Getting to Know Us: True 'Crew Love (Summerilla)

Hi All - My name is Summer, but I go by Summerilla in the blog world. I am an absolute JCrew addict and would say that 99% of my clothing in my closet is all from the Crew. My love for all things JCrew started when I was 19 years old, I even worked for them a short time during college. I'll admit I haven't been an addict consistently for the last 8 years, I took a brief break in 2005 after quitting my job with them. Something about spending full price on their clothes after I was accustomed to their amazing employee discount was hard for me. I started wearing Theory and Vince but after a year of spending big bucks on those brands and the quality not living up to the price tag I made my way back to JCrew and never looked back.

When I'm not blogging here I'm over writing at my personal blog Sumsunshine, where you can read more about my love of fashion, wedding planning, and my adopted fur kitties.

I absolutely love being a contributor to this blog, it's a fun positive place we can come and share our outfit ideas and fashion finds. The ladies I have met through the blog world are fabulous, fashionable, and friendly. In the last couple years I have moved from Maryland to New York City to Virginia and have met some amazing JCrew fashionistas along the way! Thanks for stopping by our blog!

Getting to Know Us: True 'Crew Love (Jenny)

Hello fellow (true) J.Crew lovers!  I'm one part of the fabulous team who makes up this blog.  You don't hear from me quite too often - I've got a couple other blogs I take care of - but I am here!  Just thought I'd say "hi" and introduce myself so you have an idea of the ladies behind the scenes.

I used to run the blog J'adore These Stores, and while I don't have my own blog about shopping and clothes anymore, I still love J.Crew to bits and pieces.  I still manage to find something (or five things) every roll out that I just have to have, and it's a fun exercise in self-restraint not loading up my cart and hitting "Submit Order".

My first J.Crew item was a v-neck t-shirt in a blush color that I still own, even though I bought it over ten years ago.  My favorite items to buy from J.Crew are dresses and girls' shoes, and I can be tempted by anything pink, purple, or with polka dots.  I'm also a sucker for anything chiffon and flowery. 

I grew up in Massachusetts and now live a bit farther down the East Coast, but am dreaming of returning to home within the next couple of years.  I work from home and am a bit of a homebody, so I have very little excuses now for buying pretty clothes - except for dresses, there's always a reason to buy a dress.  In my spare time, I like to hang out with my little dachshund, run, read, and go on weekend and road trips.

I post on the blog as either True 'Crew Love or Jenny, and I'd love to get to know the rest of you! :)

PS - Want to be a contributor?  E-mail me a truecrewlove@gmail.com.  We'd love to have you!

"About A Shoe"

When you see "Made In Italy" on a shoe, all you can really hope for is that at least some of the shoe was made in Italy - the material, the sole.

But when I saw this video, it made me appreciate what goes into all of my beautiful (albeit painful - not all of them though!) J.Crew shoes.

*via*

J. Crew Lace Blazer Alternative

So, I absolutely adore the lace trend that is everywhere right now, and was so excited to see a lace blazer in J. Crew's spring 2011 line (see Dina's great post on the topic here). But, I didn't love their version for a number of reasons:

1) It looks cropped. Super cropped. And when items are cropped at J. Crew they usually turn into midriff-baring shirts or bolero jackets on me. I don't know why this is (I'm only 5' 7") but I have learned my lesson.

2) The pricetag - a whopping $298. I usually have no problem with paying more for J. Crew collection items because most of the time, the additional attention to quality seems worth it. However, given issue #1 and the fact that although I love lace, a lace blazer is a pretty trendy piece, I just couldn't justify it.

So the search for an alternative began! And I am happy to say I think I've found a perfect one after reading a post by my friend Justine at Fetching Fashions - Rory Beca's Sofia Lace Blazer

1) It's much longer. It doesn't quite hit me as low on the hip as it does on the model above, but it's definitely at or a little below the waistband of my jeans.

