Posts with tag jcrew

We've always loved J.Crew for the fact that we can get quality, classic pieces at a decent price -- a dress isn't going to be cheap, but it won't look or feel cheap, either. Still, the price tags were never enough to dissuade us from perusing the racks. At least, not until now.

When it comes to investing in a pricey handbag, there are a couple schools of thought. Some believe the best option is to buy something really unique -- you might not use it all the time, but when you do, it'll really make a splash. And, since you're buying a quality piece, it'll last forever.

Simple, chic, and universally flattering - in other words, this dress is the perfect little black dress. It's a perfect blank canvas for your accessories - add a little cardigan for work, trade it in for stilettos and a colorful necklace for the cocktail hour. A classic.

$198 at jcrew.com

You know, people often underestimate the value of a good brooch. Sure, vintage is fine and good, but there's nothing wrong with finding a brand new pin that suits your style. Of course, you can pin it on the lapel of your coat and forget about it, or you can get creative and really make your pin a signature piece.

If you use a pin like this Faux-topaz Star Pin, $65 at J.Crew, you can wear it in a million different ways. Try it on the waist of a wrap shirt or dress. Pin a scarf or wrap in place with it. Put it on a hat, or, if your hair is particularly "done", work it into your 'do.

Summer trends can be so much fun. Currently, we're really enjoying the nautical trend -- navy and white, khakis, boat shoes, etc. And, when if we really want to play up that trend, we have no problem choosing accessories that, with anything else, would look a bit costumey. You know, shapes like sand dollars and starfish can make for some really fun jewelry!

There are belts you keep in your closet that you wear to hold your pants up, and then there are belts you keep in your closet to complete an outfit. Both serve equally important purposes -- some even can do both -- but one is far more fun to shop for.

We love the preppy look. However, it's one of those things that's easy to do full-out, but sometimes a little harder to pull off in a more subtle fashion. Most items are either preppy or they're not. End of story.

We love the look of a soft, pretty headband. And, yes, we loved it even before Gossip Girl. Depending on the style of the headband, it can make your outfit more preppy, girly, or earthy. Today, we're leaning toward preppy.

We love shirt dresses, yes we do, but having an entire closet full of black and navy dresses that really look like shirts with belts is pretty boring. J.Crew's Silk Twill Shirt Dress adds interest to your wardrobe because of cool little features that are different from the typical collar, neckline , shirttail hemline, and cuffs of a standard shirtdress: printed fabric, deep scoop neckline, ruffled collar, bracelet-length sleeve and A-line gathered skirt.

The dress is available at jcrew.com for $180.

If you've been anywhere near a clothing store in the last few weeks, you know that pretty little Spring fling things are hitting the shelves. However, the weather, even here in LA, is most definitely not appropriate for a bright yellow sundress (and if you ask me, no weather is appropriate for a bright yellow dress). We've got at least a month of wintry weather, and sweater weather beyond that.

I'm tempted, y'all, to start shopping the resort lines, but I'll resist. I suppose it isn't that difficult if the dress is a silk twill pullover shirtdress with button-front closure and ruffle embellishments at the collar and cuffs from J. Crew. I never thought that they'd actually start using the term, but this dress does indeed have "bracelet sleeves," and falls to a just past modest midthigh. This is part of their Spring collection (the dress is unlined), but with a slip underneath and a jacket on top, it can pass for January.

The dress is $175.

I think we're all aware that companies such as J. Crew, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Joseph A. Banks offer not only huge selections of men's ties, but very good looking ties, too. But a glance at the price tag the ties these companies offer can make your wallet cringe, with prices reaching over $100 in some cases.

Take this plain silver tie from J. Crew -- $50. Or this black and blue tie from Polo -- $100!

At one point in my life, I had the mindset never to skimp on any part of a suit, especially ties, thinking that the more expensive my get-up, the better I'd look. But I've since gotten over that, and discovered that like most aspects of apparel, it's not necessary to spend the big bucks on ties.

So, in order to save money on ties, don't go to the mall and shop at the big retailers. I recommend checking out T.J. Maxx -- there's a huge selection of ties at great prices. They've got the same brands as the big guys, but the prices rarely get over $15. If you don't have a T.J. Maxx, try Men's Wearhouse -- not the famous brands, but good looking ties at good prices.

Remember when you had corduroy pants in every color? To match every color of rugby shirt you had from J. Crew? Ok, so maybe that was just me, back in my prep-ster days in high school. But I never wore corduroy in a dress because it only ever reminded me of...jumpers. I'm sorry, but I have yet to embrace the jumper. But until the day that jumper does not equal "Osh Kosh B'gosh" for me, I can only do corduroy in a shirt dress, like this one from J. Crew that comes in a deep espresso color.

The dress is cotton, with a fitted bodice that buttons up the front and has a full skirt. I like the way it is paired with boots, but I'd love it more if the boots were a little lower -- to show some knee. Regardless, the dress will be cute no matter what shoes you wear.

The argyle pattern has been around for a long time, with its origins said to be dating back to the Campbell Clan of Argyll, a western region of Scotland, according to Wikipedia. And this pattern, an array of diamond shapes in a diagonal checkerboard arrangement, is not, in my opinion, going out of style anytime soon.

It's always there to add a little color to the typical sweater or a little excitement to the standard pair of dress socks. It's a great way to portray the business-casual look, which is useful for work, dates, or simply a night on the town with friends.

This season, Banana Republic and J. Crew (two of my favorite brands) have joined in on the argyle addiction, with both companies debuting several argyle sweater options for the fall. The first six sweaters pictured on Banana Republic.com sport the argyle pattern, and J. Crew has several choices, too. J. Crew utilizes lambswool, while most of Banana Republic's sweaters are cashmere. (Okay, it's mostly wool and only 10% cashmere, but still!)

Both companies also have a selection of argyle socks. If anything, argyle socks are bound to get you a few comments (whether they're positive or negative).

Summer is over, so it's time to start investing in sweaters and dress socks. So why not make them interesting with argyle?