J Crew Matchsticks - Lived In? You Better Believe It!

 J Crew Matchstick Jeans in lived in wash (#28163, $108).  $108?  Really?  These were a ton of these in the sale pile at my B&M.  For $29.99.  Add on the Mickey card's 20% off and I got them for $24.  Thank you B&M.  It seems like there is always a pile of jeans in the sale section at my B&M.  I don't usually go for them because it seems like you need to try on at least a dozen to find the right pair.  But they are always so well priced in the sale section, maybe I should make the effort more often.  Not that I actually need any more, I think this pair pretty much rounds out my jeans wardrobe for a while. 

But price issues aside...let's talk about the "lived in wash." I love the online commentary on these jeans "hand sanded for that had-it-forever softness."  So true.  So so so true. They are so soft.  So not only did they fit, but they were so comfy. 

I took a 29...which is likely meaningless, because I always have issues with not buying my jeans small enough and having them loosen up too much later (I hear my sister's voice in my head right now).  I just hate it when I put them on and they still are uncomfortable.  Although I think I've been getting better after the weight loss this fall, trying on smaller sizes first.  Of course, right now I'm wearing a pair of Crewlet matchsticks in size 31...so they're more like a boyfriend fit. But lately I've been skewing to usually a 6 in pants and taking a 28/6 in LOFT jeans, so I guess this is the equivalent of an 8?  And it would make sense to go with a larger size in a slim fit to avoid muffin top. 

In any case, $24 jeans that fit and were really cute...of course I got them.  Love the wash - great for spring and summer since it is softer.  I wore them yesterday, April 1, and was glad I did get them.  April Fools' Day...oh yes, Mother Nature had a fun time with us.  Chilly, chilly, chilly.  And way breezy.  But I'll just be happy it wasn't rainy. 

So I paired the jeans with the tissue turtle in...shoot...dark charcoal, I believe.  I love how it picked up the gray in the tweed Dauphine jacket.  Oh, the poor Dauphine jacket, which I've hardly worn, bad me, since getting it late in spring last year on mega-sale.  Really need to rectify that because it's such a great jacket!  And then a pair of croc mocs to round out the outfit. 

I felt comfy, casual, and chic all day.  Gret for running around doing errands.  Didn't even change into sweats later in the evening after dinner.  *That's* how comfy the jeans are. 

Bottom line...if you've got the time, definitely dig through that pile of denim in your B&M!

J Crew Urbanite Shift

J Crew Urbanite Shift Dress (338605, $118 or $94.40 with Mickey card; spiced olive & muslin currently $95 online) 

Since I had to pop in to my local B&M to do a couple returns on some ill-advised sale purchases, I sent a note to my PS to ask her to hold the dress for me.  I've been lusting over it in the catalog.  Love the retro orange color.  I know I'm all about the neutrals, but that is definitely a me color.  I'm very selectiveabout my colors, so I love it when J Crew does have some of my colors.  And have you seen the Fall 2011 looks?  Gorgeous colors, and finally a "real" red for winter!!  But back to the dress....

First of all, this dress is running HUGE.  I ended up with a 4.  I asked Jill to grab a 6 but she nabbed the 4 saying she had several 10's go down to a 4 in it.  And the retro orange wasn't even there in a 6, so I shrugged and said sure.  Thanks to my sister and dear dinagideon, I'm really trying to try on the smaller sizes first.  Hard to move the brain there.  But I remembered how big the Shelby dress ran, so I figured it was worth a try. 

Um, oh yeah, I took a 4.  A 4!!!!  I even tried on the 6 just to see (in the muslin) and it was like wearing a massive paper grocery bag.  So size down in this...way down.  Maybe that's what they mean when they say "easy fit" in the online description.  Pre-weight loss, I think I still would have taken a 6.

Other than the sizing issue, it's just a good old straight shift.  Lay it flat and you'll see the slight trapezoidal shape.  Remember, I am more angular (i.e., shaped like a brick) than curvy.  The dress hangs well from my broad shoulders.  If you are curvier or more pear-shaped, I don't know how it will work.  I'm happy I got to look in the mirror and go "oh yay, a dress that's not totally vacant on top".  If you actually have curves and have tried this, please pipe up!  I'd love to hear.

It does run on the short side, but the simple & straight silhouette offsets the length.  And it's not like I ever wear heels unless decorum dictates it, anyway.  The dress has an exposed back zip which is a nice feature as well as pockets.  Oh, I love pockets.  And it has my 2 favorite words "Machine Wash."  Thank you!

Let's talk color.  I'm glad I tried on the retro orange.  I admit I was sorely tempted by the muslin (oooh, pretty neutral), but I figure a tan dress is easier to find than one with this color.  Did not see the spiced olive in store.  The Retro Orange looks, to my untrained and upaid eye, like a pretty close dupe for Modern Red.  I held up the dress to a modern red perfect fit tee I got earlier in the spring and yep, they were an exact match.  So if you're trying to figure out exactly how orange it is, it's basically the same as the Dorrie skirt or the tees.

How am I going to wear it?  Let's see...With the navy atelier jacket and navy flats (possible Easter outfit), but I'd love some other flats...will have to play in the closet.  With sandals and sunnies, duh.  Maybe even with a long sleeve tee layered underneath.  I definitely had some fun playing with this on Polyvore yesterday.  Probably/possibly would work with tights underneath - I wonder if black tights would be too Halloween-y.  Any cardigan will work over it since it's sleeveless (must be why I love sleeveless in the summer, I always need the cardi anyway inside with all the AC, so it's just easier). 

Black Shoes for Spring #2 - Hunter Boots

I know, I know...everyone knows about Hunter Boots...blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda whatevs. 

Ok, this is for those of you who don't yet actually have a pair.

What is spring without rain boots?  Yes, my first Black Shoes for Spring was rain shoes...but "April showers" anybody?  Yes, they are called that for a reason. Spring is just wet.  (thank you, says my garden)  And some of you lucky ducks may be in perma-warm weather but here outside DC, we most certainly are not.  I think there was a chance of snow in the rain last night...and maybe even tonight or Friday. And sometimes it's just too wet for shoes, you want serious coverage...you want RAIN BOOTS!

