ago but it is kind of elegant and I usually wear it to go out in the evening). I wore it yesterday with my Ponte leggings (I bought a backup pair with the 50% off, I love them so much) and last year's Tippi in leopard that I recently bought from a JCA:

While I was at the Loft I also tried a pair of their Super skinny curduroys. I had tried them in black on another visit but the 26/2 (which is my regular size) was a tad too big because they are very stretchy and they didn't have a 25/0 to try. This time I picked up the "incense khaki" (what a name!) color because it is the kind of beige that isn't offered in the JCrew toothpicks.
Well, I really loved them, so for the price I picked up a pair. They are a very thin wale curduroy, different from the toothpicks, and very soft/comfortable to wear. I didn't feel squeezed in them, they are very stretchy, if a bit thin.
I am so used to the ankle length of the toothpicks that now I find the regular length kind of weird. They will look great tucked in boots but I tried them with a little heel and I liked them as well (the toothpicks on the other side are better with flats because of the cropped style):

Now I am seriously considering the ones in the leopard spots print that are online only (take 40% off your entire purchase with code SHOP40).

Did you stop-shop at the Loft as of late?

JCrew November New Arrivals: Fitting Room Pics (Part 2)

Good morning! Before I post more pics of the November rollout I just wanted to tell you that I am currently unable to leave comments from my computer and that's why I haven't commented back much, even if I want to. I can leave comments with my phone but my provider had slowed down my rate because I reached the maximum data allowed by my plan so I am basically in dial-up speed until the next cycle starts, which means that my phone is constantly out of battery. Please be patient with me!

Since some of you were interested in the Collection cafe capri in abstract diamond that the regular stores haven't received, I stopped by the Collection store yesterday to see if they had them and I could try them on for you, along with the Collection etched plaid pant. When I tried them on they felt different and now that I read the description I understand why: the etched plaid pant has a higher rise than the abstract diamond one and sits at the natural waist instead of "just above the hip" (it's an original fit versus a city fit).
Also, the abstract diamond fits much bigger than the etched paid, I had to size down to a 00 to have a decent fit and there was still room.
I tried the 0 first (they look like pajama pants in the 0):

This is the 00 (much better, I hope you can see the difference):

The pants are a very substantial blend of wool and silk and they are fully lined (in poly but it feels silky):

Construction here is what you would expect from expensive pants so it really comes down to if you like the crazy print and the color combo (I don't like the colors, personally. By the way the color is misrepresented online, where they look much more bright than what they are. The green is more olive in person).

I preferred the etched plaid ones. I wouldn't size down in these, because of the higher rise. On the other hand, the are a bit baggy in the hips, but I liked the fit, overall. This is a 0:

They have the same fabric composition and same construction than the abstract diamond ones, they are well-made pants, no doubt about it.

While we are at it, I will review the other Collection items in this post and I will continue with the regular items in the next post.
The Collection pink shimmer skirt caught my eye because of the very festive color. It is more buble pink than neon, IMO. I liked it a lot, it is a fun skirt. This is the 0 but since it sits at the natural waist you can size up (especially if you want to tuck a top in). It doesn't pouf out that much and it is knee-lenght on me (it covers my knees). I thought I had grabbed a top to go with it but when I looked for it it wasn't in the fitting room, so I had to try it with my sweater on, which doesn't do it justice. This is the 0:

Close up on the fabric. It is very rough at the touch but since the skirt is fully lined, it isn't an issue in terms of weareability. I like the subtle shimmer:

If this one goes on deep sale before the holidays, I might grab it.
They also had a new party dress that had some potential. I took it into the fitting room but then I realized that it wasn't my size and it was getting late, so I only took a pic of it on the hanger:

I am sorry to tease you like this but I can tell you that it is cotton silk and it is priced at $350. If you are interested I can try it the next time. I think it is a bit revealing and it isn't for busty girls because it is open all the way down to the chest where you tie the bow.

