Tag Archives: j.crew

tretorn for j.crew

since i already have a pair of tretorns, i can’t exactly justify a second pair (especially since i wear trainers approximately 3 times a year). but if i could, oh my…these exclusive tretorn colors for j.crew are singing my song!

i especially love that fawn color (third from the top), but the raw linen shade right above it is pretty perfect too. i might even replace the laces with leather ties, like that stylish kate did, just to add a little extra prep to the look. whichever color you love, grab a pair for $68 at j.crew before they sell out…which i have a feeling will be soon.

sometimes it’s all about the styling

when i first spotted this top (j.crew’s laporte drape blouse, $110), i loved the draping, but wondered whether it would flatter. i really didn’t see the wisdom of it all until i saw the styling potential.

before:

nice enough, right? perfect for those days when you’re looking to hide an extra cupcake or two. but now check it out with styling…after:

fabulous, right? the destroyed denim and the flat gladiator keep the silk-and-pearls look from being too dainty, and i love seeing those pearls worn cross-body. i’d never have come up with it, but i have no doubt i’ll be using this trick all spring. personally, i’d try this with any number of anonymous silk shells we all have in our closets…if you can, add a scarf to the mix to give the same texture and flow this top has, but i think it’ll be genius either way.

sometimes j.crew annoys me (please, please stop changing your denim cuts and shoe sizing!)…but then they show up with styling this good and utterly redeem themselves.

(oh, and by the way…nab 20% off j.crew purchases of $175+ through saturday! use code SHHH at checkout!)

deal of the day: 20% off at j.crew!

i’m spending today recovering from a surprise root canal. fun, fun! but, even through my vicodin haze, i couldn’t keep this from you. through tomorrow (wednesday 11/18), score 20% off on your purchase of $150 or more at j.crew with code INSIDER. this is their best deal of the season, and the timing couldn’t be better for my wants (or worse for my wallet) – i was just going through their most recent catalog last week, and found all sorts of goodies. a few of my favorite picks:

i know the sequin trend is nothing new, but this microsequin cardigan ($198) is the first version i’ve seen that i really loved. definitely in the graphite…pink could get a little matronly, i think. i love it styled with a blazer over the top, or casual with a slub tee and distressed jeans. the key is to offset the glitter with a lot of slouch and ease.

i get more compliments on my striped autumn cashmere sweater from two years ago than almost anything i own…so much so that i’ve completely conquered my fear of stripes (well, almost completely…). this merino version ($98), with the bateau neck and those fabulous buttoned cuffs is destined for my closet as a backup option. since i already have a navy/grey combo, i’m thinking the black/pink might be in order.

normally, i’m the world’s loudest objector when it comes to textured or patterned tights. stick to dark, solid colors, unless you’re looking to make your legs look extra wide – which most of us aren’t. but for some reason, these herringbone tights ($22.50) is working for me – the texture miraculously doesn’t add bulk, and they’re a little bit dressier and more interesting than your basic brown or black.

lastly, ’tis the season, after all, and i have to admit that j.crew’s gift guide is one of my favorites of the season so far. well worth a look if you’re already feeling stumped by the holiday giving ahead.

okay, i’ll be staggering back to bed now. but i’d love to shop vicariously through all of you. what are your j.crew must-haves this season?

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styling your summer frock: the how-to

i’ve been meaning to show you all this dress since i fell for it a month or so ago at anthropologie. this might just be the most flattering, most versatile summer dress i’ve come across this season – though the photos on the website just don’t do it justice. well worth your $98 for the accessorizing options alone, but the fact that this manages to simultaneously enhance the decollette, hide tummy troubles, provide a miniscule waist (even if you don’t normally have one) and be ultra-comfy makes this a definite must-do for summer.

if you stop by the store, they also have the dress in a stunning, universally-flattering shade of cobalt – my personal favorite. but the gold and periwinkle are really lovely too.

sadly, i actually ended up returning mine…it’s best on ladies 5’7″ or shorter, unless you either have a super-long torso or are riskier with your hemlines than i am. but if the growth chart fits, you absolutely can’t go wrong.

i loved it paired with that fab leafy necklace i showed you recently and some studded gladiators, but i was also planning to pair with…

a loose, unstructured vest (left open, please) and the biggest, baddest chain necklace i can find, and perhaps even…

a boyfriend blazer and booties, come fall. ooh, or a leather moto jacket (as long as the length worked…keep it at least a couple of inches below the waistband on this one!).

of course, most of these styling ideas will work with whatever your favorite summer dress is this year…after all, it’s nearly time to start thinking about those summer-to-fall styling options.

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random friday (poolside) finds

i’m still wishing for a little poolside lounge action, so i’ll dedicate today’s random finds to the rest of my beach bag essentials. it is, definitely, a random collection of goods, but all are utterly essential to a successful day of absolutely nothing.

sunscreen: my sunscreen needs are well-documented…this summer, i have hardly left the house without dousing every exposed surface with clinique’s new sun spf25 body spray. it doesn’t smell sunscreen-y, works for hours, and doesn’t upset my overly sensitive skin (unlike most drugstore brands, which tend to cause all sorts of skin problems in my life). plus, it’s easy and mess-free to reapply. what more can i ask for (other than perfect, non-burning olive skin)?

stylish straw hat: sure, it’s for sun-shielding…but also, i just think a big straw hat is a must for completing that chic poolside look. mine happens to be from j.crew, but i’m highly coveting this straw visor from le train bleu. i had some misgivings at first, but i’ve decided this has such sweet styling that the visor aspect just makes it fun, and my sources tell me it packs like a dream (the sitewide 40% off sale this week doesn’t hurt – use code dogdays). of course, if you’re more into hipster than chic, i’d go for the fedora (best if you have a narrow face, by the way), which is all the rage this year. don’t overspend, though…this version at urban outfitters is less traditional, but utterly fab.

