OOTD: 4/25/12 -J Crew Button Front Linen Skirt

Tee: J Crew Perfect Fit Stripe Tee, sz. small

Skirt: J Crew Button Front Linen Skirt, sz. 4

Jacket: J Crew Bowery Jean Jacket, sz.2

Shoes: Pour La Victorie

Bag: Coach

Necklace: made by me

After reviewing and loving J Crew's wool Flare skirt, one of my readers reccomended trying the Button Front Linen skirt (Anon- thanks for the suggestion!). So glad I tried this one. I think I had breezed by it a couple dozen times on the J Crew website, and I would have never thought to try it otherwise.

 It looks almost identical to the wool Flare skirt so I went with my instinct and sized up to a sz.4. I think that was the right call. I could have probably gotten away with a sz.2, but I don't have much of a defined waist as it is (there's only an 8" difference between my waist and my hips) so probably the sz.2 would have been tight around the waist. Plus, with the bigger size, the skirt can sit a little lower, giving me another precious inch of length.

Because J Crew had yet another 30% off sale going on when ordering, I decided to order both available colors-- modern red and glazed pecan. Neither color was what I was expecting. The modern red is much more of a very bright red/orange. Very bright. I'm not shy of bold colors, so I knew I could make it work. But the pecan glaze---- I find it odd that J Crew did this color for a summer linen skirt. I think it would look much better in the fall. Maybe I'll hold off wearing it until August.

Oh and hey, did you notice the shoes? This is my 3rd pair of Pour La Victorie flats in this style and this was the one color that had got away. I was able to get the fist two colors (gray and pinkish nude) on My Habit, but every time the became available the navy was never in my size. I finally was able to track them down on 6pm.com for a very good price, so now my collection is complete! How did I ever live before without a pair of sparkly bow ballet flats?

Button-front linen twill skirt

Pour La Victoire Erna

OOTD: 4/24/12 -Boden Casual Jersey Dress

Dress: Boden Casual Jersey Dress, sz. US 4 Tall

Shoes: Lotta from Stockholm

Bag: Coach

So here is the second colorway I ordered of Boden's Casual Jersey Dress. The color actually surprised me when I took it out of the bag. On line the background color looked more taupe or neutral brown, but in reality it is a darker sage or hunter green. I should have figured this, since the color was called 'rosemary'. While I love Boden, I find that in many of their on-line photos the colors are not represented accurately. Case in point-- this dress. Or more so, the Woven Trim Jersey Dress. I bought that one in the 'Geranium' colorway as well as the mint color I already reviewed, and returned it the same day I got it. The thing was Dayglow orange---way brighter than it appeared online.

Anyway, while the color was unexpected it wasn't bad, so I knew I'd be keeping it. But then I realized something else--- it was long. Too long. I ordered both colors in the same size --a US 4 Long. The navy one I already reviewed fit perfectly and was the perfect length.  But for some reason in this color the dress was a good 2-3 inches longer. Why, I have no idea. I contemplated exchanging it, but I just wasn't certain. Was the green dot one the fluke that was too long or was the navy one? Plus the exchange process with Boden takes forever and I had intended on bringing this dress on our cruise.

 I could have called and complained to Boden, but what would be the point? I still wouldn't have the dress I needed in time for my trip. So out my sewing machines came again. Honestly, it was the easier solution all around. Stretch jersey is a little tricky to sew, in my opinion, but I managed to hem it up a good 3 inches. Sure, a little extra effort on my part, but I got it the length it needed to be on time for our cruise. I'm still left wondering why the 2 dresses in the exact same size would have such a discrepancy in length though.........

