Back in Black - J Crew Selby bag & Tango Tank, and 212-Sephora OPI Polish

**UPDATE TO POST - I am still working on how to click on the collages to enlarge, but I added detail on the necklace/pin combo.

Happy Halloween!!

Appropriate post for Halloween, no? I'm up because I can't sleep and my stomach hurts from all the junk I ate yesterday. (Must get Lucy out of cone so we can get back to using Gentle Leader and regular walk schedule before I gain 20 pounds and my legs fall asleep.)

So here's Friday's outfit... with lots to discuss.

First up, I'll bore you with the details of the day. Halloween costume parade outside and classroom parties at school today. Way important to layer as it was chilly outside but those classrooms turn into mini-saunas with the kids running around partying, plus all the extra bodies (parents). And then I got to count out oodles of cash to room parents to reimburse them for the class parties since I'm a volunteer coordinator at the kiddies' school. Let me just say how nice it is to have Halloween a day after all the craziness at school. Very good for my sanity and everyone else's.

Now that you understand the environment, the outfit makes total sense...staring with the Viscose Tango Tank (#20061, $49.50). I had posted on it back here when I first got it at the store, and was maybe on the verge of returning it since I hadn't worn it - but I realized how perfect it is for days like today when I know I am going to need to strip down to very light clothing, but still want to look good with the layers on top. Gigi did a great review here, with links to lots of other blogger reviews as well. I love when she does that - it's so helpful to see an item on so many people and get everyone's different perspective.

I took an M, and got the heather gray, which is not online. I will say that I am mega bummed about the name change, silly as it is - I loved the name "Cupcake Top" that printed out on my receipt. Yes, I am a sucker for the cute name - probably why I hoard nail polish - they have the best names! If JC ever comes out with a garment named for my darling daughter, E, I will probably have to stockpile it.

But back to the tango top - which is a cute name in its own right - the fit on this is fantastic. The brilliance of it is that there is an empire waist seam around the top, so it's fitted right under the bust, and then follows the line of the body much more than some of the other ruffled tops have, meaning it doesn't add pounds. Plus, because it's viscose, not cotton, the ruffles themselves are a bit thinner and drapey-er - so they lay much better under cardis, etc. When the weather gets colder, I will probably layer a long sleeve tee or even a turtle underneath for warmth. And come spring/summer, I plan to wear it even more.

To layer on top, I chose my charcoal Michele - well, it's actually last year's BR version of the Michele - same cut/fit, but it's a teeny bit more substantial/thicker than my beechwood Michele - I really like that. Not seen is the usual yellow short Loft trench (which I love with all the gray). And then black Minnies and some black Target flats.

Necklace wise - I wore a double strand of F21 faux pearls with the J Crew Velvet flower pin in dark slate (#19374, orig $29.50, curr $14.99). I got mine from the "candy jar" in the front of the store. I'm sure I'll wear it as a brooch sometime, but for now, I plan to use it mostly to pin together random necklaces, a la JC catalog. But I think I'll stick to 1 or 2 necklaces, not the editorial 6 or 7. I just pinned the necklace over the 2 strands. (Thank you, cheap F12 necklace that has lots of space on the strand because it made it easier for me to do.)

And then the bag...isn't it pretty? Yes, I have officially abandoned the Campo camp for Selby-ville. J Crew Selby Satchel (#18260, $275 - I got the black on sale for $149.99) DaniBP nailed it in her comment on my last post, talking about the black and natural leather combo. That's what I really love about the bag - I think it softens the black and makes it more versatile - both season-wise and outfit-wise. Not that black isn't uber-versatile on its own, but I think it stretches it some. The full-price dark caramel that they show online is gorgeous also...just not priced quite so nicely. Regarding the straps - perfect. The handles easily go over the elbow or even the shoulder without too heavy of a coat, and the long strap works great for a cross-body look. I'm sure you can sling it over your shoulder, too, but hey, I've only had it 2 days.

