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J.Crew New Arrivals – Holiday 2016 Style Guide

November 25, 2016

Hi! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I always have a hard time restraining myself with holiday collections – plaid, lace, sparkle, what’s not to love? So few days in the holiday season – so many cute things to choose from. J.Crew, once again, has a lot of fantastic items to choose from to make the holidays more stylish. Now, what to choose?

First up, the Martie Pant in Stewart Plaid Bi-Stretch Wool paired with the Edie Top in Textured Clip dot.

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Heels: Manolo Blahnik

I saw this top in the style guide and wanted to try the ivory/black combination. My store only had the black one so I tried it for size. I’m wearing a 12 in both the blouse and the pants. The pants were a tad tight and too short for my liking – I have the 12 Tall on order. The blouse was flowy and I probably could have sized down to a 10 but I liked the fit so that’s what I ordered in the ivory colorway. When I picked up the top I thought it looked sheer but there is a lining under the blouse so it is not sheer. Depending on how you like it to look, you’d probably have to wear a strapless bra but I didn’t mind the black straps – you could probably get away with a nude bra underneath. I haven’t tried any of the solid wool Martie pants, but I have the cotton ones and like them.  The background on these pants is grey and it’s a fairly saturated color.

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$50 Fashion Outlets Visa® Gift Card Giveaway – We have a winner!

November 22, 2016

UPDATE: Thank you to everyone for participating in the giveaway for a $50 Fashion Outlets Visa® gift card! I am excited to announce that the winner of the giveaway is:

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will be contacting you via email with details.

Thank you!

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4 Comments CATEGORIES // giveaway, sponsored

Fab Black Friday Style – Sponsored by the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls, USA

November 16, 2016

Hi! I can hardly believe that we’re staring down the Thanksgiving holiday next week. While in the past few years we’ve started seeing Christmas decorations in the stores before Halloween; for me, the Christmas holiday season starts with Thanksgiving, followed by Black Friday. I have a love hate relationship with Black Friday. For years, I worked retail and that inevitably meant working the day after Thanksgiving. So I was always at the mall, whether I wanted to be or not. And I was there, so I always ended up doing a little shopping! In the years that followed my stint in retail, I wasn’t up with the early birds to go shopping on Black Friday but I inevitably found myself at the mall later in the day or at some point in the weekend catching up with out of town friends for drinks while scoping out the deals.

ann-outfit1-option2For years, the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls has been in my regular shopping rotation. In many cases, they had (and still have) stores that you couldn’t find at the local malls, such as Kate Spade, Burberry, Cole Haan and Saks Off Fifth. Scoping out the designer deals at Saks Off Fifth was always a worthy way to spend a few hours of shopping and I have scored numerous deals over the years that I’m always excited to share with others. I’m a big online shopper mostly due to my schedule but if I have a day off from work, hitting up the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls is almost always on my shopping agenda. And ever since they’ve remodeled and added on new stores (and parking!) I am even more inclined to make a trip.

Inevitably, I was thrilled (and a little overwhelmed!) to be asked to partner with the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls to showcase some holiday looks that can be found at their stores. As someone who spends most of their week in business casual clothing, I tend to stick to a fairly classic weekend uniform. During the fall or winter, if I’m shopping or heading out with my husband or girlfriends after a long week at work – I’m almost always in jeans, a blouse or sweater with a cute jacket and boots. I had grand intentions of trying out new stores but in case you can’t tell from my past blogging – I’m a bit of a creature of habit. A walk through Saks Off Fifth and I found myself a perfect Thanksgiving weekend outfit. Paige jeans? Check. Cute chunky sleeveless cashmere sweater? Check. Fabulous quilted leather jacket? Check. A beautiful handbag and some heeled booties to finish of the look? Check and check.