Casual Jersey Dress

OOTD: 4/23/12 -Ann Taylor Factory Seersucker Skirt

Top: Talbots Tiered Cami Shell, sz. XS

Skirt: Ann Taylor Factory Seersucker Pencil Skirt, sz.2

Belt: Banana Republic

Shoes: Lotta from Stockholm

Bag: Coach

Ha! Do I look a little more red than normal today? That's because the weekend before this picture was taken I had spent hours outside doing yard and gardening work. I was a little over zealous and ended up spending more time in the sun than I intended.  I was a red and itchy from the sun for days afterwards. Sometimes I forget that the sun is much more powerful down in south Texas that it was back up in Minnesota. It's unfortunate, but it takes me about one incident per year to remind me to take more precaution when going outside. Lesson learned for the year.

But that still doesn't detract from my smile today, because I was so happy to be wearing my new Ann Taylor Factory seersucker skirt. This thing looks exactly like the double serge pencil skirts from J Crew. Same front pockets, same seaming and darts. A total knock off, I'm sure, but really J Crew shouldn't be throwing stones when it comes to coping designs anyway. Either way, I just love seersucker fabric, and had been contemplating buying J Crew's version this year. Good thing I stopped into the outlets a few weeks ago! I saved myself about $85!

OOTD: 4/21/12 & Review: Boden Twist Neck Tunic

Top: Boden Twist Neck Tunic, sz. US 4 (altered)

Sweater: J Crew (old), sz.small

Jeans: LOFT Factory Modern Skinny Jeans, sz.2

Shoes: Cole Haan

Bag: Coach

Ok. I think this is the first time I've ever worn a tunic before. I don't know-- something about them always bugged me. It's like tunics suffer from identity crisis or something---not quite a dress but too long to be a shirt---so confusing!

But this one was on promo for around $35 at Boden, and it just looked so bright and cheery, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Fabric/Color- It's a crisp light-weight woven cotton that's a bit on the thin side. You definitely need a cami under this one. It came in several colorways all featuring this lovely olive branch pattern. Boden is doing quite a few pieces with this olive pattern this year, because I also bought the Regatta dress in same pattern in the blue/green colorway. This particular version reminds me of jellybeans for some reason. Every time I look at it I get hungry for Jelly Bellys (the wonky popcorn flavor too! Yum!)

Fit: This one is definitely on the loose side. I'm wearing the US sz.4. I think I could have easily sized down to a sz.2. And what you're looking at is an altered version. When I first tried it on it came half way to my knees. If I were any shorter this could have easily been a dress. As it was, the length was awkward. It  didn't look like a tunic, it looked like a too-short dress. But then I went back and re-read some of the reviews on the Boden site, and several ladies mentioned hemming the top as a solution. I liked the pattern enough to give it a try, so I dragged out the sewing machine and hemmed it up about 3 inches. I was still able to maintain the side vents too, so that should give you an idea of just how long this sucker was. Once hemmed, it was the perfect length.

Overall: It depends. If your shorter, and are looking for a casual, loose fitting dress or pool cover-up, this would be perfect. And if your taller and are willing to tailor it a bit, it's worth a shot. The print is darling, the twist neck and ties give it a nice touch, and the fabric is breezy and cool--perfect for hot summer days. I would even consider getting a second color if it went on sale a little more.

Twist Neck Tunic

OOTD: 4/19/20 -Ann Taylor Factory Dress

Dress: Ann Taylor Factory, sz.2

Bag: coach

Shoes: Lotta from Stockholm

necklace: made by me

Oooohhh! I love this dress! This is another one I brought with me for the cruise. I found it a few weeks ago at the Ann Taylor Factory, and it is a very nice dress! It's made out of a super comfy stretch jersey, with a back zip, and an A-line skirt. The top portion of the dress is fully lined, and it's about the most darn comfortable dress I've worn in a long time.

I think it originally retailed for around $89, which seemed kind of pricey for a Factory jersey dress, but Ann Taylor was running a promo for 40% off the entire store the day I was there. I have such a hard time as it is finding a dress that fits my wide top half, narrow bottom half, and is long enough, so I justified the higher price by telling myself the good fit was worth it. Plus, it's stripes. Hello? How can I resit a good fitting, comfortable, striped dress?