But if you can grab a pair of cute $29.99 boots from Target, why should you bother with spending the extra bucks on Hunters?   I'm not going to denigrate fun rain boots...I have a cute pair of hot pink Eprit ones that never fail to garner compliments BUT....they aren't Hunters.

I got my pair in December for my birthday.  My mom gave them to me and my sister (yes, us twinsies in our matching black Hunters) and then she & I gave each other our Welly socks.  It was a Hunter birthday indeed.  I got the black pair but they come in a rainbow of colors and quite a few other styles. But this was exactly what I wanted.  If I had realized how much I would be wearing them ever since, I definitely would have put them at the top of my wish list sooner.  I have been *livng* in them. 

What makes Hunters so special?  No, not Kate Moss wearing them to Glastonbury  way back when.  Although that certainly upped the glamour of the brand.

No...they are just the squishiest, comfiest boots I've ever put on.  Really and truly.  I admit, I love a good black boot for tromping around in...makes you feel like a bit of a bad-a$$.  But these...wow...they are actually comfy.  And you all know how rigid I am about mandating comfort in my daily life & wardrobe.  As Coco Chanel said, "Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury."  I think that may be my matra.  And trust me, these are so comfy.

How comfy are they?  To give you an indication...I spent a full hour sitting criss-cross-applesause on the floor of a gym.  Quite possibly more comfortable than some of my ballet flats would have been. They just mold and bend however your body, leg, ankle, foot goes.  So you can get a lot done.  And I find myself keeping them on all day, even walking around the house.  Never that "wow, I can't wait to ditch these as soon as I walk into the house" feeling.  I even wore them Friday on a field trip with M's class to Historic St Mary's city...which is basically 6 hours of walking.  They are that good.

So how do you wear them?  In short, with everything.  Thus far, I can't claim to have worn them bare-legged but I'll do that when (if) it ever warms up.  They go with anything..and everything. 

At right is just one example, when I wore them last Thursday.  Minnie pants in Tall (I'm taking a 6 now, and they tuck perfectly into the boots and work great with the thick camp socks) and the Cashmere Cabin popover.  In retrospect, the clunky bracelet was too much, esp with the jacket. 

Then the navy Quilted Double Breasted Puffer, which I nabbed a few weeks ago on the sale racks, I kinda liked it for $158 but wasn't willing to pay the full price but I really loved it for $60.  And it has a hood!!  And see...the navy totally works with the black pants & boots.  Yep, I think this jacket will see a lot of action this spring. 

Nail Files - More Spring Polish with OPI & butter London

Two more Spring polishes to share with you all...

First up...as promised (here you go, RosaLovesDC)...OPI Don't Mess With OPI.  Described as a "lean, mean, kick-grass forest green."  Ok, how can you not love the name?  Or the description?  Although I don't know that I'd actually call it forest green.  I'd just go with flat-out leaf green.  A true green.  A green green.  Have you been seeing all the navy/white/green combos for spring?  Guess what I'll be wearing with all my navy & white this spring? 

And yes, this was my St Patrick's Day mani.  I didn't even need any other green to set it off...it spoke volumes on its own...but I did add a green turquoise bracelet.  I will admit it was a bit much at first but I adjusted quickly.  This will be a fun spring & summer color on tips or toes.

I've only got one picture here, because I think it shows itself quite well.  Just a good old straight up green.

Application, as usual with OPI, is flawless.  A very easy mani to do.  I will warn you that taking off the polish, I did make somewhat of a mess with the green running everywhere...not fun...so take care when removing this polish.  Unless you're a fan of the nail fungus look.  And if you are, hey, who am I to judge?

And the 2nd polish..excuse me, lacquer, I have to share is butter London's No More Waity, Katie.  (They call it "lacquer", I'm honestly not sure what the difference is, but I'm sure there's a reason there.)  To celebrate the upcoming marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  Oh, I'm such a sucker for a good lacquer name/story. 

NMWK is described as "soft, elegant greige shade with a splash of lilac glitter for the perfect marriage to combine fashion and fun."  Lilac glitter, definitely.  but the greige shade is really reads as much more purple on me than greige, IMO.  Not that it matters, because it's just a fun sparkly color that's perfect for spring...that I'll be wearing on April 29...for the big event....and it's just so pretty. (Don't tell hubby, but I'm even considering letting E take a mental health day to watch the coverage - I was about her age when Di married Charles and I still remember getting up early to watch it all.  Thank goodness for DVRs.) 

And you know what all that glitter means, right?  Less chipping. (Woot!)  The glitter always helps the polish adhere to the nail.  I have 2 pictures here so you can see it in different light.  In terms of application, I used 3 coats because 2 coats didn't show enough of the base.  But it was surprisingly easy to work with for a glitter.  And it has worn pretty well.   But this sucker was holy-moley-such-a-pain to remove.  Again...the glitter.  But totally worth it.  This is the 2nd time I've worn it since getting it, so yeah, I must think so.

I honestly haven't gotten any other lacquers from them in the past (although I do have Blowing Raspberries for answering a survey - a full size of it, so kudos to them for doing the free gift thing right!!)..because I really like to see my polish before I buy. 

So here's the big huge butter London news:

Starting this Friday, April 1, butter London will be in *ALL* Ulta stores here in the US.  I had a rep tell me about it back when I called to get something straightened out on my NMWK pre-order and then actually verified by asking on their Facebook page yesterday.  So yay!  I can't wait to check out all their gorgeous shades in person!!  I'm sure you can expect to see a few here.

J Crew Maritime Dress

So lesson learned on Friday...when you're in Polyvore and click on Blogger, it will post the set right to your blog as a new post.  Hmmm....this could take laziness to new levels for me.  Click, click, click...

And it's just taken me this long to get to the regular post.  The usual weekend stuff....

J Crew Maritime Dress (#37228, $78).  I had been curious about this dress ever since seeing it in the catalog and a few weeks ago my fave PS, Jill, emailed to tell me it was in, so she held it for me.  I asked for an M, but she said she'd hold an S & M as it was running large. 

Oh yes, it most definitely was running large. I know I've lost weight since last summer, but...  Anyway, the M was huge on me.  To my fave petite JCA girls, I hope the XXS works on you - but considering how much room there with the S on me, I don't know.  Definitely worth a try-on IRL or getting measurements from CS before ordering.

