This is the weekly "Help Style Me!" post, where we can share items we are having trouble putting outfits together with. Elaine (in this
post) says it best, "You know, that thing you
bought because you love it and you keep pulling it
out and then putting it away without wearing it?"Please share your J.Crew item (either that you own or are thinking about getting) that you would love help creating an outfit with.
Also, please help out by offering your styling advice. Feel free to include links to your blog (where you incorporated that piece) or to Polyvore (where you showcased an outfit with that piece). Thanks in advance! :)
Hi JCA's. I can use some help styling my Double Serge Tipped Hacking Jacket in Spicy Gold (2011). I was planning on dressing it down with jeans and a white tee but can't make it work. The spicy gold color with the white tipping can have a bit of a stiff, uniform look that I want to stay clear of. I have the Professor jacket in grey and black and can throw them on with anything, but I'm challenged with the Spicy Gold . Thanks for any suggestions!
ReplyDeleteI can see that colour jacket going well with a grey bottom (skirt or pants).
DeleteThat spicy gold color goes really well with other natural/earth tones that are common in the fall - imagine it with mossy/fatigue green or a deep wine color. I think there are some colors like in the vintage cotton tee collection. That combo with jeans would be awesome!
DeleteThanks so much for your suggestions!
DeleteThe J Crew October 2011 catalog shows the jacket with dark gray trousers and an Icelandic-type gray/cream sweater. I think the grays could easily be substituted with a dark denim color, especially a slightly grayed denim color.
DeleteI've also seen golds like that paired with blush-y colors and it looks really pretty. That same October 2011 catalog shows a spicy gold Pencil Skirt with a Velvet Crush top in Barely Peach, and another J Crew photo shows a spicy gold pant with that same top. I think the colors would work in reverse, with blush on the bottom and gold on the top, see this photo. The pant isn't really blush but it reads blush in the photo. The gold/blush pairing reminds me of one of my all-time favorite color pairings, Mossy Oak/Weathered Wood, though much lighter of course. But I'm not sure you want to wear a blush-colored pant or skirt in the fall unless you can find a fall-weight fabric.
Great ideas Tamara! The blush/spicy gold pairing is gorgeous- I never would have thought of it. Thanks for pointing out the photo of the jacket in the Oct'11 catalog too. I can recreate that look easily with things I already own.
DeleteI bought a pair of ivory ankle-zip cords on eBay because I've really wanted a pair. Now that I have them, I have NO idea what to wear them with aside from a button-down. HELP.
ReplyDeleteI love winter white (in your case, ivory) pants paired with ivory fisherman or cable-knit sweater. I wear that look with the light (nut) McAlister wedges and colorful socks scrunched down so they take up visual and textural weight in the space between the shoes & ankle length cords.
DeleteAlso pair with any color sweater (Tippi), alone or layered over button-downs or t-shirt under a blazer. My navy schoolboy blazer pairs well with any combination color and the ivory pants.
I'd look at them like a winter version of summer's white pants - so versatile!
This was brought up last week, but I'm hoping for some additional ideas: I can't go without hosiery in the winter for two reasons: 1) my workplace requires traditional attire at that time of year, and 2) even if work didn't matter, my poor feet and ankles turn mottled and blue when it gets below 70 degrees.
ReplyDeleteI do a lot of tights and boots in the winter, but I'd like to get some use out of my wool capris and crops, like the camel plaid capris I just ordered.
Can I wear trouser socks with ballet flats? Sock dos and don'ts? How to determine color? I grew up with the old rule that hosiery should never be darker than your shoes or the hem of your skirt but I think that one went out the door a long time ago, LOL!
Hexicon, I know what you mean. If my feet get cold, I can't function either.
DeleteI have worn minnie pants with trouser socks in the winter but finding the right shade of socks for the pants was the harder part. One example of the colour I wore with my dark grey ones here.
More recently I wore my minnies in cabernet with the tortoise patent leather flats and wore nude colour trouser socks. Again, not all nude shades worked, so had a hard time finding those too.
I don't like wearing darker hosiery than my shoes either.
This might not be conservative enough, but here's what I do with capris in the winter: (1) striped or otherwise patterned calf-high socks, in similar colors to the pants, with oxfords or brogues, or (2) tuck the capri/crop pants into taller (calf or knee high) boots. The trick with the boots is that the boot needs to be high enough so the capri/crop doesn't pop out the top when you sit down. I wear black striped socks with red/black plaid capris, green/brown/yellow argyle socks with similar color tweed capris, black/grey argyle socks with dark grey capris, and so on.
DeleteI always love when they show a beautiful girl in cords, turtleneck, vneck sweater, parka coat, hat, gloves, and...ballet flats. Really?
DeleteMatch your socks to your pants-elongates the leg and shows off the gorgeous shoes I know you'll be wearing.
I have the same issue, and I've been getting around it by wearing ankle boots. I tried ballet flats with socks but it just looks dorky (on me, at least - I wouldn't be surprised to see Jenna Lyons wearing such a look but I can't pull it off in real life).
ReplyDelete@ Hexicon: I know I'm opening myself up to ridicule here, but I wear nude or black knee-highs with trousers and dress shoes, including any sort of ankle pant if it's too cold for ankle skin. I find knee-highs to be hilarious, yet very practical. I also wear nude pantyhose with skirts. If The Duchess of Cambridge does it, so can I. For tights, I go by the 2/3 rule (shoes/tights/skirt) as outlined by Belle on Capitol Hill Style: for a more professional look, your tights should match the color of either your shoes or your skirt, ie. black/black/gray, navy/gray/gray, gray/gray/pink, etc. It always works really well for me.
