Emerson Made Silk Pockets Blouse Review

I have mentioned to you that I have recently placed an order with Emerson made. I have already reviewed the tie waist dress and orange slangbacks here. The dress and shoes were definitely an extras for me and not something I needed but I decided to buy them because I really loved both and the price was right. Well, we can always find thousands of ways to justify an impulse purchase but, on the other hand, I never regretted buying things I truly liked.

This blush blouse however, was in another category. This was something that I wanted to have in my closet and I have in the past considered the collection blouse from J.Crew (not sure about the name, I remember Dani had one) and recently the pleated chiffon blouse. With the Emerson Made version I knew the fabric is going to be superior and the quality great, so at the sale price ($98) the value should be good.

I have ordered size M and it fits well. Emerson tops run short imo, but they have long sleeves. I do have proportionally short arms, so the sleeves may not be so long on you. I am 5'6 but probably have arms of somebody who is 5'4, lol.

The fabric feels great against the skin. It is the type of silk that is matte on the outside and satiny inside. It has some heft to it and I is NOT see through.

I love this blouse and it works great tucked in or untucked. It may be a little short if you like longer tops, but I like it because it is easier to wear untucked and it does not create bulk under my bottoms when tucked in.

I am also wearing J.Crew midrise toothpicks in carbon wash, Ann Taylor belt, J.Crew Valentina pumps, Kate Spade purse and Rayban Aviator sunglasses.

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That's all folks!

What do you think of Emerson's pocket blouse?

Is it worth the sale price?

J.Crew Stretch Suiting Tank and Helmut Lang Slouchy Blazer

Stretch Suiting Tank

I have mentioned in the end of my last post that did purchase something from J.Crew and it was the Stretch Suiting Tank.  I have been curious about it before and I decided to order it when they had the 40% off promotion going on.  It is a basic tank but the reason I was interested in it was that it seemed like it would not be sheer in white and that it would cover the regular bra straps.

Well, I am pleased to report that it is as expected. Not a see through and it can be worn with a regular bra. It is double layered and not tight in the mid section which helps cover the lumps and bumps. It is not too low cut and actually have a very nice neckline imo. I wish they would do it with different sleeve lengths as well, I would be first in line to order.

Nice length too, And it looks fine from the back. I have ordered it in Small and Medium but I did not even take the Medium out of the package because the Small was perfect.

It is not exactly cheap but it is so hard to find a white tank that it is not see-through so I am keeping it. I do think it should not be that hard, lol.

 

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I wanted to review the tank for you, but the purchase I am really excited about is not the tank but my new blazer. I have been looking for a black boyfriend blazer for some time. I tried the one from Theory some time ago but I eventually returned it since it was too much of a suiting blazer. What I was looking for was a blazer I could wear outside of work, over the jeans, tank top and a pair of heels.

Well, after my recent disappointing visits to J.Crew, I decided to stop at Bloomingdales to look at the latest offerings from Vince.  I am a big fan of Vince and the 'minimalistic cool' but it tends to be very expensive and out of my budget. Nevertheless, I tried on few t-shirts and blouses. I really liked this one, which actually looks more like something from Tory Burch except for the colors.

Vince Blouse - Wide Placket Silk

Vince's blouses are very slouchy and oversized and although I liked the idea of them, they were not that flattering on my figure.  The t-shirts were nice but not enticing enough to pull the trigger.  There was a lot of offerings mixing leather with other fabrics which made me glad I bought the Regan tee from Club Monaco some time time ago.

I was browsing trough the Rag and Bone collection (which btw has a lot of cool stuff that I would gladly wear, if I had the budget for it), when I spotted this blazer in Helmut Lang section:

 

HELMUT Helmut Lang Blazer - Slouchy Suiting

I was just going to try it on, it is not going to hurt, right?  Well, it turned out not so easy, because it was exactly what I was looking for...   

A blazer that feels like cardigan but with the structure and chic factor I love. It is slouchy and cool, lightweight and effortless. 

Looks good open and closed and has just the right length. 

 

I love the scrunched up sleeves. They are sewn like that, so you dont have to worry about them coming undone, but I suppose you could remove the stitching, if you'd like to control it yourself. For me they are perfect.

I also love the super narrow faux lapels and the single button and perfect pocket placement.

 

The fabric is lightweight 77% wool blend, which feels great in warmer weather and drapes well.  I took my regular size 6 and it fits me with a just right amount of slouchiness.
 

I love the blazer but it wasn't exactly in my budger so to fund my purchase I decided to return everything that was still returnable and get the extra money from my ebay sales. I was still off but it was now under $100, which I was OK with.  This was something on my list for a long time and I know that I never regret buying things that I really love and I would probably regret more if I did not get it.

I think I am going to wear the blazer tonight, for a night out in the city, including some live music.  It is supposed to be around 75 degrees, so it should be perfect.  

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What do you think?

Do you like the suiting tank?

Was I right to splurge on the blazer?

Please share, it would be no fun without you!!! 