Wide-shouldered gals, like myself, guess what?  Plenty of room in the shoulders.  Maybe because it's knit? But no pulling or tightness. Yay!  The knit on this is nice & substantial - esp important when there are wide white stripes.  And did you notice the cute zippers on each side at the bottom?  What a fun detail!

As you can tell from the previous post, the PV set, I wore this on Friday.  A gorgeous early spring day.  Nice & warm, sunny, just perfect.  I paired it with black leggings and my black TOMS.  The TOMS themselves merit a post of their own which I promise I'll get to.  I'll just say this - love love love.  Then a pair of gold hoops and a ponytail to show off the hoops and the nicely wide neckline, and I was good to go.

I thought the dress worked really well with the leggings.  If you're nervous about the length, they are a perfect solution.  And they kept my legs warm - it was nice outside, but not that nice, and you all know I always run cold.  Without the leggings, yes, it's a short dress.  No, I won't be belting it like in the online pic because (1) I don't wear belts, and (2) that would likely make it too short.  When it's warmer, I'll be wearing it with anything flat shoe-wise - sandals, Converse, TOMS, espadrilles, navy flats, yellow flats.   

Definitely a fun dress for spring!!

Nail Files - Perfect Monday Polish - "I Vant to Be A-Lone Star"

Oh dreary Monday...well, it's sunny here but so windy and chilly and just...ewww...soggy after a soaking rain yesterday; my backyard is the consistency of a sopping wet sponge.  Time to curl up with a cup of hot tea...and maybe a good book or magazine.  If I hadn't been too lazy to do my nails last night, this is the polish I would/should be wearing today.

I Vant to Be A-Lone Star by OPI, part of the Spring/Summer Texas Collection.  I admit, I wasn't expecting much when I went to the store to see the collection as I definitely tend to skew to OPI's Fall/Winter collections far more than any other.  But I actually came home with 2 of the polishes!  No pics yet of the green ("Don't Mess with OPI".  ummmm, don't worry, I won't) but with St Patty's day coming up, you can bet I will.

As usual...love the name...the pairing of the classic Great Garbo quote from Grand Hotel and Texas...yes, they *do* go together.  Ah, who cares, I am totally digging this color.  Per OPI, it's a "starry silver-blue."  It will be my go-to color this spring when I need a break from the depth of Chanel Black Pearl.

With all lighter colors, I hold my breath before opening the bottle.  You never know if you're going to get thick chalkiness or smooth pigment.  Totally smooth on this one.  I love the color.  It's definitely light blue, but it's a softer light blue, because of the silver aspect. 

I could see this on a bride's toes as she walks down the aisle - how pretty would that be?  (Mind on many things bridal, since my BF Patty set the place/date/time and we got bridesmaid dresses and E's flower girl dress and everything.  More on that in future post.) 

I've posted pics in 2 different lights...really just 2 different angles next to the windows by the kitchen...to give you a full idea of the color.  So pretty.  I already told my blue-eyed blonde sister to go out and get it.  I don't even think I suggested it, I pretty much told her she better get it.  But it will be gorgeous on her.

So if you need your nail polish to send a message...or you just want a little mood pick-me-up...I highly recommend this one.

Navy for Spring, including J Crew Shelby Dress

So when my parents were here for a visit Tues-Wed of this week, my mother informed me she was tired to seeing the same darn picture of my fingernails on my blog.  Ok...'nuff said...I've been wanting to get back to blogging.  Black Pearl by Chanel is lovely, but you can only stare at it for so long....even for me....

And now that I am cast- & splint-free, I really have no excuse.  I got discharged by my occupational therapist on Thursday and the hand surgeon on Friday last week, no surgery needed. Immobilization by cast & splint did the trick.  And apparently,  I have weirdly hyper-flexible thumbs, so even though I don't have all the movement back in my right thumb, I can still bend it more than the vast majority of the population.  And I'm working on strength.  Every bottle or jar I open is a victory.  Uber-bendy thumbs...who would have thought? 

So... a slew of pre-spring purchases to share.  And boy have I been on a navy streak....just like I am every spring.  (note same navy flats and, as appropriate, Gap jeans.  and...the cast...this was a quick try-on session)

Let's start with J Crew.  The Shelby Dress (#35083, $128).  Wow, still full price, and I bought it a month and a half ago.  Huh, how about that.  What can I say?  Love love love.  It's navy, so that always wins in my book.  I love the eyelet.  I tried on the white, because I've been looking for a LWD for summer, but navy was so much better on me.  Yes, the dress is short, but you know me - I'll be wearing it with flats or flat sandals to ground it.  And interestingly enough, the white read as shorter on me than the navy.  Optical illusion?  Who knows - but it was the navy I fell for and brought home.   

I took a 6 in the dress.  And even though I've been sizing down across the board due to the weight loss, I really think this dress runs large.  It doesn't get you in the ribcage like so many JC dresses do.

Love the cut of the dress.  There's a lot of fabric up top, but because it's shirred, I didn't feel like it looked "vacant" up there.  At the same time, if you are busty or actually have curves, I think the dress could totally accommodate that, too.I'll wear it tons.  Nicely out to dinner or to church.  Or just running around town. 

Next from J Crew, the Stripe Tux Tunic, (#34997, orig $79.50, now marked down to $19.99 on the website, all sizes available).  I certainly didn't pay full price for this one.  I believe it was marked down, and then I got 30% off.  So the price was not too far off the current price.  Glad I didn't pay full price.  It's really cute but it has its limitations, for sure. 

I took an M in the top, but if you aren't as large in the shoulders as I am, you could definitely go down a size. 

IMO, the *only* way to wear this is with very slim bottoms.  In my quick try-on pics, I've got a pair of Gap legging jeans (which merit their own post soon, because I've been living in them).  But truthfully, I actually liked them better with the black Minnies when I tried them on in store.  The color of the stripes is "washed navy" - very pretty, but it almost works better with the black slim pants. And likely white jeans, since I wear them with everything in the spring.  But again - slim is the operative word here. 

I wore pretty much this outfit to the Valentine's parties at school.  Loved it.  It will be a fun top for spring.  But again, not worth full price. 

