Tuesday, April 17, 2012

My (Brooks) Brothers Keeper

Do you ever shop at Brooks Brothers?

I never really did, until I read about them on xoxo's blog last year. I always thought of them as stuffy, old-corporate, mostly for men, probably good quality but boring and strictly for the office. There is a Brooks Brothers store in the mall that I visit quite often, and even if BB store is on my way to J.Crew, I don't think I ever stepped inside until last year. I love to try new brands and since xoxo was raving about the line, I decided to check them out. I am glad I did. I actually went in to try their dress shirts, because I thought I can always use another white shirt, but instead, I left the store with this dress:

From Brooks Brothers 2011
This sleeveless shift fits perfectly, feels super comfortable and goes with everything. For the office I like to tone it down with a navy cardigan and a pair of plain navy shoes.

Size 6 and perfect fit

it was about $85, totally worth it
But it works equally great for a dinner date with some colorful shoes or purse. It is easy to match to any of the colors in the print. 

Fabric detail
I don't know if you can see it the fabric details, but it is pretty substantial but very soft and feels perfectly smooth to the touch. It is cotton (fully lined), but because of the thick weave, it does not wrinkle, even after a whole day of sitting at the desk. It has a hidden back zipper and the back of the neck has a small v as well. The dress is super comfortable and I always get a lot of compliments when I wear it.

This was one of the my best purchases last year.

Xoxo recently did a post on Black Fleece,  more upscale line from Brooks Brothers and she will be doing more reviews of the line, so be sure to check it out, because her reviews are one of the most thorough and detailed in the blogosphere.

The Black Fleece is too rich for my blood at full price, so I will wait for the sales and I want to read xoxo's reviews, to get an idea on sizes and fit before I order anything.

However,  here are few of my picks from current regular Brooks Brothers offerings.

Liberty Print Meadow Dress

Linen Pinstripe Jacket

Supima® Cotton Long-Sleeve Cardigan with Pleated Hem

Cotton Dot Print Skirt
 

That's all folks!

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Do you shop at Brooks Brothers?
What are your favorites?
Please share, it would be no fun without you!!!

10 comments:

  1. the dress looks beautiful on you,esp with the navy cardigan and the red lips!
    i love the liberty print meadow dress,but i have to be carefull with shirtdresses,some of them look to "housewife" on me.

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    1. Thank you Ina! I know exactly what you mean about the shirt dresses, I have the same problem.

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  2. Your BB dress is great, I love the fabric.
    I also listen to xoxo and last year I bought some things during a BB sale: a blue cashmere sweater for my daughter, a Christmas present that she has been wearing constantly, as well as a black cashmere turtleneck sweater and black wool dress for myself. Even at sale prices they were expensive pieces but I am so glad I bought them, they are wardrobe basics, always a good place to splurge. The wool dress is like the perfect LBD, which allowed me to purge out a bunch of old ones. It is fully lined in silk as well, so comfortable.
    I really like the Black Fleece line, you can just see the excellent design and structure of the items, even in the little online product shots.

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    1. I never bought cashmere from BB, maybe I will give them a try. Wool dress with silk lining sounds divine. I am very curious about Black Fleece and like I said I am waiting for our friend xoxo to review some of the pieces, especially that the sizing is very different. I wonder if they carry it in stores?

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  3. i love the dress on you, it's very flattering and the colors are gorgeous. alex worked at bb before rl, that's how i acquired my herringbone jacket and another black belted peacoat. i really, really love their stuff. the quality is great and like you stated, it's not all frumpy. some of it is but not all. have a great day. xo

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    1. I LOVE that herringhbone jacket of yours, I did not realize that it was from BB. Alex, my adopted son, again!

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  4. The dress looks great on you and I like that multi-color print, it gives you plenty of options for layering and accessories and how nice to have a dress that isn't wrinkled at the end of the day. Some lovely picks you have there too, I want to try that linen jacket. I must check it out next time I visit the store.

    BB can certainly be a bit stuffy sometimes and it's not for everyone but I always seem to find a few gems each season. Still a bit of a well-kept secret, for now.

    Thank you for the link love, that is very sweet of you.

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    1. Thank you xoxo! It is truly very versatile dress and I could not really show the fit well in the pictures, despite trying but the pictures don;t do it justice, the cut is perfect and seriously, no wrinkles!
      That linen jacket reminds me of my Emerson Fry skirt, it looks almost like identical fabric. I like that belt with it, it gives it instant casual vibe combined with more conservative cut it is like your suit jacket but very cool at the same time.

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  5. You look gorgeous in your outfit. I love your shoe, it's cute.

    Christina @ Mens Suit Sale

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  6. Oh I love the dress on you, ajc! :) I am also very interested in Brooks Brothers, especially after reading xoxo's reviews and opinions about their quality. I haven't yet made a purchase, but the Liberty print dress you featured, as well as the sleeveless one are on my list to buy when they have their F&F sale. I haven't yet decided which one to get, but know that I will definitely be getting one of them. :)

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