Outfit of the Day: Sweaters and Sparkles

A house party can be a little tricky to dress for. Is it super casual? Would a simple shift be too much or too little? I decided to dress up a sweater with sequins or conversely, to dress down sequins with a sweater. My favorite sweater right now would have to be the French Hen Sweater by J. Crew. It has elements of sophistication and whimsy and is perfect for the Christmas season. Unfortunately, my dad stuck my sweater in the hot dryer and now it's shrunken! :( any tips on how to resurrect my favorite garment?

My outfit:

Top: J Crew French Hen Sweater

Skirt: JC Penney Decree Sequin Bodycon Skirt (here)

Stockings: Express Metallic Back Seam Tights

Jacket: Express Minus-The-Leather Asymmetrical Jacket

Boots: Stuart Weitzman 50/50 Knee High Boot

And an advanced Happy New Year!

Love,

Kim

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Blogosphere + A Little Bit of J Crew

As the fires warm us on this cold winter eve, I would like to wish everyone the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of Holidays. Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope my posts continue to be useful and entertaining. Your visits and comments bring me great joy!

I went to a nearby J Crew on the 24th to see what was new in store. Nothing much really. But I did try on a few things.

J Crew Minnie Pant in Boulevard Green (here)

This is the 2nd time I tried the Minnie pant and my verdict remains the same. While it may be flattering on some ladies, I don't like the fit on the thighs and calves. The material kind of bunches out in the calf area and narrows at the ankle making my calves look more muscular than they are. I think the Cafe Capri is a better fit for me. I am wearing a size 2.

J Crew Classic Mini Felted Wool in Brilliant Fuschia (here)

I liked this skirt a lot. Since it flares out a little at the end, it looks better with a tucked shirt rather than with the top draped over it. The color is a little more purple and less magenta than in this pic. I am wearing a size 00 here. It was also on sale for $69.99.

J Crew Liberty Toothpick Jean in Emma and Georgina (here)

I have been eyeing these jeans for a bit now. I was excited about the printed look and how the pair might be similar in material to polka dot and graphic print denim, both of which have a lovely firm fabric that is oh so flattering. Unfortunately the material of these is similar to the soft garment dyed denim twill. I know it looks pretty good in pictures, but it wasn't as well fitting and slimming in real life. Must be the pose. It runs a size smaller too in my opinion. I am wearing a 27 and am normally a 26. The print is pretty though. I like how the flowers are small and not overbearing.

J Crew Scattered Sequin Sweater (here)

A cute festive sweater that is perfect for the holidays. I don't know if I would wear it outside of Christmas season time though. It is a little shorter than their normal sweaters. Not too itchy at all, but not as soft as the merino or cashmere sweaters. I am wearing a size XS.

J Crew Pear Sweater (here)

Here we have another novelty sweater that I have been a fan of lately. It is a pear, nothing more so I passed. It didn't have the adorable feel of the French Hen or Frenchie Dog sweaters. The length is nice and elongated. I am wearing a size XS

Again, Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones. Keep safe, warm and happy!

Love, 

Kim

Black Friday Part 1: J. Crew

Hello!

Black Friday shopping was pretty eventful for me this year. Of course I had to hit one of my favorite stores: J. Crew. The sale was 25% off everything, which was a little disappointing since they had the same promo the week before and a better one the week after (30% off $250+)

But in the Black Friday spirit, I was ready to shop. I went to a the J. Crew store in SF and Corte Madera, as well as the online store. Here's what I got with some reviews:

Toothpick Jean in Polka Dot: (here)

I got this pair in a size 26, my normal size. I LOOOVED this pair of jeans. The material is more rigid than the garment-dyed toothpicks and really sucks you in. The material is comfortable and conforms to your body shape. It is so much more flattering than the regular toothpicks and gives a slimming effect. The fabric is identical to the Toothpick in Geometric Print, which I reviewed a few weeks back. If J. Crew could switch their jeans to this material or make more I'd be a happy camper! They need to stop increasing the denim prices though haha!