Moving on to Ann Taylor and more stripes.  Because the only thing better than navy in spring is navy stripes. No idea what this dress was called.  But when I saw it and then tried it on...again, it was love.  I usually wear sundresses in the summer, but there are lots of times that you just want a sleeve.  This dress perfectly fits the bill. 

I love the wide scoopneck - and have even tested it to verify that yes, you can lean over and the top stays put.  Often with necklines like this, to get the dress large enough in the shoulders, the scoopneck is so loose that I would end up flashing everyone any time I bent down to put something on the dinner table!  So bravo, Ann Taylor...or should I say...brava!

In case you happen to run into one of these in the sale section, I took an M.  It's fitted but not tight.  And way comfy (is there any other way for my wardrobe?  no...not really)

I think my mom actually liked this one better than the J Crew one.

I'll wear it with any kind of shoe in my closet really - sandals, TOMS, flats, whatever.  With hoops and a ponytail, I'm done for summer.

Finally, a quick run-through at the Loft.  Wow, the Splitneck Lounge Tunic is mega-on sale, with extra % off even!!  It was orig $34, pretty sure I had a % off when I bought it, though...but that was back during the cast days.  Now it's $29.99 with 40% off.  

I took an M - the S was too tight in the shoulders.  This top is very thin, which you may not be able to tell so much in the picture. And when they say splitneck...they mean it.  No way can I go without a cami underneath. 

I picture wearing this with every pair of slim pants under the sun that I own - white jeans, khakis, cafe capris, and (duh) regular jeans.  It would also be way cute with Bermudas.  

The top has a button on the outside of the sleeve and a tab inside so that you can roll up and secure the sleeves.  If you wear it with sleeves down, the tab may bug you a bit, but shoot, paying that little for a cute spring top, who cares?

So you can tell by the 2nd pic that I was realizing the riculosity of posing with a big blue cast on.  Is riduclosity a word?  It should be...perfectly describes my state of being while I was dealing with this thumb mess. 

Nail Files - Chanel Spring 2011 - Black Pearl

Holidays are over...and back to blogging....  Yes, took a little longer than I anticipated but more on that in a minute...

I finally got to the mall on Friday to do the round of Christmas returns and exchanges.  Yes, it took me *that* long.  More on that in a minute....

And I had seen the pics online, but as I rounded the corner at Nordstrom and passed by the Chanel counter I came to a dead stop.  Spring nail polish.  Black Pearl.  I know you've been waiting for me...  I'm not going through my ridiculous visit-it-each-week saga that I had with their Paradoxal.  So I bought it.  And the spring Jersey Rose Rouge Coco lipstick.  I needed the pick-me-up.  More on that in a minute... (are you getting this?)

Quick note on Jersey Rose - ok, maybe I was a little inspired by my newfound lust for Jersey Mike's subs (#2 & #5, where have you been all my life?  I'll take it Miek's way, no onions, with a glaze of mayo on the bread, mmmmmm).  It's a beautiful lip color for Spring - but really for any day - a very pretty light but warm pink.  

But onto the nail polish because that's I'm loving that even more....

How to describe it?  Black Pearl is a dark gray/green/black/teal metallic.  It's gorgeous.  I've said before that I'm not a fan of blue-ish greens and they don't work on me.  This one is dark enough that the slight teal tone doesn't faze me one bit.  But it is also very clearly *not* black, unlike some of my many dark polishes.  It is the exact color of my car, actually.  Maybe that's why I bonded with it so heavily.  I think this is a perfect color for now inwinter...but it will be great in spring to offset all the soft floaty colors & fabrics.  It will also just rock with navy, my personal fave for spring. 

And I must fish for compliments...isn't that a great manicure?  That's even without the morning shower cuticle scrub, which just isn't happening right now (more on that in less than a minute).  I'm going to pat myself on the back for this one.

And why?

Well...back to all that "more on that in a minute" stuff...I think it's a darned impressive mani, when my right hand looks like this:
 

That's right, friends...this is what we call a "short arm" cast.  This is what you get when you are 39 but think you're still 25 and can move heavy furniture down steps with your husband.  So when the huge & heavy entertainment center starts sliding down the stps at you and you actually don't want it to pin you to the wall, thumbs are secondary to the issue at hand.  ("at hand," ha!)  Don't judge me for the bad puns, right now I need all the entertainment I can get.

So...this is an evulsion fracture, where the ligament popped off the base of the thumb and took a nice little chunk of bone with it.  So, in a cast for 4 weeks and then a splint for 2 and then there's only a 5-10% chance I'll need surgery.  DC/MD-ers- if you need a hand surgeon, I've got a great one!

And yes, I did say "right hand" earlier- it's my right thumb and I'm right-handed.  I should also mention that this happened 3 days before Christmas and I hadn't done any wrapping yet. 

So life is interesting...and frustrating...and entertaining...and a pain in the butt...but always funny.  I really should YouTube the process of getting ready in the morning.  It's a hoot.  I will say the dry cast cover for the shower now ranks is my favorite invention ever. 

So yeah, I needed the pick me up of a pretty lippie, I'm not really able to do the morning-after-main cuticle scrub to clean up my sloppy work, it just took me a while to get to the mall (shoot, I'm still trying to figure out which sweaters fit over the cast), and I've been getting used to typing without use of my right thumb. 

But most of all - I did my own nails...holding the nail polish brush between my index & middle fingers (base + top coat, too, of course).  Then again...that's how I've been doing my mascara, eyebrow pencil, and eyeliner every day. And how I use the long sharp knives to cut.  And so on and so forth.

Not that I'm complaining too much.  It could be so much worse.  So we'll leave it at 'entertaining" for now.

Happy 2011 to all!

And Why Am I Looking at Spring Shoes Again???

Did you enjoy the game last night? And if you don't really care about football, did you at least have some yummy snacks and good company? I was happy the Saints won, but admittedly that paled in comparison to the fact that hubby and I won $60 from the squares game since he successfully picke squares for the ending scores at the 1st, 3rd & 4th quarter. Go random!! And he successfully recouped his $20 investment, while I managed to snag the net of $40. Yay me...you can guess where that's going...