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Outfit Details (all c/o Saks Off Fifth) – Jacket: Badgley Mischka Eloise Quilted Leather Jacket ($259.99) / Sweater: Saks Fifth Avenue Cashmere Sleeveless Turtleneck ($89.99) / Jeans: Paige Skyline Bootcut Jeans in Sonya Wash ($79.99) / Boots: French Connection Monay Booties ($89.99) / Purse: Marc by Marc Jacobs Tote in Dark Wine ($299.99)

I am all about a neutral weekend outfit with a kick of color via my handbag. I would be carrying this color handbag even if it wasn’t an “it” color. Denim wise, Paige jeans have been my go to for a few years now. They’re comfortable, they have the coveted stretch and they are flattering on my curvy figure. I have several pairs of their straight leg jeans and I am thrilled to see the bootcut trend come back in the last few years to add those to the rotation. And I hardly ever pay full retail for these jeans. Saks Off Fifth has a fantastic selection of current designer denim for a fraction of what you’ll pay elsewhere. I’m a solid 31 in most Paige jeans these days (usually wear a 12 on bottom). I got a bit of side-eye from the hubs on this sweater. Why would you wear a sleeveless turtleneck? What’s the point? Well, I’m someone who usually gets pretty warm when I’m shopping or out with friends so for me, it’s the perfect layer under a jacket but I’m still warm in cashmere if I decide to shed my jacket.  I was pleasantly surprised with the quality and the selection of Saks’ own brand of cashmere and I will be paying closer attention to their items as I add sweaters to my wardrobe.

A polished leather jacket and heels pull the outfit together for me. Not unlike designer denim, a leather jacket can be an investment, and this is another item that I refuse to pay full retail for when I have a full designer collection at my disposal at stores like Saks Off Fifth. They carry more classic styles like this as well as edgier moto bomber styles (believe me – I had trouble deciding which jacket to choose!) Shoe wise – where do I begin? The shoe section is always my first visit at Off Fifth and I almost always find something that needs to come home with me. Heels were essential with the bootcut jeans and since I can hide some socks inside a pair of booties – it’s a no brainer.

Whatever your shopping desires, the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls has you covered. Are your Thanksgiving festivities wrapped up early and you’re looking for something to do that evening ? If you’re looking to beat the crowd, you can hit up the Fashionably Late Black Friday Event at the mall which starts at 8 PM on Thanksgiving evening and runs until 2AM. Will you be in a turkey and wine haze with your family or friends on Thanksgiving and want the full Black Friday experience the next morning? The mall opens at 6AM and is open until 9PM on Friday. Several stores, including Banana Republic Factory and Kate Spade will be open all evening. Saks Off Fifth even has early Black Friday sales going on and you can see any of the current sales at the mall here.

To get you kick started on your holiday shopping, I will be hosting a giveaway for a $50 Fashion Outlets Visa® gift card redeemable at the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls, USA. Stay tuned to Facebook and my Instagram page for details.

So, are you a Black Friday shopper or do you prefer to shop online? Would love to hear what you think and thanks for visiting! Thank you to the Fashion Outlets for hosting me and stay tuned for another holiday party look featuring the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls!

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Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // on location, outfits, Saks Off Fifth, sponsored

J.Crew New Arrivals – December 2016 Style Guide Part 2

November 14, 2016

Hi! As promised, here are the rest of the photos from my latest try-on session at J.Crew featuring items from the December 2016 style guide. Apparently we will have another rollout to look forward to the week of November 21, featuring more sweaters and seasonal items. Woo hoo!

First up, the Waffle T-Shirt in Stripe Combo. This also comes in a green/yellow/white/navy stripe combination.

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Yes, I know. Stripes. I purged several striped items from my closet yet I seem to have re-accumulated more. This is a smaller weave waffle knit (not sure how to accurately describe it). It’s not as nubby as some waffle knits but it’s still technically a waffle knit top. I could tell looking at it on the rack that it ran a bit small so I’m wearing a size Large and it fits if not a bit on the snug side. But I found the longer length to be slimming and for the price point with the in-store discount, this came home with me. I’m also wearing the Billie Demi-boot crop jeans in Brookdale wash in a size 32. I have the white ones from over the summer which were a bit big in a 32 and stretched out a fair amount so I had originally tried/returned the 31s in these because they were a tad snug. I hadn’t worn them for several weeks so they went back but I still have my eye on them.

Next up, the Regent blazer in Black Watch with satin lapel. 20161112_084148

Jeans: J.Crew / Booties: Sam Edelman

I am a recent convert to the Regent blazer. I had a few from last year but my first purchases were the heavier wool Regent blazers and I hadn’t quite wandered over to the lighter wool versions. Well, I love them, and this was no exception. I’m wearing a size 10. This has a black satin lapel. I have a Black watch Schoolboy blazer from Factory so I don’t need this but I won’t lie that I spent a long time deliberating over having two black watch blazers. But, their season is limited so it was a pass. If you’re in the market for a plaid blazer, this is a fantastic style and I find the plaid to be a little more muted and very versatile.