Musing on J.Crew newest arrivals and Free People OOTD

Have you checked the new arrivals at J.Crew?  I went to the store yesterday, checked the website and browsed the newest catalog.  I liked some of the looks, but have nothing really on my wish list.  Sure, I liked some of the new button downs, but I already have way more that I am able to wear. I also like some of the jeweled sweaters but it is too much pain (and money) to get them cleaned, I'd stick to providing my own jewelry over the regular sweaters.

Crepe racer tank

In the store I tried on the Crepe racer tank in Brilliant Fuchsia and I quite liked it. I would say it fits big and still had plenty of room in size 4.  I have noticed that recently I have been taking 4 in tops and 2 in bottoms (as opposed to 6 & 4) but still, I would say size down or take the smaller of your sizes, if you are in between.  The exposed shoulder silhouette has been going strong recently and it works well for me but I am getting saturated on this front. The fabric does feel a little stiff but it did not bother me.  It is not a see through, even in ivory I think, a definite plus. The brilliant fuchsia is a very nice berry toned shade, not to bright or neon-y.  You will need a strapless bra with this one. 

Pleated chiffon blouse

I also like the pleated chiffon blouse, its clean lines remind me of something from Vince, at a better price point. I will wait for sale on this one, I don't really need it, but it may be a good buy eventually.

Tipped gamine dress

Since I was in the store I also tried the Tipped Gamine Dress. I wasn't really interested in it but I thought I would give you some feedback. It fit TTS, I have tried a 6 and it was a little big but they did not have a 4 to compare. I thought it would be better in 4, which seems to be my size these days in dresses and tops.  I don't like pointe fabric for summer and it felt too heavy and thick. it also had a weird and unflattering puffing in the back which was an instant deal breaker but maybe it is just my body. The length was just before the knee in regular size. The dress felt very preppy but not in a good way, more like some kind of costume I would wear to a party at a place with a swimming pool, gardens AND a private tennis court, not exactly my usual crowd, lol. 

Gwen dress in colorblock

The Gwen dress in colorblock looked good on a hanger but I really do not need it. My new office seems to be very casual,  most people were in jeans, sleeveless dresses and sandals so I don't think I would get to wear a suiting dress, plus I will be working 2-3 times a week from home. This is great because outside of the convenience, I discovered that almost all my pencil skirts and slacks are too big and hang in unflattering way on me.  I am a little torn about what to do about it. Should I alter some of my clothes to fit better and hang on to them in case I gain my weight back?  I have been lucky to be very consistent with my sizes over the years and this is something new to me.  Of course, this is a great excuse to buy some new things but I don't want to replace everything.  In any case, at least I don't have to immediately rebuilt my work wardrobe. I think I will wait through the winter and see where I am then...

No. 2 pencil skirt in double-serge wool

In the meantime, I tried on the double serge wool pencil skirt, to confirm that I need a size 2. I thought it was cut very straight and it was still a little too big in the waist and not tapered enough towards the hem, I did not think it was flattering at all, just really blah. The wool seemed plush and substantial and finishing same as last year. But the fit just left me cold and I think I may prefer altering my older skirts and having them actually follow my curves (or lack of them).   

For now I am enjoying the last days of freedom from work. Here is my OOTD: Free People top (how appropriate), Paige boyfriend jeans, Kate Spade purse and Steven sandals.  

I did buy something from J.Crew recently and I will review it next. I also got a new blazer, that I am VERY excited to show you, but I need somebody to take my pictures and my 10yo is at the camp until mid August. I will try to get my older daughter to be the photographer.  She has been taking the recent pictures but she is always running around during the day...

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What are your new arrival favorites?

How do you deal with weight fluctuations when it comes to your wardrobe? Do you alter or do you keep multiple sizes?

 

Knitted skirts

Some time ago I was inspired by beautiful knits from Chloe.

Love this, like the lovely FFM would say. So chic and understated....

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This too...

But, like everything from Chloe, way out of my reach in terms of money.  However, I do have some sweater skirts.  They are not based on Chloe designs, but I treat them as a loose, on-the-budget  interpretation.

As you can maybe guess, they belong to 'my mother made this' series.

The pictures are from couple of weeks ago, I just never got around to post them. It was warm that day but in the end I decided to add some brown tights before I left for the office. It made the skirt more winter and office appropriate. It was after I walked my daughter to school, so she was not around to take pictures after I changed. I thought of snapping good old bathroom picture but things got crazy that day and I completely forgot.

You cannot see it in the pictures but the skirt has some flecks of blue in the wool so the combination looks more coordinated irl. The sweater is from Hanna Andersson, I bought it several years ago and I love the color. It is 100% cotton so maybe not as warm but very comfortable. My daughter used to have a matching one, but of course she outgrew it and I didn't (thank God!).

 

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Another sweater skirt I own is more of an a-line. This is a better shape if you are concerned about getting out of shape. Chloe skirts are cashmere but my mother convinced me that cashmere will look lumpy, especially in pencil skirt and we picked more dense and stiff wool. It is not as soft, but it holds its shape beautifully.