But speaking of football, I wanted to refer you Saints fans and Francophiles over to a blog that my friend snaphappy referred me to - Simply Southern - where she has a history 101 lesson on the fleur de lis. And it's just a fun blog to read - lots of fun events posts and great quotes - esp this one from Phyllis Diller that she posted yesterday:

The reason women don't play football is because eleven of them would never wear the same outfit in public. (hehehe, don't you love it?)

So...I'm sitting here at the computer, just cracking up...and the source of my midday mirth is not the usual afternoon viewing of peopleofwalmart.com, but the continually updating Winter Storm Warnings. After getting 27" of snow in my front yard this past weekend as part of the DC Snowpacolypse, we are now expecting...wait for it...10-20" of snow Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon. First it was going to be a few inches, then yesterday afternoon, it bumped up to 5"+, then this morning, 5-10", and now this. Oy....

Since when did the prospect of 10" of snow make DC blase? Seriously? Hubby is so done with the snow. I don't blame him - he commutes (worked from home today, though). And he does the lion's share of the manual labor. I do shovel, though. However, if it's the weekend, like with this snow, he does most of it because he's here.

But if you want to smile, here's my fave pic from this weekend of Lucy racing down the hill behind the pool where we were sledding yesterday:

But enough about the snow...at least until I get the pictures formatted...and to keep you entertained until then, I have two new shoe purchases to share...

Long-time readers probably remember me whining about my favorite Isaac Mizrahi sandals from Target - the Liz gladiator sandal in bronze snake. I have gone through 2 pairs of these. They go with literally everything and are so comfortable to boot. (pun...hehehe) Anyway, if I had realized that Isaac was jumping ship to Liz Claiborne, I would have stockpiled that sandal. No such luck, and I baby my last pair, only wearing them when I really really really want to and nothing else matches an outfit, because like I said, they do go with everything.

And then last Saturday (previous weekend, the one with just a few inches, not feet, of snow), I was wandering around Target to grab a couple of birthday presents for M&E for parties they were going to on Sunday. As I was by my little old self, I wandered around the shoes, just browsing...and what in the world did I see there but an almost exact duplicate for my beloved Liz sandals???? This is the Elyssa sandal by Merona Collection ($19.99). (and yes, that's me who wrote the current 1 review)

At left, below, is the new Elyssa sandal, at right is the old Liz sandal.

Before I get to the shoe comparison, a few points:

1 - Liz and Elyssa. I'm suuuuure it's just a coincidence that the names are sooooo similar. (Oh, was that sarcastic? Sorry. Maybe they were just trying to make it easy for me.)

2 - I know there has been a lot of discussion in the blogosphere about the Merona Collection taking the literal and metaphorical place of the Target Isaac Mizrahi line. This seals the deal for me. No question about it.

3 - My pedi polish is OPI You Don't Know Jacques from the 2008 Fall/Winter Collection. One of my all time faves and may actually be the first colored polish that necessitates me buying a new bottle because I've used so much (you know me, I'm all about the polish).

I didn't get the sandals that Saturday because it was actually snowing outside. I did, however, get them the very next day when I was there killing time while E was at one of the parties. (wasn't actually snowing then) Ironically, the oh so kind, generous, and clearly eagle-eyed jmpb of Polyvore Pictures, who also was sent me an email last week alerting me to the sandals at Target. I love you, jmpb - you are awesome!

Details on the shoe - it's also available in silver metallic and black, both with silver accents (the buckle & the little ring over the toes where the straps meet. However, it appears that the silver and black may only be available online. I took my regular size, a 9. It has padding in the sole. The straps may look thin, but don't seem to rub at all or be too tight - however, because of the 3 straps spread around the front of the foot, the sandal is nicely fitted and doesn't slide around. Lazy me, this is important - but like the IM version, the heel strap is just loose enough so that you can juuuuust stretch it over your hell without having to unbuckle. (Yes, I do look for that in ALL my sandals.)

The only real difference I can see between the 2 sandals is the footbed. Instead of the bronze footbed that matched the straps (and hid dirt), the new sandal has a Vachetta-ish footbed with stitching around the outside. I can't vouch for total comfort since I haven't actually worn them around much, but initial trials give them a total thumbs up. And even if they don't work for full-day wear, they are still more supportive than my JC Danielles.

Polyvore with stock photo comparison:

Happy Feet by HeidiGblog featuring Isaac Mizrahi shoes

And onto the next shoe...the Born Lovely Flat ($84.95, available at Nordstrom). No really, that's its name. And lovely it is.

I had been eyeing these flats ever since I got an email featuring them. They are available in black, pink, yellow, and green (see Polyvore at bottom). And a huge thank you to Erin for reminding me that they are available in silver also (separate listing on Nordstrom.com here but same price).

And I am perfectly happy to pay $84.95 for them. (yes, another case of full price love - I don't count Target shoes as full price since they're so cheap to begin with...and I say that with love.)

I love ballet flats...as you probably realize from the fact that I wear them all the time and that I have them all over my blog header. But no, they aren't terribly supportive - whether they are from Target or J Crew. Usually I get around that with a trusty gel insole.

However, these ballet flats...from Born...they're as comfy and as supportive as you would expect. They are so comfy that I even wore them around town running errands last Friday morning as the Snowpacolypse was starting because I wanted to wear them just one more time before boot-weather set in again. My feet sing when I wear them. Not only are they supportive - but they are soft - the leather is so soft...as soft as my Selby bag.

I took a size 9 and they fit very well. You may want to considering sizing down a 1/2 size (per the advice in the Nordstrom reviews). If you are used to JC shoes, definitely size down.

My only issue with these shoes was what color or colors to get. For starters, don't shoot me for getting them in black. My current pair of soft leather plus gel insole Target black flats are just done. They need to go bye-bye. So I really did need a pair of black. My issue here is color. I decided to get a 2nd pair of flats with a little bit of birthday money from my inlaws, which had been patiently camping out in my wallet.

I decided to get the yellow, thinking that it would be a really great lighter neutral-ish color to wear with pretty much any other color. The question then is does the yellow work with my skintone or fight with it? Should I get the pink or green instead, realizing that neither is quite as versatile. Still chewing this one over in my brain, folks.

Polyvore with all the pretty pretty colors.