Toothpick jean in garment dyed twill in Soft Peach (here):

I got this pair mainly because it was so cheap, essentially $30 after the sale! The fit was tighter that normal as you can see the outline of the pockets, so I'll save these for my skinnier days. As always the material is very soft, but not too flattering on the thighs. The color is a little darker than depicted online, but is still a very pretty light pink. It goes pretty well with the J. Crew heart sweater.

Toothpick jean in garment dyed twill in Shallow Sea (here)

Another purchase because of the price. This pair was also on sale for $30 and green is my favorite color! How could I resist? I already have the toothpick jean with ankle-zip in a similar color, but I wanted a full length pair. I ordered this in a size 26T so it would go beyond the ankle. The fit is TTS, again not as flattering as the polka dot pair on the thighs, but the color is pretty.

Downtown Field Jacket in Mossy Brown (here)

I have wanted this jacket for a while now as I needed something in between a hoodie and a blazer for casual nights. The color is an olive green and it fits nicely, with the shoulders not too broad. This is a size XXS and it runs TTS to a tad larger (I am 00 or 0 in jackets). The material is VERY stiff, so that might turn off some people. I can't even raise my arms fully straight over my head because of the constraint. I'm willing to forgive that though because it looks great on. 

Heartbreaker Sweater in Dusk Navy (here)

Is it me or are some J. Crew sweaters (especially the wool/angora blends) itchy? The sweater was cute, but a little short for my tastes. I like the neutral color palette, but yeah...itchy. I am wearing a size XS.

J Crew French Hen Sweater

Haha! Isn't this the cutest print? A hen with a beret! This sweater is sold out online and I was lucky to find it at a store as they thought they no longer carried it. It is the itchy blend I mentioned above, but I willing to overlook that for that French hen! I took a size XS.

Dream Colorblock Sweater in Mint/Grey

This sweater was SO much more comfortable. It is a wool/nylon/cashmere blend is a way softer and much less itchy than the wool/angora/viscose/nylon mix. The colorblock is flattering as the darker color whittles the waist. I am wearing a size XS.

Silk Crepe De Chine Pant (here)

I really like lounging pants. plus points if they are attractive enough to wear out too! The bottom is tapered so the fit is slimmer and more flattering. It is machine wash too I think. Score! The cobalt blue is very saturated and the waistband is elastic with a drawstring. I am wearing a size XS.

Saturday Pant in Heather Coal (here)

Another lounge pant from J. Crew. This time more fitted like tights. The pants are very wearable on their own, not under a tunic or a dress. The material is stretchy and thick, much like sweatpants and incredibly comfortable. Though I often find these types of pants unflattering, it actually fits great due to the thickness of the material that holds you in. I am wearing a size XS.

That's all for now! Hope you found my reviews helpful and if you have any questions, leave me a message!

Love, 

Kim
 

J Crew Sale Section Finds:

I needed to return something at a department store, and since J Crew was a few stores away, I was drawn there against my will...that's a lie. I went so much on my own accord sadly.

J Crew Sparkly Row Cami in Vintage Ivory and Navy (here)

These tops were marked down to $69.99 + extra 30% off. These tops were very pretty. The delicate rhinestones overlaying vertical pleats was a nice design. The top is quite boxy, however. The ivory/nude color was a little see through on the unpleated parts. I am wearing a size 00. Passed on both tops.

J Crew Collection Cashmere Bateau Sweater (here)

This sweater was marked down to $129.99 + 30% off. I really liked this sweater. The size was perfect for me and the length was great as well. I liked how it was long enough to cover the top of my jeans, but short enough to layer, just like in the stock photo. The cheery light green color is amazing! I can't get enough of greens. I am wearing a size XXS.

J Crew Pleated Crepe Skirt in Vibrant Fuchsia (here)

This skirt was marked down to $59.99 + 30% off. I love fit and flare skirts! I tried on a size 0, but it sat lower on the waist than I wanted. I pulled back the waistband of the skirt a little to see how it would look and I liked the cinched look better. They no longer had a size 00 available.

