A J.Crew Summer

It's basically a law that I write about J.Crew every couple of months, and since I last mentioned the Crew in March, the time has come. Remember when I said I would make myself stop buying solid colored dresses? Well, that rule does not apply when J.Crew puts the sale on sale. I'm so good about sticking to my shopping embargo when it comes to full priced items, but when J.Crew throws an extra 30% off code in my face (plus free shipping!) I just can't resist. (And FYI, if you don't receive the J.Crew emails but still want to get some coupon codes, check J.Crew Aficionada before buying online. They always have codes for whatever special is running.)

So a few weeks ago, I discovered that J.Crew has some pretty great dresses hiding in the "beach cover-up" section. Sometimes the regular dress section can seem full of bridesmaid rejects, so I was deleted to find some simple, cheaper frocks. The downside: they aren't quite as thick as you'd like if you're wearing underwear and not a bikini.

Here's what I got and returned:
Saturday Twist Dress, $49.99, in Moroccan Twist (a sort of dark orange). The knot in front was too low for me, making any bra visible, and I also wasn't wild about the color.

Chambray Cara Dress, $49.99. I went back and forth on this one, because it's a really cute dress in a lovely color for summer. But it came out of the box very wrinkled, and it didn't smooth out at all after hanging in my closet for a week. While I own an iron, I never use it, and I knew that if I had to iron this dress before ever wear, I would never wear it. Also, when I untied the bow and tried to retie it, it didn't look right. Also, see-through.

Gabriella Dresss, $59.50, in Portland Grey. I can't resist a good cascading ruffle, plus, the fabric is super soft and the strapless top is very comfortable.

I also returned this belt:
Flowerette sash, $19.99. The blue was so dark that the entire thing looks black, and black flowers are not whimsical or cute.

When I was buying this all online, there was a free shipping code along with the extra 30% off, but you had to spend $150 after the discount. Of course I was about $5 short, so I just threw this t-shirt into my cart and figured I could return it easily.
Tissue mini-pocket tee, $14.99, in soft violet. Naturally, the one thing I didn't care about was the one I put on and thought, "I never want to take this off!" So soft, and yes it's see-through, but I'm willing to do some layering. I also realized recently that because I focus so much on dresses when shopping, I very rarely buy tops. So all my shirts are a few years old, and when I decide to wear jeans, I stand in front of my closet and think, "Ugh, I don't want to wear any of these raggedy old shirts." I'm due for some new t-shirts (that aren't the kind you run or sleep in, because I have plenty of those).

I went to a J.Crew store today to return the two dresses and belt, and promptly got sucked into the vortex that is the well-stocked sale section (at 18th and 5th Ave, for you New Yorkers). They didn't have a ton of dresses, but they did have a full table of $14.99 tees. I got this Flower Cluster Tee, which is $24.99 online but $10 less in store.

I also got a pair of poplin shorts in a blue that's sort of like peacock crossed with ocean (think "largo"), and this dress (which is sold-out online, but the 5th Ave store had another in a size 10):
The Chambray Wild Rose dress, $69.99, felt so perfectly flirty and casual that I immediately knew I had to get it, even though they only had it in one size up from my normal number. But the danger of this slipping down will only force me to stand up straight, right? I am very excited to wear it while lounging on a picnic blanket, because my shoulders are in desperate need of a tan.

Parsing the end of summer sales

There comes a point in late August when you think to yourself, "I cannot wait for sweaters and corduroy and scarves and boots... is it fall yet?" But no, you're still a good month or so (or three months if you're in Arizona) away from chilly weather, and if you try to wear an argyle cardigan now, you'll probably die of heatstroke. But there is a bright side! All those light, airy, skimpy summer clothes are now on sale, and if you go for pieces aren't overly trendy (aka: no rompers), you'll be able to wear these next summer, too.

A loose jersey dress is one of those wardrobe workhorses that you can always count on, and J.Crew makes some of the best out there. Unfortunately, J.Crew tends to price them inappropriately high...until sale time comes around, that is. This jersey tank belted dress, $39.99, could transform into a bikini cover-up, date night frock, or casual Friday office dress, with the right accessories. For the first, big sunglasses, gold necklaces, great tan. For the second, switch out the jersey waist-tie for a leather belt in a contrasting color, and maybe match it to your pumps. For the later, throw a slip underneath and a buttoned-up navy blazer on top, with maybe thick tights and boots when it gets chilly. This dress also comes in heather grey and navy, but mango is the perfect color for an Indian summer.

