Borrowing from the Boys - at J Crew

A little springtime for you all...as we sit here with snow all around. I do love tulips.

You know what I don't love? Boots. I am sick and darn tired of boots. Normally, I really like boots - I would even say I love my black flat boots because I feel rockingly awesome in them. But that sentiment loses a bit of its luster when I am forced to wear them day after day by all this snow.

And this is not a diatribe against the snow. And to update my earlier diatribe against politicians in DC (not the natives but those from elsewhere) - Chris Dodd, we love you. If you hadn't heard, he lifted the since-9/11 ban on sledding at the Capitol. Attention Durbin and everybody else: *that's* how you endear yourselves to the metro area.

Maybe I'm just cranky because we've been indoors so long and I get irritated at the jerkie neighbors who don't shovel their sidewalks, even after a week, and I can barely walk Lucy around the block. I'm just sick and tired of being forced into boots. Maybe it's the stubborn streak.

So, I have officially abandoned boots for the time being. Sure, I'll put on my FUggs to go to and from the bus stop(I'm not *that* stubborn...or stupid), but otherwise, it's back to flats for me.

All of which is a really, really long introduction to yesterday's outfit. (Today? hehehe, still in sweats - going to the office later, haven't dressed for that yet.) The previous day, which would have been Hallelujah, The Kids Are Back at School Tuesday, I popped down to JC to do a couple of returns. As I strolled back from the semi-anemic sale section, I saw a gorgeous sweater...laying on the table in the men's section. Why not try it? It couldn't be any worse that some of the boxy sweaters I tried on from the women's section lately. So I meandered off to the dressing room, swapped out my current sweater for this one, and fell in love.

Let's backtrack...I love all of the fab JCAs who are rocking the crewcuts wear, like Dina. Problem is that crewcuts just doesn't cut it (hehe) with my shoulders - and torso length. But, when you are JC and the women's sweaters in store aren't thrilling you, where do you turn? Yep...the only other section is Men's.

Ta da! J Crew Men's Cotton Half-Zip Sweater (#21666, $69.50) I was anticipating that I would love the feel of the sweater, but would have to give a sternly judgmental eye to the fit and potential boxiness. But to my amazement, it was rather form fitting. On the body, it's much leaner & longer than the online picture would indicate. This would be great with leggings because it covers the butt.

And that thick cotton knit - where did you go? I haven't seen you in the women's sweaters in quite a while. They call it a "chunkier full milano stitch." Can we order that in women's, please??? It's warm enough for winter and will be great for spring, too.

I love the zip neck. Zipped up for warmth. Unzipped to show off a cute tee or fab necklace. This is a perfect piece with jeans, obviously. But I will also wear it with cafe capris and white jeans come spring time.

I got the navy, but it's also available in irish moss and heather stone. Bottom line - how often do you buy something and simply have to wear it the next day. I'm sold!!

Rest of outfit - Chico's Ultra Slim Leg jeans, white crewneck perfect fit tee, clementine pearl garden bracelet, and moc croc loafers. And I was happy all day.

Polyvore from yesterday:

02/17/10 by HeidiGblog featuring Naturalizer shoes

J Crew New Arrivals - Tops to Treasure

So I headed down to J Crack today at Tysons Galleria to do a return and sniff out a little something for a future giveaway...that you'll all have to wait to hear about, but I'm pretty excited. And I lucked into seeing a few new things. And THEN the lovely and adorable SA who was helping me offered to go grab a couple of new tees they had *just* gotten in. So pardon the quality of the photos - from my BlackBerry, which I clearly am not great at using - but I wanted to get these up asap.

First up - some new ruffly goodness. Viscose Layers Cupcake Top (#20061, $49.50) Well shoot, if you had told me "cupcake" was in the name, I would have grabbed it without even trying it on. For starters, let's just get this out of the way - CLEARLY this garments needs some steaming, or some ironing, or at least some Downy Wrinkle Reducer. But try to get past that for now... I think this is a cousin to the rolling ruffles tank, but for me, it's way better. I like the way the ruffles hit the shoulder, giving a bit more coverage there. The neckline is fab - nice and open, but not too low at all.

The top actually nips in at the empire waist (covered by the bust ruffle), so that gives the garment some more shape. So it's not at all boxy. I find the ruffles to be balanced, even though they're not symmetrical and they don't all go all the way around - but it just works.