Born 'Lovely' Flat by HeidiGblog featuring Born flats

J Crew TALL Minnies and the Long Beach Cardi

My lovely little UPS package arrived yesterday afternoon and I could not wait to tear into it. It has been a while since I've been *this* excited for a package. And what was in my package???

Well, for starters, as I mentioned in my Wednesday post, my beloved Minnie pants are now available in Tall. ($24646, $89.50) And that means a 29" inseam instead of the usual 26". The Talls are offered in sizes 0 to 14. And the regular and petites start at size 00. (GingerSnap and Rosa in DC - think the petites in 00 might work finally?)

Yes, I know the Minnies are supposed to be cropped, but they were a little too cropped for bare 45-degree weather wear. They were great at 50 degrees with ballet flats and they were awesome in boots. But sometimes, even when it's in the 40's, I get tired of wearing boots all the time and want a change.

These are fantastic - still definitely an intentional crop but with a bit less skin showing. And I can always wash and dry them once to get the length to shrink up a bit if I think they need it. Honestly, I ran into a situation with my current Minnies and needed to machine wash them several times to get Lake-smell out of them and they definitely appear a wee bit shorter (but that probably was due to the dryer).

In any case, now I have 2 pairs of black Minnies and I'm positively thrilled.

But don't even get me started on the next item or I just won't shut up. I have been lusting after this cardigan ever since it came out in January. And imagine my disappointment to see the dreaded phrase "jcrew.com/catalog only". So annoying...


I present the J Crew Long Beach Cardigan (#20796, $138). I ordered the navy in M. Right now, it looks like all sizes of the light pewter and XS & XL in navy are backordered until 5/17. (But we all know that JC usually ships early, right?) I got the navy, and as it shows on the website, it's not a solid color - there are some gorgeous color striations in it. Just lovely.

On to fit...um...perfect. It was so comfy that I didn't want to take it off and put on my day's outfit. The sweater is a nice and chunky linen & cotton blend. Just thick enough, but not bulky. I was impressed with the streamlined fit of the cardi. The collar is a great detail - a generous width. Haven't tried buttoning up the collar yet to see if it works, will have to try that.

From the pictures, it certainly seems sheer, but IRL, it doesn't really seem that way. Interesting. I guess it's like when starlets get photographed on the red carpet with all kinds of things showing - the flashbulb makes a lot of things show up.

How am I going to wear this? To begin with, I doubt I'll be pairing it with the black Minnies. Forgive the styling here...they were in the same box. I had the camera out. Trying to keep it easy (on me) here...

In reality - I will wear the cardi with jeans - lots of jeans - boyfriend jeans, skinny jeans, white jeans. All of them. Probably my khaki cafe capris. Maybe a shorter pair of khaki shorts for fun. Top-wise, this could be the main event with a tank/cami, or layered over a tee or pretty much any other shirt.

For a cooler-weather spring look, a tissue turtle would totally work with the cardi. And it would be great over the right dress. Not sure I have that dress. If only JC had made the Playa in tan linen like I wanted them to, that would have been perfect. In any case, I'm quite sure I'll be sporting it often this spring and summer.

And I'm sitting here trying to figure out when "not too early for linen/cotton" is. Of course, we are getting our storm of the century with 20"-30" of snow right now, so what on earth am I thinking?

As you can see by the pictures at left, I tried it open, closed, and with the top 2 buttons only done. And they all worked. You belters out there will have fun belting this with a myriad of underlayers.

I'm sure you're wondering about the price, huh? For me, is this full price worthy? In a word...absolutely. Here's the thing...for me, it replaces not 1, but 2 sweaters.

The first is a navy linen/cotton longer hooded henley sweater from Banana Republic that is about 4 years old and most definitely shopworn. Bye bye to that one.

The second is the library shawl cardi which, much as I love it, is showing its age because I've had to get 2 small holes repaired (1 totally my fault, the other only partly my fault and really Lucy's, but seriously, who wears a good sweater around a small puppy???) and even more so because of my weight loss. When I got the cardi in an L last year, 15 pounds ago, it totally worked. Now, it's just kinda too big for me. (won't be getting rid of the LSC, though, as it will be perfect for wearing around the house with yoga pants).

Could it be my perfect sweater? Hmmmm, I don't know that anything can truly replace the Jackie, but this is pretty darn close. It definitely makes it into my sweater hall of fame.

Spring is Sprung...at White House Black Market

So we got 4-5" of snow Tuesday night. And we are due for 16-24" this Fri/Sat. And quick, let me post this before the total goes up again. Yes, I'm still in MD...I didn't move. Crazy. But I love the snow, I really do. The kids love to play in it. Lucy loves to run around in it because (1) it's snow and she's a Labradoodle, duh, and (2) M is outside as much as he possibly can be (we call him in when his lips are blue) so she has someone to play with pretty much constantly outside.

Winter is in full throttle here. But I'm still loving and longing for pretty spring clothes. And I have the Spring 2010 lookbook video from White House Black Market to share with you all...and oh it's so gooooooood....

Quick background...how did I get this? A wonderful PR specialist from Chico's/WHBM/Soma - y'all knew they were same umbrella right? - sent me a lovely thank you after I posted on the Chico Ultra Slim Leg jeans. Which, by the way, are still an utter fave and I wear them constantly...I can't wait to get a pair of the Slim Leg jeans in white for spring/summer, but need to go to Chicos to try on.

Here's my quick white jeans tip, which I think I've shared before - with white jeans, about 50% of the time, you need to size up - even with the same size/cut that works perfectly on you in regular washes. White jeans just aren't as forgiving as normal denim...but they are so fabulous...so if you haven't been able to make them work before...go 1 size up...seriously.

But without further ado (and i sure do ado a lot), here is the Spring 2010 Lookbook from White House Black Market...

I am such a sucker for the Parisian chic look. Give me an empty airy space, some French music, and a dog and I am there. Oh wait...that's exactly what they did...how did they know that's what I crave every spring? I guess that's why they do what they do...

So what are you digging from the collection? I love the Pink Tiered Top (#560000345, $88). What a pretty piece for spring & summer. With white jeans...yum! So soft and drapey, the tiers look incredibly flattering and well placed. (while I see the online pic with the top off shoulder, given my linebacker shoulders, I think I would go on-shoulder as in the video - just much more flattering on me.)