Next, the Wool-cashmere peplum coat. I am in no need for a new coat, let alone a camel one (I have my "looks like a million bucks" Zara one and also the Charlie from 2007) but I tried it on for a friend. The fabric is very thin but has a nice sheen and is soft to the touch (I forgot to look up the fabric content tag but it is better than I expected it to be).
However, the peplum style was a disaster on me. It could be that I tried the wrong size but in my regular 2 it wasn't fitted enough at the waist so it just looks silly (not to mention that it is unflattering because it creates expectations for a defined waist that isn't, so that in reality I look wide. A peplum should visually create waist definition, not the opposite):

Again, maybe I should have sized down, but the fact that the model is wearing it open makes me think that there is an issue with the fit when it is closed. It simply isn't fitted enough.

And now I need your help. While I was there I grabbed the hothouse floral blouse (that I bought the other day) and the Classic mini in felted wool in heritage green (which is on promo for $78) to try together. I showed the combo to the SA and he made a disgusted face, but I liked it:

Granted, the color of the skirt is darker/more saturated IRL. What do you think (please don't let yourself be distracted by the boots that I was wearing because obviously I am not going to wear those with the mini)? Too much green? I am thinking about ordering it (with the sole purpose of wearing it with this blouse) with the 30% off. BTW this is a size 0, it fits TTS.

And to wrap up this Collection post, I want to share a few pics of something that I tried all the way back in August and just went on sale, in case some of you are debating getting it.
It's the Collection lace-trim blouse that I tried n the ivory colorway (not sure if this colorway is soldout or nor on sale yet). I tried both the 0 and the 2 and I felt more comfortable in the 2. The 0 was a bit tight in the shoulders and at the cuffs (which have an elastic). I honestly don't remember which one is the 2 and which is the 0 (I think the first is a 0 and the second is a 2):

What do you think of these Collection pieces? Do you like the crazy pants? Do you think I should get the green mini? Please share!

JCrew November New Arrivals: Fitting Room Pics (Part 1)

Hello everybody! I had another post in mind for you today but since there is a little bit of excitement in the air for the JCrew latest arrivals that hit the store today, I thought that I would just go ahead and post the pics that I took during my visit to the store this morning. My store hadn't received any new pencil skirt featured in the catalog, nor the item that I was most curious (and excited about), the cafe capri in camel plaid so that was disappointing. However I had a few (good) surprises and I hope that you will agree with me!
I have a lot of pics so tonight I am going to post only about the most talked-about items and the ones that I really liked and I will continue tomorrow.

The item that was a big surprise for me is the Chiffon top in hothouse floral. I didn't care at all for this top or the print when I saw it online and in the catalog, it read too springy for the season and difficult to wear. Well, what I didn't know is that this top makes my face glow, the colors are much more saturated IRL than in the Catalog pics (I don't think the model in the Catalog wears it well BTW) and it is just crazy beautiful. This is my regular 0. I see that it is more fitted on the model than on me, so maybe you could size down but when I tried it on I thought it was the right size and I didn't even think of asking for a 00 (I am saying this as an afterthought):

Before I show you more pics of this beautiful blouse, I just want to point out that I am wearing the Toothpick jeans in velvet in the navy colorway. I tried them because I wanted to replace an old pair of navy toothpicks and WOW! I didn't want to take them off. They are very soft and comfortable (as far as toothpicks go) and fit like a glove. This is my regular 26. I had heard about the toothpicks being cut smaller this year but not these IMO. The great thing about them is that, unlike regular cords, they can be dressed up for the evening:

Another pair of toothpicks that were much better on than on the hanger are the Toothpick cords in ribbon bow print. I tried these on only for the blog but they were insanely flattering. This is, again a 26 (with the merino turtleneck in a XS):

I really liked them but I couldn't figure out where I would wear them. They are the perfect pair to unwrap presents at Christmas but I don't think I need a pair of pants especially for that (not to mention that my daughter usually wakes up at 6 on Xmas Day so we open presents in our pajamas). I am also a bit over the kelly green, as I wore this color a lot in the summer (they also read a little bit Lilly Pulitzer IMO). If you are daring though, I highly reccomend them.

