Monday, July 22, 2013

For Your Eyes Only


No way would I be seen out in public in this getup. I'm only putting myself out there for you, my bloggy buddies, as another public service.


The ponte peplum top is OK but I'm talking about the girls' everyday leggings in big dipper. IMHO, wearing leggings as pants can be nearly obscene and here I am wearing them as crazy pants. Please know I'm only doing it to work in as many items from the Instant Gratification Sale as possible. Wearing girls' size 14; I'm XXS in women's leggings. They are plenty in the rise, the waistband is just a tad below my natural waist, and they're more than long enough as the hem is rolled three times here. I'm thinking you may see them with a red-and-white striped tunic come next July 4. Just warning ya.


Anyway, I got the leggings mostly to wear for doing housework with a work shirt. IRL, I'd have the sleeves of the selvedge chambray shirt rolled up. Again, the PSA is to show how long the unbuttoned sleeves are on somebody 5'2". For less dorky looks and more details on the shirt, see this post.

Back to the peplum top, think I remember quite a bit of blog love for it. Agree I like the substantial material, I like the fit. I like how the peplum is probably just right. But I don't like how I'll probably never wear it without something over it. Would the peeping peplum be a problem? What would you pair with it instead? While the arm hole is not too low, see how it lifts at the shoulder? With no bra strap holders that would've been a nice touch, I'd constantly fuss with it and drive myself crazy. BTW, the top has a heavy-duty full zip covered by a placket held down with a small hook in the back. It will take some blind luck to hook up or you'll need the help of someone with nimble fingers.
Nope you're not going to see me wearing the silk cami or the stretch suiting tee by themselves in pics or IRL. My favorite thing about the cami is the adjustable straps. The cami is great under sheer tops and as sleepwear for hot nights. As for the suiting tee ... anyone wearing it to work as a standalone top should be sent home, at least if wearing the white or mineral pink. Holy smokes it's extremely close fitting and the knit is sheer. It's fine and silky and feels like lingerie. I'm thinking it's a good layering piece for itchy sweaters or wearing under bare tops like this and this.

OK, I've got to get a move on if I'm ever going to finish ... a review/discussion/IRL of the keeper chambray shirt and faded chambray popover is at this post. More talk about the keeper is here. Next up is the oxford boy shirt in polka dot. It's a white shirt with subtle polka dots. I'll confess I have two of them. I wear it a lot.

Another classic is the merino tippi sweater, it's the sweater version of a basic T-shirt. I like it best with a basic T-shirt. See here.
 
 
It's late and I'm running out of steam, does anyone else do this ... hurry up and finish with a weak ending?

Girls' sequin-pineapple stripe tee and Nolita jacket in white pictured above. The 1035 trouser in superfine cotton chatted and pictured here.
 
I'll come back tomorrow to fill in some details. And show you the 1035 jacket in superfine cotton, classic ballet flats and western denim shirt.
I know, I'm such a tease. :)
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I'm back ... and if you didn't notice yesterday, they snuck in a few more items into the Instant Gratification Sale. One was the western denim shirt. I had planned to cover that in my never-ending chambray/denim shirt sMaCkDoWn, but I'll make a few comments now if it helps you one way or another while it's on sale. I know, some don't care for the western details and some worry about the snaps unsnapping too easily for a wardrobe malfunction. Personally, I love them and found the snaps to hold tight. Recall a western denim shirt a couple years ago getting complaints about it being shrunken and too short, that's not the case now. See SU 11 on left and the current one on the right:
Though not quite to the same scale, you can see it's now a darker wash and cut longer and roomier.
Speaking of shirts, here's the stretch perfect shirt. Especially for folks needing special sizing such as petite or tall, this is a great time to get it in basic colors that rarely go to sale. If you're wondering, the boy shirts are cut straighter (as the name implies) and the perfect shirts curve in at the waist along the side seams with vertical darts in the back to further trim the shirt.

I'd not likely have chosen my navy blue 1035 jacket in superfine cotton to wear with the crazy jeans and white shirt but for you, I had to today. It does wrinkle but I love the superfine cotton. The fabric is 100% cotton and woven in such a way you'd swear it contained elastane or spandex. I also love the heavier weight and drape of the material. One thing, because my mother taught me well, I rejected the white jacket since the lapel notches were not symmetrical.
It's now the classic leather ballet flats in a foot race to the finish line, ha! I'd ordered two pairs of the same size and while the admiral blue *seemed* to be the correct fit, the dazzling sun were definitely too big as I stepped out of them with every step. I say the blue seemed to be the right fit but I worry. Here's a tell-tale pic, see how shallow they are? Not much to wrap around your feet.
They do remind me of what I can remember of real ballet slippers from when I took lessons as a little girl. The real ballet slippers fit tightly so they mold to your feet as you dance, the better to point toes or feel the floor. As the leather stretches, the string that ends in the bow can tighten the shoe so it becomes like second skin. Well, the bows on the ballet flats are decorative and thus I worry I'll eventually end up stepping out of the blue ones as well. I'll try some a size down ... we'll see how that goes.
 