OOTD: 4/18/12 -Old Navy Wrap Dress

Dress: Old navy Wrap Dress, sz. small

Bag: coach

Shoes: Lotta from Stockholm

bracelet: made by me

Meh. This dress looks better in person I think. It was a super sale find from Old Navy --under $10! I bought the size small, because I wanted a little extra length and a little more overlap in the skirt portion, but after looking at the photos, the dress seems a bit wide right under my arms. Good thing I don't usually walk around with my hands on my hips (unlike in these photos). That way, no one will be the wiser.

OOTD: 4/17/12 -Boden Woven Trim Jersey Dress

Dress: Boden Woven Trim Jersey Dress, sz. 4L

Bag: Coach

Shoes: Cole Haan

Ok. I know this outfit looks almost exactly the same as the in the review post I did on this dress. But with a print as bold and bright as this one, I thought it best to keep it simple  with a neutral bag and shoes.

I will say that I did end up ordering the other colorway in large floral print this dress came in, but I promptly returned it. The other option was called 'Geranim'. I believe it was mislabeled. It should have been called Dayglow Halloween Orange. Man, that sucker was bright. Um, hurt my eyes bright. I showed it to Husband and his first response was 'that'd be great to wear for Halloween.' Because I liked the style and fit of the dress so much, I took a chance and exchanged it for the smaller floral print in what Boden called 'Fudge.'

As we speak, it's packed in my suitcase as one of the dresses I plan to wear on the cruise, so clearly it was a more tolerable color option.

OOTD: 4/16/12

Sweater: J Crew (old), sz. small

Pants: J Crew Factory Addison Stripe trouser, sz. 2

Bag: Coach

Shoes: Cole Haan

Necklaces: J Crew Factory

I am ashamed to admit, but these pants have been sitting  NWT in my closet since 2009. I know. I'm horrible. I do remember buying them. I was in Las Vegas at a work conference and had enough time to stop at the lovely J Crew Factory they have there. I remember them being a very deal. Hence, why I didn't want to get rid of them. But for the life of me, I couldn't create an outfit around them. I've had them in my 'eBay pile' half a dozen times now, always pulling them out at the last minute. I liked the idea of a striped pant that wasn't seersucker. But the color threw me off.

Well, finally I was able to come up with something that I liked. I think the sweater is rather old too. I'm going to pat myself on the back on finally creating an outfit that I like---3 years after the fact, but better late than never, right?

On Vacation!

Well, I'm off on our cruise!

For over a year now, Husband has been planning a cruise for us to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary (.....even though that already happened last year.) We had to wait until our schedules and finaces allowed us to go, and the time has finally come!

For the next 2 weeks we'll be cruising the Mediterranean. {I know.We had the cruise and flights already booked before the unfortunate accident with the capsized cruise ship in Italy, so let's just hope for the best.} Our cruise starts in Italy, and hits Greece, Cypress, Sicily, and Turkey. The cool part is we have friends in Turkey that we'll be able to meet up with in Istanbul. I can hardly wait, because one of my areas of study in graduate school was ancient cultures of the the Greeks and Romans, so I'll finally be able to see all the ruins and artifacts in person that I've learned so much about.

As you've already seen, I've been slowing plotting and packing my wardrobe for several months now. I had meant to dedicate a post to the packing process, and what I planned to take, but time just got away from me. Unfortunately, Husband planned this trip at one of the busiest times of the year for us--- right at the end of the semester, where I'm swamped with exams, grading, and graduation. It was almost more than I could handle trying to get all my grading work done, get packed, and get things arranged for Child. Oh, and where is Child in all of this? Staying at home with Grandma and Grandpa. We thought it best to fly my parents down to stay with him while we were gone.