2) It's super soft! The lining is t-shirt material and it feels like having one of those great fleece blazers on, but it looks much more polished.

3) The price - a much more reasonable $143 at Nordstrom (see it here).

Now, before your fingers fly through checkout at the Nordstrom site (and for those of you wondering, I found it to be TTS), there are a few things you should note:

- There is no closure (this didn't bother me but it might some)

- One of the reviewers mentioned that her's shrunk and changed texture during dry cleaning. This might be due to poor dry cleaning, but I believe in full disclosure!

Thoughts on my alternative? Have fit issues led you to find any great J. Crew-like pieces out there?

Pancakes & Argyle

Husband and I spent time in Charlottesville, VA this past weekend. Though I am a city girl, I heart this small college town. The beautiful historic homes, the restaurants, the arts scene, Monticello, and of course the gorgeous University of Virginia campus, make Charlottesville a wonderful place to live and visit.

Early in the morning, we took miss Lola for a walk near the Downtown Mall right in the heart of the town. I wasn't planning on my chihuahua and I to match, but the both of us ended up wearing argyle that morning. I guess we were feeling kind of preppy. I heart my J.Crew argyle sweater and I wish the Crewmutts line was still around so I could add more preppy clothes to Lola's closet.

One of our favorite places in Charlottesville is Blue Moon Diner. When we got up that morning, we knew we had to go there for breakfast and eat some of their delicious pancakes and artisan bacon.

According to the waiter, that’s Stephen Colbert’s thumb in my pancake!

{Dream Argyle Crewneck Sweater-J.Crew}{High Heel Flare Jean-J.Crew}{Crystal Pebble Necklace-J.Crew}

Hubby's pancakes! I love tetris!!!

JCrew Moonbeam

This little pretty was delivered to my front door today. I loved this blazer on first glance but the $500 price tag had me scared and I assumed I would never get to own the moonbeam blazer. Then with a 50% sale on it and an additional 40% off that it made it much more reasonably priced and of course it sold out online. Thanks to my lovely PS who searched the stores for me and found one in NYC. I love this so much that given the opportunity to also buy it in the other color choice I probably would.

Wearing size 0. TTS, I normally do 0 in tops and blazers. Sorry for my lack of styling, but hopefully I'll get to wear it soon and share it fully styled. It's nicely fitted and just the perfect cropped length. I normally like blazers that fall below my hips but I definitely see why this style called for a shorter length.

Side view.

I had a hard time trying to get the sequins to really stand out in the photos of me wearing it, so here is one taking just of the fabric.

Definitely recommend this and I'll be keeping my eyes open for a popback in the cobblestone color.

People Style Watch: Spring Pieces from the Crew...

Two of us True 'Crew Love contributors, LSS and I, picked up the most recent issue of People Style Watch (on stands now! at Target, lol...) and when we got to page 70, we exhaled at the beauty of the spring line that the magazine was showcasing from J. Crew.  Based on the very few pieces they picked from the Spring 2011 line, it looks like many of us JCAs are going to be in big trouble this season.  I, for one, am definitely going to be saving my pennies for a couple of the pieces.

You should be able to open the photo of the article, and peruse the yummies yourself, but here are a few standouts...

1. The deliciousness that is the studded striped cotton sweater (called the Natalie cotton studded sweater) will be mine.  Somehow, someway.  But, yikes, $325 is pretty gulp-some.  My only hope is that my online PS will have some special or another and that will allow me to take in the cool, edgy take on preppy.  (Or, maybe, just maybe, I can find an ebay seller who wants to sell it for $150.  I can dream, right?)

I had spied this in the Spring Line Preview and I am sure it is in the Look Book (which should be arriving sometime soon), so I at least have had some warning that this was something I would have to be saving my pennies for.  :)

2. The Cora Silk Romper is an amazing print, and although rompers are sort of impractical for me (especially at $198), I hope that some other pieces come out in this print (J. Crew, how about a pretty sundress?).