Keeping in the vein of Black watch plaid, next up is the Black Watch Excursion quilted vest.

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I’m wearing a medium in this vest and it is a good fit. Another thing I don’t need are more Excursion vests but I’m liking the colors and patterns offered this season so I wouldn’t be surprised if one gets added to my closet before the end of the year. I really like the Emerald pool color .

Next up, the Tippi sweater in festive fair isle.

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This was ok for me. I don’t mind the print but I didn’t love all of the stripes on the sleeve. I’m wearing a medium and could have sized up to a large to layer another shirt under it which is probably how I would wear one of these printed Tippi sweaters. I think I own more Tippi sweaters than Excursion vests and striped shirts put together so…I’ll leave this one.

Next up, the Lady Jacket in Metallic Tweed.

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The photo really isn’t doing this jacket justice. I’m wearing a 12 and it is a little too cropped for my liking. If it came in tall I think that would be perfect. I do like it over the longer black top though and perhaps would pair with a black suiting dress or a black sweater/pants. There is a coordinating dress in this same tweed, which they’re calling shimmer tweed (again with the different names for the same pattern!) Up close, it is fairly metallic in person but not obnoxiously so and I thought the tweed was very pretty in real life. There’s quite a bit of silver in it but it looks more grey from a distance. The inside of the jacket is lined in a pinstripe material. The sleeves in the website photo make it look like the fringe is really long but I didn’t find that to be the case on this one. I tend to like a more form fitting jacket so these styles are usually a pass for me.

Next up, the Holly Sweater in Fair Isle in pebble mist. This also comes in a bright red (poppy hazelnut) with a lot of other very saturated colors.

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I am wearing a medium in this sweater and was running out of steam at this point and didn’t try the large for comparison. I tried the Holly sweater last year and also found it short. I would probably layer another longer button down under it to compensate for the length and I may try a size up for a little more length but even though I had seen some reviews say it seemed a bit longer, it’s still slightly cropped on my 5’8″ frame. The wool wasn’t terribly scratchy but I also tend to not be too overly sensitive to wool.

And one more striped top – the Oversized striped turtleneck. I have last year’s version of this top (of course).

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I like the wider stripes and also the camel/navy combo but I resisted this one. I’m wearing a medium which was still slouchy but I like that the sleeves are a bit more fitted to balance out the loose body of the top. This year’s version seemed softer to me than last year’s version too.

Last up, the lace peplum top in Fuchsia bloom.

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I tried this on to compare the difference between the regular and tall version. It looks ok in the photo but it definitely felt short on me. I’m wearing a 12 and had some room through the chest as well but I couldn’t have sized down in the regular length. I do like the bright pink – it reads more summer to me but I’m always a sucker for hot pink and let’s be honest, if this hits a good enough sale it’ll probably be mine. In the meantime, I’m happy with my decision to purchase the black. And the lace matches last year’s lace items so that’s a plus.

Well, that’s it for now…any favorites from this rollout? Would love to hear what you think and thanks for visiting!

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1 Comment CATEGORIES // J.CREW, review, Try Ons

J.Crew New Arrivals – December 2016 Style Guide

November 12, 2016

Hello! It’s that time again…time for the holiday rollout at J.Crew! This is one of the rollouts I most look forward to every year – mostly because of cozy sweaters and fun holiday wear (lace, sequins, glitter…I can’t get enough!) This holiday rollout is the first of two for the month of December – the second will be the week of Thanksgiving and I’m told more sweaters and winter wear, which I’m excited about since we’ve only seen so many cold weather items on the last few rollouts. Ok, enough rambling and on to the clothes!

First up, is the Shift dress in multicolored tweed. This was one of the first items I ordered with the rollout and it was included in the 30% off promotion. J.Crew always does a great tweed dress and I liked that this had flecks of red and gold which made it a little more holiday appropriate.