This skirt goes with everything. It  has similar shape to Sterling skirt and I like the slight flare, it is a bit flirty and fun.

Here, I went for colorblock effect and I think it works. This outfit was a hit among the ladies in my office. Thank you Mom!

This is also from couple of weeks ago. Right now I will go for a run, trying to get in back in shape to wear a sweater skirt after the Holidays, lol. One thing about them is they are not very forgiving and the lumps are coming back with vengeance :(

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That's all folks!

Do you own any sweater skirts?

Have you 'recovered' from the Holiday madness? 

Please share, it would be no fun without you!!!

Orange rhymes with pink

I hope you all had wonderful time, enjoying the Holidays with your family and friends. Thank you so much  for all the Christmas wishes, they warmed up my heart!

I ate enormous amount of food and drank quite a lot of wine, so I am now in recovery mode. I am technically off from work, but since I support end-of-the-year activities, I am still 'on call' and watching my emails. I will also spend New Years Eve working until midnight. This is not the most fun way to greet the New Year but hey, since everything in life can be commented upon using a quote from the Godfather movie "I said to myself, this is the business we've chosen..."

My gifts this year did not include any J.Crew and I am happy with that. I am also not into after-Christmas sales, just like I don't do Black Friday. I think I am definitely coming off the crewlade and shopping for clothes in general. I have plenty in my closet and I hope that in 2013 I will be mostly recycling what I already own. 

The outfit above is from couple of weeks ago, I just never got around to post it. In fact, I have several of those, so I will be using them this week. Since I am staying home, I am sitting by my Christmas tree, wearing (red) pajamas and a hoodie, having no reason or inclination to dress up.

This skirt looks like last year's Bright Flame, but it is an earlier version (2008?) and the color was called Persimmon. Persimmon is very similar to Bright Flame, Modern Red or Poppy, but the wool is thicker and the skirt has a fully fashioned waistband, which creates more flattering fit, at least on me.

 

I needed some cheering up in the rainy weather, so I decided to double up on brights and wear the skirt with the predominately pink Liberty print perfect shirt.

It is funny how sometimes, when you add more, you actually lessen the effect. Worn with something neutral or contrasting, the skirt color might have blinded your eyes, but when paired with something bright, it gets neutralized or maybe just more intentional, therefore less shocking orange.

My shoes and purse also have orange tones creating almost monochromatic effect again. I liked this outfit and it definitely put me in a cheerful mood.

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That's all folks!

Are you 'recovering' after Holidays? Watching the after-Christams sales?

Do you do bright on bright? Do you think it works here?

Please share, It would be no fun without you!!!

Sweater dresses

There is something snuggly and cozy about sweater dresses. They are warm, comfortable, easy to throw on with boots and be ready. But in reality, sweater dresses may also be unflattering, unforgiving, adding bulk everywhere and easily turning into shapeless sacks.

I am a big fan in theory but irl, not so much.

In general, I avoid sweater dressed for reasons mentioned above but sometimes I could not resist. This was the case  with J.Crew cashmere Fiori dress from 2009.  I loved the silver gray shown in the stock picture but since I already owned a gray sweater dress (see below), I decided to go with black.

I was not disappointed when I received it, it was exactly what I was looking for.

It has just the right length and it is not cut too low. The slightly a-line skirt does not get out of shape by the end of the day.  The rosette is subtle and eliminates a need for a necklace but makes the dress more elegant. However, I have worn it with boots to the office without feeling overdressed.  Miraculously, it does not pill.

 

I took a smaller of my sizes (S) and the dress was still roomy at first, but after I washed it couple of times, it shrunk a little and become more fitted but not too small. Btw, I hate dry cleaning and I wash all my cashmere with regular detergent on gentle cycle and air dry. It shrinks a little but other than that, I did not have any problems. I actually think it pills less after washing. You just have to be careful, so you don't throw it in the dryer with the rest of the load. I learned that the hard way. However, putting it in the dryer for 5 minutes to fluff works well.

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I am wearing the dress with my Nottingham boots and Boulevard coat in sandstone. I love this coat and I hope J.Crew will come back with the classic Boulevard silhouette next year. I don't like the cut of the one they did this year, although some of the colors are beautiful.

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My other sweater dress is even older (2007?) and I bought it from Boden. I used to buy much more from them in those years.

This is 100% thick, ribbed merino wool with not a single pill in sight. It is not itchy and merino can bother me. I got it in size 10 but it is still roomy in hips. The length is good but the neck is rather exposed, which is a slight problem in the winter when I want to be covered up. What I like about it (besides the color and 100% merino) is that it reads quite casual.  I am not DaniBP (I wish) but I can wear this dress around the house and feel comfortable.  

Also wearing Ryder boots and Tillary purse (review HERE).

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That's all folks!

Do you like/wear sweater dresses?
Do you own J.Crew Fiori dress?

Do you wash your cashmere and merino?


Please share, it would be no fun without you!!!