Next, the Fair isle ski sweater. This sweater is pretty substantial but it looks machine-made if it makes sense (it doesn't look like a hand knit at all).
It isn't a fitted style sweater so I would say that it runs TTS. What bothered me is that the yoke is knit in a way that made it uncomfortable for me (it was tight around my shoulders like I was wearing a large and heavy bib). There is also a big seam pretty unflattering on the sleeves:

Last item for tonight is the controversial La Parisienne sweater (aka, the yeti-woman). My ps was excited about this one so I tried it on. Of course I like the color but that's about it. I never tried the hen nor the bulldog but I guess the fit and fabric is the same (this one in particular was shredding, or releasing in the air, little fluffy balls of yarn):

What do you think of these new arrivals? Are you interested in any of these? More to follow...

Electric (Plaid) Dreams

Who is old enough to remember the movie Electric dreams? Even if the movie was forgettable (in fact I don't remember much of it), the theme song is stuck in my mind forever and ever. You know which one, the one that goes "We will always be together, however far it seems, we will always be together, together in electric dreams...". It is probably a song that makes the VH1 100 Best Songs of the 80s or some other list, along with "Take on me" by the A-ha (remember that one? It was one of my favorite). What can I say, I am fond of the 80s...

This song immediately popped in my mind when I first looked at the Electric plaid blouse online so the two got linked together by my brain (proud of digging out something from the 80s archives) and from then on I couldn't think of the blouse without the song playing in my mind. I was probably humming the song when I bought the blouse the other day after it (finally) went on sale. I always meant to try this blouse but the price scared me off (as in, I don't want to try it because I don't want to fall in love and I don't want to pay that price). I finally tried it last week when my friend was here, to keep her company in the fitting rooms, and we both really liked it. Low and behold, it just went on sale online and the stores are having 30% off sale so I immediately grabbed it.

I took a 0 in this one and it fits perfectly. You can tie the bow but I prefer it untied. The colors are striking IRL, which you probably can't see very well in these pics because it was getting dark. I tried the "hookup" with the skirt in store but it looked horrible on me (very Iron Lady) and let's be honest, I rarely wear my pencil skirts, so I just got the blouse.
I tried it with some bottoms to give you an idea of all the colors you can pair with it. If you have the bright blue pencil skirt, it should be a good match too, I think.

With the Gap slim cropped (these are exactly the same color of the pink stripes that run through the shirt but the bright dahlia lollis or cafe capris will do too. Also the cafe capris in guava or similar orange, sweet tangerine I think it was called, from last year since there is orange as well):

There is a bit of camel and white in the shirt. I tried it with my pencil skirt in dusty rose (which is more neutral than the name tells) from a few years ago (incidentally, I so much prefer the construction of the old pencil skirts to the new ones):

This is too demure for me but I wanted to show it to you as an option (the skirt is the merino pleated skirt factory remake in a XS but I am going to return it I think since it isn't very "me"):

With a dark bottom (these are the cafe capris in navy, that I ordered back in July and shipped last week. I am happy that I wasn't greedy and I didn't re-buy them for even cheaper than $49 a few days after when the 30% off and final sale kicked in. It turned out that the 0 that I received was too small so I exchanged them for a 2, which is the pair that I am wearing in the pics):

Of course you know it is going to look good with jeans and blings. Jenna would approve of this outfit, I think. The blazer is an old silk velvet "boyfriend" blazer that I had in my Italian closet and is still in perfect conditions (thanks mom for storing all my old clothes and protect them from moths). After the velvet schoolboy fiasco I thought I would try to bring back to life this one instead of buying a new one that would be of inferior quality. It has beautiful jeweled buttons that I had replaced myself and it is a beautiful jeweled shade of navy with a wonderful shine, perfect for the evening. I have to make a few alterations before being able to wear it out but it placated my cravings for a velvet blazer like the one that Marion Cotillard is wearing on the cover of the August issue of Vogue. I also had the matching pants (it was a suit) but I couldn't button them up. Le sigh!
Anyway, can you see the shoes that I am wearing?