The bag is lined in tan cotton, so guess what? You can actually *see* what's inside the bag - love that! I think the size of the bag is perfect for me - holds lots of stuff, but not too much. Yesterday it had the usual purse stuff, SLR camera, water bottle, bag of candy pumpkins, magazine, stack of multiple papers - and it still zipped closed just fine. I have over the years discovered that regardless of actual size, I need my bags to be "landscape" instead of "portrait." If the height exceeds the width, I won't be able to find a thing. The satchel has the usual zip pocket on 1 side and 2 stuff pockets on the other.

And now onto the fun polish...black again. This was a last-minute addition to my Sephora F&F order. (Have you done that yet? 20% off everything through Nov 2 - code is FF2009). The color is actually called 212-Sephora, created in celebration of Sephora's new 5 Times Square flagship store. (oooh, I want to go there....) It's only available at that store and online. The color is described as "smoky black with iridescent, gold, and copper glitter." Perfect Halloween polish? Oh yeah. I think this would be a very fun New Years polish, too. Oh, who are we kidding...I'll be sporting it on and off all fall/winter.

Polyvore from Friday:

10/30/09-Halloween Parties at School by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Polyvore from Thursday when I started carrying bag but didn't get pics - but you know me, I'll be wearing this outfit again sometime:

10/29/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Oh, and here's today's planned outfit for Halloween...we'll see what I really end up wearing...

Planning for Halloween by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Hope you all enjoy your day of tricks & treats!

Still Nuts About Navy

Yes, still loving the navy this week. And last week...this post includes last Friday's outfit which did not qualify for the last cardi party post. You know, since it wasn't a cardi and all that... But I think my current navy phase is entirely due to the J Crew classic stripe tissue tee (#20019, $32.50) and the tissue turtleneck tee (#17656, 39.50). They are such great fall pieces - I love the color (navy...duh) and I love the weight - soft but not too-too thin - and they layer up beautifully.

Last Friday, I pulled out my J Crew cashmere femme sweater from last winter. How many of you have this? I love love loved it last year. Love love love it again. I took an M, and if anyone wants to sell an M in another color, let me know. I really should post that on the JCA weekly exchange but well...yeah, I'll get to that. Not much blog reading this week, as it started on a real down note since Lucy was not able to shed the cone of shame. Her stitches came out, but the patch of skin above the incision that had razor burn from them shaving her tummy had gotten infected as well and even though she couldn't get to it by chewing (thanks to the cone of shame), she was able to scratch at it with her back paws - which we realized too late and it started getting worse because she was able to scratch at the (sorry to be so gross) scab to get most of it off, so that infection just continued. At least we did get the stitches out, so we are in 1 more week of cone - and now she needs a tshirt 24/7 to keep her from being able to get at it with her back paws. Funny as it sounds, we both were really down about it on Monday and Tuesday...but we have both adjusted and bounced back. We go back to the vet on Monday and I hope hope hope we will be cone & tshirt free after that. I won't actually ask you to say a prayer for my puppy, but feel free to keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer for my sanity. thanks.

Back to the outfit...honestly, I was looking for another way to show off the JC heirloom floral earrings that the lovely Summerilla passed on to me. I do really like them with the navy. However, just adding the garden pearl bracelet wasn't enough to jazz it up (esp when the bracelet is clasp-forward in the pic). I think the earrings alone were definitely more glittery in person, so I wasn't sure about adding a necklace. But photo-wise, it definitely needed something else. Ah, live & learn...that's one reason I take the pics - I learn from them too.

Polyvore from last Friday:


10/23/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Then again on Monday, more navy in the form of the tissue turtleneck tee, which I love with jeans and the cami peeking out at the hem. This time I added the confetti necklace, which I really liked with the turtle. I asm so glad I got that necklace. I believe those are the Chicos boyfriend jeans - way comfy for a day where I spent a good chunk of time at the computer working adn the rest of it moping around about the fact that my puppy & I were sentenced to 1 more week of cone-dom.

Polyvore from Monday:



10/26/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

And on Wednesday...


Striped tee again. Have I worn this once a week since I got it? I'm definitely dropping its CPW (cost per wear) fast. I really could wear this about every other day. Since it was warm on Wednesday, I layered it with my navy short sleeve cardi and then added some necklaces to chunk up the neckline a bit. And I even wore my hair up (just for you FFM), which interestingly enough, works better since I got 2+ inches chopped off the ends.

