Update from DC JCA Event and My 1st Polyvore

Wow, what can I say about the DC JCA Event that 3-Penny Princess arranged? It was so lovely. So fantastic to meet all these fabulous J Crew Aficionadas! 3-Penny Princess posted some great pics, and so did Dinagideon, so check them out if you haven't already. Also check out 3-Penny Princess' post with everyone's Polyvores - and keep checking because she keeps adding!

The Private Shopping Event at the Pentagon City was just amazing. I felt pampered, I felt spoiled, loved loved loved it!! The refreshments were divine - I felt so galm strolling around the store with a mimosa in hand. The sales associates were great - especially Joanne - who was a total doll (literally, she is a size 0, so cute & stylish) and so helpful. More on my purchases later - not sure whether to Polyvore (see note on Polyvore below) or do IRLs and I still have to go through them all. Plus kids are home today and not as much time to post, you know?

I did try on the infamous "hot mess tank top" (see Gigi's post on the tank here) and now I understand the problem. Hellooooo, the XS fit me! And I have to say, I likey! Yes, I said XS. I didn't get it yesterday, but am definitely keeping my eye on it for a future purchase. Definitely too sheer without tank/cami underneath. But would be just a great spring/summer tops with jeans/slacks by itself or under a jacket. But seriously, again, the XS fit me, at 5'10" and a size 10? What were they thinking?

Back to our outing... we had brunch at the Boulvard Wood Grill. In general, I just love brunch. Yummy drinks, yummy food. Eggs Benedict Florentine - yum-yum! (with spinach subbed for the Canadian bacon, you can pretend that it's really, really healthy). And 3-Penny's recommendation for the Grand Mimosa (mimosa with some Grand Marnier) - wow, such a fun little cocktail - glad I had the metro ride home before I got my car.

I *finally* dove in to Polyvore this morning. I've been wanting to, but was postponing until the closet was 100% done. Well, the closet's about 95%, but it was time. Here is a Polyvore of my outfit.


DC J Crew Aficionada Brunch-03/29/09 - by HeidiGblog on Polyvore.com

Yes, it looks familiar because it is pretty much the outfit from this post, with some modifications accessory- and makeup-wise. What can I say? The Lili cardi is my frilliest J Crew piece. And I've been dying to wear my white jeans again, which aren't at all puppy friendly on rainy days. As soon as I got home I had a muddy paw print on 1 leg. So bye-bye pretty outfit, jeans to the wash, and hello sweats for the rest of the evening. Not that I'm complaining, because a great way to end such a fabulous day is hanging out with the family with a puppy in my lap.

So I can't wait to play with all my purchases, and I'm sure you'll be seeing quite a few of them this week. Thanks again to 3-Penny Princess for putting together this amazing event! Hope to see everyone next time...

Wardrobe Challenge Days #6 and #7, plus Wrap Up

Ok, so 1 day behind posting on the wardrobe challenge. It was way too nice outside, and I do have to sleep, you know. But I do at least have pics.

Day #6, Saturday - Fun day. My dad came up to visit the new grandpup. (Mom's coming up later this week - too much stuff going on this weekend.) We had lots of fun. Kids loved seeing him too, of course. Got lots of doggie goodies - unfortunately because my parents had to put their dog to sleep a month and a half ago. Sad for them, but nice to think the puppy supplies have a good use, and we saved some bucks. (I spent enough at the pet store this week!!!)

Outfit for Puppy Training - BR striped cotton turtleneck sweater (Spring 08, I think) - I love love love this sweater. It's such a nice light weight but it can layer for warmth, and even without under layers, it still doesn't show any lumps or bulges because of the stripe pattern. Love that!! Totally perfect sweater for springtime. I stalked this sweater until it went on sale, or I had a coupon and then I nabbed it. Totally worth it! To complete the outfit, Chicos jeans, and a cute pair of flats from Payless (totally comfy, too) from August 07. See, aren't these shoes cute??