Yes, those are the matching Everly cap toe printed t-straps pumps (ouf!). They are on sale as well and they are fabulous. I was at Saks yesterday for the Family and Friends and I tell you I haven't seen any pair of shoes as fabulous as these, even at much higher prices. The price was high for JCrew (I guess justified by the snakeskin toe and heel) but I find $150 reasonable for these. They are also (strangely) comfortable, meaning that they didn't hurt my feet while I was trying them and taking these pics (while, for example, I couldn't resist 2 minutes in the calf hair Valentinas). I didn't size up, my regular shoe size fit perfectly. They show a bit of toe cleavage, so if that annoys you it could be a potential issue:

Now I think I need the Clutch too...

Are we together in electric dreams? Are you humming the song now?

Style Icon: Miranda Kerr (Or, The Quest for the Perfect Blazer)

When I was in Italy and France I saw this picture of model Miranda Kerr in pretty much all the fashion magazines. It is true that this look is perfection, it looks uber-cool and perfectly put together at the same time:

Miss Kerr knows is officially my new style icon. It is all about the blazer: a good, perfectly tailored blazer can really anchor an outfit and give it that polished look that many of us struggle to achieve.
After my vacation and especially after Paris (where everybody was wearing a blazer) I decided that I would look for a blazer that would do for me what that blazer is doing for Miss Kerr.
I have been on a perennial quest for the perfect blazer since my junior years. My problem is, I am petite and I can't pull off the boyfriend look. I love the boyfriend blazer on others but any blazer that hits me below the hips and covers part of my legs is going to cut my figure. Shorter, one-button jackets look often too professional for my taste (or, on the other end, too frilly) and that leaves me pretty much with the schoolboy. However, as you have probably noticed, I have been growing more and more annoyed at the schoolboy. I have the pearl gray one and I never wear it, I find it too boxy and I am annoyed at the golden buttons because I can't wear silver accessories with them. In my quest I have recently tried the high-end version of the schoolboy, the Collection schoolboy blazer in Italian cashmere. The only reason why I tried this is that it comes in a beautiful camel that is not offered in the regular version. The other reason is that it is priced much cheaper in store (in fact at first I wasn't even sure that it was the same blazer because it doesn't have the handfeel of cashmere and it was priced at $598 in store. Apparently it was a mistake and they will fix it in the next batch or they will re-ticket it if they haven't already). It is still a lot of money and if it drapes a little bit better than the flannel one, I don't think it justifies the price (I am almost pretty sure that it isn't 100% cashmere):

I also tried the tipped hacking jacket in double-serge wool and if I liked it, it reads more like outwear to me and it is also too preppy for my taste. That's when I realized that I wasn't going to find the perfect blazer at JCrew.

As you probably know I used to shop at Theory much more before JCrew became a black hole that sucked in all my money. Theory prices can scare off at first but when you do the math if you wait for a sale or a promo, a blazer that will last you many many years and make you look great, will cost you as three JCrew sweaters (or less) that will probably last you a season.
So I started to look at Theory again in my quest for the perfect blazer. One day I was in a store and I laid my eyes on the most gorgeous navy blazer. Actually gorgeous in not the right word because it was very minimalist, as Theory blazers usually are, I could have easily missed it on the racks because it didn't have any bling-y buttons and the fabric was the typical Theory blend that Theory uses for summer suiting. What was really striking was that it was a double-breasted blazer but managed to look very cool. I always pined for a double breasted blazer because they solve that annoying issue that shorter blazers tend to have, to show a portion of the shirt above the belt (the perfect blazer shouldn't show your belt and shirt/top, unless you leave it open). On the other side double-breasted blazers don't look good when left open, but then when I close them they look invariably matrony on me and add weight to my top.
Not this one. The trick is that it only has one row of buttons so it stays quite open even if the style is double-breasted. Now, I don't know what happened but I can't find it anywhere online (I am pretty sure it was on the Theory website because I looked at it a couple of times, hoping that it would go on sale). It is called Bastian Pax and I only found this picture that shows it in a different color (that I tried as well):