Polyvore from Wednesday:



10/28/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Where's the navy train headed? I don't know...but much as I love these pieces, black may be taking a more predominant spot for a little while. Why?

Reason #1 - (hello, Halloween on Saturday)

Reason #2 - 212-Sephora polish - funky, but love it - mani'ed it tonight - pics soon, I promise.


And Reason #3, for those of you who haven't seen my Polyvores today/yesterday - this little lovely arrived at my doorstep on Wednesday....


J Crew Selby satchel in black (#18260, $orig $275, black on sale for $149.99) Can you believe I actually didn't have a black purse in my closet? I mean, I'm certainly not a bag hoarder - just a nail polish and mascara hoarder, but I actually didn't have one in black. More on the bag later - it's lovely, must post pics. I will say this - perfect!

Why am I up this early? That crazy puppy is running around the backyard with, I believe, a green tomato in her mouth. At some point, she realized that "balls" grow on the tomato plants by the side of the garage. How convenient for her. (Detached garage in back - no, I don't have tomatoes growing in my front yard. Seriously....) I'd just like to go back to bed since we have kiddie Halloween parties at school tomorrow.

And the Winner Is....

Congratulations to Kelly, who is the winner of my giveaway!

Kelly - I will send you an email shortly to get your address so that I can send you your new fabulous J Crew crystal shapes bracelet!

After copying all the names into Word from both posts to weed out dupes and get a total number...I used random.org to pick the winner. The other option was writing everyone's name on a piece of paper and letting M or E pick one - but that would have taken way too much time. Besides, if E realized that there was a sparkly bracelet up for grabs, she would probably take off with it.

I wish I had extra bracelets because I would love to share them all with you! I'll be on the lookout for another good giveaway item. (and next time, I'll snag more than 1)

Thank you all for reading!!

Don't Forget to Enter My Giveaway - Deadline Tonight!

Today has been a crazy day, so I'm not sure I'll be doing a regular post, but I wanted to remind you to enter my giveaway if you haven't already. The deadline is tonight at midnight.

(woobie - definitely enter - winning a contest doesn't violate your rules at all!)

As a reminder...here is the pretty pretty pretty Crystal Shapes bracelet I am giving away:


Contest post is here. Good luck!

Another Cardi Party?

Must be the season...so today, I inspired myself. (nice going self). Ok, actually I just completely copied a look from almost 3 weeks ago - 10/6/09. As I wrote on my Polyvore, "Wishing I could get an IRL pic but camera is in trunk of hubby's car. Sure I'll be wearing this again, though... So comfy and way cute (IMO)." I literally wore the exact same outfit today. And enjoyed it just as much.

Michele cardi in Beechwood from last year (M), the ubiquitous white tissue bf vneck tee (M) - which is about to get some competition because I just ordered my 2nd open crewneck painter tee in white, and Minnies in coal (8). Plus twisted crystal necklace, its mate from BR that has dangling crystals every inch, Dina hoops, and the crystal shapes bracelet. Speaking of which, did you enter my giveaway for that bracelet? (Not the one I'm wearing, of course, duh.) Deadline is end of the day tomorrow! I love the neutral combo of coal and beechwood with the white tee to crisp it up. When it gets colder, out come the boots, a long sleeve white tee, and maybe a scarf. And Rosa & Gingersnap - just pretend I'm wearing JC toothpicks, ok?

Polyvore from 10/6/09 - and today (seriously, it's exactly the same - I think I need to switch up accessories next time):


10/6/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Saturday...skip - hubby out of town, not enough sleep, soccer games, Target, rain, etc = Jaspe sweatshirt + jeans + pink rain boots. Not a cardi and definitely not photo-worthy.

Moving right along backwards...Friday - oops, disqualified, not a cardi...save for another post.

Thursday - Nice day - just beautiful. Jackie in spring daisy (M), white ON tank (L, and too big as it keeps stretching out - but their M's are too tight at the hem, need to find another white tank source), and Chicos boyfriend jeans. What else? Confetti necklace, FA07 dog charm bracelet, and cuff link earrings. Done.

Polyvore from Thursday:


10/22/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Wednesday - bad pics, but great outfit. Need a re-do - which I'm sure will happen as you know I repeat my outfits...often.