And then Saturday night... Dinner party at my friend, Sherry's house. (BTW Sherry is the creative soul who came up with the name for my blog - thanks again, Sherry!!!) Anyway, she is a fabulous hostess, a fabulous cook, and just, well, all-around fabulous. Such a fantastic time. 7 adults, 6 kids, yummy food, fine conversation - it was all good. I was trying to decide what to wear... and inspiration in the form of FabulousFloridaMommy struck. I remember how much I loved her Polyvore & IRL pics of the white shirt layered under the Jackie shell. So crisp, classic, and chic. And PoseyFord did it too. So fab. So I grabbed my white AT Loft shirt from last year and a black Lord & Taylor cashmere shell, and threw them on. Perfect, just what I was looking for - especially when I added a favorite necklace (Limon-something from Anthropologie last summer - limonade? limoncello? can't remember) And finished it with my H&M ring, Mossimo Desta flats and my self-made Gap cropped pants. I tried on these black pants in store last spring, and of course, way too short to wear, but they fit perfectly. Light bulb went off, bingo, dropped them off at the cleaners on the way home, asked them to shorten 3 inches, and I had the perfect long cropped pants. The bonus is that I had forgotten about these, found them in the closet clean out, and they fit me better last night than they had when I did the try-on. Woo hoo! And hot rollered the hair - that, or massive amounts of noxious chemicals is the only way my hair ever sees curl (I remember when a friend asked me: You don't flat iron or blow out your hair? hahahahahahaha - that was good. Can you say straight as a stick?) Ok, so it may not be the most exciting outfit in the world, but I felt fabulous! Thanks, FFM & PoseyFord!!

Day #7, Sunday - I can't claim that I went really original today at all. First of all church - I totally recycled last night's outfit (minus the excess eye makeup and hot rollers). Worked great the second time, too. Then for puppy-don, well, not so original either. The sweater here might look a little familiar. Yep, it's Saturday's sweater in a heathered medium blue. Loved the striped one so much, I snagged this one later in the season on major sale. Need to underlayer sometimes, but love the color. Amazing with white jeans, too. On feet - Crocs Primas (they were last spring's ballet flats), because on today's agenda is a little gardening - not overalls worthy, though. I really wish I had taken pics of my projects because I did a major trim of the hollies in front of our front porch. They were so wild and unruly, and I probably took off half. It was awesome! I filled 2 1/2 of the brown yard recycle bags from 1 side, and the other side....um....well, I put some of it in the bag. And the rest is in a nice, big, huge pile for me to bag tomorrow. I can handle that. I felt so productive though. Also moved the bird bath to the side yard, outside the fence, as Lucy seems to think it's a raised water bowl. Not so good.

So how did I do with this week's Wardrobe Challenge? Pretty good, I would say. I think I proved that I didn't need to sink into total slopitude to work with a new puppy. And I felt better since I was spruced up, too. Friday's effort wasn't so great due to the unfortunate match up of late PT with sick daughter pick up at school. But let's face it, the ickiness that day was more due to the lack of shower than anything. (Yay for hygiene!) I give myself a solid B+ for the week. Still, it will be a while before I pull out the white jeans or the Lili ruffle chiffon cardi. But one of these days...

Loving my Lili - the J Crew Merino Lili Ruffle-Chiffon Cardigan

Ahh... the J Crew Merino Lili Ruffle-Chiffon Cardigan (#10000, orig $110, curr $39.99 - only desert brown in M left online). Everyone's favorite George Washington-inspired top. Well, I may live in Maryland, but I'm a native Virginian and we love our GW!

So looking back at that originally price tag, yeah, guess what... I certainly didn't get it at full price. I ordered it online during the last 20% off promotion - so you know, the 20% off basically covered the shipping - right before my shopping ban. Very happy I did. I got the sweater in cerise. What a fun, bright punch of color to all my neutrals, especially for spring! I love this orange-y red. True red is not my best color, but this one works. Such a great color for a gray spring day like this one.

I know this sweater has its detractors. It doesn't always work well closed, since it has a hook & eye closure, not buttons. Hey, even the J Crew website uses this pic at left for the front closeup to minimize the gap issue. (Nice ruffle camouflage, thanks.)

So anyway, decided to finally wear it today - and wear open - with a gray tissue boyfriend vneck tee (these are quickly becoming a new favorite), white jeans, a little silver to touch it up, and my Target gray patent flats. BTW, I love these shoes but they really really really need to be replaced, so if you see gray patent flats somewhere, please let me know. Thank you.

Back to the outfit - I love the cardi with the gray tee & jeans - it totally changes the look. Reminds me of one of the J Crew catalogs earlier this year that referred to the cardigan as the "important third piece." Well, I think it steps up the look. And I have to say, I love the way the chiffon ruffles flutter a little as I run upstairs to fetch yet another load of laundry.

Two thumbs up from me. And thanks, Slastena, for the inspiration - you rock!