3. The polyester lace blazer looks incredible on Jenna Lyons (who is long-torsoed but looks all proportional in this blazer), and if you missed out on the Cloaked in Roses sweater jacket from Anthropologie, this is your chance to make up for it.  That said, $298 is a lot of money, so jumping up from the $178 that the Cloaked in Roses cost to almost twice that may not be feasible for most.

Cleo26 has let me know that polyester is the choice for fine lace, so know that when you see polyester as a main component of a lacy item, you have chosen well.  :)

4. It kind of makes me chuckle that they chose that pic of Malin Akerman wearing the fleurette bustier dress.  That dress was terrible on me, and I *know* I wasn't alone.  They call it one of J. Crew's "standout dresses."  Umm, the Library doll dress is a standout dress.  The fleurette even bunches a bit on the ROCKING body of Malin.  The fleurette is a C+ at best.  LOL.

What are your thoughts?  Have you seen/read/heard anything about the spring line that you would like to share?

True ‘Crew Love: Our Favorite J.Crew Pieces.

Do you have a J.Crew coat, blazer, top, pair of shoes, or piece of jewelry that you consider your most cherished possession? If the answer is yes, you are not alone. J.Crew offers so many beautiful pieces every season, however, there is always one item that stands out among the rest.

Several True ‘Crew Love contributors share their favorite J.Crew items in this post. We had fun putting the list together and we hope you enjoy it. And don’t forget to tell us what J.Crew item you cannot live without.

Double Cloth Sybil Coat from Holiday 2007, Burnished Yellow Color

“I am wearing this at the NYC subway on my way to a Gallery Opening for the artist Shag in December 2010. I have owned this since January of 2008 when I was able to buy it for well less than the original price. I bought it in an 8 and it was a bit tight then, but nothing terrible. Since then I have lost some of the weight and have found that this coat fits exactly right. I would say this is the one clothing item that when I wear it not only do I feel fantastic, other people will actually stop me and ask me where I bought the coat. My father-in-law who doesn't give two cents about fashion said this coat was AMAZING on me. (That is how I know something is a winner...get a rough and tumble guy to compliment it, you know you have struck gold!).” -Dina

Coddington Suede Platform Pumps

"As soon as I saw the Coddingtons in the August 2010 catalog, I knew I had to have them! It didn't matter what color either, just as long as I had one pair! Unfortunately, all the reviews I had come across, including one from a very good friend, said that it was narrow in the toebox and that wearing them might cause me to have club feet due to the mushing together of my toes. But I was determined. After constantly eyeing them at one of my local B&Ms every time I visited (which was weekly! Ack!), I finally tried them on the Hemme color when a group of local JCAs met for lunch and some shopping. That was it. I had to have them. Now. And paying for them with a discount was the straw that broke my wallet.

Now, these shoes are my go-to for work or even, nights-out. They really do give that sexy oomph an outfit may need. Not to mention, height! (For a 5" lady like me, I'll take it!) Yeah, they may hurt after a long time walking or standing in them. But what beautiful shoe doesn't? ;)" -Drewablank

Jaspé Sequined Slouchy Sweatshirt & Haya Sequin Pullover

"Why is this my favorite item? I love being comfortable and I love sequins. How often do you find a sweatshirt that makes you look long and lean and that you can dress up or down? Umm, never! Yes, you can wear sweats and look pulled together. The runner up is the Haya sequin pullover. I love it b/c it's like my all-time favorite with a twist." -Lacey

Double Serge Wool Pencil Skirt & Featherweight Merino Glass Button Cardigan

"These two items are the true workhorses of my wardrobe. Good thing I bought both the skirt and the cardi in every color available because I wear one or the other, but usually a combination of both, almost every day to work. If pencil skirts work for you, you cannot go wrong with one from JCrew - the quality and fit are superb. And I own many MANY JCrew cardigans but I find myself reaching for this one quite often because the length is just right and the glass buttons provide the perfect amount of bling." -Stephanie

