J.Crew New Arrivals: Beautiful Jewelry...and Merino in June?

New online arrivals today at J.Crew! I have to say, I have been really taken with their jewelry this year, especially the necklaces (I know that RynettaPhD feels the same way, and you can see some great irl pics on her blog). I wear very little jewelry on a day-to-day basis, and I can't do the "arm party" trend since multiple stacked bracelets are too flashy and loud for my office, but these necklaces totally remind me of 1950's costume jewelry that you would find at an estate sale and could wear to special events for years. If the quality is there, I'd definitely classify these as investment pieces worth spending the money on if they catch your fancy.

Flower Lattice Necklace

This is awesome. Any plain sheath or strapless dress is immediately ready to party if you combine it with this necklace. I'd also love it if J.Crew would do a brooch in these colors!

Cabochon Fan Necklace

I saw this necklace and died. Ok, not really, but I did start drooling a little. It comes in this Spearmint color and Peach Blossom. You know where this would be gorgeous? On a bride with a very simple strapless or scoop-necked wedding dress.


Cabochon Pendant Necklace

...and all of the bridesmaids could wear this pendant version to match!

(I worked at a bridal shop for three years. Sometimes my mind just goes to "that place" automatically, I can't help it.)

Mini Ram Bangle

This little guy has been out for a few months and I luurrrrrve heem. Isn't he cute? He had a big brother that sold out really fast, unfortunately. I'd love to buy this bracelet because I'd feel like I had a little pet with me at work all day :)


Tippi Sweater in Heart Me

J.Crew had great success this past fall with their Merino Tippi sweater, and also with their wool-blend Heart Me sweater (thanks in large part to the lovely FLOTUS). They've combined the two to create the Tippi Sweater in Heart Me, and I think that it will also sell very well...IN SEPTEMBER. Seriously, it's not even July yet. Who wants to pay full price for a Merino sweater in the middle of summer??? I understand that fashion seasons don't mirror real-life seasons, but I think that most J.Crew shoppers are going to be cool with waiting until this sweater goes on sale before they buy it, simply because of the material. I seem to remember Mickey Drexler saying something to the effect of "If something ends up on the sale rack, that means that there is a flaw in the design". In this case, I think that they just should have waited until fall to introduce a wool sweater to their collection!

Now, I could be wrong. J.Crew has just started expanding into Canada and Europe, and those customers might just default to Merino as a four-season fabric for more northerly climes. Or perhaps they created a limited run of this sweater to test the waters, and will introduce more stock in the coming months. Is this the case? I guess I'll have to wait and see if all sizes end up in the sale section next month!

This Just In: J.Crew Fall/Winter 2012 Women's Collection Preview

Today in the mail, I received a little pamphlet from J.Crew showcasing their Fall/Winter 2012 Women's Collection. In general, I don't pay a lot of attention to J.Crew's Collection stuff because I'm too poor to afford any of it. Plus they tend to over-sequin their Collection items and I'm not dropping hundreds of dollars on a skirt that I can't wear to work, to the grocery store, or walking my dog, since that's pretty much the scope of my daily activities.

Well, last year they were obsessed with Little Eadie Beale, and the Collection looked like it might possibly smell of cobwebs and cat pee. This year, You'd better break out the Jell-o Pudding Pops because J.Crew seems to be basing a lot of their Collection on this guy's sartorial choices:



Dear fashion world: please stop it with the Cosby Sweaters. I mean, I loved that show as much as the rest of America did - if you had asked me as an 8-year old who I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have said "A cross between Clair Huxtable and Julia Sugarbaker." - but some fashion from the 80's should stay in the 80's. I know the hipsters love this stuff, but they are buying their "authentic vintage" acrylic Cosby Sweaters from thrift shops for $4 and you are not doing anybody any favors by keeping this trend alive.

Anyway, here are some slightly blurry pics of the upcoming Women's Collection, and I've commented with few of my impressions.


No.2 = The texture of that fur looks like dog hair. Why would you wear a fur coat that makes you look like you skinned a few Cairn terriers to make it?


No.6 = "Does this hairy skirt make me look fat?" Yes, it makes everyone look fat. Except possibly Anna Wintour, so J.Crew should just present it to her as an offering along with her afternoon platter of Unicorn steak marinated in virgin tears.
No.7 = Drita from "Mob Wives" would look entirely at home in this ensemble. Just add bling and lots of eye makeup, and she's ready to visit her husband in prison.
No.8 = I would wear that (not sure about the color, though).


No.11 = I like that toggle coat in theory, but I need a coat that covers my wrists.


No.'s 12 and 13 = Pretty. I would wear both of those outfits. Am also liking the dimensions of that little melon-colored handbag in No.12.
No.14 = I don't like snakeskin prints on anything but bags and/or shoes. I guess I've just seen too many hookers on "L&O: SVU" in python mini-skirts.
No.15 = I could see Carly Simon or Sienna Miller in this look. I think it's the hat.
No.16 = What the hell is that bag?