Tuesday - Home with sick M and infected Lucy. But at least I tried...This outfit did not photograph that well, but I really loved it in person. Maybe better accessories next time, like my red patent peep toe flats? Tissue stripe flora tee with my charcoal BR Michele-cardi-copy and Chicos slim leg jeans. I really liked the navy-charcoal combo - it might have worked better in the IRL pic with better lighting. Or chunkier necklace action. And I will once again sing the praises for the striped tee - so comfy, so cute, total winner for me. (unless you have a really short torso, and then I'm sorry)

Polyvore from Tuesday:


10/20/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Cardi party rocking on... (and don't forget to enter my giveaway)

Heidi's Beauty Bag - Mascara Report

You all know I love mascara...and I am always looking for a newer, better, more perfect option. So here are a few options I have tried out lately. And I give them all good marks, too.

1) Maybelline Pulse Perfection ($12.99 at Ulta). Ok, I actually did not try this one out in person, having tried and been rather disappointed with Estee Lauder's and Lancome's "vibrating" mascara's. (Or as my fab friend Sherry calls them "mascara with benefits", hehehe.) However, bus stop & blog buddy, snaphappy tried it and swears by it. I'll be honest - my whole issue with the vibrating mascaras is just my own impatience - I feel like it takes too long and I can swipe the wand through my lashes in half the time (swipe swipe swipe wiggle wiggle done - repeat on other eye). But...if you are a fan of the pulsars, try it out, or you haven't tried them, this is a good way to start.

2) Cover Girl Lash Blast Length ($7.79 at drugstore.com). I tried the regular Lash Blast when it came out (how cute is the big orange tube?) but the large handle on the wand just felt awkward. This one, however, I really liked. Wand is great - no clumping. It's a perfect everyday mascara. Very good length and some volume. Not a rock star look, but not everyone is looking for that.

3) L'Oreal Telescopie Explosion Mascara ($8.99 at Ulta). Seriously check out that wand. I first fell in love with that wand when Givenchy came out with their Phenomen'Eyes mascara last year - but on me, the formula was too wet and I felt like the mascara never dried and my lashes were kinda gummy. Then again, to be fair, it was August, which may not be the best time to try out a new mascara, but I still returned it. However, the brush was fab! It gets every single little lash. So I figured I would just wait until someone else came out with a similar wand. And here we are, slightly more than a year later, and L'Oreal does. Really like this mascara - it does grab every single lash. My concern about the wand was that the little mace-like tip would take forever to coat the lashes (see comment above in #1). But it really doesn't take any more time. So, 2 thumbs up for this one. Nice length & volume, minimal smudging.

4) Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara ($22). Love this. Love love love. Really truly love. Ok, I probably wouldn't have actually purchased #2 & #3 (at Walmart) if I realized the BB one would be out this soon. And I've sorta abandoned them for this one. I didn't love their Perfectly Defined mascara, that came out this summer - like the Givenchy above, it was too wet for me - it took forever to dry on my lashes and I always ended up with the little tiny black dots all over my eyes - ugh, what a mess! But the Extreme Party Mascara...first of all, how can you not love the name? In terms of application, no clumping, great length & volume with not a ton of effort. But the reason it's called "extreme party" is that formula is supposed to stay flexible so that you can reapply whenever - including hours later on your way out to a party! And guess what? So true!

I can put this on in the morning and then add another coat later in the evening and my lashes just look better and better! And I haven't had any smudging with this either. I can't believe I am about to type these words, but I do believe this works better than my beloved YSL Faux Cils, especially because you can reapply later. The timing of this release is perfect, especially with all the holiday parties coming up in the next few months.

I do realize the irony of my typing about party mascara on a Saturday night at 10:00 pm as I sit here watching Rachel Zoe in my sweaters, hehehe, but what can I say - hubby out of town (bachelor party in Vegas), so I'm not a bachelorette myself, I'm a single mother this weekend. Fortunately, 1 soccer game was cancelled this afternoon due to the monsoon, so we had a quiet afternoon/evening - which is good since tomorrow is going to be CUH-RAZY! Many props to anyone who can do this, and I'm not trying to be flip here, I promise - I am exhausted. Of course, it's my own fault because after I caught up on Project Runway last night, instead of going to bed like I should have, I was sucked into watching The Negotiator with Samuel Jackson and Kevin Spacey. Have you all seen that? Love love love that movie - both actors are just fantastic on their own - but together...AMAAAAAZING. It gets me every time.