Speaking of multi-tasking, this is the perfect top for when you're going straight from work to happy hour. From Old Navy, the embroidered border top, $20, will hide demurely under a cardigan or suit jacket from 9-5, with only the bottom edge suggesting that you're more stylish than your fellow office drones. As soon as you're done for the day, whip off the extra layer and get ready to have 15 guys lining up to buy you drinks, because your shoulders are just that hot. Just be careful to wear the appropriate undergarments; this top would be absolutely ruined by an errant bra strap poking out top.

I've been craving this American Eagle bustier dress all summer, and now that it's more than 50% off at $19.95, I think it's time to go for it. How to wear it into fall? Tough to say, since the big sash makes layering a little more difficult. I would try wearing a loose, sheer grey t-shirt underneath, and maybe undoing some of the buttons on the bodice. Anyone have better suggestions?

I can't officially include this AE Belted Party dress, $44.50, since it's not on end-of-summer sale and because it's only available in size 16 and 18. But wow, it looks really adorable on the model, right? It's the perfect mix of sexy and cute--very Lyla Garrity on Friday Night Lights.

Confession time: I've always wanted an I Heart NY shirt, but am too embarrassed to buy one for myself. I've put a lot of thought into scenarios where it would be acceptable for me (my 4 year NYC anniversary was last week!) to own one of those shirts, and here's what I've come up with: I won it in some sort of contest on NY trivia ("The answer is...New Amsterdam!"); it was a gift from my friends when I decided to go to NYU in 2005; I saw it in a thrift shop in Prague and bought it because it made me homesick; my boyfriend got one ironically and I stole it because it looked better on me. But since I have never entered a trivia contest, can't travel back in time, am not going abroad anytime soon, and don't have a boyfriend, it appears I'm out of luck. But wait! Forever 21 is selling this I Love My City tee for $8.72! That's so cheap that I can buy it with no crazy justfications or doubts! And since it's probably made out of tissue paper, when it inevitably starts to fall apart it will look that much more "I'm so hip without trying." I'm going to get so many compliments on the L train! I just need to buy it quickly, before a well-justified copyright infringement lawsuit ensues.

On a semi-related note, I once saw a family of five walking around a particularly trendy part of Nolita, and every single one of them was wearing an I Heart NY shirt, albeit in different colors. I got so much secondhand embarrassment that I had to cross the street. I know I sound like a snob, but seriously: take your matching t-shirts and fanny packs to Applebee's, because in NYC you need to try a little harder.

Today, you can wear this Anthropologie Bloemist Cardigan, $39.99, when you go see Inglourious Basterds, because it's a law of nature that the hotter it is outside, the colder it will be in a movie theater. In a month, you can wear it for long strolls in the park, and feel perfectly cozy and stylish. I love how the fabric flowers appliques look a little bit ragged, as if you dug this sweater out from under a pile of your great-aunt's wool skirts and fur muffs (oh, how I wished I'd been alive when women wore fur muffs to keep their hands warm. Basically, I wish I could dress like Samantha the American Girl doll--especially the pinafore she wore in the summer). But the voluminous sleeves and artful draping is very current, and I love the detail of the button on the shoulder, so you can fasten one end up and wear it shawl-style.

The Perfect T-shirt Dress

I have a weakness for dresses from the label Velvet. (And just to clarify any confusion right here, at no point in this post will I be referring to the fabric velvet, no matter how soft and kitschy it may be.) I actually wore a Velvet dress today-- brown, long-sleeved, empire waist with a tie in the back. However, I feel pretty sure that Velvet dresses cost more than they should, considering they almost exclusively sell rayon/jersey blends in solid colors and basic shapes. There's not that much difference between most Velvet dresses and stuff you can find for $19.40 at Forever 21. And yet, I find myself drawn to their rich hues, flattering cuts, and softer-than-soft fabrics.

And this Velvet Prunella Dress might just be worth $118 ($88.50 if you use the coupon code 25MORE at Tobi.com before Wednesday night!), because it is the perfect t-shirt dress.
Say hello to the perfect intersection between casual and chic, with some nice figure-flattering details to boot. This is just the dress for those mornings when you oversleep and don't have time to shower, let alone spend half an hour accessorizing. Throw on this dress, some comfy flats, and pull your hair into a loose bun, and you just rescued your day from hours of "God, I feel gross and ugly." I think it would be impossible not to feel cute in this dress, and that's worth $118.

It also comes in a nice scarlett red (which is unfortunately not on sale, so is $152) and an interesting steel gray, but I'm a fan of the navy. This is not a "Look at me! I'm fabulous!" sort of dress, which is what the red would be saying. It's more of a, "Oh, if you happen to look my way, you'll undoubtedly note that I look pretty damn good" sort of dress--a bit of a wallflower, but not an ugly duckling.