Big review post! J. Crew, Cole Haan, and what dress did I choose for the ball?!!!

ALLLLLL that stuff I ordered finally made it all the way to China and are finally in my little hands. Most everything worked out wonderfully! so lots to review!

First up - do you need a good, basic long-sleeve layering tee? If so, Nordstrom's juniors brand Rubbish makes awesome long-sleeve shirts. I've had some for a few years and it was finally time to pick up some new ones.

This is the Rubbish Extended Cuff Tee. Currently on sale for $12.90. Because it's juniors I size up to a medium.

Here it is in grey on me.


Worn with my Lululemon Groove Pants (so stylin'! Hey, I didn't leave the house today...) BTW these tees are one million times better than J. Crew's "perfect fit" tee. I hate those things. They get so stretched out during wear and the sleeves are too short and the bottom rides up.. yuck.

Next up, Anthropologie's Camp Facile Shirt by Odille. I love this shirt. It's gorgeous. It feels like silk, but is actually rayon. I bought it in the army green color, which in my pictures actually looks a little distorted - it's more of a true army green in real life - you can see the true color in the photo below.


Look at the pretty details... gold buttons, the braiding on the sleeve cuff, which also goes along the back in a straight line.



I own about 2 or 3 Odille blouses, and took a size 2 in all of them - so I bought a size 2 in this as well. Truth be told, I could have sized up to a 4 - the button pulls ever so slightly across the chest. If I were in the US I'd exchange it for a 4 - being here, I will settle for the one I have. I also think that if I wear a less "pusher-upper" bra, that will solve the problem. ;)

Next up, J. Crew reviews! very happy with my recent J. Crew purchases.

First, the Sherpa Zip Hoodie, now on sale for $60. Love. So comfy! The sleeves and the pockets are not lined with the sherpa lining - I thought it was last year, but I don't know for sure. I took a size small - I think you should size up with this one.



MMM. Fuzzy. This is the warm taupe color.

Next, the popular Arrow Sweater-jacket (in black), which has been reviewed all over the blogging world. Currently on sale for $80, and I bought it during the additional 30% off sale. This sweater is 100% merino wool, very soft and very thick. Well worth the sale price. No quality issues so far, no pilling, etc.



I took this in a size XS. I like a more form fitting look.

Next is the Glen-plaid Sasha Coat. It appears to be sold out on the website, so no clicky. I bought this coat because it was on sale for such a great price... and I am so glad I did! I think it's super cute. It has a more boxy fit but it's still flattering - I like that it has a swingy look to it - very cute. Also love the plaid which is subtle but adds something extra. Net-a-porter is selling it for $300 still, but J. Crew just had it at a sale price of $99.




I went with a size 2 - it is great because it is roomy and there is no problem layering underneath this coat. It's funny because this coat didn't catch my eye at all and I really bought it for the great price... and it ended up being an awesome purchase.

In that picture I am also wearing my favorite style of jeans - 7 for all mankind's straight leg in rinse wash. These are the ones I bought for 30% off at Tobi.com. I have other jeans in this same brand and style, and needed another.


For me, 7 for all mankind fits true to my waist size. Strange, but in light color washes, I find they stretch out and I size down one size. I also bought 7FAM's newest fit "the skinny bootcut" - no picture because they are really long and need to be hemmed, but I really like them - the fabric is definitely different than my other 7fam jeans - true to the product description on their website, this is a very stretchy, tighter-fit fabric - but my regular waist size still fit.

Nextttttttt.... another J. Crew coat - the Stadium Cloth Peacoat with Gold Buttons, in Navy. I also got this with a 20% off code, yay!

Sorry this pic is sideways... I really like the stadium cloth fabric - it feels very very warm and looks and feels rich and luxurious in my opinion!





I listened to my blogger friends and went with a size 4 in this, as I heard it runs a little snug - and the 4 is perfect. Can't wait to wear this coat!

BTW can you see my shoes in that last picture? They are the Cole Haan Air Astrid flats in Beige. They are MUCH lighter (in color) than I thought they would be (you were right Ehayes!) I bought them on major sale at Neiman's. They are super comfy and TTS. The downside is I think they are really plain and sort of boring, and I thought the color was going to be a rich camel color, which it is not... I feel it's sort of a "matronly" (OK, GRANDMA-Y) color.



Keep or return?

