Monday, August 1, 2011

Notes From the Dressing Room- Fall Time at J. Crew

I was very excited to view J. Crew's new fall arrivals online and in the catalog. So much color and texture had me wanting this wave of hot weather to end, so I can put on a blazer. Here are a few new arrival reviews from a much anticipated visit to the store.

Jardin skirt in Rich Purple, $88, available here

Schoolboy blazer in Pearl Grey, $188, available here

Let's start at the bottom. I zeroed in on this color while I was walking through the store. It is a gorgeous shade of purple!! The fabric gives it a nice, floaty feel, especially with a few layers to it. I didn't feel like the poofy-ness made it look extra big on the body. With all of those plusses, this just wasn't a hit. It's at the "trendy" midi-length and I think this would have looked better if it was either shorter or longer. Fit is tts.

There have been complaints from the J. Crew fans out there that the Schoolboy blazer just isn't up to par with its previous year's versions. I've never purchased a J. Crew blazer before, but I have to add to the chorus that this blazer just wasn't all that fabulous. I was really disappointed too since it looked so great styled in the catalog. Sizing was limited in the store, so I tried on a size up from what I normally wear. It fit pretty well on me minus the shoulders and sleeves being a bit big. My main source of dissatisfaction came from how thin the wool felt. The thinness might not be bad if you plan to layer it with sweaters or turtlenecks, but it translated into a poor overall look. I don't think it is normal to find such wrinkling in a good wool garment, especially a blazer. I definitely don't feel that the almost $200 price tag is warranted. Let's hope the other blazers are better because I have a Hacking jacket coming soon (fingers crossed).




Chambray Tuxedo Tunic in Rich Purple, $69.50, available here
New Cafe Capri in Wool in Camel, $118, available here

With so many wonderful colors available, I had to try on the wool cafe capri pants. I've been on the lookout for a nice pair of khaki pants for the upcoming season. This pair will not be it. I've read a few reviews that stated these pants were itchy and that they were. They were also a pretty thin wool, which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but given how wrinkled they were on the hanger, it doesn't bode well for the fit and feel of these pants. I tried on a size smaller than normal and the fit was just a tiny bit snug, so I would say this is tts.

I'm normally not one for tunics, but this one was such a soft, pretty shade of purple. I thought this was a nice piece and would look lovely styled the right way (and probably with a belt). Fit is true to size, but you should probably base that on your bust size.




Ruthie Shirtdress in Gatsby Green, $118, available here

Hmm, what to say about this dress. It has a good shape to it, but in my regular size, this dress was a really snug fit and the bust part just wasn't working. It's a good olive tone, not too light or dark; I just didn't think it worked for me. It might be good to size up in this one.





Elodie Sleeveless Blouse in Navy, $88, available here
Toothpick Cord in Snowy Thistle, $89.50, available here
This top is pretty cute and looks like the Blythe blouse without sleeves. One interesting thing is that this top is described as silk, but it has a suede-like feel. I'm used to the silkiness of silk, but the texture of this blouse is interesting (and not necessarily in a bad way). I sized down in this top and you can see that it is pulling a bit across the front. I would say go with your normal size, but note that the actual body part might be looser.

I'm all about lavender at the moment, so when I saw this pair of pants in the catalog, I knew I had to try them out. Although they are a light pair of cords, the color would lend itself well to some of the more darker fall colors. I could easily pair this with navy, green, or brown. I tried this on in what I think is my normal pant size, they fit fine, but I have a feeling that it could possibly stretch out with wear.




Minnie Pant in Stretch Twill in Vibrant Flame, $79.50, available here

I have to confess that I just couldn't get on board with the Minnie pant, but this color I couldn't resist. I know this extremely bright color may not work for everyone, but I personally love it. The fiance thinks that this color would be too bright for the fall/winter, but I think this would make a wonderful bright accent on those dreary days. The fit is tts, although I also think this will definitely stretch out with wear. Unfortunately, there were only two left in the store and they didn't have the size down for me to try on.  I also have a big issue with the length. I felt as if this looked like my pants are too short rather than like an actual pair of capri pants, if that makes sense. Shorter ladies can certainly get away with them looking like pants and it would probably hit a better spot on the leg for the tall gals.

Although this was one of the few items I did like, this stayed in the store. I'm still not 100% convinced the Minnie is for me, so I'm thinking about whether I should get something else in the vibrant flame color.




Pipe Dream Hoodie in Bright Persimmon, $78, available here
No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Gilded Tweed Mini, $128, available here in full pencil skirt length (mini version Style #50648)


Close-up of pattern/texture

This hoodie is soft and comfy, but also thin and loose in the arms, almost like a dolman sleeve. I think the orange color is great. Fit is larger than normal, so I would suggest you size down. Although I liked this one, I'm a little hesitant to spend so much on a thin hoodie. I would definitely be concerned about the wear and tear of washing for this type of material.

Tweed is one of my favorite fabrics, so I had to try on this skirt. I love the texture and the colors in the skirt. The fit is tts and I think it is a great skirt. However, this is not the thickest of tweed and so the price gives me pause for paying full price.

Although there was some good pieces with this rollout, I didn't buy any clothing items. However, a new Crystal Venus flytrap necklace is all mine. This does make me excited to see what comes out next. Oh, the color combinations I will be able to create!!


Are you excited for the new J. Crew fall items? What's on your list of faves?