post-plunge cosmetics: there isn’t much to be done, it’s true. but even if i’m skipping nearly everything, and bronzer’s utterly unnecessary after a day in the sun, i’ll still grab my always perfectly rosy, never sticky benetint lip balm and my new beachfront favorite high impact curling mascara from clinique. it doens’t quite do the job of my shu uemura curler, but in a pinch, it does give a bit more curl than other formulas. it definitely packs more punch than my daily standby, which is what i’m looking for when there’s no other makeup involved. and it won’t turn into raccoon eyes, even when you’re awash in chlorine and sunscreen.

h2o: if i don’t carry water with me at all times, i’m hardly coherent. i read about kor water’s stylish new bottles in gwyneth paltrow’s newsletter (go ahead, mock…she entertains me), and had to give them a try. love! they hold a ton, ice cubes are no problem, and the lid stays attached without hitting me in the nose when i drink – in fact, i can even open the lid one-handed when necessary. pure water bottle genius, if you ask me…and they even have motivational messages in the cap. i can hardly believe i’d suggest a $30 water bottle, but these ones really are fab. in fact, i may need a second one soon – the hubs keeps stealing mine!

and with that, i’m off to take an ice-cold shower and dream of being somewhere much more fabulous. happy virtual vacationing, everyone…see you next week!

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my latest j.crew must-haves

sometimes i try to extricate myself from the loveliness that is j.crew…but i just don’t think it can be done. sometimes i feel things don’t fit just right, and prices are a little high, and they’re a little over-exposed, and maybe i’m not as preppy as i think i am. but then, i’ll spend a month searching high and low for a couple of specific pieces to add to my summer wardrobe, and – predictably – j.crew was the answer all along. i guess i really am that preppy.

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this month, i’m crushing pretty hard on this gathered waist ikat skirt – such a great twist on a khaki skirt, but much less preppy and no less versatile. definitely a zero-effort piece. and the tank dress! normally, a jersey tank dress can be shapeless and thoroughly blah, but for some reason, the belt and slight bagginess of this one is making it just exactly right. i will say this: the color choices for their jersey dresses are less than ideal this season: the grey is bland, and the mango is blinding. i’m crushing on this one something fierce, but just can’t abide the funky green hue.

and even though their sandals have wounded me to the core in years past, by falling to pieces after a season of beloved wear, i just can’t get these studded gladiators out of my head. okay, and the silk bamboo tassel flats. and maybe the vintage cotton flip flops, which are actually men’s, but way too cute for boys only. yes, their shoes are a dangerous area for me.

if you have any summer j.crew must-haves, i’d suggest “having” them soon, as you can get 20% off purchases of $175+ with code SECRET, but only through today.

do you have any j.crew must-haves this season? i’d love to know what’s making you swoon!

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spring canvas totes…apparently a “must have”

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during my most recent evening barnes & noble outing (yes, the hubs and i lead a pretty exciting life), i grabbed instyle’s fashion tome, “secrets of style” off the bargain table, just to see what they had to say. nothing terribly riveting, but lots of “must have” items – a list that really just stressed me out more than anything (what does it say about me as a human being if i don’t have a straw handbag, per the “required” summer handbag list? must i immediately run to my neighborhood raffia warehouse and pick one up?).

but, one “must have” on their list was a canvas tote for spring. and, while i do question the “everyone needs one, without exception” mantra, a few have popped onto my radar in the last week, so i figured it must be a sign.

thomas paul is one of my favorite textile designers, and it thrills me to no end that he has just released some brand new tote bag designs. they’re sweet, stylish, and completely affordable at $36. in my perfect world, the handle would be just a smidge longer, so i could use it as a tote or a shoulder bag…but my world is far from perfect, and this crab tote is too cute not to share. love the bold primary colors, love the crab…just love.

on the much more subdued end of the scale – i saw these j.crew totes right before heading to hawaii, and was instantly convinced that the world would stop turning if i didn’t have one to take on the trip. and yet, true to my perpetual indecision, was unable to bring myself to spend $80 on a canvas tote…even if it does have leather handles. fortunately, now it’s on sale for $49 – much more acceptable. the natural color is classic and sophisticated, but will get dirty…i kind of like the va-va-voom of the papaya shade, especially for warmer weather. and turns out, you can monogram these, which would be so fabulously over-the-top preppy.

i frequently chuck the teen stores off my list as a matter of course, which can be just plain wrong in the summer. you won’t find a better source for cheap flipflops, scarves, tees…and canvas totes. this “beachy tote” from american eagle, of all places, has a great boho style, “faux” leather detailing to give it a little structure, and the print just screams summer. not bad for $39.

so, i have a two-part question for you: will you be buying/do you already have a canvas tote? and is it really something you simply can’t survive the summer without?

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j.crew strikes again

**editor’s note: have you entered our lillybee shoe giveaway yet??

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yeah, i’m going to need this in at least two different colors for spring. my name is becki, and i’m a cardigan-a-holic. but i blame stupid j.crew, emailing me all the time, tempting me left and right.

fortunately, not sure if i’m hallucinating, but it does seem that j.crew may have stopped dramatically overpricing things. this cotton/cashmere cardi is just $68…and i have a feeling it would have been almost twice that this time last year.

so, i’m totally justified in buying two…right?

also worth checking out the silk/linen version, on sale for $58 – the colors aren’t as spring-tastic, but the fabric is…and the price is definitely right.