And, OMG FINALLY, the final product.... which I am in love with. The J. Crew Studded Ballet Flats, which I also had a coupon for (nice, J. Crew with all the recent coupons...).




They run TTS, they feel extremely well made, the leather is so soft and supple.... I love them. Can't find any sort of fault with these.

Their awesomeness, combined with my "blah-ness" over the Cole Haan flats prompted me to run out (well, run to the computer) to buy one more pair of J. Crew flats, the Kerrington flats (currently on sale) in metallic pewter.


I'll let you know how I like these when they come in.

And that's it. And please don't add up all my purchases. I don't want to know. ;)

Steph

PS GIVEAWAY WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED TOMORROW! SORRY FOR THE DELAY!

PPS - Am I a huge blonde or what? I didn't even post about my ball dress! I guess I'll save that for tomorrow. ;)

J. Crew customer service success!

This morning, I called J. Crew and explained that I received two 25% off cards in the mail, but couldn't use them in store because I am in China. I told them I have a frigid Beijing winter ahead of me and said that I would love to use the 25% off to buy a coat... and they obliged!

(Of course, I really hate that I had to pay $17.50 on shipping (to ship to a U.S. address). I just don't understand why their shipping costs are so high. And I don't understand why you can spend 200+ dollars and STILL be charged an exorbitant amount on shipping.) I know it was really nice for them to let me use the coupon, so, I'll just stop there.

On it's way to me


Yep... I decided to go with the navy peacoat with gold buttons. I agonized over the decision, kept flip flopping between the navy version and the grey version, and then started wondering if I should just buy that plain dark charcoal or even a plain black peacoat instead.... It was clearly getting out of hand, and I decided that a purchase of a coat shouldn't require this amount of debate, so I bought the darn navy & gold peacoat. The only other coat I have is black and classic, so I decided I could use a little "fun."

I also grabbed this "warm taupe" (I call it pinkish!) sherpa hoodie. This is the warmest, most comfortable hoodie ever... I think it will come in handy for hanging around the house or quickly running to the grocery store during the cold months.


Anyway, that's pretty much it on the shopping front... I have ONE more pair of flats I want - still looking for my size... but I really want a rich tannish color pair...

Does anyone else find that blogging and browsing other blogs just makes you WANT more? I wish I could browse other blogs without being like "OMG I want that!" "I need that!" and pretty soon after, find myself shopping up a storm...

Yeah.

Don't forget to take advantage of Shopbop's (RARE) 20% off code: INTHEFAMILY20

I won't be. But you should! ;)

Steph

So sad, J. Crew, so sad.

Look what showed up in my China mailbox today:


Not one, but TWO J. Crew 25% "red cards." I'm one of the chosen few! (sorry, I'm on a MAC so the pictures are mirror reflections!)

I'm so sad. They are in-store use only, and they expire on the 11th so there is no chance of sending it back to my mom and having her buy me my coat....

On a happy note, I received a care package from my mom.... Vanity Fair with trainwreck Lilo on the cover, US Weekly with the Jersey Shore crew, and People... some new skincare products...

.....and a new pink IPOD Nano!! The best part is the inscription "Let the music take you home." Um, she rocks, no?! And the new Nano rocks. I love it. It has a touch screen! and it's fun! and it has a pedometer! a stop watch! and you can listen to the RADIO! and you can PAUSE live radio, and rewind up to 15 minutes... awesome for language learners. Love it.

Hoping for a smog-free day tomorrow... we've had some really terrible pollution the last 3 days.

I wonder if I call an actual brick and mortar J. Crew store, and order the coat I want over the phone - if they will let me read the card number to them over the phone? .... I have a feeling that might work.... I want to purchase that Navy coat (I think) and 25% off would be huge! It's worth a shot, I think.

Steph

In the mood to shop! FALL Wants!

The weather has been so gorgeous lately, but there is a definite chill in the air that says fall is here! I love the change of the seasons. As fall makes it's way to Beijing, I've become more and more aware how woefully unprepared I am for winter. As a Florida girl who has never really lived in a place with a winter, I'm still not exactly sure what I am doing when it comes to dressing in winter. I visited my parents last year in NYC in December, and the year before that spent a snowy Christmas in Prague... so I think I can manage, because I managed then.... but boy am I in the shopping mood!