P.S. I wiped out at least an hour's stuff, either Blogger crashed or I clicked the wrong button. Think this is the last time I'll try a long and complicated post. Do these zillions of pics take forever to load too?

27 comments:

  1. More power to ya with the leggings. I did get the suiting tee in navy...sized up...and it's perfect. I wish stores, not just J Crew, would see brown as a staple color. I would buy one in brown if available. Can't do peplum, too curvy. Cropped sweater with it?

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    1. I agree blue booby. What ever happened to chocolate brown? After some weight loss, I have been looking for chocolate brown pants for 3 years now. I love brown especially for early fall, late summer!
      Thanks for all the great reviews Tiffany Rose! I've never noticed that white polkadot boy shirt and I may have to go check it out.

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    2. Ha, thanks, BB. I tried the suiting tee in all colors and two sizes and noticed the darker colors were fine, with either size working depending whether i wanted to wear as standalone top and how form fitting I'd be comfortable with. Seems the dark colors are thicker knit?

      I'm trying the peplum with a cropped jacket next, we'll see.

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    3. Shopping Cell - I'm trying to find chocolate brown pants too. As for that polka dot boy shirt, let me know how you like it if you try it. I was tempted to buy a third with the crazy discounts but good senses actually came over me and I did not. ;)

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    4. oops, I meant Shopping Celle ...

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  2. Thanks for the reviews! I'm using this little sale as a way to try on the Academy Green pencil skirt, and I actually had the pink suiting tee home for a visit a month or so ago. Awfully clingy, now that it's on the sale, I've reordered it a size larger. I've been looking for a cool-toned pink top that's neither neon nor salmon, for my gardenshade pencil skirt. And I liked the 2 together during the top's earlier visit.

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    1. WFF - did you try the Academy Green skirt? And how did the size up work on the pinky colored suiting tee? I went a little bizerk and ordered every color in two sizes since I was able to catch them on the few hours of double discounting, but I have yet to go back and try the light colored ones since my initial experience with them was so traumatic. ;) That will be pretty with gardenshade skirt.

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  3. I am thinking of the pencil skirt as well as I can so see that skirt in my fall wardrobe with boots and my leather jacket...

    am curious about the peplum thoughts of others, too, as apparently, peplum is good for me...

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    1. Oh that sounds fabulous, the skirt with boots and leather jacket. I'll look for that on your blog when the weather cools.

      I am struggling a bit with the peplum top as far as what to do for a covering layer. Let me know if you find something working, I'll keep trying too.

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  4. Now its my turn to copy and paste! Love all of these looks!! and at the very least will be copying the one with the tipped linen blazer! ;o)

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    1. Hi Andrea, thanks! Well, certainly, especially since I've copied so many of yours. ;)

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  5. Have you tried the keeeper chambray in dark rinse?
    I received mine today and love it!

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    1. Hi ina! The dark keeper chambray went on my wishlist right away, good to hear you love it. I'll come over and check out your review. :)

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  6. Love all these looks! The girl's pineapple tee is SO cute. :) I think this sale means I'm adding a new navy jacket to my fall wardrobe.

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    1. Thanks, ABC! Pineapple, stripes and sequins, what's not to love about that tee ;) I added a navy jacket too, think many of us will be wearing the same jacket come this fall.

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  7. So many great outfits!! The leggings totally work on you. Your chambray reviews were uber useful, btw :)

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    1. Thanks gigi! The leggings could work but without a big shirt or tunic, I would be too self conscious to wear them out and about. Oh thanks re: the chambray reviews. More to come but I am just not quick enough on some of them ...

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  8. I like the crazy leggins, I mean pants on you!

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  9. You've got the figure to pull off crazy starred leggings!

    Those Liberty toothpicks look great on you too!

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    1. Thanks so much, Lisa. Can you see the crazy leggings as the start of some superhero costume?

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  10. The peplum top looks very flattering. I didn't notice the stand-up shoulder at all. Yes to stars and stripes outfits! I love that.

    Too bad about the uneven lapels. Is there no quality control at all anymore? I think so many people just don't notice those details so they try to get away with substandard product. Annoying.

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    1. I love red, white and blue outfits too and think this may be the first stars and stripes one I'll be attempting.

      There are times when I wish I didn't notice the details, especially if it's something I really want and have already rejected multiple times. It is annoying, sigh, and the reason I have largely stayed away from stripe things recently.

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  11. great reviews! i like the peplum top but man, you are rocking those leggings!! xo

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    1. Hi phiphi! Thanks so much for your nice comments but I am serious, I am not wearing those leggings in public. While they don't really show too much, the thought they might is enough to make me uneasy. ;)

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  12. Hi! I love the admiral flats! I haveneen looking for size 9.5 forever! If you have that size or know a store that does, i would love to buy!!!!!

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    1. Hi daisy! First, thanks for dropping by and sorry for the late reply. Unfortunately, I wear a 5.5 or 6 and the admiral blues I had were size 6. I haven't seen that color come back and agree with you it's a great color. If you're still following, I'll be doing a post on some similar color ballet flats I found. :)

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