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I thought the dress was black but upon arrival I saw that it was navy. But I still like the navy and it is a darker navy so I could definitely get away with black tights with this dress. My first thought was red shoes, so that’s what I tried first. I took a size 12 in this dress which is my regular dress size and I will say it is cut more generous in the hips that other shift dresses from J.Crew. Usually I’m juuuust fitting in to the skirt in these shifts but this one I had plenty of room and I probably could afford to have a little bit nipped in on the top. It’s cut very similar to the Foulard Shift dress from earlier this fall which was also a good fit on me. So…yay for the curvy girls but probably some alterations required if you’re cut more straight and narrow. This is a keeper for me. Here’s a close-up of the tweed:

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Onward to the store…next up is the Lace Dress with Pockets.

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Booties: Sam Edelman

Shift dresses are usually a disaster on me and this dress was actually a good fit. I’m wearing a size 12 and it’s right above the knees but not so much so that I wasn’t comfortable. This dress also comes in tall and petite. But…the pockets. Why, oh why did we stick four pockets on this dress? I maybe could have handled two on the chest or hips but all four, they seem unnecessary. However, I will say that they don’t add any bulk to the dress so that is helpful and if you like the look, I wouldn’t worry about the pockets making your hips or chest look bigger, they’re placed well. I do like the collar on this dress (which unfortunately I’m blocking to get the right photo) but the pockets are a no for me.

Next up, the Pleated Ponte Dress.

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Booties: Sam Edelman

When I saw this dress online, all I could think of was an ice skating dress. This dress comes in a pine color and vibrant flame (orangey-red) color as well as a heathered grey. The first thing I noticed when I tried on the dress is that it is heavy! It is a thick ponte knit and would be perfect for winter with tights and booties. I sized down to a 10 in this dress – the 12 fit ok but was a little loose in the midsection and chest. The pleats on this dress are cut very flattering and don’t add any volume to my hips which is usually my worry with pleats. I also like that the zipper in the back is a hidden zipper and not exposed like so many dresses we’ve seen in recent years. This is definitely on my wishlist. I don’t need a black long sleeve dress but I might for the right price.

Next up, the Pintucked pencil skirt in lace in Emerald Pool. This skirt also comes in faded teak (beige/ivory) and black.

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Seeing this skirt online, I was immediately wary of the pintucks. Then seeing it in store, I thought they looked a little less pronounced so was a little more optimistic about this. I also like the bright green added in to the holiday mix this year. I tried a 12 in this skirt. Unfortunately, the pleats in the front aren’t working for me. I liked the length on the regular length, the skirt hits right at my knees. I’d say this runs a tad on the small side since it pulled a bit across my hips. I think it looks nice on the website model so I think if you have a straighter bottom half then this skirt will work and the pintucks could add some visual interest. My store had the lace peplum top paired with the black version of this skirt and it looked so cute. So of course, I went home and tried the Lace Peplum top with my Banana Republic skirt as well as the J.Crew lace pants from last year. Cute and cute! I am wearing a size 10 Tall in the peplum which is perfect.

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Top: J.Crew Lace Peplum Top / Pants: J.Crew (this year’s lace pants here or Factory version here) / Pencil Skirt: Banana Republic (Similar from J.Crew here) / Necklace: J.Crew

Next up, the Silk Twill Pant in Wolfstooth.

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Pull on pants can be tricky for me but these were a pleasant surprise. They’re a lighterweight silk twill material and I tried a size 12 in these pants which was a good fit. I like the oversized houndstooth print and I could see these integrating well in my work wardrobe. I had plenty of room in the rear as well, they weren’t pulling at all. I might have liked to see a heavier material in the pants as the silk will be a bit flimsy for  a northeastern winter but if you’re in a warmer area these will be fine for you through a milder winter climate.

Lastly, the Flounce silk dress in wolfstooth.

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While the photo of this dress doesn’t look horrible, this dress was a total miss on me. It was really tight in the hips and the ruffle hem hit right below my rear end making it a complete disaster from the back. This dress comes in petite and tall and I could perhaps try the tall length of this dress. I think I’ll be sticking with the pants in this print. This was similar to the paisley dress of the same design that was a complete miss for me. The drop ruffle hem does not work with my figure. I am sure a lot of girls will look cute in this dress, I am not one of them. I am wearing a 12 in this dress. It is the same material as the pants.