So anyway, I just wanted to let you all know I might be rather quiet on here for the next few weeks. I have OOTD posts scheduled during my absence, but more than likely, I'll be unable to moderate or reply to comments. I have no idea what will be available for Internet on the cruise, nor do I really care. I'm going to treat this as a true vacation, which means I'm leaving the Internet at home. Don't worry though--- I plan on taking oodles of pictures and I'm going to make Husband take OOTD pictures too (and finally I'll have some shots with a cool background!)

Bon-Voyage!

OOTD: 4/15/12 -Comes with a Surprise Inside!

Top: J Crew Odessa Tunic, sz.0

Shorts: Ann Taylor, sz.2

Bag: Coach

Shoes: Stuart Weitzmen

I love this tunic. I keep forgetting it's sitting in my closet though. It's far to sheer to wear to work, and sadly there just aren't enough  non-work days in the year for me to wear it a lot. Shame. Oh, and do you like my Stuart Weitzman sandals? I got them for less than $30 at 6.pm.com! How great is that?  

Moving on, these shorts were not the ones I intended with the outfit though. I planed on wearing a pair of my new J Crew Bermuda shorts that I had bought at the end last season that I tucked away for this year. But when I went to put them on, I got what many JCA's have found in the past: and unwanted surprise inside. $11.00 in the pocket. Now let me specify that the shorts were indeed new, as they were still in the shipping plastic. (I know--stupid on my part for not checking). I had bought at least 4 pairs of the same bermuda shorts at the end of last season for like $13 bucks a piece. I knew the size would fit because I already had several of the same style, so I just packed them away with my summer stuff figuring it would be a nice surprise come next summer.

Well, turns out the surprise was on me! I pulled them out of the plastic, put them on, and shoved my hands in the pockets to smooth out the fabric, and what do I find? Instant refund, apparently! I then tore them off (totally grossed out, btw) and checked the shorts over. It was then that I discovered they must have been an in-store return because there was a security tab sewn in (which isn't in on-line versions of J Crew items) and the price tab had been taken off the tag. Clearly the shorts had been 'used'. And since I bought them back in August of 2011, I wasn't even going to bother fighting J Crew customer service about it. Other than the $11, the shorts did appear new in every way. Whatever. Nothing a good wash in very hot water can't fix, anyway. And with my 'instant rebate' my shorts now cost me about $2. Good enough.

Actually my surprise wasn't that bad. Much better that the used tissue one JCA found in a NWT item J Crew sent to her.

Have any of you had the misfortune to discover and 'unwanted surprised' in a supposedly new item of clothing?

Stuart Weitzman Holdup

OOTD: 4/13/12 -More Lotta Clogs!

Sweater: LEC Heritage Cardi, sz.XS

Tank: LEC, sz. XS

Skirt, J Crew (old) sz.2

Bag: Coach

Shoes: Lotta from Stockholm Clogs 'Highwood'

This is the second pair of clogs I ordered from Lotta from Stockholm. Very cute, very comfortable. I was somewhat hesitant to order this closed-toe style, but after wearing them around the house for a while I'm finding I really like them! Of course they are surprisingly comfy despite being hard wood, and I love the bright red color. It's an unusual style for me, and I'm finding I like the somewhat funky look. These too have a higher front platform so it makes the higher heel very walkable. Plus with the 3 inch heel it knocks me up to 6'. Husband hates that! (he he!)

Once again, since I'm Cheapy Mc Cheaperton, I ordered a pair from the sale/seconds section. They are supposedly 'seconds' but after a thorough inspection I couldn't find a thing the matter with them. They were 35 GBP, which translates to about $57 USD.  Eh. I guess I'm just a magnet for good deals. Again, I can't compare to any of the higher priced similar styles (such as the Hasbeens), but I am darn happy with my purchase! Living in south Texas I could see myself getting away with these in fall or even winter. And who knows, one day I might get crazy enough to try them with socks!

Oh, and do we like the skirt? This is yet another skirt that I've let down the hem on. I've had this skirt for a few years ago, and somehow it too must have 'shrunk in the wash' or I've grown since last summer when I wore it because it felt shockingly short when I pulled it out of my summer bin of clothes a few weeks ago. Oh well. It was an easy fix at least, and it's extended the life of the skirt, and that's all that matters, right?

