Weekend Window Shopping: J.Crew Factory Cuteness.

I tend to forget about J.Crew Factory but Marianne's recent purchases got me curious and I went to see what's what. You guys! So much cute, inexpensive stuff for summer! Here's what I like:
         
       

         
       
     
     

We Discuss: Regrettable Shopping. Maybe.

(Just a note: this convo happened over the holiday weekend, so some prices have changed) 

M: In  “I’ll never learn” news,  J.Crew Factory is giving clothes away again and I just ordered some stuff I will surely regret!

A: What did you get?

M: Let’s start with what I think WON’T be a disappointment

M: I wanted more shorts pajamas but then I saw these, which are a lot cheaper than my favorite Loft pajamas and I can just wear a t-shirt with them. I got the ditsy navy floral, watermelon, and lemon:

M: And I reaaaally liked that liberty-esque floral so I bought this dress that is probably going to disappoint me:



M: I bought these in yellow to give a friend for her birthday but I want them:



M: But the real I WILL NEVER LEARN is these jeans:



A: I LOVE the dress and earrings

A: But oh no white jeans

M: I know! WHAT IS MY ACTUAL DAMAGE

M: $22!

A: Worth a shot?

M: I sized way up and said a prayer

A: I pray for you as well

M: I am excited about the pajama shorts

A: Those are super cute

M: All told, three pairs of pajamas shorts, a dress, earrings, and jeans for $100

A: That’s great! Not regrettable at all

M: We’ll see

A: I want a pair of Madewell white boyjeans but I can’t pay full price

M: I am not sure why I think I’m going to suddenly turn into someone who doesn’t have hams for arms

A: Who cares what your arms look like? It’s summer.

A: Time to wear floaty dresses and say fuck it

M: I’m working on the fuck it!

A: Me too, a work in progress

M: I just usually like to fuck it with a sleeve

M: That sounds wrong

A: Dirty.

Outfit Of The Day: I Like These Things A Lot.

Yesterday I promised an outfit with my two new favorite bits of clothing and by god, I shall deliver on this promise! I'm feeling dramatic today, can you tell? Anyway, here you go:

Look at me with the high rise and cropped top! It's really not a bad look for me since I'm short-waisted... is the story I'm telling myself. I am really into this top - the Athleta Zephyr shell. It's not inexpensive (uh, I got mine on Poshmark) but I have already worn it several times and I really love it. It's super light weight but the ribbed trim gives it a bit of interest and makes it fall just right. It comes in a bunch of colors and also a good print. It also comes in a tee, which is intriguing! I might have to go try that on. 

Y'all might remember my struggles with a pair of Madewell jeans that didn't quite work for me. I ended up returning them and then found this pair (on sale right now), which are a much better fit. The perfect rise, the perfect wash, some good distressed details, a slightly cropped leg. And magic pockets! That right there makes Madewell denim worth every penny. The best. My only sadness is that I can't wear them to work. For a similar version without ripped knees, this pair is very tempting. My denim wardrobe is always N+1.

I threw my J.Crew Going-Out blazer over this whole happy mess to prove that it's still the best at dressing up a casual outfit. Yep, you still got it, blazer. Thanks for making me look like I meant to do this. I think the Sophie sweater blazer would also work well in this capacity. Details: 

Here's a creepy face close-up to show off the glow-tastic abilities of that Tatcha stuff I was talking about last week and to also show you these Panacea earrings that I'm crazy about. I can't find my exact pair, but these are the same earrings with a different stone. Ooh, and I like this jade pair too. My necklace is not actually my necklace - it's Nina's and I'm selling it for her on my Poshmark page. It's Gorjana and I had to really restrain myself from buying it from her.

Bag and shoes! I'm carrying my Liberty of London Little Marlborough tote. It also comes in a grey color that I would LOVE TO OWN but for now I enjoy the one I already have. Ooh, I just found one like mine on Poshmark at a really good price! Eep. Someone get that. Finally, my red clog sandals are Lotta from Stockholm and I just wanted to prove that I don't wear Birkenstocks every single day. Sometimes I wear clogs instead! Heh. 

Shopping Report: Holiday Weekend.