I took an M. I am so sorry, but I don't have the full list of colors and they were towards the back of the store - from what I remember - this color (HNI - heather night?? no idea), a darker gray, maybe black, maybe cream, not sure about "real" colors. (they were toward the back and I was trying on in the front and then I got distracted by the cool new tees....)

My biggest concern with this is how it will lay under cardis. I would easily wear this with any pair of jeans, my Minnies (which I have on in the pic), and just about any pair of pants, really. I would like the flexibility to layer it under cardis, if it will lay correctly, so I need to play with that. But it would definitely work under something thicker or under an actual jacket.

The SAs styled it with a blush cashmere cardigan and then we added my pearls to a new necklace. Remember that cute daisy necklace in stores this summer - the daisies were white/cream enamel with black centers? This is the same, except it the daisies have a raised black stone center and the petals are like blush colored crystals (not sure of item number, but price is $65). I liked the blush/gray combo, but quite frankly it's just not for me...and I finally figured out what my "thing" is with pink - I just don't wear warm pinks. I love orange - true orange, and orange-reds. But peach, tea rose, blush...all those warm and/or fleshy pinks...they may look fine or even good on me, but I just don't love them...and so I just don't wear them. Cool pinks on the other hand, love those. Light petunia is a fave (even though I missed out on the Jackie in that color). Now that I have resolved that in my brain, I'm good. Thanks.

And, by the way, it's machine washable and tumble dry low - music to my ears!

Back to top...New tees. Literally while I was trying these 2 tees on, people purchased 4 of each as the SAs were bringing them out. So here are the pics, and if you love them, go get them. I'm still trying to decide...what to keep out of what's hanging in the closet....

On the left, above - Slub Printed Sequin Snowflake tee (#20501, $42.50). I'm sorry, how do you get snowflake out of this? But I swear, that's what is printed on the receipt, which, by the way, is where I pulled all of these names. There are more sequins than what appears in the pic - clear, iridescent sequins interspersed with the design, as well as stitching across portions of the design. The tee itself is IVO - ivory, I presume - and the print color is a dusty rose-tan color. I took an M (in pic), but the S wasn't really that much smaller. The L was much longer and only bigger about the waist - didn't feel much more generous around the shoulders or hips. This is probably the one I will take back, but want to give it full trial with current options in my wardrobe. Plus, even though it's really the same fit as the tee below, I feel like you see the pulling at my shoulders. One other point - the fabric at the crewneck has a raw edge where it's sewn to the crewneck itself. (there's got to be a work or phrase that I'm missing to make sense here, but you know what I mean, right?)

On the right, above - Slub Allover Beaded T (#20487, $52). Color is SHA (shadow). The design is mostly bugle beads with some round beads stitched across the garment. I'm hoping you can use your imagination to imagine how stunning this looks in person. It screams night out with the girls with fab jeans & heels. I love that there is enough of the design that you would see it even with a jacket or cardi on. I also love the neckline on this - it's a wide scoop. Not too low, but not as severe as a crewneck, so I think that adds to the specialness of the tee. I'm just trying to decide if I another dark gray "special" top from J Crew...but maybe the fact that I am so drawn to them tells me yes.

Two other tops to share. This one is just not that exciting...but check out that color!! It's the merino wool turtleneck (#18607, $68), but in the beautiful not-(yet)-online LBE (light begonia?) Remember the note above on cool pinks? Yeah, totally loving this. Didn't get it though...yet. BTW, trying on an M here. A bit sheer. Would not wear with jeans or dark bottoms without a cami underneath.

And here's my new navy stripe top. Tissue Stripe Flora Crew (#20019, $32.50) Now *this* is a navy striped tee - not that awful version I was trying to talk myself into last June. Simple, classic, basic, but fab. Pics of it here on jmpb, who I would like to thank for first telling me about it. Just make sure you try it on! I tried one on last time at another B&M in the gray and white and the side seam twisted all the way around to the middle of my thigh - not a good look at all. Other than that 1 bad apple, I think it's a great tee. Similar (and similarly flattering) neckline as the slub allover beaded tee above. I can't wait to wear this with my navy Atelier jacket and a pile of necklaces.

Now that we are done with tops, let's move to a quick but important note on bottoms:

MINNIE NEWS UPDATE - Minnies are now available in store in NAVY! (I tried them on...but didn't get, since I just got my black pair bringing my Minnie total to 2.) Check them out.

I know the pics aren't the greatest and for some reason, you can't always click to enlarge on my posts. If you are interested in seeing the full pic of any of these items, just leave me a comment and I'm happy to share.