Stretch Minnie Pants

“This is tough to pick all time favorite! I’ve gone back and forth many times. From the showy to the basic and back again. But it would have to be the black Minnie pants – since nothing else has gotten this much wear –they’ve been a steadfast pillar of my wardrobe both now and when I was 25 pounds heavier. Of course, now I need to size down as I have to wash & dry mine every time I wear them to re-shrink them! (and yes, the color starts to fade when you abuse them like that. Versatile beyond belief. Of all the JC items, this is the one I wouldn’t have been able to live without over the past year and a half, so that’s why it’s at the top of my list. Plus, it comes in Tall!” -HeidiG

Campo Sweater Dress & Tall Vintage Roadsters in black

"The Campo Di Fiori sweater dress is my favorite because the print is fun and bright and can easily warm up a cool winter day. It is also versatile enough to wear over leggings and a turtleneck for cold days or with just a black slip and sandals in the Spring or Fall.

The Vintage Tall Roadsters are my favorite because they add a little edge to the classic tall black boot. No matter how many pairs of boots I own these always tend to be the ones I pull out to wear, so much so I actually started buying more blacks and grays so I had more excuses to wear them." -Summerilla

Waterfloral Pastiche Pencil Skirt

"This is my favorite piece because it's so bright and colorful. I love pencil skirts, and I think the pattern makes it really versatile - I can wear it to work or for a night out. And with all the colors, there are so many options for pairing it with tops, shoes, and accessories!" -Jenny

Lulu Leather Peep Toe Heels

“It all started when I was looking for wedding shoes during the fall of 2008. I thought the red bow on the pink version might "go" with the other reds in my holiday wedding. I ordered them, it didn't, but I couldn't bear to send them back. I ended up loving how they looked so much that I started collecting the other colors when I saw them on sale and later on ebay. And I am so glad I did! Now that I've evolved from a student to being employed, I wear these non-stop in the spring, summer, and fall. Unlike most J. Crew shoes which are beautiful but uncomfortable, these are actually comfy to wear, and give you the boost of wearing a fantastic heel without a foot covered in bandaids. I love these so much I have actually purchased "back-up" pairs for when the originals wear out. Yes, I am that girl. But these have really turned into my signature shoes.

In the spirit of back-ups, if anyone has a pair of the brown Lulus in an 8 or 8.5 please let me know. And no, I am not kidding! I love these shoes!” -kater

Lexington Wool Blazer

“I have an addiction to jackets. I believe a great blazer can always transform an outfit in unexpected ways. I chose the Lexington jacket as my favorite item of all time because of its versatility. I think because of the pink, I can wear this blazer during the Fall, through the Winter and into the Spring. And it’s PINK!” -RosaLovesDC

Thanks to all the wonderful ladies participating in this post!

If you love J.Crew as much as we do and are interested in becoming a True ‘Crew Love contributor, e-mail our fabulous blog administrator at truecrewlove@gmail.com

Sosie Sequin Tank Review: At What Price Is It Worth It?

Ah, J. Crew.  You put out so many lovelies, don't you?  Sadly many of your most lovely items are also ridiculously overpriced.  Case in point: The Sosie Sequin Tank.

I fell head over heels in love with the dusty sage version after seeing on the model in the August catalog:

I knew I could manage all the other pieces, I had a grey skirt that is similar, I had a bag that is similar, and I immediately ordered the dream v-neck cardigan in heathered nordic blue.  The tank was an issue, though.  At $495, it had an exceedingly steep price tag for such a lovely bit of silk and sequins.  So I basically just said, eh, no. 

Then my ebay wanderings did me some good.  (I love scouring ebay for deals.  I have a few ideas on how to score some great J. Crew items from ebay, but that is for another post, and another day.)