Hi hi hi! I hope you all had a good Memorial Day weekend. I spent most of the weekend on my bike which means I didn't have time to buy much of anything. I am still waiting on my Madewell shorts (they're due to arrive today) and I did have quite a good 1/2 price haul from my favorite thrift store, but most of what I found is destined for my Poshmark closet. So boring, I know.

Oh, wait! I did buy a secondhand pair of my favorite Athleta pants in an army green color from a few years back:

They're also supposed to arrive today, so fingers crossed that they're in good shape. In other news, Marianne got her new sandals from Madewell (discussed here) and they're keepers:

Her quick review: I think these are good! The upper band is loose but that makes them comfy to walk in. The heel height is perfect and they fit great across the toe. (Just a note: these have sold out at Madewell but Nordstrom has them on sale.) 

The weather this weekend was summer-hot (yay!) so, while I haven't bought anything new, I have been wearing a bunch of my more recent purchases, two of which will feature in an outfit post tomorrow. Winners:

This Athleta Zephyr shell top, which is the best of both worlds - super light and easy but also reads fashion forward.

These Madewell jeans which I've been wearing every chance I get. They're my current favorite pair and I'm sad I can't wear them to work.

My white Birkenstock Arizona sandals which look so fresh and crisp with everything (and not at all like I'm a hippie nurse, which was my fear.)

Losers:

These Gap shorts - I love them in theory but I just can't seem to make them work for me. I think they're a little too big, but not in a good/slouchy way. I may attempt to shrink them up a bit and try, try again.

Weekend Window Shopping: Memorial Day Sales

A holiday weekend is upon us and the sales are coming fast and furious. This list is not complete, just a cross-section of what looks good to me. (Though honestly, I think Madewell could try a little harder. Hmph.) Here you go: 

Anthropologie - extra 40% off sale items

Barneys Warehouse - Take 50% off site wide (Some items are 70% off plus 25%)

Boden - 30% off your entire purchase plus receive free shipping and returns with code C7R2b

Gap - 40% off everything with code READY plus an extra 10% off with code COOL

Last Call - Extra 40% off everything (except not really - there are exclusions!) 

LOFT- Take 40% off your entire purchase with code FINALLY

Madewell - 20% off dresses and sandals with code PERFECTMATCH

Nordstrom - Half Yearly Sale! 50% off selected items. 

Nordstrom Rack -  an extra 25% off clearance items

Off Fifth - Take an extra 25% off clearance with code SUMMER

True & Co - 20% off with code BIGSALE 

(New customers can go through my link for $15 off your first order! I also get $15 in credit.) 

Outfit of the Day: I Thought This Was Cute.

Hello! I have an outfit on and thought I'd show you because why not. This is a pretty typical weekday outfit but I thought it all kinda worked out pretty well:

I'm wearing a Pleione top I bought at TJ Maxx last year and every so often I'll check Poshmark to see if I can find it in other colors because I really love it. It's a nice drapey shape and tucks in quite well. I  went looking for it online and hey! Here it is deeply on sale in a pretty yellow that would look awful on me. Drat. They also have the cobalt color in a 3/4 sleeve version. There's also a slightly different version in several different prints and solid colors at NR. It's a good one. 

Y'all I know I've talked about these pants before but I honestly can't say enough good things about them. They're the Athleta Chelsea Cargo and they are a dream. I bought them for travel but have been wearing them once or twice a week since then. They are feather light and SO comfortable so I'm already thinking I need them in another color. Maybe the olive green? I'm also eyeing this pair of linen joggers because they get great reviews. I love some comfy summer pants. 

I can't always wear a denim jacket instead of a cardigan so I dusted off a VERY old cotton cardigan from BR and it's fine, I guess. Eventually I'll have to retire it and get something like this this one, it's more current cousin. Honestly, I can't really get excited about sweaters in May. Details:

I am so glad I splurged a little and bought this Dean Davidson necklace. It's WONDERFUL. The labradorite has good fire and it just seems to improve any outfit. It's also fun to play with, which is a bonus in boring meetings. There is a bunch of DD jewelry on Nordstrom Rack and I think this moonstone pendant might be my next piece. Or these earrings. Ugh. 