So tell me about your fave mascaras. I know GingerSnap loves her L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes and yogagirl is nuts about her Lorac.

The Cone of Opportunity

Since so many of you were kind enough to inquire after the health of by babies, furbaby & humans...I can well you the health barometer in the G household continues to rise. M was fever-free yesterday morning and is back at school today. And Lucy...well, Lucy is back to being a rambuctious (that's the nice way of saying obnoxious) 10-month-old Labradoodle.

When she's not running around crazy, she can be very lazy...

And I'm probably the only person I know who keeps a towel by the back door to clean my dog's face when she comes in (big fan of the sandbox).

As most of you know, Lucy is in the cone of shame because she got spayed the previous Monday, the incision got infected because of 4 straight days of rain, and then this past Monday, she was put on an antibiotic for 10 days and sentenced to the cone of shame and "quiet" until next Monday when she gets the stitches out. And it can't come soon enough.

This was how we started post-surgery...

The tshirt worked pretty well....

(told you she liked the sandbox)

...until all the rain - did I mention 4 days straight? It seemed like so much longer...

So back to the cone it was. However, once she adjusted, she was doing fine. And the antibiotic kicked in because after 36 hours of it, BAM, obnoxious 10-month-old puppy was back. Stealing socks, destroying shrubbery in the back yard, digging holes in the sandbox. She can do anything with the cone except eat. It even helps camouflage the shoe she has in her mouth that she is running around with. Yes, running. Darn it, give me back my navy patent flat!

I was able to keep her quiet for about a day and a half. But she's back. And she is wielding that cone like a weapon. Thank goodness it's long-pants-weather or I would have bruises on my calves from the number of times that cone knocks into me. And she's not shy about shoving that cone right in your face or your lap when she wants attention. Oh yes, she has adjusted.

She sleeps comfortably.

She figured out how to get to her bone. (3rd appearance here, yes, it's her favorite)

And her other toys.

But if nothing else, the cone makes a nice backdrop for a portrait.

Moving Minnies into Fall...

J Crew Minnies (#18850, $79.50). Do I really need to wax poetic about them again? Fun in the warm weather with a tee and flats or sandals. But now that the weather is getting cooler (I say ironically as we are going to have a high of 74 degrees today)...such a great fall/winter pant. Yes, they are cropped as can be on me...but that's why God invented boots. Or someone did.

I took an 8 in the Minnies, and they have worked quite well. I *did* wash them - both pairs (coal & black) last week and they bounced back just fine. I did a delicate wash with some other dark clothes (like fine gauge sweaters and tissue tees) and used Woolite - or rather Target's generic version. Then I put them in the dryer for about 5 minutes on fluff and laid flat on a drying rack. I don't think they shrank at all; they just went back to original shape. So yes, you can wash your Minnies - this may be especially good news for those of you who got the british khaki color. Also, in case you didn't read it here or elsewhere already, they are available in store in navy.

Here are a couple of my latest Minnie looks for fall.


(left) Wednesday, 10/14 - Cool day but not too cold, so still sticking the ballet flats. This sweater is one of the cuddliest I own - from Ann Taylor Holiday 2007. It's just like a big hug. Pairing it with a more fitted tee and the black skinny Minnies helps manage the bulk.



10/14/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

(middle 2 pics) Thursday, 10/15 - Cold & rainy (the start of the weekend deluge...) All I can tell you is that my feet stayed warm and dry all day in the Minnies & boots. So comfy! And the Minnies stayed totally tucked into the boots all day. Will be a winter staple, that's for sure. Here I have the chunky star cable popover with the coal Minnies. I have to say that I am thrilled with this outfit. You know how you try on a piece of clothing and sometimes you have an instant outfit pictured in your mind? When I first tried on the Minnies, this was the exact outfit I pictured. Hope you like it...you'll be seeing it a lot this winter. I do love the bracelet sleeves of this sweater - perfect for showing off something sparkly (just like the one in my giveaway - have you entered?), but a long sleeve tee or turtle will later perfectly underneath later when it's colder. And that's the Kate Spade purse I got at the outlet last December. I have no idea what it's name is or whether it's "real" retail or outlet only, but I love the combo of the brown leather with the dark brown patent trim. And it's lined in leopard, so it's always fun to peek inside. (and dina will probably fuss if I forget to mention the Dina hoops, so yes, I am wearing them too.)