Would you believe it if I told you I have like, no flats? I don't know what happened to them all! They must be in storage or maybe I never really had as many as I thought. My Tory Burch Revas are flopping off my foot (will never buy them again, but that's another story), so I ran to my computer and ordered two pairs of cute flats from J. Crew. I had a 20% off code to use, plus free shipping. I bought the Girandole Flats which were on sale, and the Studded Ballet Flats, which weren't.

Girandole Studded Flats


I thought these were cute and different and added a little something to plain old black. Plus they will look cute with jeans, with the studs just barely peeking out.

Studded Ballet Flats


These... I just completely fell in love with them in the light grey color and had to have them! Luckily I had a 20% off coupon to offset full price (thanks to a very sweet girl on a board I frequent!)

Then I started thinking about denim, because I pretty much love wearing jeans... and I haven't bought a nice pair in a couple years! What can I say.... the good stuff lasts! I was annoyed that I had let Bloomies Friends and Family discount pass me by... but in the end, I lucked out because Tobi.com currently has a promotion out for 30% off!

7 For all Mankind is my designer denim of choice - they just fit me the best of the many different kinds I've tried on.

I ended up buying the Skinny Bootcut in Rinsed Indigo


And because the 30% off was such a big help, I bought a second pair, the Straight Leg in Rinse

If you're in the market for some new denim, check out Tobi.com for 30% off!

Another thing I stumbled across today: if you sign up for 7 For All Mankind's email list, they send you a 20% off code to use on your next purchase.

I'm still eyeing a couple things.... a $190 sweater from Piperlime - OUCH! Wish I hadn't overlooked that 25% off code Piperlime had out last week...

and a peacoat from J. Crew. I've wanted a short classic peacoat for years - I think it's time to just buy one! Does anyone have any input on how J. Crew's peacoats fit?

I'm thinking of going with just the regular peacoat in charcoal...


But look at this gorgeous navy coat with gold buttons...


I'm thinking the charcoal for longevity's sake... but I love that navy one! I think that shade of navy can be worn with black, too... what do you girls think? go for the classic (if somewhat boring) charcoal, or go for the navy with the gold buttons? Will the military trend fade in a few years?

***If you go to Tobi.com to use that great 30% off code MeetTobi, please use my link to register! When someone I've invited makes a purchase, they put a reward in my account! My link is: https://www.tobi.com/invite/3qmm*** They have several Rebecca Minkoff styles and the code works!

Steph

Promises, Promises!

That's the name of the Broadway show we just saw today! We took the train into The City (haha! Hey, thats the lingo around here.) The show was great! So much fun. We had awesome seats, 5 rows from the stage.

The male lead is Sean Hayes, or as you guys may know him, Will from Will & Grace. The female lead is Kristin Chenoweth - I also saw her in Wicked, and of course, Glee! She plays the alcoholic blonde chick on Glee. She's too cute! I love her! And Sean Hayes was amazingly funny in this role. Anyway, the show was great, really funny, and I recommend it if you are looking for a Broadway show to see. I love seeing shows when I come to NY! I wish I could share pictures with you guys but we forgot to bring our camera. Bummer!

A couple days ago I was browsing J. Crew and saw a necklace that was on sale for $30. I liked it a lot but debated buying it or not. It was the last one, but I put it down and left. Yesterday I went to a different J. Crew and saw the same necklace, again the last one, so I figured it was meant to be, and now its mine! I love the multi-layered look and I have some dresses this will be perfect with.

Yeah, I know you can totally see my bra here, but its only from the camera flash and you really can't see it in person at all, I promise! I would never walk out of the house otherwise! ha.

Anyway imagine my happiness when I came home and saw that this same necklace is being sold for $58 dollars on J. Crew's website. Score!

I also received the Linea Pelle bracelet I posted about a few posts back. I am super happy with it, the first day I wore it two girls complimented me and asked where I bought it. :)

And lastly, yesterday I went to my mom's hair colorist and I loved her. I think she did an awesome job of fixing what so many stylists in California couldn't! (Its a long story but about a YEAR ago I tried to go brunette, it was an absolute disaster, and my hair hasn't been a nice shade of blonde since!) Anyway, my mom's stylist seriously restored my faith that there are good hair colorists out there (and of course you, too Andi!) Now my hair is just a pretty color blonde, no orange, no grey, no ashy, just pretty light blonde, with subtle lowlights that actually match!