The purses...hmmm, I think I want them all. This one is way fun - Pearl Dust Ruffle Wristlet (570000839, $48). And the size...10" by 5"...it could hold my keys *and* my sunglasses at the same time. Woot woot! Oh, I'm so tired of skimpy little going-out bags...even E carries more than that out, and she's 7!!

The dresses...lots of gorgeous choices, too. The Chiffon Leaf Print Blouson Chemise is particularly dreamy (#560000836, $148). I can see this at a garden party...for brunch...dinner out with hubby...and I love it paired with the little white jacket - I can see a jacket totally changing the mood of this dress.

So what are you craving for spring?

J Crew Spring Arrivals - Dresses & the Rest

First of all, I will note that I did not get any of these dresses I have posted. Good to clear that up to begin with.

Dress #1 - Retail Only and I didn't get it, so I'll make this up - the Flutter Front Dress (#21811, $69.50) in black, also available in SGR (soft green? sage green? souper green?)

This was another piece that was available in the first spring release, but I just hadn't posted it yet.

I took an M. It fit fine. This seems repetitive (well not to you, but I'm writing this post in reverse order) - I liked it, but I didn't FP love it. A cute dress. Very versatile for the summer.

The other reason I didn't get it? The color. I have enough black knit dresses right now. And the soft green color was very pretty, just not for me.

But if you are needing some more knit summer dresses to add to your summer wardrobe, definitely give this one a try.

Dress #2 - Gabriella Dress (#24330, $69.50), which I tried on in an M. And Pamela tried it on here. I was cracking up as I read her comments because I was like - exactly! It's exactly what I was thinking. I tried this dress on because of how much I loved my dressy jersey strapless dresses last summer. And, as Pamela said, definitely for $19.99 or $29.99. Not worth FP for me.

First of all, it's strapless, with no add-on strap. I don't think I ever wore my dressy jersey strapless dresses without the strap last summer. Second, one of the reasons I wore the djsd so often is that I could wear it without a bra due to the double layer of fabric plus ruching over the bust. This dress...like the Sanur convertible dress, only has the double layer of fabric, so I'm not sure I'd feel so secure wearing it without a bra. But it would be a fab bathing suit coverup (which is actually what I plan to do with my djsd's when they start to fade out of everyday wear...but that's how I repurpose all my little knit summer dresses.)

Dress #3 - Rumpled Meron Dress (#22748, $132) in Black Fog. Loved the color of this. Just gorgeous. i have on a size 10 here - I find that in the shift dresses, I really need a 10 at J Crew to accommodate my hips.

I liked the dress...but I didn't love it. Or at least I didn't FP love it.

The fabric is what really makes this dress - such a gorgeous color. The fabric has such a rich color and sheen IRL.

Pear warning - this dress has a loose fit (which you can see on me as well as the online pic where it's belted). The online copy even reads: "Shift silhouette. Loose fit." Those of you who like something very fitted at the waist will probably want to steer clear.

Dress #4 - Ruffled Carly Dress (#21494, $98). Not sure why I'm even bothering with a pic of this one - it's SO much better on dinagideon here and A Bigger Closet here...and then again on A Bigger Closet where she re-fashioned it as a tunic. Most impressive.

Bottom line...too short on me. I took an 8, I think. I love the ruffles. I love the weight of the fabric. There just isn't enough fabric covering my thighs. Plus, let's be honest, it may be machine washable, but am I really doing to want to iron this sucker? You know how much I hate to iron. So it's really all for the best.

I would love to see something similar in a slightly longer length however...hint, hint J Crew.

Fitting room tip - if you are concerned about whether or not a skirt or dress is too short, just sit down in it. If you are not comfortable, it's too short.

Now this...this is the dress I want to see. Alas, like many of my other spring release faves, it's catalog/online only. Has anyone tried this one yet? I like the sheer lilac color, but I really LOVE the pewter.

Jersey Promenade Gown (#23480, $118). I've been trying to find a maxi dress that really works on me. You would think that being tall would make it easy, but it seems to make it worse. It's just so much fabric. I think this dress could potentially work because (1) it has a more defined (and longer) waist than many maxi dresses, and (2) it looks comfy but not overly flowy.

The only thing that concerns me is the bodice - I worry that I wouldn't really fill it. And what kind of bra do you wear with this? But oh the possibilities this dress has...{le sigh}

And here's the Minnie update. Apparently Minnie is quite the success. The beloved Minnie pant is now available in denim (#23559, $98, yes, almost $10 more than the regular Minnie). No IRL pic from me because honestly, the denim Minnies were just not good at all on me...to the point where I couldn't wait to take them off as soon as I put them on. They just did not work. And my fave SA and personal shopper, Jill, told me they were the same on her. (I love the honesty - she never steers me wrong.)

The Minnie is also now available in wool, as a Collection piece (#17347, $168). Shoot, I'd consider going there. But maybe not at FP unless I really really really thought I'd wear them that much.

But the best (to me) Minnie news is that the Minnie is now available in Tall (#24646) and Petite (#24645), both $89.50 - same price as regular Minnies. I have a pair of Tall Minnies on the way that should arrive later this week (with the long beach cardi), and I'll post as soon as I can. Here's the thing...I love my Minnies, but with a 26" inseam, I have to wear boots unless it's a good 50 degrees outside. So I had gotten out of the habit of wearing them a bit in early winter. But I think the extra 3" of length will make them even more versatile. Maybe even office worthy?

And again, if you've posted on the above, please let me know and I'd love to update with your link. Thanks!

J Crew Spring Arrivals - Sweaters and Lots of 'Em

Well, dresses will have to wait for another post...this sucker is long. You all know how much I loooooove sweaters, so not surprisingly, that's where I gravitated when I headed into the J Crew to check out the new release. (like I said, dresses in another post, since they're my other fave.)

Sweater #1 - This one is actually from the previous release in January, but I hadn't posted it yet. Boyfriend Beach Cardigan (#24597, $118) in heather dusk. Nope, didn't do it for me. I have on size M here.

I really had high hopes for this one. I am still looking for this year's library shawl cardigan...something long and cozy and that I'll love as much. This isn't it. I know I love a slouchy silhouette, but this just felt all kinds of boxy on me. And this was the better picture - the other one, for some reason, gave my tummy rolls that I don't really have - and that shouldn't be showing in such a thick sweater.

