J Crew Striped Ringspun Cardigan

Wow, what a couple of crazy days. And I am sitting here, just waiting to go to bed, but it is absolutely pouring outside - and I have to take Lucy out before I go to sleep...so here we are at the computer. At least she chills during thunderstorms and doesn't get all freaky, as I know many doggies do.

So we drove back from the Lake on Monday (thank you hubby for doing most of the driving and thank you kiddies & puppy for being so so so good). And then less than 48 hours, I hopped in the car again with the kiddies & puppy to come down to the River today. The Lake was my grandparents' summer house (trust me, not in the least bit winterized), and the River is where my parents live most of the time. This is where we visited on Spring Break. I am much more relaxed...mainly because my crazy home-stay is over and we are here. I had 9 loads of laundry to do - not that I'm complaining because I got to do them at my own house. I had a dentist appointment in the morning yesterday to get those last 2 fillings replaced and M's 9-year check up in the afternoon. All while getting the laundry done and trying to ready us for the river. I packed all 4 of us (pooch included) this morning - but we are here so often, esp in the summer, that packing is easy.

To top off the craziness, hubby ordered a new laptop for me since my old one was going insane. So I am trying to get used to that, and it may be a few days before I am posting pics again, so bear with me. Or take a break. Whatever works for you! But here is my Polyvore for today:

Wearing Today-7/1/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Ok, enough chatter, let's get to the J Crew Striped Ringspun Cotton Cardian (#16283,$55). I first posted pics here, when I was in the "throw everything on with today's shorts" mode, just to get pics for the blog. But today I actually work it for real. Gigi reviewed it here and was not a fan. And, judging by the comments, a lot of you are not fans. I think you need height to work this. If you are shorter, the stripes can be overwhelming. I love this cardigan. And I actually paid full price for it. As I said before, I love the weight of it. I got an M so that it would fit slim, but not too tight - I think getting the right fit on this cardi is essential. I wore it at the Lake with jeans and a tee, and with my ATL tiered skirt and a tank. Liked both of them...not that I took pics (yeah, I was a slacker, but I *was* on vacation).

So since I was going to the dentist, where the office can be a bit chilly, I wanted an extra layer, so it was a perfect day to wear the cardi with white jeans and a tank. Looking at the pics, I think I like it a better with darker jeans, since the last stripe is white and it kinda blends in with the white jeans. Or maybe with a dark tank underneath. But I wore the gray stretch beaded bracelet that I got at the Danbury B&M ($14.99 on sale, yay) and it was perfect with my gray patent ballet flats.

Polyvore from yesterday:

Wearing Today-6/30/09 by HeidiGblog on Polyvore.com

Ok...weigh in on the cardi...

Polyvore Garanimals

I have quite a few Polyvores, but have been totally neglectful with getting pictures. All of these are working within my Garanimals formula (see last post) for packing for the Lake trip.

Trip up. White shirt, yes – and it actually stayed clean, in spite of the monsoon we drove in – I realized that I really love my puppy when I was willing to stand in pouring rain waiting for her to pee for 10 minutes. Yep, 10 minutes, in the utter downpour, because puppies love to smell everything and there are so many smells to smell. I was so drenched, it was unreal. My cute little LL Bean windbreaker that I tossed on to be outside? Works *great* as a light rain jacket...not so much a full rain slicker.

Traveling Clothes - 6/18/09 by HeidiGblog featuring Havaianas shoes

Standard morning uniform. I am loving the RFT cardi. So glad I got it, esp at $20 (yay). I have had it on every morning. Windbreaker for walking Lucy and RFT cardi for the remainder of the morning until we shower / get ready / get going / get a clue about what we are doing.

Mornings at the Lake by HeidiGblog featuring Crocs shoes

Ice cream outing. There is the cutest ice cream store here in New Fairfield, called Sprinkle. Yum yum yum… Finally put on my new ATL tiered skirt. Really need to get a pic of this soon to share. But love love love.

Ice Cream Shop-6/19/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Father’s Day. Yep, we dragged my dad to Target on Father’s Day. This is just so wrong. But we didn’t make him go into Walmart or the grocery store. Finally wore my ringspun striped cardi. Perfect weight for the day – kept me warm, but not too hot when it got muggy.

Wearing Today-6/21/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

Of course, the one pic that I do take…um yeah, no makeup, no jewelry. But comfy and happy. This is my version of Summerilla’s Jaspe sweatshirt and leggings – not quite as glam, though. I spent most of Monday working, but considering the flexibility of my job, I’m not complaining at all. I love that I have that flexibility that I can come up here or be at the River and still work so that I’m not chained to the kitchen table at home. More fun for all of us. And hey, I had a great view while working...which I will be enjoying again today on a couple of conference calls. And much as I love my fellow team members because they are fab, none of them are quite as pretty at the Lake view.

And since I figured out how to do the IRL pics, you would think I took more, but sadly, no. Polyvores are much harder to do when your accessories are limited to a laptop & phone. And I only wore the Havaianas outside.