Finally, I am still rocking the duel animal print with NO SHAME. NO SHAME I SAY. I am super glad I went ahead and bought this crazy Marc Jacobs bag because it sparks mad joy. I can't even link it because there isn't another one like it (but if you want a similar MJ bag for a steal, this one looks really nice). I can, however, link my Madewell leopard flats which I still love and which have given me zero blisters. That's the true test of a ballet flat right there. 

That's all I've got today! I'll post some Memorial Day sale info tomorrow. 

BUY THIS (So We Don't Have To): LOFT Summer Dresses.

I have a dream that involves a closet full of easy, but adorable, summer dresses and Loft has always been one of my go-to places to find such things. Obviously they're giving clothes away - 40% off with code FINALLY and "summertime steals" where some dresses are marked down to $35. All of my picks qualify for one or the other because you should never pay full price at LOFT:

It's well known I have a weakness for striped dresses and I love the open back on this one. 

HOW CUTE IS THIS with the embroidery? I might have to order this one. 

This one would be a really easy work dress to wear with cute strappy sandals. Bonus: pockets! 

The lace cap sleeves on this swing dress is such a cool detail. 

This one is just a straight up pretty floral summer dress. You can't go wrong.

Annnnnd, more stripes. This one has a fun crossover back that gives it some interest.

I LOVE this one. You could wear to just about any summer event and look amazing. 

Ah, the sack dress of my dreams. Throw on some Birkenstocks and a big necklace: you're good to go.

Shopping Report: Weekend Damage.

What did I buy last weekend? Not very much but I didn't get away completely unscathed. I am also FIRMLY ignoring that the beautiful Miu Miu bag and black diamond moon stud earrings are back to being 50% off at Barneys. Lalalalalala I CAN'T HEAR YOU, BARNEYS.

Anyway! I went to Sephora to return the RMS Un Coverup that, true to it's name, does not cover up a single damn thing. To replace it I bought the Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer which is really what I should've bought in the first place since it's exactly what I needed - light coverage, a smooth finish and has SPF 30. Good stuff.

While at Sephora I asked for a sample of the Murad spot lightening stuff and happened to be waiting for it in front of the Tatcha display which is VERY DANGERGOUS. The packaging alone makes me want everything in this line. It's so pretty! I casually sprayed the Luminous Dewy Skin Mist on my hand and by God, it made my hand look dewy and luminous! I was definitely not going to buy a $48 bottle of luminous dew which I DID NOT NEED and then I saw they had a travel size version for $20 and thank you very much I will take it.

And y'all, my face is now both dewy and luminous. Is it worth $20? I don't know, but it's a very nice product that does what it says it will do and so far my skin doesn't seem to hate it. When I use it under the Tarte stuff my face is crazy glowy but not in a sparkly vampire way. I am into it.

And that's all I bought, or meant to buy, until I tried to wear my Gap shorts on Sunday and just couldn't make them be how I wanted them to be. They might be just a little too big and I still feel like my legs are slightly too pale to pull off the color*. Did I throw them in the dryer to shrink? Did I slap on some self-tanner? No, of course I didn't. Instead, I went to the Madewell site and ordered these:

In my defense, they were on sale but not enough on sale to be smug about it. They're also a higher rise than I generally care for but you know what? I will try them and then I will know.

*One more thing! I bought this Jergen's Glow lotion to try and even out my cycling-created tan lines. It stinks but I think it's working!

Weekend Window Shopping: J.Crew Sale on Sale.

Today only! J.Crew is giving an extra 50% off sale items with code HISUMMER. Here's what I'd get if I had my way:
         
       

         
       
     
       

Review: Madewell Tee Dress in Epperson Stripe. (And an Outfit.)

Hi! If you read this post from Monday you know I ordered the Madewell Tee Dress in Epperson Stripe because I needed a new summer dress option. (I recently did a closet purge and this dress finally went to the great thrift pile in the sky. I also got rid of some other dresses that no longer fit me or don't spark joy or whatever. It was brutal.)