As the colorist said, its still a work in progess - one time can't undo so many months of bad color jobs! I wish I had more time with her! But I'm really happy with it, and I have a good formula to bring with me to China! The salon I've been looking at in Beijing also uses the same brand of professional color that this girl used, so it should be easy to translate. AND no matter what I do to the font here, it won't change so its uniform to the other text, which is driving me nuts, but I'm done & can't deal with it anymore.

And... by the way... I leave for China in 4 days.

XOXO, thanks for reading guys!

WANTS! My Top 10 Wants for Spring & Summer

These are my top 10 wants (not necessarily gets!) for Spring & Summer.


1. By Cousin Claudine, Wood Crystal Bracelets, $145. Available at Intermix Online.

I love these wood & crystal bracelets! They are so gorgeous and entirely capture the perfect spring & summer look. At $145, these are a little steep for me for fashion jewelry, so I'll be scouring Etsy and other sites for cheaper alternatives. Let me know if you come across anything similar!

2. By J. Crew, denim shorts, $72. Available here.

I think shorts are perfect for summer (when not wearing dresses!) and I am loving all the denim styles that have been seen so far this spring. I can take these off my wish list, though, as I just turned it into reality when I scored on HauteLook this morning and purchased this super cute pair of Joe's shorts.


3. By J. Crew, Vintage Zebra-stripe Skirt, $68. Available here.

What is there to say about this adorable skirt from J. Crew? I love it. Its apparently been very popular and is sold out in all sizes except 2 and 10. Hopefully they will get more in! I'm not quite ready to pull the trigger on this one, because of all the money I've been spending stocking up for the move. Though, I do have a J. Crew reward card to that needs to be spent soon! Maybe this pretty little skirt will be mine, after all.

4. By Banana Republic, Lyra Castaway Necklace, $69.50. Available here.

I don't think I need to explain why this necklace is so fabulous. I love multi-layered necklaces and this one is just what I've been looking for.

5. By Anthropologie, Chantico Tank, $88. Available here.

Man, do I love this tank. Its gorgeous. It reminds me of something a Grecian Goddess would wear! I absolutely love the draping on this top. It also comes in white & baby pink. Its on backorder right now until April 6, hopefully I can snag this tank before I leave for China. Probably while I am visiting my mom in CT - she has several Anthros to choose from right by her house!

6. By J. Crew, Reese zip-back Gladiator Sandals, $118. Available here.

I absolutely love these strappy gold gladiator sandals. I love that they give the gladiator look but are still dainty and feminine. The zip-back is also a detail I love not only for how cute it looks, but also for the convenience of putting on the sandal! I may have already fulfilled this wish, though, in another strappy gold sandal I will blog about later this week.


7. By Dolce Vita, Hayden Criss-Cross Wedge Sandal, $174. Available at Shopbop.

These wedges rock. The leather looks so smooth and buttery, the criss-crossing is perfect, the straps are not too chunky not too thin. For me this shoe comes close to perfection for a spring and summer wedge.

8. By Ella Moss, Jackie Strapless Dress, $153. Also comes in Navy. Available at Ella Moss Online.

Ok so I love dresses. And I love stripes. Sometimes I get scared of horizontal stripes, even though I love them - and that is why this dress rocks. I still get the stripes I love but because the stripes go in different directions and aren't straight up horizontal, I don't have to worry about the stripes making me look wide or big or just unflattering to my figure. And I love how they styled this - simple, long gold necklace and strappy gold sandals. A++! BTW, right now if you go to Ella Moss online, you can receive $20 by inviting your friends.

9. By Kris Nations, Deco Leaf Earrings, $55. Available at Kris Nations.

I've been wanting these earrings since last year. I love the earthy vibe they give off and the earrings are perfect for about 75% of my summer looks! I think its time to make them mine. 'Nuff said.

And finally -

10. By Velvet, Elle Short Sleeve Dress, $152. Available at Velvet Online.

I own several dresses by Velvet and these things are made to last. They are made from beautiful, high quality materials. They tend to drape beautifully. And they are basic, but at the same time, anything but. I love the pockets and zipper detail on this dress. At Velvet Online right now, first-time buyers receive 15% off for signing up.

Velvet also has an adorable romper if you are looking for one!

I'm always looking for basic cotton dresses for summer, under $100. If you've seen any you love, be sure to share! I'm always on the look out for similar but better priced items, too. Like, these dresses I love... I'll probably wait for a good coupon code or snag them on sale! I bought a gorgeous Velvet dress on sale 50% off last year at Anthro.

What is on your spring & summer wish list?

Steph