Oh look - a hookup (No.19)! Heh. I'd split those pieces up, but aside from look No.17 (Ski chalet wedding guest?), I would wear everything pictured. In fact, I might have to rob a bank to get the money for that leather jacket in No.20.


No.24 = I need to see this dress in motion. It could go either way for me.


No.25 = This kind of works...annual Hunt Club breakfast, perhaps?
No.26 = I hate the pants and blouse together, but a simple dress in this print would be gorgeous. Maybe it's the lighting, but that jacket looks cheap to me.
No.28 = Hmm...bows. I think I'm too old for bows. Those pants are fun, though.

What do you think? Do you agree/disagree with me on some of these items? Do you see any "must haves" for your cool-weather wardrobe?

Mad Men Season 5 Finale

Aaaarrrgh, why can't this show be on all the time??? AMC is so stingy about their shows: short seasons with humongous gaps in between each one. Do they expect me to content myself with *shudder* NETWORK TELEVISION? TV is dead to me until "The Walking Dead" comes back in October, and I am thisclose to breaking up with that show if they don't give me a strong female character to watch (I want Lori to get eaten by zombies so, so much). Also, Season 3 of "Downton Abbey" premieres this winter (I think). I've seen pics from filming and it looks like Edith is smiling, which means that another bitter Mary/Edith showdown is inevitable. Yay.

*****SPOILERS AHEAD*****



So, let's see where all of our favorite SCDP employees and their families are left at the end of Season 5....

Don = Feeling abandoned by Megan and Peggy, bogged down by guilt after Lane's suicide and seeing hallucinations of his dead brother - another man who killed himself after being treated coldly by Don. About to start back into his old pattern of trying to drown his demons through meaningless sexual encounters.

Betty = Still a delightful mess. Trying to slim down and fit back into her perfect little clothes and perfect little life so that the world can be jealous of her again.

Megan = Through a little bit of old-fashioned backstabbing and a dash of nepotism, is finally about to get her big break into acting. Sadly unaware that she's married to a man who has fallen out of love with her because she wasn't the blank little page he thought she was.

Sally = The spawn of Don and Betty (I always forget about the boys - as will the writers until they can find more children who can actually act) is growing up, and she's inherited both her parents' master manipulation skills. Woodstock is now only two years away....

Roger = Single once more and feeling frisky.

Bert = With his company on shaky ground, he's dropped the doddering old man act to reveal a lion in winter.

Lane = Dead (poor Lane, I liked him).

Pete = Ugh, woe is Pete. Still whining about his long commute and feeling overlooked by Trudy now that her attentions are turned towards raising their daughter. Will only become more insufferable now that she has relented to his pleas for an apartment in the city.

Joan = Now a full partner at SCDP, she is stepping into Lane's shoes as "the responsible one" with the added challenge of getting the other partners to treat her as an equal instead of as a nagging housewife. Other challenges include dealing with her mother, raising her son, and trying to re-enter the dating world as a single mom and divorcee.

Peggy = I am so effing proud of Peggy. When I saw her in her office, dressing-down the copy boys in full-on Draper Style I totally shouted "Get it, gurl!" Peggy has worked hard and made some smart decisions, and now she has become the success that she set out to be from the moment she impressed Freddy Rumsen with her "basket of kisses." This being Mad Men, I'm sure that she'll have a brand new set of problems next season, but right now I'm happy to bask in her sunshine. Just look at how far she's come:


From mousy secretary...


...to advertising Copy Chief.


Peggy Olson has really come into her own! This song was running through my head whenever Peggy was on screen, and I will flip my shit if they let her be the person who came up with "You've come a long way, baby" for those Virginia Slims.




Ta-ta for now, SCDP. Until next season!

Photos courtesy of AMC.

DiY: Hero Shirt (aka What To Do with a Holey J.Crew Tee)

I loved J.Crew's Colorblocked Stripe Tee when I bought it, but after about 4 wears and 3 washings, a bunch of holes developed along the seams beneath the arms:



Exhibit A


Exhibit B

This really sucks. I had given this top up for a sleep or work shirt, but then I saw this post over on Lizzie Garrett's blog TOMBOY STYLE. Her stylist friend showed her how to make a Hero Shirt/Rocker Shirt/Shirt That My Brother Wears While Lifting Weights out of an old regular tee, and the end result looked pretty cool. I decided to follow the instructions in the blog post and see how my DiY Colorblock Hero Tee turned out, since I didn't have anything to lose if it ruined the shirt.


Not bad! I think I might even like it better than the original version with sleeves.


Side view. I tried to cut it so that my bra doesn't show. I think I'll ask the bf if he has any old tees that I can make a real Hero Shirt out of, since boys always seem to be able to wear shirts until they are perfectly faded and thin and soft.