ReplyDeleteRight there with you on the knee highs train. I feel like Mama from Mama's Family every time I wear them, but they serve a purpose. I should say I do this only with full length trousers. I have yet to attempt to wear any of my cropped pants in the middle of winter. Maybe it's time to get brave and show off those knee highs, LOL! I feel like knee highs work with whatever shoes (even ballet flats) because they are super thin just like pantyhose. Trouser socks and other thicker hosiery does look dorky with ballet flats.
DeleteMe three, I wear nude knee highs with trousers and nude hose when I am cold but it is not cold enough for tights. Additional benefit is the control top, I prefer it to Spanx. Plus the legs look so much better in hose, it is like leg makeup.
Delete*double high-fives* I knew I couldn't be the only one! :)
DeleteDefinitely not the only one, I *love* me some nude hose - both the knee highs for trousers & full length for skirts.
DeleteAnyways, back to the crops & hosiery ?: I've seen women pull that off well when the color is deliberate - think eggplant/dark purple, grey patterned, even mustard. But if the workplace is traditional or formal that obvs wouldn't work. Then again, what traditional, formal workplace allows ballet flats & crops anyways?
I'm in the knee-high party also - and I hunt up "stocking-weight" deep solids, gray, wine, green - from Hue at TJ'S. Found a pair in black & gray herringbone right before we left.
DeleteLOL @ ajc - "leg makeup."
DeleteThanks for the tips, ladies! You've made me feel a lot better about the prospect of wearing knee-high sheers! (Believe me, no one wants to see my purple and blue feet.) Cheers!
DeleteLooking for ideas on what to wear with the spicy gold wool pencil. I've paired it with a grey turtleneck and an ivory cable sweater but that's it...
ReplyDeleteAlso, what does everyone think of the sparkle row cami in mint? I keep debating on whether to send it back, it's so pretty but I'm not sure how much use I'll get out of it or if it's too much for work. I like it with black minnies and black cardigan but am not sure how else to style it...
I like a blue & white striped Perfect Shirt with the gold skirts.
DeleteDeep burgundy/oxblood, deep green, or even a muted pumpkin with the spicy gold skirt? I also like this blogger's soft rose-y cardi with it: http://www.fastfoodandfastfashion.com/2012/02/j-crew-petite-no-2-pencil-skirt-in.html
DeleteI own that skirt in bronzed ochre (2010) which is really similar. I like to pair it with the buffalo check boy shirt in black/white plaid (also 2010) (sleeves rolled up) and the pearl cluster necklace (2009) (and an arm party of bracelets). If it's chilly, toss the Tippi sweater in celestial blue on top. Nude or black pumps, nude hose.
DeleteI have the sparkle row cami in navy (my store didn't have mint and I didn't realize that color was available). I don't think it's too much for work; I'm planning to pair it with the herringbone pencil in manor purple and a navy Jackie cardigan. I think the mint would look great with the retro teal pencil and a mint cardigan.
The spicy gold would look great paired with ivory,like the Blythe with the light grey dots, the grey snake print blouse or something similar, soft ivory and grays. If you fell daring, depending on your personality, you can pair it with a fuchsia top and add a chunky gold chain to tie it together. You can mix brights if you keep them all in the same intensity or color family.
DeleteI think a sweater like this would look nice with it.
DeleteErika, see my post about the spicy gold jacket above. I have links to some pictures you might be interested in.
DeleteRegarding the mint cami, I think it would work well with all gray shades from light to dark. J Crew shows mint and dark gray together in their Colorblock pullover.
I have the bronzed ochre double serge too and the Factory chartreuse pencil skirt, both of which are very similar to spicy gold. I love this versatile color -- looks great with bluish=purples, plum, bright dahlia, lavander, grey, black, fall colors like oxblood/burgundy, orangy/pumpkin reds (not bluish-reds), all shades of blue and teal and of course blue chambray. The only thing it doesn't pair with is any yellow shade.
DeleteKeep the mint cami. I love mine. Wear with black, navy, gray, brown, camel, forest green. Wear fall, winter, spring and summer. I have worn with black pinstripes slacks and white tuxedo jacket. Jeans and a Jackie cardi (forest green). Black pencil skirt and camel sweater. I think navy, green, and brown tone down the sparkle for work. No pressure :)
DeleteThere are so many possibilities- I am pairing mine this year with black/white wildcat blouse. Earlier this year I wore it with white /yellow Lexington- see the real life pic here.
DeleteWow, that was so helpful! I love the pencil skirt ideas and I think I will keep the mint sparkle cami, I especially like the idea of pairing it with camel or navy. Thanks!
DeleteOT: Just posted a review of the Hothouse floral dress on my blog; see it here.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review. I wish they would have done a skirt in this print. :(
DeleteThere is a flowy skirt that looks like a dress since they paired it with the top. Item 28823.
DeleteGreeting everyone. As usual - window inspirations and styling looks are here and here. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone have suggestions for styling the multi-colored tweed blazer? I like it with jeans and white cords for casual, but not sure how to style it for work. Any thoughts appreciated!
ReplyDeleteI was looking at the current Style Guide, and on page 48 is a bright tweed jacket with pale gray top and mauve blush velvet toothpick jeans. Those velvet jeans come in navy too, and I think the navy would work really well with your jacket. Can you wear velvet jeans to work? I think they would add a nice hip balance to the rather conservative jacket (compared to pairing the jacket with trousers or a pencil skirt) and a gray top would keep the outfit from becoming too blaring loud, color-wise. A chambray shirt would work well too, I think.
ReplyDeleteHere's a working Velvet toothpick jeans link.
Delete