I kept thinking about it but as I said the prices at Theory can be quite shocking and this one was $425. I decided that I would wait at least for their family and friends, which is usually 25% off. This year instead of a F&F (unless I missed it) they are having a different promo: if you are in a store they will give you a coupon with a "secret" discount (you have to scratch to find out what the discount is). The first time I got a 15% but that wasn't going to make it. I went in another day and a different SA give me another coupon that revealed a 25% off. Still, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to spend $300 on a pretty lightweight blazer but when I asked for my size they didn't have it. Luckily they called around and found one for me and I decided that couldn't miss on the perfect blazer, even if the Theory sample sale is coming up. The perfect blazer doesn't come around very often, especially the perfect double-breasted one and I cannot risk to let it go away (if I find the other colorway at the sample sale I will get it as well, I love it that much).
Of course perfection here is relative to one's figure and style, what works for me won't necessarely work for you. I am just saying that this is the perfect blazer for my figure, style and also budget, I am not trying to convince any of you that you need this.

So here it is on me, in a size 2 (my size). These pictures are dark and don't do it justice but I don't have the time to take them again:

When buttoned, it is nicely nipped at the waist and figure flattering:

So yesterday night I decided to have some fun (cuz I really have nothing to do) and tried to recreate the look of lovely Miranda now that I have a blazer that can compete.
I don't have a pair of Ikat pants (those that she is wearing are by Joie) but I have a similar pair of beach pants from Tory from eons ago. These could actually be considered a collector item because I think they were from her first collection. In any case they are lighteweigth like the pants that Miranda is wearing and have more or less the same shape, in a geo print if not ikat (I always kicked myself for not buying the blue colorway as well, they were like $20 at the sample sale). The scoopneck is from the Gap (best scoopneck ever in a fabric similar to the JCrew tissue cotton, less the holes. Bonus!):

Of course the difference is also that I am not carrying an IT bag (although I have mulled it over for some time and I think I am going to ask Santa to bring me a Chyc bag for Xmas, probably in a netral hue like the taupe) and I don't have the legs of miss Kerr but I was pretty satisfied with the result. What do you think?

What are your criteria for the perfect blazer and have you found it? Have you shopped at Theory recently?

OOTD: Grey and Cream (Or, Polka Dots and Cords)

I received the polka-dot Blythe last Friday but I hadn't the time to try it on until yesterday, when I was getting dressed for a birthday party that I had to take my daughter to. I was one of the lucky JCA who stumbled upon the uncorrectly priced Blythe last week and eventually got it for $22. I was stalking the striped hoodie that morning so when I saw the price I jumped on it. I originally ordered a 2 because my size, the 0, was the only size showing another price ($89.99, that turned out to be the correct sale price that was meant to be) but then called CS to cancel my order and place another order for the 0 since it was final sale. I knew they had to honor the lowest price because I had an order that showed what I had paid. I also knew that I couldn't do the 2 because I just sold my only other Blythe that was a size 2 and too big for me. If they hadn't honored the price I would have canceled my order and just sucked it up because it would have been wasted money.

All well what ends well, the 0 arrived and fits perfectly. I had never tried this version of the Blythe before so while I knew what to expect from a Blythe, I didn't know what to expect from this particular incarnation. At first it looked very ... cream-y, I was expecting white or ivory but the background is really cream. I really love how this Blythe is paired with the herringbone cafe capris on the website but since those didn't work for me and I don't own any gray pants (still on a quest), I picked my toothpick cords in champagne (which is as close a color as it gets to the color of this Blythe) and added a gray belt to break up the milky ensemble:

Because I am a matchy-matchy person (as you know), I wore my cashmere hoodie in heather dusk (that matches the polka-dots) to keep it casual:

But I also tried it with the gray flannel schoolboy and of course it pairs well with it (but I am ready to ditch this blazer, that I wore barely once, because I don't like how it fits me and I have recently gone back to my first love, Theory, and realized what a difference a well tailored blazer can make):

What do you think of the dotted Blythe? Do you own it? Were you one of the lucky ones who got it for the the low price?