Wearing Today-6/22/09 by HeidiGblog featuring Havaianas shoes

And Polyvore from yesterday.


Wearing Today-06/22/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

My mom’s cousin visited, with her boyfriend and her black Lab, Cooper. (So you *know* Lucy had fun.) We went to this really fun restaurant on the other side of the Lake called Down the Hatch (pic below). I love being able to sit on a restaurant porch by the water. The food always tastes better. And, um, yeah, still no IRL pics of the skirt. Will work on that, I promise.

And I wore the Library Shawl cardi on Saturday with my matchsticks...but haven't you seen that one before?

Yesterday's Wears + Some New J Crew Items...featuring Stripes!

What a weird weather day yesterday. And today is even stranger. I can tell you right now that it is doubtful I will be posting today's outfit as I sit here in grubby sweats and haven't even showered. (go ahead, say it, ewwwwww) Don't worry, I will clean up, but right now I am trying to do this post in the midst of all the laundry.

Update: Just realized I totally neglected titling my post. Like I said, midst of laundry...

See, tomorrow the kids, puppy, and I are headed up to my grandmother's Lake house in CT along with my parents. They'll leave next Thurs and hubby will come up through the following Mon. It's actually my mom's house now, since my grandmother passed away this past fall. I'll post some pics while I'm there - it's such a fun place. But today I am doing laundry and packing, along with actual work...oh yeah, and the kids are home today.

But this is what I was wearing yesterday. Shorts are J Crew from Spring 2006 that I didn't even put on last summer - and they fit, yay! I was curious how long the white shirt would last, but it lasted through work, errands (including J Crew below), and even survived a popsicle on the way home from the bus stop.

Wearing Today-6/16/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

But by the time I took M to an afternoon birthday party, I realized I would need to change since it had gotten windier and chillier. So this is the Polyvore for the rest of the day, which was E's last soccer game and pizza & s'mores at friends' to celebrate the last day of school. But I did at least keep all the accessories, including Danielles (again - so glad I kept these!), and just went with white tee, jeans, and cream sweater jacket. Yes, it was that chilly last night - so glad I had a sweater!!

Wearing Later in the Day-06/16/09 by HeidiGblog featuring J Crew

And then on to the J Crew purchases yesterday. Note that these are the *exact* same shorts and shoes in the above pics. I was not styling here, just throwing new tops on over what I already was wearing.

First of all, not that you need a picture, you've seen it ad nauseum a million times before, but all the vneck boyfriend tissue tees are on sale for $15 in store. All of them. Time to stock up, fellow bf tissue cult members. Surprisingly, I only picked up the white one. I may get a gray one, too. But yep, just one.

Then we have the Baby Rib Stripe Boatneck (not online) that 3-Penny Princess posted and J'Adore These Stores posted already. The top is $29.50, and is also available in white/light gray stripe. I love this top. I feel very chic, very Paris, in it. The biggest issue for me is that I like the ability to wear a cami or tank underneath to smooth a bit, but the neck is really wide. (I know, boatneck, duh.) With a cami, it just looks like bra straps to me. So I opted for a tank. I am actually still trying to decide if I am going to keep this or not. I would love it with a cute skirt, shorts, jeans, white jeans, khakis, the red ON pants that I never got that Gigi has. Lots of options. Under my navy Atelier jacket. But I don't know that I love it as much in the pics as I did seeing it in person, so I'm on the fence. Please feel free to weigh in here.

Next, the Striped Heavy Ringspun Cardigan (#16283 per the catalog, also not online, except in solid, striped is $49.50). I got the navy/white stripe. And I am totally blanking on the other stripes - there was gray and white, which is in the new July catalog, page 33, but I don't remember if there were any other in-store . But I literally saw it when I was about to check out and ran over to grab one and try it on. I got the M, and like the fit. In fact, I like the fit of this one on me better than the boatneck tee - although yes, I realize they are 2 totally different styles of top. But I am definitely keeping this one and packing it for CT whereas the boatneck may stay here. (Or it may go, since Danbury Fair Mall does have a J Crew.) Back to *this*top - the sleeves are 3/4 and the length is long. I could very easily layer a real tee or just a cami/tank. I think it will work with skirts, jeans, shorts, khakis...yeah pretty much everything the boatneck works with, but on a more casual level.

And finally, I have joined the club, I now have a Rumpled French Terry Cardigan. I didn't like the fit of this one as much as the Library Shawl Cardigan. But, at $19.99, it works for me! And I can shrink the L in the dryer a bit. The M was too short in the sleeves. And I even gave you the more from the front, less flattering pic, but I still like it. Not sure if it will make it into the mega-loads of laundry today, so shrinkage may have to wait. But this will be perfect for CT this week!

So that was my fun last-day-of-school-for-the-kids outing at J Crew. (AT Loft outing to be covered in another post)

And the summer begins...with loads of laundry. (short term pain, long term gain)