J Crew Nicky Top in Navy Polka Dot

This top was marked down to $69.99 + 30% off. This top felt more like satin than the regular chiffon. It was cute, but again boxy. This was a size 00.

J Crew Schoolboy Blazer in Wool Herringbone, Pink Romance (here)

This blazer was marked down to $129.99 + 30% off. It looks pink in my photo, but its actually bits of red and white in a herringbone pattern. It looks better open, than closed. Again it looks a little boxy, I would have preferred if the jacket nipped in the waist a little. It's weird, but I like the fit of the factory Schoolboys better than the regular ones. Good for my wallet I guess?

Thanks for reading! Don't hesitate to ask any questions!

Love,

Kim

Outfit of the Day: Last Day of Summer Picnic

Today, I joined a picnic in the botanical gardens as part of our school's care group. They use this time to make sure that we haven't gone bat-**** crazy after all the information crammed into our heads. The day was relatively warm, and I felt like wearing white. Here's what I wore:

Dress: Jack By BB Dakota Aurora Lace Dress (here in ivory or poppy)

Shirt: J Crew Keeper Chambray Shirt (here)

Shoes: Sam Edelman Felicia Flats (on sale here)

Purse: Louis Vuitton Eva Clutch

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Kim

J Crew New Arrivals: A Rainbow of Pants and More!

My love for colored jeans has not waned even into fall. Basic blue denim is always a steady option, but dressing up with a pair of bright pants is just so much fun. I tried on quite a few pants from jeans to trousers to sweatpants. So without further ado, lets begin.

J Crew Cafe Capri in Iced Lilac: (here)

The pair looks a little less mauve and a tad more lilac than in my photo, not as light as shown in the stock photo however. I felt that it fit a little tighter than normal, compared to the cotton material cafe capri I was in a size 0. It was tight on the butt area, but loose on the thighs. The material was nice and thick. I passed on this because of the ill fit on me.

J Crew Toothpick Jean in Geometric Print (here)

These bold pants really caught my eye on the shelf. The material is different from the garment dyed colored toothpicks. It a little stiffer and has less stretch. I would compare the texture to coated denim. I liked this new textile though. I thought it hugged the body better, held my thighs in more and was more flattering in general. I could see myself wearing this with a black or navy sweater and black chelsea boots or loafers. I'm pretty excited to wear this out! I am wearing a size 26.

J Crew Toothpick Ankle Jean in Garment-Dyed Twill, Vibrant Fuchsia (here)

Interesting super bright denim for the fall. If you like bright, saturated pinks, this pair is for you. I'm not sure if there were small alterations made to the fit of their toothpick denim, but I feel that they are less flattering on me than before. I feel that they are quite snug on the thighs. I wore my regular size 26. Maybe I should try sizing up?

J Crew Toothpick Ankle Jean in Garment-Dyed Twill, Citron 

I couldn't find this one online, but it was among the 'New Arrivals' displayed in the store. Again the fit was poor in my opinion. These jeans really are unflattering on my thighs. Skipped this one.

J Crew Saturday Pant (here)

These pants feel very comfortable. They are thicker than tights, but thinner than sweatpants. Being snug from top to bottom, they are far from forgiving, but a good option for long plane flights or quick grocery runs if paired with a longer top or sweater. This pair is actually on sale online, unlike in the store.

J Crew Toothpick Cord (here)

I'm not exactly sure about the name of this color. Online I want to guess "pale turquoise" but it is definitely less of a blue and more of a mint shade. This fits a tiny, tiny bit tighter than the toothpick denim, but not enough to size up. Again I was unhappy with the fit on the tights. You must be sick of hearing me complaining about the lower body fit, but I hope it can help pear shapes like me. Passed on this one.

Hope you liked my pants reviews! :) Thanks for reading and if you have any questions, please leave me a message or shoot me an email via the Contact Me page!

Love, 

Kim