J.Crew's pear sweater + retro jade

Pear sweater (size small):  J.Crew, holiday 2012
Double-serge wool #2 pencil skirt in retro jade (size 6): J.Crewl fall 2012
Heels:  Vince Camuto
Necklace & earrings:  Ann Taylor, OLD

Ahhh, this outfit speaks straight to my matchy-matchy soul.  I love this pear sweater so much...it's cheerful enough to remind me of spring while being warm enough for this cold, gray weather.  I adore how the little leaf perfectly matches retro jade...brilliant!  Really, how can I be anything less than cheery with a big yellow pear on my chest?

How's your week going?  Mine has been quite nice, actually.  Thanks for visiting!

"Uplifting" in bright turquoise

Hacking jacket in bright turquoise (size 6): J.Crew, fall 2011
Coral ruffle silk shell (size 6): J.Crew, 2010
Gray pinstriped "martin fit" pants (size 6 Long):  Banana Republic
Heels:  Tahari

I wasn't even going to post this outfit today.  We began our day on the wrong foot after I forgot to set the alarm correctly last night and we all overslept by 45 minutes this morning.  This got the kids to school late (a fact that nearly gave my regimented second grader a heart attack), and I just felt rushed all day!  I threw this on quickly without any planning or even thinking about it.  But then while I was out and about during my work day, a lady came up to me and said, "Your outfit is so uplifting to me on this gloomy day."   It was so touching to hear that, and it got me thinking.  Can a cheerful outfit really be uplifting to someone, other than the person wearing it?  And then I realized that of course the answer is yes...seeing the beautiful and creative OOTD's on my favorite bloggers is always uplifting to me.  It's a word that is underused..."uplifting."  Doesn't it just make you feel good?   And really, that comment was further proof to me that color is a beautiful thing!   Here's to all of us feeling more "uplifted" this week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Banded shift dress, remixed

Banded shift dress in viridian green (size 6):  J.Crew Factory, fall 2012
Belt (size small):  Gap
Heels: Vince Camuto
Almond tiers necklace:  Anthropologie, spring 2011

The beauty of a dress is being able to throw it on and you're done for the day, right?  However that's also the challenge when you're trying to mix it up...it's more difficult to remix a dress compared to separates.  The first time I wore this dress I kept it pretty simple. (See it on me here.)  This time I tried to mix it up with heels (rather than boots), a belt, and a longer necklace.  I also cuffed the sleeves, which I really liked, although it lended a slightly more casual vibe.  I'm really glad I grabbed this from the Factory website on popback in January though, it's been a wonderful work dress for the winter. 

What's your trick for remixing a dress?  Thanks for reading!

Review: J.Crew Factory printed washed silk tee and comparison to J.Crew's gondola striped tee

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend!  I recently ordered the Factory printed washed silk tee and I wanted to give you a review in case you are looking at it yourself.  I bought it last week when J.Crew had the 30% off plus free shipping promo, so I paid $45.00 for it.  I was hoping it would be similar to its predecessor, J.Crew's gondola striped top (see me in it here) from last summer, and it is! 

First, a comparison shot of the two:

J.Crew Gondola striped top, summer 2012
Size 4

J.Crew Factory printed washed silk tee in neon pink, here
Size small

Although the sizing is a small in the Factory version rather than the numeric sizing of the original Gondola top, the fit is identical.  My gondola striped top is a 4 and this is a small, so base your sizing off that.  The silk fabric of the Factory version may be a tiny bit thinner than the original, but that's expected and it was not enough of a difference to bother me at all.  The material felt quite nice actually.  Here is a picture of it on:

Nice bathroom shot right?

The top is not fitted at all, which is fine by me...it's an easy breezy top that will be nice for hot summer days. It is not see-through at all, which I was happy about. I think it will look cute with my pink bubble necklace  and white denim.   All in all I like this top and once again I am happy with my Factory purchase!  If you were sad you missed out on the original Gondola striped top, the Factory version is available in the same navy/red stripe.  It's definitely a great substitute!  Nice work, J.Crew Factory.

What do you think of this striped top? Thanks for visiting!

J.Crew's lady jacket in berry pink: A crowd pleaser

Lady jacket in berry pink (size 6): J.Crew, fall 2012
Double-serge wool pencil skirt in heather carbon (size 6): J.Crew, here
Silk top by Moulinette Souers (size 2: Anthropologie, 2010
Black leather heels: Nine West

This jacket and skirt combo was a surprising crowd pleaser today, and I give all the credit to J.Crew's pretty lady jacket.  I wish I wasn't standing like such a dork in this picture because I don't think you can truly see the outfit (I really need to start taking multiple pictures to give more detail).  I have struggled a bit with what to pair this jacket with, because the trim isn't exactly black, it's a very dark navy.  It doesn't look that great with black, but I loved it with charcoal.   Everywhere I went, someone had a nice comment about the outfit...even an elderly gentleman struggling with his walker took the time to compliment me.  So sweet!  I love when people show kindness.  I always try to pay it forward.

Thanks for reading.

Herringbone schoolboy + camel

Schoolboy blazer in herringbone blue watercolor (size 6 Tall):  J.Crew, fall 2012
Silk boy shirt in French hen (size 6): J.Crew, fall 2012
Camel wool "martin fit" pantss (size 6 Long): Banana Republic, fall 2011
Reptile Colette pumps:  Tahari

Folks, I have a case of the winter blahs.  I'm really just over all of the snow flurries, wind, and cloudy skies.  I must sound like a real wimp to those of you who live in climates that are seriously cold and snowy, as we've had very little snow in southern Ohio this winter.  But the gray skies...the gloom...the dark mornings...yuck.  I'm ready for blue skies, sunshiney days, and glasses of wine in the evening on the patio.  Who's with me? 

I must admit, the number of minutes I spent planning this outfit is: 0. If I don't plan my outfit the night before, I have to rush to the closet after my post-gym shower in the morning, grab, and go.  I liked how it turned out though, clean lines and classic. Focusing on having a cohesive wardrobe has paid off.  It's much easier and less stressful to decide on an outfit when all the items in my closet work together.   I've consigned so many clothes in the last 6 months, and I still have more to unload.  I just don't have time to sift through 10 blouses that I don't love to find the one that I do.  I'd rather get rid of the all the so-so pieces and only leave the items I truly wear.  That may mean having a smaller selection but I'm fine with that...quality is always better than quantity to me.  Plus I use the money I receive from consigning to buy something that I think is awesome.  Makes sense right?

Do you hold on to clothing too long?  Or are you good about "out with the old, in with the new" ? Thanks for reading!

J.Crew's Lillian dress + Anthro jacket + bubble

Lillian dress in gardenshade floral (size 4):  J.Crew, spring 2012
Jacket by Tabitha (size 6): Anthropologie, fall 2010
Bubble necklace & earrings in neon pink:  J.Crew, summer 2012
Black leather heels: Nine West

Today was a cold, blustery day straight from the depths of winter here, and I really felt like choosing function over fashion and hiding out in my winter coat and scarf all day.  But the fact that I haven't posted an OOTD in 3 days, along with an important lunch presentation, convinced me to make an effort.  I'm glad I did, as I felt good all day in this outfit and had the confidence to do well during my presentation.  Dressing well really has a big impact on how I present myself to the world.  Do you feel the same?

Thanks for reading!