ANYWAY, The tee dress arrived and it's a keeper:

I basically just wanted a tee shirt in dress form and that's what I got. It's made of a good, heavy-weight cotton and I'm wearing a size medium. I always worry a little about butt room in shift-type dresses, but this one fits fine, front and back: 

And check it out - the stripes line up! It's not a dealbreaker for me if they don't but it's the kind of attention to detail that I think is worth paying for. That said, I don't know that I'd pay full price for this dress. It's on sale right now for $39.50 and that seems like a fair price. If the crew neck isn't doing it for you, this Madewell tee dress has a lower neckline and a very cute stripe! There's also this relaxed version, which I love, but it needs to go on sale, because nope.

So comfy! I am such a fan of the striped t-shirt dress. For some non-Madewell options, I love this unusual colorway from Lou & Grey, this one at Nordstrom got a high recommendation from a friend (and it has pockets!), and Gap has a 3/4 sleeve option that I completely love. 

I literally just raved last week about my beloved Universal Thread denim jacket (and the sweet, sweet upgrade I'll eventually be buying) so I will skip it this week. I will say this: the right denim jacket makes a great cardigan-alternative. On to details:

As usual, I'm pretty minimal with the jewelry. This labradorite pendant is from Target and is long sold out, but I love these semi-precious stone pendants they have right now and this half circle pendant is pretty similar. This set at Loft also has a similar feel and is basically free. 

It's Birkenstock season! I've been enjoying my new white Arizona sandals, which I love with this dress. So fresh! My bag is the same old MBMJ hobo I always default to when nothing else quite works. This is the one I always recommend as a "similar" MJ style! I'm boring. Now, since you've read this far I have to ask - did anyone snag that Miu Miu bag from Barneys? It's back up to regular price so I can stopping thinking about it, but I can't stop thinking about it. *sob*

Beauty Report: Sephora Sale Reviews. Sort of.

Hey there! I bought quite a few things during the recent Sephora VIB sale and, while most were repurchases, I also bought a few new things. Are you dying to know how they worked out? Are youuuu? Too bad I'm telling you anyway. At least for the stuff I've actually bothered to try.

I will admit I made two orders because I had a fair amount of points saved up and right after I made my first order they added a bunch of really good 100 point rewards. Jerks!

My first order:

Repurchased: My foundation, moisturizer, Sunday Riley vitamin C oil

New purchases: 

The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% - I haven't tried this yet because it smells awful. That is the downside of The Ordinary, I guess. Part of me is like, do I just return this and suck it up and buy Good Genes again? Ugh.

Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in Glow - I love this! It does smell a bit like candy but the scent isn't overpowering. It's just a really nice shimmery peachy-nude lipgloss. It looks great by itself or layered over lipstick. I'm happy with it.

500 point reward:
Caudalie French Natural Favorites - This is a really nice set! I haven't tried any of it yet (though I've used the eye cream before) but I got travel/mini sizes of: VinoPerfect Concentrated Brightening Essence, Premier Cru The Eye Cream, Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet, VinoPerfect Radiance Serum

100 point reward: 
Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate 12.5% Vitamin C - this is a favorite of both of ours. Briefly reviewed here.


My second order:

RMS Beauty Un Cover-Up Concealer/Foundation - I was convinced this would be my perfect weekend no-makeup makeup because I love every RMS thing I've tried but, man, I do NOT like this stuff. It basically looks like nothing on but somehow also made me look kind of shiny and haggard? I was so disappointed! I will be returning it and the search for a weekend tinted moisturizer continues.

Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Elizabeth Violet - This is a very good smudgy eyeliner in an unusual color - a kind of rich, smoky purple. I am on a mission to try all the good purple eyeliners and this one is so nice! It does transfer to my upper eyelid, but they all do. I like it as least as much as my favorite liner, UD 24/7 (though they've started discontinuing my favorite colors so I'm mad at them).

100 point rewards: 
Drunk Elephant C-Tang Multivitamin Eye Cream - I've only used this a few times, so the jury is still out. It's fine? I can't ever get too excited about Drunk Elephant.

Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil - I've had a sample of this before and really liked it! I love a tiny oil bottle for travel and it's just a really nice product - definitely on par with Sunday Riley.

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lipstick - This is... fine. The color I got (Tea Rose) is boring in a work-appropriate way, but that's kinda Bobbi Brown's thing.

Verb Ghost Oil™ - They ran out of this before they shipped my order, which was irritating. Really, it's probably for the best because I have no business putting oil on my hair.

Did you order anything new? What did you like/hate?