10/15/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew


Saturday, 10/17 - Still cold, raining, etc, etc, etc.... Minnies & boots again for sure! This time, coal Minnies with black boots - plus cream cashmere long sleeve tee. Again, my toesies were warm & dry all day long, thank you very much. Kept the jewelry simple with stud earrings and a pocket watch necklace - mine is from AT Loft a couple of years ago. And yes, I'm pretty sure I had at least 3 cups of tea that day.

10/17/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Up tomorrow...Minnies for 80-degree days. Just kidding...I think it's only supposed to get to 79.

My First Giveaway

Only 10 more to go, but I couldn't wait until post #200. And let's be honest...I've been a bit slack for the last couple of months compared to when I was first starting out blogging...and I don't want you to wait until November for this.

My first blog giveaway ever (drumroll, please)......is the J Crew crystal shapes bracelet.

top pic by Slastena, or at least I swiped it from her Polyvore

Here's the full story on this bracelet and how patience can occasionally pay off. I first coveted it when the lovely Summerilla got it as a present from her wonderful bf who is such a great guy that he paid full price for it (total keeper, I tell ya). I again admired it when the lovely Slastena got it on sale the day we had our JCA brunch in Friendship Heights.

So imagine my shock, surprise, and utter glee when I popped into a B&M a couple of weeks later, only to find out that the bracelet had been marked down AGAIN to $9.99. I scooped up the only one in the jewelry candy jar by the register right away and have been enjoying it every since.

But THEN I went down to Tysons, where it was still on display in the jewelry case. So I nonchalantly asked the SA to check on the price - again she came back with "OMG you *have* to get this, it's $9.99!" (and then told the other SAs who, I believe, stashed the rest away so they could purchase - not that I blame them - they would get them for $%!!!) Why did I need a 2nd bracelet? Well, 2 of these would be smashing together. But really...I thought it would be a nice giveaway for my readers...especially those of you who haven't bailed through all my mini blogging breaks. (See, I tell myself I'm doing you a favor and not clogging up your Google Reader.)

So what are the rules of the contest? Simple. Leave me a comment below with your email address so that I can contact you if you win. 1 entry per person.

I'm going to limit shipping to US & Canada only. (sorry) If you are a follower, that's wonderful, and you made my day. If you want to post about this on your blog, great. But still 1 entry per person to keep it easy (for me).

And if you want to add a comment about what you like or don't like about my blog, or what you would like to see more or less of, feel free. I love feedback.

Good luck!

**Oops - forgot to add the deadline - You have until the end of the day on Monday, October 26 to enter.

*** One more update - If you aren't comfortable leaving your email address, feel free to send me a message on Polyvore.

J Crew May Not Love Me, but Someone Does...

Ok, so I did not get a pair of the Heirloom Flora earrings from Mickey himself. And I am not complaining too much because I did use the free shipping and appreciated it a lot. Plus I am admittedly a JC newbie. I have not been a long time customer, so fair's fair. (this is one of the widely circulated theories, you know.)

However, the lovely, kind, and generous Summerilla did happen to legitimately receive 2 pairs through some crazy Lucy-Ricardo-worthy wackiness with addresses. And she was so sweet to share them with me. I got them in the mail on Saturday and couldn't wait to wear them. They didn't work so well with the pre-planned Sunday shower outfit, so I of course donned them today. I love the the sparkle they add to an outfit.

Wearing today - J Crew cashmere cabin popover (3-PP, I always think of you when I wear this!), white tank, Chicos boyfriend jeans, and braided rope rose gold bracelet. These earrings really are a perfect match to go with the rose gold bracelet or the clementine garden pearl bracelet...and I plan on wearing them with both. And really the muted colors make it work with just about anything.