20 comments:

  1. Bright, rich colors look so great on you. Congrats on the necklace. Very pretty :)

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  2. Sorry the the wool cafe capri pants didn't work for you. I thought they looked cute with the tunic. I've found the quality in a lot of these stores has gone down. It's like they're cutting corners on the manufacturing end but not cutting back on the price.
    The only thing that jumped out at me from the J-Crew catalog were the Macalister wedges and the blue and gold stone storm necklace.

    Happy shopping :)

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  3. Oh too bad about the blazer, I really need to head to the store and try it. I have the Lexington blazer from a few years and it's one of my most cherished jackets so I wondered how the new blazers would compare to it.
    And the red minnie is cute on you but I do recommend sizing down, I don't have them myself (the never worked for me as I really couldn't size down) but a friend got them last fall and they do stretch a lot.

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  4. i like the red minnie on you too,but for me i have the same problem like rosalovesdc,i cant size down.
    i have the venuscrystal flytrap bracelet and love it.i combine it with the jenna bracelet(mini version) and a few of the crystal cuffs(forgot the name).

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  5. I need those mustard pants!!!

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  6. I think the bright flame is a gorgeous color for fall and winter - I am eyeballing the no. 2 pencil skirt in that shade!

    I think my biggest JC fall item is the hacking jacket in the blue. I haven't had a chance to go to a store yet but check them out, but I have a hacking jacket from a few years back that fits me to a t, so I hope they didn't change anything about the fit - I'm waiting for you to get yours though, so I can see your opinion on it!

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  7. @simplychic- Those pants were my favorite! Nothing better than a obnoxiously bright outfit. :)

    @Gigi- Thanks! They had so many nice necklaces on display that it was hard to choose, but I can't wait to wear that flytrap one.

    @Of the Comely- I definitely feel like some corners were cut in making some of the wool pieces which is a shame if J. Crew has made quality items like those in the past without taking such measures.

    Love the MacAlister wedges, those would work with so much and I have my eye on those storm necklaces too!

    @Rosa-Oh, you are lucky to have a past jacket!! Definitely check out the new jackets because I would love to hear your opinion on the differences.
    If I decide to go for the Minnies, I will be sure to size down. No saggy bottoms for me. :)

    @ina- You have some great jewelry pieces there!! I would love to have the Venus Flytrap bracelet. I'm all for bracelets with big crystals.

    @basiccravings- You are not the only one who wants the mustard pants. I saw a picture of Giovanna Battaglia wearing a similar pair of pants in a great outfit and knew I had to recreate it!

    @Lisa- The bright flame pencil skirt would be fabulous!! I've been wondering if I should go for the skirt instead of pants because I need something in that color.

    This might sound bad but I'm not going to get my hopes up too high for this Hacking jacket, at least as far as the quality goes. I know I'm going to love the color though, I just hope it feels worth the price too.

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  8. Great photos and reviews. The vibrant colors look great on you BTW. The schoolboy sure seems to be a disappointment. If I'm not mistaken the chest pocket lining is visible through the wool fabric, which is really bad IMO. I agree with you on the hoodie, it's way too thin for the price.

    Thanks for sharing.

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  9. You are so pretty! I love the jardin color on you. I think it looks great but if you don't love it it's not worth it. You need something in that color though. Love the bright minnies on you.

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  10. Thanks for the pictures! Great job reviewing the new items.

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  11. Those pants are fab! They were the first thing I noticed when I walked into J.Crew on Sunday.
    I loved the blazer but I didn't try it on when I was there. The price just doesn't seem right.
    I'm a little disappointed in J.Crew. Their quality on some items hasn't been the greatest, especially for what they charge. They need to step it up a bit.

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  12. Those pants are fab! They were the first thing I noticed when I walked into J.Crew on Sunday.
    I loved the blazer but I didn't try it on when I was there. The price just doesn't seem right.
    I'm a little disappointed in J.Crew. Their quality on some items hasn't been the greatest, especially for what they charge. They need to step it up a bit.

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  13. Great photos and reviews. The vibrant colors look great on you BTW. The schoolboy sure seems to be a disappointment. If I'm not mistaken the chest pocket lining is visible through the wool fabric, which is really bad IMO. I agree with you on the hoodie, it's way too thin for the price.

    Thanks for sharing.

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  14. I think the bright flame is a gorgeous color for fall and winter - I am eyeballing the no. 2 pencil skirt in that shade!

    I think my biggest JC fall item is the hacking jacket in the blue. I haven't had a chance to go to a store yet but check them out, but I have a hacking jacket from a few years back that fits me to a t, so I hope they didn't change anything about the fit - I'm waiting for you to get yours though, so I can see your opinion on it!

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  15. Oh too bad about the blazer, I really need to head to the store and try it. I have the Lexington blazer from a few years and it's one of my most cherished jackets so I wondered how the new blazers would compare to it.
    And the red minnie is cute on you but I do recommend sizing down, I don't have them myself (the never worked for me as I really couldn't size down) but a friend got them last fall and they do stretch a lot.

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  16. Thanks, Kristin! The purple color of that jardin skirt is absolutely fab! If jazzy purple is the same color as that, I will most definitely picking up something in that shade this season.

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  17. Great reviews! This makes me want the minnie pants now :P

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  18. The pants are fab! You absolutely can't go wrong with that color.

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  19. Great reviews! Thanks so much!!! I just got a pair of Minnies but sized down--as the PS recommended. I also got the Tall verson--I'm 5'8"ish b/c I wanted the longer length. HTH

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