In late September, I did a search for "J. Crew sequin."  This tank popped up with an initial bid price of $159.99 and a buy it now of $225 (I believe).  I didn't want to buy it now at that price, and was pretty much betting that my initial (and only) bid of $159.99 would be outbid, so I kind of just bid and went on with my day.  A few days later I received the e-mail notification that I had won and if I could please pay the nice ebay seller, I could get my Sosie sequin tank. 

At that point, I literally jumped for joy!  I couldn't believe that I was the only person interested in it.  The seller had provided a ton of pictures, guaranteed that it would be in perfect shape, and that its only flaw was a single black line through the tag to prevent retail returns (this top is most likely from one of the three clearance centers).  After I paid (one of the few times I have done so happily), I waited a few days, and there it came, in its shimmery, mermaid-esque glory. 

It took me a while to find a reason to wear it, but last week's Winter Wardrobe Runway Show provided the perfect outlet for its first appearance in public (for more on what I mean by Winter Wardrobe Runway Show, check out my most recent post on the fashion classes I teach at a local elementary school).

 That smile shows how much I like to shimmer like a mermaid.  This is a size 4 and that is my true to size J. Crew cami size.  If you are busty, you may want to size up one size, just for a bit of comfort.

The tank is lined.  The shell is silk and the sequins are hand-applied very carefully throughout the entire cami.  Even the tank straps are sequined.  It is actually quite sturdy, and I found it did very well on Friday.  It also felt comfortable, so I didn't spend the whole day feeling conspicuous or fidget-y. 

I am waiting to show the whole outfit I wore (these photos of the tank by itself are just for this review--the school I teach at has a strict "no spaghetti strap" rule--even for fab fashionistas like me, lol) until I can get it ready for posting at My Superfluities.  When that post happens, I will update this blog post with links to the entire outfit.

So is the Sosie Sequin Tank worth it at $495?  Well, it is made beautifully and it is part of the J. Crew Collection, but honestly, with the cost per wear fairly high (I may wear this beauty twice or three times a year if I am lucky), and with the expense of cleaning it also high, $495 is way too high for anyone outside of the Sultan of Brunei.

Is the Sosie Sequin Tank worth it at $249.99, which is its current sale price?  It does take the cost down to half, which is great...but I can see it isn't moving at that price (nearly all colors and sizes are still available), so it must not be to the vast majority of people out there. 

Is the Sosie Sequin Tank worth it at $174.99 (Current price minus the 30% off sale going on right now)?  I would say IF YOU LOVE IT and REALLY CAN SEE YOURSELF WEARING IT, then yes.  If I had not gotten mine on ebay, I would have happily purchased it at this price. 

I hope this helps some of you who might be on the fence about whether or not you should personally take the sosie sequin tank plunge.

An Early Morning Around Eastern Market and a Little Dance.

On Saturday morning, I woke up to giant snowflakes and a strong craving for a waffle. I have been craving more color in my outfits as well, thus the J.Crew’s Lexington jacket appeared to be the right choice for a snowy day in The District.

I jumped on the train and headed to Eastern Market in Capitol Hill. The snow was coming down pretty fast but did not stick around for long. I bought some pasta, cheese, and bread, which made for a delicious meal that night.

To satisfy my waffle craving, I made a stop at Belga Cafe also in Capitol Hill. On my way there, one of the guys outside the market decided to show me his dance moves and called me ‘precious’. And the guy could really dance!

Outfit Details:

{Jacket-J.Crew}{Merino beaded boyfriend sweatshirt-J.Crew}{Shirt-AE} {Necklace-J.Crew}{Toothpick jeans-J.Crew}{Rain boots-Dav}

Spring 2011 Color Trends and the J.Crew Lookbook

I was just reading today that the winter in the DC area is expected to be colder than average. Well, that little article in the newspaper got me dreaming of Spring. After browsing the looks from the runway and reading about the upcoming color trends, I realized that the top Pantone fashion colors can be found all over the J.Crew Spring lookbook.

Who’s ready for Spring?

Source [Style.com]