And it was a nice day to add some sparkle outfit-wise because otherwise it was a bit of a bummer. After a very busy but fun weekend of in-laws in town, lots of indoor time because of the rain, kids running in Young Run race Sunday morning, and then helping host a bridal shower Sunday afternoon, I was pooped.

And oh yeah, poor Lucy's incision from her spay surgery last Monday is infected (4 days of rain + dog tummy surgery recovery = sure infection), so she's now on Clavamox for 10 days, has to wear the cone of shame for the next 7 days, and can't get the stitches out until next Monday. Which means I can't bathe her until then. (yeah, that's what I was really going for) And she has to stay "quiet" with potty walks only. Fortunately, she is suffering from CICD right now - Cone-Induced Canine Depression - which is when wearing the cone of shame will instantly induce depression and lethargy in the peppiest of dogs.

Fortunately for her, she'll have a quiet buddy this week, since M came home from school with 102 fever, dry cough, and headache. Yep, I think I know where this is headed. Will call doctor in the morning...

What does that mean for you? Lots of blogging time for me! I actually caught up on all my blog reading (even if that meant skimping on some commenting), so my Google reader is at 0...at least for the next 15 minutes! I definitely have some posts to catch up on and will start tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Polyvore for today:

10/19/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Thanks again to Summerilla for the new fab earrings. Time for me to step up my game accessory-wise in the earring department, I think.

Tune in tomorrow for some more generosity...

A "Skinny" Alternative

Ok, this post is not for you 00's out there and you girlies fit enough to majorly rock skinny jeans. Well, maybe some of you. But this is primarily directed at the "Skinny jeans? Me? Never!" population. As you know I have 1 pair of Crewlet matchsticks that I really like, but I have always had difficulty with the whole skinny jeans thing. (Important note - JC's Minnies are totally exempt from that because they are awesome and I love them and they are so much better than skinny jeans, at least to me, but I can't wear them *every* day. Speaking of which, I actually *gasp* machine-washed my Minnies today - will post on outcome soon.)

So...jeans...I have been a fan of Chicos jeans for a while. Not that I am hung up on numbers, but you have to admit that there is something cool about getting a size 0.5 or 1 in jeans when you are used to an 8 or 10, right? They have a new cut called the Slim Leg. So it's not quite "skinny." But definitely a long, lean line. The official name of this jean is Platinum Denim Slim Leg Jean ($69). I usually order my Chicos jeans online to get the Tall inseam of 35"(which, by the way, with Passport membership, meaning I've spent over $500 at the store lifetime, always gives me free shipping and 5% off purchases - take that, J Crew). I couldn't get these in Tall in my size in either of the 2 blue washes that I wanted so I finally went into the store and picked up a pair of 32" regulars to wear cuffed or tucked. (And I need jeans since mine from last fall/winter need to be hot-water-washed to shrink them each time I wear them because they really are too big.)

These make a great alternative to a skinny jean if you just aren't comfortable with the skinnies. Close fit, but not sausage-inducing, if you know what I mean. And they tuck into boots very easily as you can see from the pic below. Lots of different perspectives of the jeans below, including the oh-so-NOT-flattering dead-on pose, but I suppose it's helpful. Should have included a cuffed-with-heels pic, but eh, take what you can get.

The last pic is how I wore the jeans today, with the JC wool cardi from last fall - anyone remember the name of this one? Loved it last year. Love it this year. Can't wait to wear it again. The tee is an Open Crewneck Painter Tee (#17390, orig #29.50, curr $19.99 online, love the neckline) that I just got on sale + 20% off - yay. I think I may have to pick up a few more of these because the fit is great.

I liked the outfit with the boots (which would have been fab given all the rain we are having), but opted for the loafers since I spent most of the day running around the house and to the grocery store getting ready for hubby's family to visit this weekend. And loafers just work better than boots for that. Same logic for the jewelry - cuff link earrings and twisted rope rose gold bracelet. Some shine, but no dangly necklace to get in the way.

Polyvore for today:


10/16/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

So if you've been afraid to take on the skinnies...give these a try.

***Update - I forgot to include the Chicos discount (by the way - ALWAYS look up coupon codes for them online - they always have them) - Using code 6710, everything is 20% off through today (10/17). There's also a $10 off $50 code, 6654 through 10/25.