I tried to stay as close to the seam as possible, but it's still a tiny bit uneven. The fabric curls under though, so it hides the cut.


Pretty good, actually! I think I'll wear it as much like this as I did when it had sleeves. I just hope that it doesn't disintegrate completely the next time I wash it :(

WANT

Crap, I knew this was coming. The Pom-Pom Confetti Top just popped up on J.Crew w/ today's new arrivals. I saw it on AJC's post here and it needs to get in a little box and show up at my door, like, yesterday. My mom has the original version and I've coveted it for years - I would have stolen it at some point if it wasn't too small for me, but I think I'll like this updated version even better because the neckline is slightly more open and that's better for my figure (mom doesn't have the same issues with her bustline that I do - the boobs and broad shoulders come from dad's side of the family).

Actually, I think I'll exchange the white linen Tessa Top for the Pom-Pom top since I'm already in love with it and I know I'll wear it all the time. Yay :)

J.Crew Reviews: No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Raj Paisley, Tessa Top, T-Shirt Dress in Ikat Print

After a month of being very good and not buying ANY clothes at all, I broke down and ordered a few things from J.Crew's recent 30% off Spring Sale promo. I also picked up two full-priced items that I've had my eye on as ride-alongs so that I could get the $175+ free shipping discount. It sucks having to play the shipping game, but I haven't been able to get to a B&M in weeks. Blergh.

No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Raj Paisley


I liked this skirt a ton when I first saw it on AJC here (more reviews here and here), and then my mom randomly sent me a text message of herself wearing the skirt with the caption "Have you seen this on J.Crew? You would love it." I immediately added it to my online shopping cart, but decided to wait it out for a bit in case of a stray promo. My patience was rewarded (for once) and I managed to get the skirt at sale plus 30% off, which ended up being $68.60. Mom was right (as usual) and I LOVE this skirt. The colors are beautiful, the design is interesting without being loud, and the quality is very, very nice. It is strong and lightweight - a four-season piece here in the south. I'm also totally fascinated by the fabric of this skirt (this is the part where I geek out on you...feel free to scroll down if textile construction is not relevant to your interests).



Here in this image, starting at the top, we have the red cotton lining of the skirt, followed by the reverse side of the fabric, a strip of hem tape, and the face of the fabric itself. At first glance, I thought that the skirt was a crinkly cotton plisse, but then I noticed the little extra warp threads running up and down the fabric so I turned it inside out to find that it is actually a sort of double-weave matelasse. A double-woven fabric is one that has two or more sets of warp threads (north/south) and/or weft threads (east/west) that are woven together to create intricate patterns or designs. A true "double cloth" fabric can be separated into two independent fabrics by cutting the warp or weft yarns that bind them, while your double-woven brocades, damasks, and matelasses cannot. In the case of the Raj Paisley skirt, we have a plain weave fabric on top, backed with clusters of weft threads, joined together by little tracks of warp threads. This is most similar to the construction of matelasse, which gives the appearance of being a filled, quilted fabric even though it isn't. NEAT-O!

Don't ask me about seersucker...we'll be here all day.


If I worked at a more creative/casual office, I would probably try to pair this skirt with fun tops like the gingham and striped ones shown above...



...but I work at the corporate headquarters for a financial company, so I will be wearing the skirt with solid-colored tops. Sad trombone.



Fits TTS. I wore the Raj Paisley skirt today with this blue 3/4 Sleeve Perfect Shirt that is, like, 10 years old. Old J.Crew really does wear like iron compared to new J.Crew. I keep having to mend the worn-out seams under the armpits and I'll probably cry when I have to throw it away. Funny enough, mom also wore her Raj skirt today, and we had a nice little mother/daughter "Haha, OMG!" moment 850 miles apart.


Mom is also wearing the Lace Stripe Shell in White :)


Tessa Top in White


I really like this top - doesn't it make you want to plan a beach vacay? It's 100% linen, not itchy, and not see-through even in white. Other JCA's have reviewed it in other colors here, here, and here.


I couldn't quite tell from previous reviews whether it ran TTS or not, so I bought my usual shirt size 8...and I think it's too big. That is a LOT of extra fabric, even over the bust where I usually have problems with the fit.


Side view. It really blouses out all over. Kinda reminds me of those one-size-fits-all smocks that you have to wear in art class, without the mildew smell.


Shown here with DiY jean shorts like on the model. Even casually tucked in, it's still too big and I think I'm going to have to exchange it for a 6 simply to see if I like the top enough to keep it. Bummer. I wanted to wear this top to a thing this weekend, but I'm not driving all the way to ATL after work.