Clog Hasbeen closed toe

OOTD: 4/12/12 & Review: Lotta from Stockholm Clog Sandals

Top: LEC Poplin Button-Down, sz.2

Skirt: LL Bean Signature, sz.4

Belt: Lands End

Bag: Lands End Suede Hobo

Shoes: Lotta from Stolkholm Clogs, sz. 39

So, I got me a new pair of clog sandals (actually, a couple pair)! After liking the Dansko clog sandals so much, I went on an Internet hunt for similar styles. One of the first pairs I came across that appealed to were the Swedish Hassbeens. I love the idea of a wooden foot bed, and the I love the retro feel they have. But the price, I did not love so much. I guess I'm just too cheap budget conscious to be willing to fork out over $200 for a pair of wooden clogs. So, I did me some hunting.........and what did I find?

Almost the exact same thing for a fraction of the cost!

These are from a place called Lotta from Stockholm, and are called the Peep Toe. Lotta's is small independent seller of Swedish clogs based in the UK. Just like Hasbeens, her clogs are hand made in Sweden. And many of the styled offered on Lotta's sight seem similar to the Hassbeens--but the good news is they are more reasonably priced! I think a lot of the price tag involved with the Hasbeens is paying for a label. For some, that may be acceptable because the label may provide piece of mind.  But really, when you get down to it, it's a hunk of wood with leather stapled to it. How much should it reasonably cost in the first place?

 Anyway, the Peep Toe clogs I found come in 5 different colors (red, denim blue, honey brown, black, and natural) and retail for 54.5 GBP-- which is a little over $88.00 USD. Not bad, not bad. But it gets better! Lotta's has a clearance section where she sells off 'seconds' and overstock. So guess where I headed?

Yup. I was able to get these clogs for $56! Even better!

And now on to the review:

They're comfortable. Surprisingly comfy considering I'm standing on a hard, ungiving hunk of wood. The heel is about 2.8" high, but the front platform off sets this quite a bit, so the height of the heel is manageable even for a non-heel wearer like myself.

The leather was heavy and sturdy, yet being very soft and supple. After wearing these for several days (for 7+ hours standing on my feet teaching) I had no foot pain, or uncomfortable rubbing or pinching.

AS to size, I took a EUR 39. I'm normally an 8 or 8.5, and I think the 39 was perfect. Sometimes Euro sizing can be confising, (for example I take a Eur 40 in all my Birkenstock sandals) but I was able to find a size chart on the site that broke down how long the footbed measured for each size, so I felt pretty confident.  

Now, I can't compare the quality to the higher priced Hasbeens, but I'd say these clogs are very well made. Yes, they do look a little 'rustic' but that's what they're supposed to look like. I have no worries of the leather pulling out of the staples at all.

Even more impressive considering the pair I ordered were supposedly 'seconds'. For some reason they didn't meet the standards of first quality, but I'll be darned if I can find a thing wrong with them.

Since this particular OOTD was taken, I've worn them many more times, and I'm still just as in love with them as I was taking them out of the box. In fact, I plan on bringing a pair with me on our cruise in Europe next week, so clearly they've reached an elite spot on my shoe shelf.

Shipping from the UK was a bit pricey, about $14. But I ended up ordering two pairs to offset the cost--the second pair will be reviewed tomorrow-- and the shipping time was quite fast. I had my clogs in about a week and a half. Which if you've ever ordered internationally --Boden I'm looking at you-- you know it can sometimes take forever!

So overall, I would totally recommend these as an excellent alternative to the higher priced Hasbeens. And if you've never tried a wooden clog before (like me), the lower price makes them well worth the risk. I find I keep reaching for these even over the Dansko clogs I just bought! I've now got 3 pairs of Lotta's clogs in my collection, and will probably be adding more in the future!

Clog Hasbeen Sandals