PS - (meant to do this last post) Huge thank you to snaphappy who showed me how to modify the html so that links open in a new window - you are awesome! XOXOXO

In The Navy...for Fall? Featuring J Crew Classic-Stripe Tissue Tee

I have been on a navy tear lately. Not sure why...I usually think of navy as the ultimate spring color. Maybe it's all the back-to-school-ness? Or maybe I've been feeling it because of the new fab J Crew Classic-Stripe Tissue Tee(#20019, $32.50)? It's one of the new arrivals at JC, has been in store for a couple of weeks and actually appeared online last night with the other new arrivals. (Yay for Polyvore clipping - although Dina's pic that I was using was pretty darn good, I must say, so props to her.)

What can I say about this tee? It's absolutely perfect. I have been looking for this tee for at least 2 years. First of all thanks to jmpb for first alerting me to the striped tissue tee and then taking pics (what a doll!). I believe I mentioned this before, but the very first one I tried on had the twisty-side seam thing going on, so make sure you try on before purchasing if possible! The 2nd & 3rd are just fine in terms of side seam. 2nd & 3rd? Oh yes...if you recall, I purchased this tee with 2 of the new sequin beaded tees (that I later returned). The SA put them all in the bag together, sans tissue. So when I went to put on my new fab striped tee, I had it on about 10 minutes when I noticed a small hole in the middle of the shirt around the belly button. Now, I'm an innie, so it wasn't that. It was from the sequins on one of the tees I got. But I was able to return/exchange without incident, thankfully - or I actually would have coughed up another $30 to get the tee, it's that perfect. But let it be a lesson in packing with sequins & beading...

Back to the tee. Love love love. Nice long length in the body & the sleeves. Fitted but not restricting. Fab neckline - nice scoop, with navy banding around to set it off. Classic. Simple. Perfect. Wow, I am blubbering - but this is probably my fave fall release item so far. Well, tied with the merino striped sweater and the Minnies. I took an M and there is still plenty of room in the midsection. And the stripes help camouflage and lumpiness - trust me, I always check for lumpies.

I wore the striped tee on Monday with jeans and the Atelier jacket. Plus the dangling crystal shapes bracelet and navy patent ballet flats. Later in the day, when I realized it was really cold, I swapped out the jacket for my navy Wellesley cable turtleneck (the antecedent of the Cambridge cable). Love the layered look with the stripes peeking out of cuff & hem. I also loved how this looked when I held it up to my charcoal and beechwood Michelles. Plan to wear lots this fall - maybe into winter if I get the right scarf. (Remember this at right from Glamour's JC fall preview?)

Polyvore from Monday:

10/12/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

More navy fun for fall...all lumped into 1 collage. See, I'm getting better at this - I saved it *with* text this time.

Tuesday was a perfect fall day. Really and truly. Sunny but with a crispness in the air that screams Autumn. This is my first Tissue Turtleneck from J Crew (#17656, $39.50). But I can promise you it won't be my last. I'll probably hold out for special pricing or a discount before I acquire more, but that will give me a chance to do a proper road test on this. Love the spicy olive color but I don't remember if they had that one in store. For a warmer day, this was a great top to layer with a cami, jeans, and some fab accessorizing. I kept it simple with my Hawthorn necklace from Anthro. It will be a great underlayer when it's colder.

Last Friday...maybe the last truly warm day for a while...pulled out the navy short sleeve cardi. I really hope JC has these again next spring because I will definitely stock up on some more. Such a great piece for the warm/cool days. I paired it with French Market tee and golden hickory cafe capris. I love how the capris pick up the gold in the tee.

Last pic...gosh, back in September...this is fun because I hardly even take pics with full outerwear. This is how you jazz up one of my standard outfits of navy vneck sweater and jeans. Add yellow jacket and olive scarf & sneakers. This was a soccer day outfit. Layers and warmth at the neck. I took the pic with jacket since I've worn that exact sweater/jeans combo a million times over - but it shows how much wear you can get out of a classic item. And I'm still not bored with it because it makes a fab backdrop for accessories.

Last 3 Polyvores:

10/13/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

10/9/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

9/26/09 by HeidiGblog featuring Old Navy