Well, there’s part one of my dressing room reviews for this latest rollout. I’ll have another one up shortly with a few jackets and more casual tops/sweaters. What are you loving from this rollout? Would love to hear what you think and thanks for visiting!

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Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // J.CREW, review, Try Ons

October Fab Workstyle Roundup

October 30, 2016

Hi! I really want to try and get better at posting some of my work week and weekend outfits in addition to daily posting on Instagram. Here’s some of my favorite outfits from October. We spent a week on vacation so most of the outfits are from the past few weeks and the weather has gone from being mild to downright chilly! While I still love my colors, I am still finding myself leaning towards a more neutral palette and burgundy is still a favorite fall color for me.

First up, some Halloween colors and layers. Yes, it was cold enough for a winter coat this week. I bought this sweater last year but am still seeing the style around at various retailers this year and I hadn’t thought of styling it with dress pants until I saw some styling ideas at Banana Republic. Plus, with my new properly fitting bras, the ribbing in the sweater didn’t make me look huge in the chest area. I still felt like the sweater and pants was missing something so I added a suiting vest and the loafers finished off the menswear inspired look.

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Sweater: J.Crew (old, similar from Banana Republic here) / Pants: J.Crew (old) / Loafers: J.Crew (old, similar here and here ) / Coat: J.Crew / Vest: J.Crew (similar at Nordstrom here)

Next up is a neutral inspired outfit featuring one of my favorite fall purchases – the J.Crew Regent Blazer. I had been looking for a camel blazer, as the one I owned before was not the right shade for me. I love the shape of this blazer and while the collar is designed to wear standing up, you can still fold it down. I actually started with the shoes on this outfit and build the outfit from there. A grey sweater with polka dots was a little more interesting than a plain grey sweater and the shoes and necklace pulled it all together. When in doubt, my go to pants are the Banana Republic Sloan pants. They’re comfortable, slim fit but still professional enough for work.

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Blazer: J.Crew (similar here) / Pants: Banana Republic / Sweater: J.Crew (old, similar here, here and here) / Shoes: J.Crew / Watch: Michele

Next up is a monochrome look I wore to work on Friday for an all day division meeting we had. I wanted to be polished and put together with a little flair via the necklace and gold buttons on the jacket but still stay in muted colors. This is another Regent Blazer from J.Crew but an older one from last year. I paired it with a grey sweater underneath, wider leg full length pants and suede heels. While I love wearing ankle length slimmer pants I also like pulling out the full length pants now and then especially when it’s a little colder out. I might usually pick silver to pair with grey since they’re similar tones but with the gold buttons I went with gold jewelry.

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Blazer: J.Crew (old, similar here and here)/ Sweater: J.Crew / Necklace: J.Crew / Watch: Michael Kors / Pants: J.Crew (old, similar here and here/ Shoes: J.Crew

Last up, a few outfits featuring my go to Sam Edelman booties this season. I received these as a gift last Christmas and am just pulling them out this fall for the first time. I want them in every color! They are incredibly comfortable and are great with jeans on the weekend or for a business casual work look. Since I’m sharing work looks, I’ll stick with how I’ve styled these for work. My blouse is an older J.Crew piece that I found recently via a J.Crew swap/sale and I admittedly have only worn it a few times because I have trouble styling it. Coincidentally, I also have trouble pairing this Tory Burch cardigan for some reason. I think because it’s a on the sheer side you can only pair it well with sleeveless blouses but I started with the blouse and matching pants and then tried the ivory cardigan, necklace and finished up with the booties.

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 Cardigan: Tory Burch / Blouse: J.Crew (old, similar here) / Pants: Banana Republic (old, similar here)/ Booties: Sam Edelman / Necklace: J.Crew / Watch: Michael Kors

This oxford blue top was a recent purchase and I love how it pairs with a navy or darker plaid blazer. I like that the pleated collar on this blouse stays put and it’s a fun way to dress up a suit if I were going to wear it with a more formal suit. Once again, I’ve paired the top and blazer with a pair of Banana Republic Sloan Pants.

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Blazer: J.Crew Factory (old, similar here) / Blouse: J.Crew / Pants: Banana Republic / Booties: Sam Edelman

Hopefully you liked seeing a snippet of my recent work outfits. I would love to hear what you think of them and thanks for visiting!

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4 Comments CATEGORIES // BANANA REPUBLIC, J.CREW, outfits

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