It's a thick cotton knit, very cozy. I think it's just totally the wrong cut for me. If you are curvier and/or shorter, I think this sweater will be fantastic on you. Boobs definitely would have helped this one out.

The length was just not good because it was too short to be long and just long enough to not be short. Does that make sense? It does to me. If it doesn't to you, have another cup of tea (or glass of wine).I would also like to note that I swear it looks longer in the online pic than it does on me, and I know their models are taller than 5'10".

But to solve my library shawl cardi woes, I did order the Long Beach Cardigan - the navy isn't backordered like the light pewter, so hopefully I'll see that this week, and will post when I do.

Sweater #2 - Merino-Linen Camp Cardigan (#21831, $98), in fawn. Right, because when you think of the one fabric, you automatically think of the other. Ok, that just sounded snotty. Sorry. I didn't really love or even like all that much this sweater. I did like the fawn color. This is a sweater that would be a bit difficult to wear closed unless you are really sucked in underneath or you are wearing it large. The thinness of the knit shows every flaw - I found that it clinged on me instead of flowing. Like how I added the watermark to camouflage the tummy ripples? This would probably work best over a structured underlayer like an actual shirt instead of tank or tee. I love how they styled it online with the dark tank underneath.

I do like the sleeves - the button you see on the sleeve enables you to roll up the sleeves to just above the elbow and fasten. So it works well rolled up...but the button is just kinda hanging out there when the sleeves are at full length.

Here's the thing...I was trying these tops on with a cami and my Chicos slim jeans...the most basic of canvases for these sweaters. And if it doesn't look good with that as the backdrop, chances are that it's not going to work well with much else. Pass for me...especially at full price.

Here's another shot with the sleeve rolled up. See...better, but still not great. And if it's not something required (e.g., uniform, bridesmaid dress - well, I guess that *is* a uniform), why wear something you don't feel great in?

And like the boyfriend beach cardigan above, I don't necessarily want to pay full price for a cardi that only works open...esp when that full price is awfully close to $100.

Back to the fabric blend itself - anyone have any thoughts on the wool/linen pairing? I found it a little odd. Different strokes for different folks and all that...

Sweater #3 - Scalloped Zipper Cardigan (#23423, $98) in heather stone. See it also on dinagideon here, who has the figure to wear it, and on Pamela, who also looks great (and has a great close up of the ruffle/zipper detail..

I like this cardi...I really do. Zippers, ruffles, cardigan...what's not to love? Other than the length. Oh, I had high hopes for this one, too...but as soon as I saw it IRL, I had an inkling that it wouldn't work. Why? Length again. Let's be honest, I would probably be most likely to wear this with a tee/tank and jeans or Minnies...since that's my usual everyday uniform.

I have a size M here, and the fit is fantastic, except that, darnitall, I want an extra inch or two at the bottom. It's not even as cropped as the dream cabin cardigan from last season, but it's still just short enough that it doesn't feel long enough. I just wasn't feeling it...at least not at full price.

This would be a fantastic sweater with a dress underneath, esp an LBD. But I don't wear enough of those to justify. So it's a pass for me...maybe I would consider on sale, but given how cute this is on dina and the SAs I've seen wearing it, I doubt it will get there. And as I've said before and will continue to say...wouldn't it be boring if we all were wearing the exact same things from J Crew???

Sweater #4 - This appears to be retail only, at least for now. Per my receipt, its the "Cashfeel Kyla Long Yoga Cardi". (#25135, $88).

Again, I must refer you to Dina's post that I linked to above, where she referred to this as the "UGLY SWING STYLE MERINO CARDIGAN IN A PRETTY COLOR". Clearly she only feels lukewarm about it.

But before we get to fit, how gorgeous are these colors? BLI (bright lilac?), plus honey - in Dina's post (and there were several neutrals as well). Yum. If we see more of this as the spring line continues to roll out, I will be a happy woman. Unlike the warm, fleshy pinky corals, these colors I love. And wear.

However, when you are shaped like a brick, or have wide shoulders with not much chest - sorta like a big, wide clothes hanger, like me you can pull this off. Dina thought it made her shoulders look small. So I said, sweet, I am all over that!! Smaller shoulders? Sign me up.

Yes, it's swingy, but if you have the shoulders for it, you can do it. You just need to make sure your underlayers are fitted to balance out the shape of the sweater.

I bought this sweater, but then I returned it. So why didn't I keep the sweater? Much as I love the shape, I just wasn't sure I wanted to spend FP on a yoga sweater. And over the weekend, I ordered the long beach cardigan, so I wasn't sure I really needed it at this point. I can definitely see this going on sale later, so maybe I'll pick up one then.

I would like to draw your attention to the tank I am wearing underneath - the Tissue Tier Tank (#23338, $39.50). This is a fantastic underlayer...as long as you keep your sweater/jacket closed. Can you see how appallingly sheer the not tiered part is? I wish it had come in darker colors. This is an M, by the way.

Now...don't laugh too hard...this is the sweater I bought and actually kept.

Sweater #5 - Jackie Cardigan (#85613, $62), in pearl. First of all, the picture does not do this cardi justice. Or the online pic. The color is neutral, yes, but gorgeous - pale khaki, like the color of a chocolate-vanilla milkshake. You know, made with vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, instead of using chocolate ice cream. Yum! Add a shot or two of Godiva white chocolate liquor and now we're really talking...

Um, back to the sweater. I pounced on this as soon as I saw it in the store. For me, the Jackie is the perfect summer cardigan. And I love that it's light, but it's not quite white - so it won't show dirt quite as easily. M & E are growing up but, hello, they are still kids. And well, I'm still one of the clutziest people on earth.

And I love, I mean really love, this color cardi with a white tee underneath - so crisp. You will definitely see me in this cardi with a white tee & white jeans this spring.

And I did get 2 perfect fit tanks, since they're on special in store for $14. Always a good time to stock up. Basic, boring, but necessary.

Next post....dresses from the spring rollout. But it's time to head to the bus stop.

ps - if you've tried these items on, please let me know and I'll add the link - but I hadn't quite caught up on blog reading before posting.