T-Shirt Dress in Ikat Print


I don't feel like I even need to post an irl pic of this dress since it looks pretty much exactly like you see it on the model, just add boobs and about 3" of length to the hem. I bought a Medium, and I was actually really pleased at how much longer the skirt is on me than it is on the model. This way I can belt the dress and not worry about it being too short. It's a great dress for hot weather - feels like you're wearing nothing at all. Just make sure that you wear your nude undies because the fabric is pretty thin. $68.00 FP is pretty steep for a T-Shirt dress, but I like the print and I have someplace to wear it this weekend, so I'm keeping it. Plus, I was already patient about waiting for the Raj Paisley Pencil to go on sale, and I can't be expected to be patient all the freaking time.

Reviews of a sale skirt and sale sandals coming up soon....

Did you take advantage of the recent 30% off sale? Did you buy the Raj Paisley Pencil skirt? Have you tried on the Tessa top? Please share!

New Trailer for Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby

The first full-length trailer for Baz Luhrmann's movie version of The Great Gatsby was just released yesterday. I have thoughts. Click on the link below to watch - I'll wait for you right here.

The Great Gatsby 2012 Trailer

As a fan of the original novel, and as someone who has been following the news about this movie since the casting search began, I have probably watched the trailer about 20 times already, and I'm still trying to decide how I feel about it and what it says about the movie itself.

The Luhrmann Treatment
I mean, you can see from the first frame that the movie has been "Baz'd" pretty hard: Exaggeration! Dancing! Champagne! GLITTERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm a big fan of Luhrmann's body of work - I even liked Australia (I maintain that it wasn't a hit due to a) how long it was and b) the disconcerting fact that Nicole Kidman can no longer move the muscles in her face), but it took me a few viewings to warm up to Moulin Rouge and I'm pretty sure that Gatsby will be the same way for me. Why is that? Because I don't like it when period pieces are modernized to appeal to Katy Perry fans. I like my history straight-up. I don't need anyone to treat classic literature like it's a plate of broccoli with the "here comes the airplane, open up the hangar" game to get me to eat it. That broccoli is delicious on its own! However, as the BF pointed out: "The studios aren't trying to appeal to people like you who love the novel already - they know you'll see the movie. They're trying to get the kids who only know The Great Gatsby as some boring old book that they were forced to read in 9th grade to spend their money to see it." *sigh* He is wise. Cinematically, though, I have no complaints - it looks like it will be stunningly beautiful.



The Cast
Leo has proven his talent 10 times over by now, and Tobey Maguire will be suitably earnest and conflicted enough to play Nick. I think that the biggest question regarding who would play Daisy was perfectly answered with the casting of Carey Mulligan. Girlfriend can act. Go watch An Education if you're not familiar with her (and then go watch Drive because GOSLING) - she is terrific. Blake Lively also tested for Daisy, and she really might have almost pulled it off since she is very pretty and appears to have the emotional depth of a mud puddle following a brief Spring rain, but I'm sure that her tendency to mumble her way through her lines made ol' Baz lean in Mulligan's direction. Blake's voice is not "full of money" by any stretch of the imagination. The only actor that I'm iffy about is Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan, because Edgerton looks "crafty mean" as opposed to "stupid mean". I always thought that Tom and Daisy Buchanan were so well-suited to one another because they were both so dumb, but it appears that Baz is going to make Tom much more villainous in his movie adaptation from what I can see in the trailer.



The Chemistry
You should be able to pair two gorgeous people onscreen and the chemistry should just naturally be palpable, but it often doesn't work out that way. The lack of chemistry between Robert Redford and Mia Farrow is what caused the 1974 film version to fall flat, and you would think that merely standing next to Robert Redford could cause anyone to burst into flames of desire onscreen. Leo looks amazing in character as the golden Gatsby - he's only gotten better looking with age (as men tend to do, damn their hides). Carey Mulligan looks blonde and delicate and stunning in her flapper gear as Daisy. So far, though, the only hint of chemistry that I'm getting from the two of them together is the scene where they are both staring at one-another, breathless, framed by bouquets of white orchids. I need more than that! I need to see the yearning, I need to know why James Gatz felt like he needed to re-invent himself and his entire life in order to win back the love of a vapid little fool like Daisy. I'm sure they'll do another trailer that showcases the more romantic tones of the movie, though, so I'm content to withhold my judgement until then.

The 3D Issue
I don't understand why Luhrmann wanted to film Gatsby in 3D, other than $$$$. It's totally unnecessary. It's gimmicky. It makes it impossible for me to enjoy the movie I'm watching because it gives me a massive headache. I can see the motivation for 3D filming in the case of movies like Tron or Avatar since the point is to showcase all of today's new CGI technology, but all I can think of when I see "The Great Gatsby: in 3D" is watching poor old Myrtle's body flying at me from the hood of Jay's yellow Rolls. I don't need that experience.

What do you think of the trailer? Are you excited for the movie? Please share your thoughts!

Images from imdb.com.